Question 1

Describe the ethnic and political tensions in China. Discuss two ethnic or political minorities and how they have been treated by the dominant powers. What role have Chinese concepts of race played? How have political, religious, and ethnic circumstances interacted to produce the current situation?

Accepted Answer

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Question 2

To what does the term jati refer?

Accepted Answer

Jati refers to a social rank or caste within the Hindu society that is based on one's marital, economic, and ritual relations. It determines a person's occupation, social interactions, and marriage prospects.

Question 3

Chinese folk beliefs about race are derived from which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Chinese folk beliefs about race are based on concepts of blood relationships and descent. These beliefs emphasize the importance of ancestry and familial ties, rather than physical characteristics such as skin color.

Question 4

Norman Chance, the first anthropologist to do fieldwork in China in the 1970s after a long period during which ethnography was prohibited, concentrated on the economic life of __________.

Accepted Answer

The passage states that Norman Chance "concentrated on the economic life of an agricultural commune near Beijing." Therefore, the correct choice is D.

Question 5

In his research on suicide bombing, Scott Atran found that the individuals who vow to commit acts of violence __________.

Accepted Answer

Scott Atran found that individuals who vow to commit acts of violence often suffer from feelings of deprivation, such as being socially isolated or economically disadvantaged.

Question 6

What is meant by the term hamula? How important is the hamula for modern Arabs? What role does the hamula play in familial and economic relationships?

Accepted Answer

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Question 7

Name two of the European countries that participated in the colonization of Asia. For each, name one former colony and describe the nature of its agricultural exports under European rule. What are the effects of colonization that can still be seen in these countries today?

Accepted Answer

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Question 8

Which of the following best defines the caste system in India?

Accepted Answer

The caste system in India is a hierarchical social organization based on birth group, where individuals are born into a particular caste and their social and economic status is tied to that caste for their entire life.

Question 9

The cultural materialist interpretation of the caste system attributes its origin to which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Cultural materialists argue that the caste system developed as a result of economic and political conditions, specifically the need to maintain a social hierarchy in agricultural societies where land ownership and labor were key factors. They suggest that the system became more rigid over time as those in power sought to maintain their wealth and status. While religion and mythology certainly played a role in the development and perpetuation of the caste system, cultural materialists emphasize the material factors underlying its origins.

Question 10

What are Islamic revitalization movements? Compare and contrast two such movements in terms of their origins, purpose, and maintenance.

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Question 11

Discuss the effects that independent control of petroleum production has had on the demography and culture of the Middle East. Have all countries in the region been affected equally? How have oil revenues influenced the politics of the region?

Accepted Answer

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Question 12

According to anthropologist Louis Dumont, which of the following maintains the caste system in India?

Accepted Answer

According to Louis Dumont, the caste system in India is maintained through widespread social consensus. The idea of caste is deeply ingrained in Indian society, and people generally accept and follow the rules of their caste without question. This social consensus is what keeps the caste system in place, rather than any external force or power.

Question 13

The __________ are an ethnic minority that resides in several countries in the Middle East, including Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria.

Accepted Answer

The ethnic minority that resides in several countries in the Middle East, including Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria are the Kurds. The Tamils are an ethnic group from Sri Lanka, Hutus are an ethnic group from Rwanda, and Sikhs are an ethnic group mainly from India.

Question 14

What did studies of everyday life in an experimental commune known as Half Moon Village reveal?

Accepted Answer

Studies of everyday life in Half Moon Village revealed that the commune was not working effectively in accordance with socialist ideals. The study found that despite the commune being organized by Communist Party officials, the workers had little say in the economic decisions made by the commune. Furthermore, there were significant differences in the quality of life between farmers and factory workers, and there was a lack of motivation to work with no incentive for personal gain.

Question 15

How has anthropological thinking about the cultural area of the Middle East changed over the course of time? How does ethnography of the Middle East and Muslim Asia influence broader understandings of contemporary global conflicts?

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Question 16

In the 1970s, Norman Chance was the first American ethnologist to be allowed to conduct fieldwork in China after a long period during which such work was prohibited. Discuss his observations of Half Moon Village and comment on what his research revealed about state-run programs.

Accepted Answer

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Question 17

Communist policies in China viewed the traditional patriarchal family as __________.

Accepted Answer

Communist policies in China viewed the traditional patriarchal family as a major source of inequality, as it reinforced gender roles and the subordination of women within the family structure. Communist leaders sought to break down this structure in order to create a more egalitarian society.

Question 18

Compare and contrast how two Asian societies attempted to withdraw from the global economy. Why and how did they attempt to do so? What were the outcomes? What factors, other than economic ones, influenced these attempts?

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Question 19

What changes did ethnologist Hani Fakhouri observe in the village of Kafr El-Elow as a result of increased industrialization? What effects did industrialization have on the lives of the fellaheen of this community?

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Question 20

What is meant by jatis and the jajmani system in India? How does a jajmani economy work? What are the anthropological explanations for the origin and maintenance of jajmani?

Accepted Answer

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Quiz 15: Globalization in the Middle East and Asia