Sociology Anthropology and Criminology

Alexandra Boughton

Archaeology at Lower Huron Metro Park: Exploring Spatial Patterns and Chronology at Historic Site 20WN1095

Site 20WN1095 was a historic occupation identified in the 2005 survey at the Lower Huron Metro Park. Excavations were conducted to document the distribution of artifacts and activity areas before pending pool construction. The spatial distributions of chronological and functional artifact attributes were analyzed to identify specific activity areas and settlement growth. These analyses indicated a late 19th to 20th century occupation including habitation, agricultural, livestock areas and a possible driveway or fence line.

Session B - 11 a.m. - Room 302.

Crystal E. Brown and Errol Jackson

The Jazz Funeral Post-Katrina: An Oral Tradition Buried Within the Current

Marginalized populations have historically passed customs on to subsequent generations. Events of natural disaster compel an entire group into a transformative process that would alter its culture. This project challenges existing sociological theory, using a mixed method approach to describe cultural retention. The project aims to develop insights into cultural and social organization in general, and Katrina's impact on the cultural conditions of African American communities of the Ninth Ward, New Orleans, La. in particular.

Session C - 11:45 a.m. - Room 330.

Elspeth Geiger

Archaeology at the Lower Huron Metro Park: Discovering the Chronology and Activities within a Prehistoric Site

Site 20WN1089 was a prehistoric occupation at the Lower Huron Metro Park. One goal of the EMU Archaeology Field School is to identify the age of the site and activities that took place there. Analyses of chronological and functional attributes of artifacts excavated from the site were used to address this goal. The pottery attributes suggest a late woodland period and additional artifacts revealed a wide variety of prehistoric activities, indicating a residential site.

Session B - 10:45 a.m. - Room 302.

Cuitlahuac Ramos

The Golden Age of the Mexican Cinema: A Qualitative Cultural, Historical, Political and Sociological Study of Stratification in Emilio Fernadez's Films

Emilio "El Indio" Fernandez is probably the most well known director from the so called "Golden Age" of Mexican Cinema. The four movies analyzed in this presentation were produced during the 1940s. These movies are distinguished by several social divisions and forms of inequality: wealth, material possessions, power and authority, prestige and access to education. Complex features of power and powerlessness originate in social class roles, based on position in the economic system of production and distribution. Other variables include race and gender inequality, and also physical and verbal violence against women. The historical context of the films is "La Revolution Mexicana" or times of social turmoil against Porfirio Diaz's long-term dictatorship. Various sociological theories will be used to explain the phenomena observed in the films.

Session B - 10:15 a.m. - Room 302.

Georgia Richardson

Archaeology at the Lower Huron Metro Park: The Search for Sites and their Settlement Patterns

A cultural resources inventory is being made for the Lower Huron Metro Park by the EMU Archaeology Field School. An archaeological survey identified site locations, and analyses of chronological periods, site functions and settlement patterns were conducted. The chronological and functional attributes of artifacts from the sites were analyzed to identify site ages and site types. Prehistoric sites and a concentration of late 19th and 20th century sites, associated with farmsteads, were identified.

Session B - 10:30 a.m. - Room 302.

Emily Garvey

Education and Poverty: A Summary of the Jobs, Education and Training (JET) Program Policy

Working with the Center for Civil Justice (Saginaw, Mich.) and the Michigan Poverty Law Program (University of Michigan) attorneys, updated policy brochures on educational access for low-income students were developed. The Jobs, Education and Training (JET) program aims to help welfare families move to financial independence by preparing recipients to find jobs that could become careers. The Personal Work and Responsibility Act (1996) requires that each state achieve reduced caseloads over a period of years. The JET program is one state-level response to these requirements. The goal of this project is to decode the policy so that an average individual can identify educational resources that are available to them, and figure out how to apply for these benefits. Community outreach and education is a component of this project and an upcoming "know your rights" informational session is planned.

Group 2 - 10:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.- Room 310A/B .

Marie Czupinski

Women in Comics

This project was initially done for Women Studies 200 as a history of female superheroes. I wanted to show that comic books can be a very influential form of culture. Comics tackle some heavy issues such as racism, sexism and other prejudices. Comics are not just mindless entertainment. They reflect challenging cultural issues and present new schools of thought to those who choose to read them, whether the readers are young or old.

Group 1 - 8:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. - Room 310A/B .