Question 1 · 10 marks · 809 words written
Write notes on the following in 150 words: 1.a) Cultural shock and reverse culture shock, 1.b) Janet Carsten's concept of relatedness in Kinship studies, 1.c) Division of Labour, 1.d) Problems of Pastoralists in India, 1.e) Is Joint Family dying in India
Opening
Kalervo OBERG referred to culture shock as the frustration and disorientation an anthropologist feels when entering a new culture.
Symptoms of culture shock :- Stages of culture shock :-
Body
Kalervo OBERG referred to culture shock as the frustration and disorientation an anthropologist feels when entering a new culture.
Symptoms of culture shock :-
Stages of culture shock :-
(1) Honeymoon stage: Anthropologist is excited to enter culture
(2) Uncertainty stage: Culture shock and symptoms hit
(3) Adjustment Stage: acceptance of new cultural categories
(4) Acceptance stage: Anthropologist becomes "bicultural".
REVERSE CULTURE SHOCK: Shock an anthropologist faces when returning to his/her culture due to biculturalism. "The abnormal has become normal, and normal has become abnormal"
Example: Malinowski writes in his diary that he had faced culture shock while studying Trobrianders and called kula exchange as "fanciful bauble". However after immersing himself he was able to accept. Thus these are part and parcel of anthropological field study.
Janet Carsten in book "Culture of Relatedness" states that there are ways to relate to individuals apart from kinship.
Traditional idea of kinship :- (1) Lineage or descent relates individuals (Descent theorists - Radcliffe Brown) (2) Affinal links relate individual cultures (Alliance theorists - Levi Strauss)
However she stated that related relatedness is another way to bind people.
Malayan study of Janet Carsten :- Did fieldwork among Malayan tribes where blood & relations are made by eating home cooked food in a common kitchen. -> Sibling bond is made when similar bodily fluids are related, i.e -> breastfeeding, eating same food. -> Janet Carsten herself said she was accepted as kin in the community.
Contemporary Relevance :- (1) Rise of assisted reproductive technologies, IVF, 3 parent baby etc has transcended older ideas of filiation and descent. (2) Kinship is "Created by doing" than relation by blood (SCHNEIDER) (3) Transnational adoptions also result in kinship and family bonds in a rapidly globalising world. Thus concept is relevant today.
In 1893 book, "Division of Labour", DURKHEIM stated that it is the economic interdependence of different groups with different labour duties. CLASSIFIED AS:-
Gender: DIVISION OF LABOUR (1) Flexible Type: Men and women do same work without loss of face and there is no strict distinction. Eg) Ju/'hoansi men and women do 35% of tasks together (Lee and Lorna Marshal) (2) Segregated TYPE: There is strict separation and doing each others job causes loss of face. eg) MUNDUGUMOR societies, pastoral cultures (3) Dual Sex Configuration: Men and women have separate jobs but are complementary & unranked eg) Inuit Eskimos (women gather and stitch, men hunt)
II Age based division of labour Foraging Society: children have less role until they attain age. HADZA tribe needs attention of grandmother in child rearing Horticulture Society: children work from a young age. Elderly are looked up to for wisdom Agri Societies: children work in farms, while elderly do not (III) Cooperative labour involves groups working together. Thus, these aid in production
Pastoralism is defined as raring and herding of migratory animals like camels, sheep, horse etc. Problems of Pastoralists in India Issues of production in ECONOMIC SYSTEMS :- (1) Land and grazing resources: Gujjars do not have access to lands. Given to landless societies (2) Occupational changes: As per Xaxa report, "forced sedentarisation of pastoralists is causing vast cultural changes (3) Displacement due to hydro power plants and roads:- Bakarwal groups have faced interrupted transhumance. ISSUES IN DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS (1) Loss of traditional markets eg) BHOTIAS have lost traditional markets of rug making (2) Dependence on unscrupulous middlemen. (3) Changing systems of trade & barter eg) Toda community no longer does trading. Rise of cash economy and merchantalism is impacting traditional networks. Social Problems: Abhay Bang committee report cited lack of access to health facilities and "paternalistic" view by government as nuisance or criminals. Need of hour is to protect livelihood and culture applying ideas of TRIBAL PANCHSHEEL & cultural relativism.
Iravati Karve defined it as a type of family where there was common residence, food from same hearth, common worship, common property and kindred bonds. Is joint family dying in India has 3 various views:- DYING: Aileen Ross, FG Bailey NOT DYING: KM Kapadia, AM Shah, BP Aggarwal CYCLICAL VIEW: Kolenda, IP Desai
Dying Institution :- (1) Aileen Ross studied 160 families in Bangalore and said NUCLEAR family was "functional fit" to industrialisation & urbanisation. (2) FG Bailey said nuclear family rising due to divergent views and new disposable incomes as seen in BISIPARA.
Counter view: NOT A DYING INSTITUTION (1) KM Kapadia study in Gujrat stated that even if the family had reduced in size - a "functional jointness" remained in ritual, economic, matters. (2) AM Shah study in Gujrat shows that joint family was very much a reality as "extended households".
Cyclical view of Joint family
Pauline Kolenda says family is not static and continues cyclically. TO CONCLUDE, IP Desai said concept of "nuclear family" was western centric and even though nuclearisation is there - it is for economic simplicity, but it becomes joint when need arises.
Close
Cyclical view of Joint family Pauline Kolenda says family is not static and continues cyclically. TO CONCLUDE, IP Desai said concept of "nuclear family" was western centric and even though nuclearisation is there - it is for economic simplicity, but it becomes joint when need arises.