Deck 15: Anthropology in Todays World: Problems and Contributions

Question 1

Despite over 400 years of moving around, the Hutterites have been able to maintain their identity and way of life largely as a result of being able to exercise some control over the processes of:

A) invention
B) diffusion and acculturation
C) discovery
D) revolution

Answer 1

diffusion and acculturation

Question 2

One concession to changing cultural conditions that the Hutterites have NOT allowed is:

A) adoption of new farming technologies
B) letting children receive high school diplomas
C) sending some young people to college for teaching degrees
D) making their religious beliefs less conservative

Answer 2

making their religious beliefs less conservative

Question 3

Many Dani, at present:

A) are still isolated and living in the way described in the text
B) are now completely urbanized
C) still have their ritual and secular wars
D) have adopted Christianity and are raising cash crops

Answer 3

have adopted Christianity and are raising cash crops

Question 4

Which of the following has NOT been a result for the San of the political situation in southern Africa over the past few decades?

A) generally better living conditions
B) increase in violence
C) a problem with alcoholism
D) internal social stratification of a once-egalitarian people

Question 5

By the middle of the 21st century, there will be about _______ people on earth.

A) 6 billion
B) 9.3 billion
C) 10 billion
D) 25 billion

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT a measure of the success of a species?

A) longevity
B) sufficient reproduction to perpetuate the species
C) increasing ability to manipulate and exploit needed resources
D) maintenance of equilibrium with the environment

Question 7

The maximum population of a species allowed by existing environmental conditions is known as:

A) carrying capacity
B) environmental equilibrium
C) the top of the food chain
D) population curve

Question 8

Many emerging diseases:

A) are the result of the increased mutation rate in the human genome
B) are caused largely by environmental pollution
C) are jumping from other species to humans
D) are being spread as a result of human sexual practices

Question 9

AIDS came to humans from:

A) abnormal human sexual activities
B) a mutant bacterium
C) chimpanzees
D) chickens

Question 10

To say that history is contingent means:

A) it is completely unpredictable
B) it is fully predictable once understood
C) the proper changes can predictably alter its course
D) historical events are dependent upon all preceding events

Question 11

How have the Hutterites coped recently with the pace and extent of modern change? What concessions have they made to their traditional ways of life?

Question 12

How have the lives of the San changed over the past 30 years? Explain in terms of the processes of culture change described in the text.

Question 13

How may anthropology be applied to addressing some problems of the modern world. Give some general ideas and a specific example.

Question 14

What are the measures of species success? How well does the human species at present fulfill these criteria?

Question 15

What does it mean to say that our species is close to its carrying capacity? Do you think our species is?

Question 16

What characteristic of the human species has led to its being out of equilibrium with its environment?

Question 17

Where do humans fit in the food chain, and why has this led to problems?

Question 18

Speculate on how changes in the global nuclear warfare situation in recent decades may have affected the world view of citizens of this country.

Question 19

What are emerging diseases and why are they an increasing problem in today's world?

Question 20

What does it mean to say that history is contingent?

Question 21

Does contingency mean that we can make no generalizations about human cultural or biological history?