Department of Sociology, Antropology and Criminology
Sergio E. Criado
Professor Kristine Ajrouch, Sponsor
Affirmative Action: An Affirmative Defense Against Institutional and Structural Violence
The recent decision by the U.S. Supreme court to hear the case brought against the University of Michigan is testimony to the tensions surrounding the policy of affirmative action. A critical examination of the literature addressing the viability of this policy is warranted. By presenting research that both challenges and supports affirmative action, this paper addresses the inaccuracies and faulty premises that underpin much of the argument for and against this national policy.
Session A - Alumni Room - 8:30 a.m.~8:45 a.m.
Teresa L. Long
Professor Karen Schaumann, Sponsor
African-Americans on Television: Myth Versus Reality
African-Americans make up the largest minority group in the United States. This research will examine how they are portrayed through a variety of television media. Analysis of a sample of African-American images will be conducted qualitatively and quantitatively. Comparisons will be made to actual African-American population demographics. This examination determines if the images on television are realistic portrayals of the African-American population.
Session C - Main Lounge - 12:15 p.m.~12:30 p.m..
Kent McRae
Professor Barbara Bilge, Sponsor
Julian Steward's Rigorous Positivism
The positivist approach of U.S. anthropologist Julian Steward produced results of importance to the science of anthropology, and to members of cultures around the world who are interested in how the world market economy creates cultural change. Steward built upon the practices and beliefs of his teachers to devise a methodology and theory that brought U.S. anthropology out of the museum and onto the front lines where the process of cultural change may be observed.
Session B - Gallery II - 10:45 a.m.~11:00 a.m.
Eric Lamont Monat
Professor Barbara Bilge, Sponsor
Eric R. Wolf: Life and Impact on Cultural Anthropology
Eric Wolf was a revolutionary in his practice of anthropology. Growing up Jewish in Austria in the 1930's, he gained an understanding of what being the "other" meant, and through his anthropological work sought to be a voice for justice. This paper discusses Wolf's life, influences and his impact on the field.
Session A - Salon - 9:00 a.m.~9:15 a.m.
Kimberly Warren
Professor Barbara Bilge, Sponsor
Ruth Benedict: A Female Perspective and the Popularization of American Anthropology
Ruth Benedict entered anthropology at a time when women were just beginning to gain a foothold in the field. Overcoming this obstacle as well as her own personal battles in life, Benedict fought to bring anthropology and the study of culture to the general public in the United States. With her book Patterns of Culture, Benedict made her mark as a female anthropologist and helped to educate readers across the country about culture.
Session A - Salon - 9:15 a.m.~9:30 a.m.