Writing Assignment

Writing
Assignment Extra Credit

Writing Assignment: The Ethnographic
Perspective: Guests of the Sheik

This assignment asks the student to reflect on the ethnographic
perspective through the experiences of Elizabeth Fernea as described in her
book “Guests of the Sheik”
The Guidelines
This assignment should conform to all of the length, format and
other guidelines for writing assignments outline in the Syllabus.
Overview
Answer the following:
Describe briefly your impressions of this “fieldwork.” What would
it be like to be in the field outside of your culture? Illustrate your opinions
with examples from the text.
and
Choose two topics from Area A and one topic from Area B to
write about:

Area A: What did you learn about the people of Iraq
?
Topic 1 – Gender. What did you learn about Gender in Iraq through this
book? What did you learn which expanded your perspective on Gender in general?

Topic 2 – Religion. Iraq is a primarily Islamic society, how was this
translated into everyday life? What can we learn about how religion functions
in any complex society from this example.

Topic 3 – Kinship Systems and Family. The society described by Fernea is
built around kinship and family relationships. How does kinship structure the
everyday lives of the people described in the book? What did those people who
were making lives separated from their kin groups suggest about the future of
this kind of social organization?

Topic 4 – Political Systems. The society described in Iraq is an intensely political
one, but the outlines of these politics are often vague in this book. Why is
this true? What could an ethnographer have done to make the interactions of kin
and interest groups more understandable?

Topic 5 – Economics. How are people making a living and supporting their
families and kin groups in this setting? What is the relationship of the
economics presented to the areas discussed above (gender, religion, kinship and
politics).

Area B:
Topic 1 – Guests of the Sheik is not a new book.The work it is based on is around 50
years old. So why is this book part of the standard UMUC Anthropology 102
course? What does it tell us that we might not get from a journalist’s account
of Iraq? Or from another ethnography about say Egypt? Or from the memoir of an
Iraqi? What can we learn from it?

Topic 2 – What we do versus what we say.Discuss the idea of real versus ideal
behavior, exemplified by the people studied and the anthropologist. Are the
people actually living out the cultural system that they might describe and if
not how does it vary from what they say? Does Fernea behave in the way you had
expected an anthropologist to behave, how is her behavior different than
expected?

Topic 3 – Being an ethnographer.What were Fernea’s greatest strengths
and greatest weaknesses as an ethnographer? Describe the most serious or trying
difficulties experienced by this anthropologist. Based on this account, what
qualities do you think are most important for successful anthropological
fieldwork? Could you do this kind of ethnographic field work?
Essay Template

Essay Examples & Template

THESIS STATEMENT:
Should include: What, How and Why
WHAT: your claim about the event, interaction, practice or culture
HOW: the conversations, statements, behaviors, positions, artifacts, rules,
norms, etc. that you use to prove your claim
WHY – how does your idea/argument deepen the reader’s
understanding of the event, interaction, practice, or culture and situate it
within the broader anthropological perspective? (answers the dreaded “so what”
question).

“Magic Thesis
Statement”(don’t use these exact words – adapt
this magic thesis statement and make it your own!) By looking at HOW(evidence to prove the
claim), we can see WHAT(your claim about the text), and this is
important because WHY.
Example:
On the surface, the message board exchange appears to be quite
casual, but the rules of the web master provoke an event that has all
the elements required of formal speech as outlined in Dell Hymes’ Speaking
Model(this is the WHAT). Participants use increased
structuring, specific code choices, and a focus on positional rather than
personal identity(this is the HOW) to reassert the
group’s norms. The exchange is directed away from sympathy and back to snide
humor, demonstrating that communication both reflects and enforces culture.
(this is the WHY).
Example:
WHAT : In her ethnography, Guests of the Sheik,
Elizabeth Fernea demonstrates how ethnocentrism can interfere with
anthropological research. HOW: In her retelling of her
experience in Iraq, Fernea demonstrates her own ethnocentrism through her words
and actions. However, over time and through her experiences, she becomes aware
of her ethnocentrism, WHY: an important element in producing a
clear ethnology in anthropological research.
Example:
HOW: China is home to one-fifth of the world’s population. Because of
this, the Chinese government enacted the one-child policy. WHAT:
While this policy has served to slow China’s population growth, a number of
social issues have arisen in its wake. WHY: These issues have led
many to question which is the lesser of the two evils…

OUTLINE OF THE MAIN POINTS:
Example:
In this paper I will briefly explain the concept of ethnocentrism
and its relationship to anthropological research, then I will discuss how
Fernea demonstrated her own ethnocentrism and how she overcame it…etc..etc…
In this report I will discuss my research in China including my
research methods, my findings, including a detailed account of how those I
interviewed view the one-child policy, and how I gave back to the community I
worked with…etc..etc…

COUNTERARGUMENT
Example:
Some might argue that BJ never really overcame her ethnocentrism,
however, as demonstrated in her experience with…
Example:
Because the one-child policy is enforced with measures such as
abortion, it is opposed by the Catholic church, which has emerged as a loud
opponent…

CONCLUSION
Example:
Fernea’s account of her experience in Iraq demonstrates how
ethnocentrism can skew an anthropologist’s point of view. Once she became aware
of her ethnocentrism, Fernea was better able to understand Iraqi culture, thus
providing a clearer picture of the cultural practices she experienced there…
Example:
While the one-child policy has led to a number of social issues including
infanticide and a gender imbalance, my research indicates that a significant
number of Chinese citizens agree with the overarching goal of the policy…

ESSAY TEMPLATE

INTRODUCTION
This should include
some background information don’t assume the reader knows anything
about what you are discussing. Include background about your topic
including relevant research already conducted, if applicable.

THESIS
By looking at HOW (evidence to prove the claim), we can see WHAT
(your claim about the text), and this is important because WHY.

SUPPORT FOR POSITION
Include 3 or specific examples as evidence of supportExplain how this evidence supports your positionInclude a counterargument
Note: This is the bulk of your paper – it should be multiple paragraphs
long. Be sure to cite your sources within the text!

CONCLUSION
Restate your position (in different words) and answer the
question “so what?”

WORK CITED
List all of your sources