Question 1

What assumptions were the comparative study of religion in the late nineteenth century based on?&#10;A) religion progressed from simple to complex&#10;B) one could reconstruct the origins of religion by studying &#34;primitive peoples&#34; in the world today&#10;C) Some people in the &#34;modern&#34; world were &#34;primitive&#34;&#10;D) all of the above

Accepted Answer

The comparative study of religion in the late nineteenth century was based on the assumption that religion progressed from simple to complex, one could reconstruct the origins of religion by studying "primitive peoples" in the world today, and that some people in the "modern" world were "primitive". Therefore, all of the above options are correct.

Question 2

Which classic anthropologist wrote Primitive Cultures, first published in the late nineteenth century?&#10;A) E.B. Tylor&#10;B) Franz Boas&#10;C) Edward Said&#10;D) Emile Durkheim

Accepted Answer

Primitive Cultures was written by E.B. Tylor and first published in 1871. It is considered a seminal work in the field of anthropology and helped to establish the discipline as a science.

Question 3

Claude Levi-Strauss said that myths are composed of codes characterized by which of the following?&#10;A) intricate&#10;B) structured as oppositions&#10;C) functioning to underscore the boundaries of people&#10;D) all of the above

Accepted Answer

Claude Levi-Strauss believed that myths are composed of intricate codes that are structured as oppositions, and that they function to underscore the boundaries of people. Therefore, all of the above choices are correct.

Question 4

Max Weber theorized the Protestant ethic, the idea that working hard and having material success was a sign of God's favor, as which of the following?&#10;A) doctrine&#10;B) the psychological consequence of a specific doctrine&#10;C) resulted in the decline of capitalism&#10;D) resulted in the rise of socialism

Accepted Answer

Weber believed that the Protestant ethic was not a specific doctrine but rather a cultural belief that arose from the teachings of Protestantism. It created a sense of duty to work hard and accumulate wealth as a sign of being saved by God. This mentality was a psychological consequence of Protestant beliefs and contributed to the rise of capitalism. It did not result in the decline of capitalism or the rise of socialism.

Question 5

Who was the first anthropologist to carry out long-term fieldwork?&#10;A) Franz Boas&#10;B) Victor Turner&#10;C) Bronislaw Malinowski&#10;D) Mary Douglas

Accepted Answer

Bronislaw Malinowski is credited as the first anthropologist to carry out long-term fieldwork through his research in the Trobriand Islands from 1915 to 1918.

Question 6

Emile Durkheim's argument that the positive social consequences, society's social solidarity, of religious beliefs and practices explain why they continue to exist. Such a logic falls under which anthropological theoretical framework?

A) functionalism
B) structuralism
C) symbolic anthropology
D) political economy

Accepted Answer

Durkheim's argument that religious beliefs and practices promote social solidarity suggests a functionalist perspective, which sees social institutions as serving essential purposes or functions for society as a whole.

Question 7

Karl Marx argued that religion served not only ideological functions but also which of the following?&#10;A) gender equality&#10;B) global charities&#10;C) environmental concerns&#10;D) class interests

Accepted Answer

Karl Marx believed that religion served the interests of those in power, specifically the ruling class. He argued that religious beliefs and practices helped to maintain social inequalities by legitimizing the exploitation of the working class by the bourgeoisie. Therefore, religion served the function of promoting and protecting the interests of the ruling class.

Question 8

Who argued that it was not symbols that induced faith, but rather discipline?&#10;A) Victor Turner&#10;B) Michel Foucault&#10;C) Clifford Geertz&#10;D) Mary Douglas

Accepted Answer

Michel Foucault argued that it was not symbols that induced faith, but rather discipline, through the mechanisms of power and knowledge. He believed that institutions like the church and state used disciplinary techniques to control and regulate individual behavior and thought.

Question 9

Which term describes attention paid to the ways in which objects carry meaning?&#10;A) semiotics&#10;B) linguistics&#10;C) reflexivity&#10;D) poststructuralism

Accepted Answer

Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols and their interpretation, including how objects carry meaning.

Question 10

Which of the following is an example of social theory in anthropology?&#10;A) structuralism&#10;B) functionalism&#10;C) symbolic anthropology&#10;D) all of the above

Accepted Answer

All three choices (structuralism, functionalism, and symbolic anthropology) are examples of social theory in anthropology. Structuralism focuses on the underlying structures and patterns of society, functionalism explores how social institutions and practices work to maintain social order and stability, and symbolic anthropology studies the cultural symbols and meanings behind human behavior. All three theories aim to understand how society functions and how individuals interact within it.

Deck 2: Social Theory and the Anthropology of Religion