The essay in question requires the connection of an anthropolgic research article to our class book “How To Think Like An Anthrpologist” by Michael Engelke. The project requirements are as follows: IlI. Write a reflection essay.
The essay should consists of four parts.
1) Infcimation about the article. (~300 words)
What is the article you found? Where is it published? Who is the author? What is the article promising to do? Why was it written? Why did you choose this particular article?
2) Article’s argument (~500 words)
Imagine explaining the contents of the article to a person who has never heard about the topic of the article and you need to bring them up to date on this reading. What is the author’s main argument in one sentence? What is the problem the article trying to solve? How is the problem set up (concepts, vocies, expectations vs observations)? What are the main concepts the authors is working with (give your explanation/definitions of them)? What is the evidence that the author is bringing in to solve the problem? What is the author’s conclusion?
3) Article’s relation to Engelke’s book and our class discussions (~700 words)
This is the main part of the essay. Reflect on how the article relates to our class. Just saying “the article is showing that culture is important” is not enough! Be specific: cite Engelke (including page numbers) and lectures, use your notes, mention specific concepts, people, and facts from our discussions. Explain how the article relates to the readings we did in class. Which of the topics that Engelke writes about the article elaborates on?
Which anthropologists’ ideas we talked about resonate with the article? Which anthropologists mentioned by Engelke are cited in the article? Does the author of the article “think like an anthropologist”? In what way?
4) Your thoughts on the article, the class, and anthropology in general. (any length)
This part will not affect your grade. It is just a space for you to reflect on what you learned in the class. Most of you began the semester not knowing what anthropology was. Now you have read a full anthropology research paper. This is a huge achievement. I invite you to acknowledge the long way you traveled from the beginning of the class to this moment and to reflect on what you learned from reading the article, taking the class, and getting your first exposure to anthropological thinking. Don’t be shy to express your frustration with or suspicion of the discipline of anthropology. This is also a valuable feedback for me as an instructor.
