Essay Question for ANT 436 

Dr. M.D. Murphy

Fall 2007

 q       The essay must be submitted  by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, November 20, 2007. Submit the essay electronically as a Microsoft Word file attached to an email sent to mdmurphy@tenhoor.as.ua.edu.  Please name the file "436" followed by your full  last name and the initial of your first name, all in lower case. For example,  Betty  Smith should name this file:  436smithb 

 q       The essay must be five pages in length: double-spaced, 12 point font, with a one inch margin on top, bottom and sides. (note: I define a page as roughly 250 words).  Don't forget to put your name, the date and the class number (436) at the beginning of the essay.

 q       The essay must include full bibliographic citations for each work discussed.  

Drawing principally upon  your reading of  the four ethnographic monographs assigned for this class (The Nuer, The Trobrianders of Papua New Guinea, The Nesilik Eskimo, and The Yanomamo), discuss how kinship systems may be more or less central to the structuring of social life in different human societies.  Be sure to consider the role of kinship in each of these societies. Discuss the relative economic, social and political significance of kinship in each case. 

Of course, integrating materials you have learned in lecture cannot help but enhance your grade.

Return to ANT 436 syllabus