Recent attention to literacy, rather than focusing on literacy for social mobility as in the 1960s, promotes literacy for basic, entry-level employment, a position that supports the existing power structure rather than redistributing power in our society. Therefore true universal literacy--which involves the potential redistribution of power--is…

This paper explores radical critical theory, which questions the most fundamental assumptions of traditional family sociology by posing alternative ways of uncovering the realities of marriage. The first section provides a background in radical-critical theory, while the second section attempts to locate the radical-critical perspective within the…

Designed for use as supplementary instructional material in a cultural anthropology course, this learning module introduces commonly employed terms used in the study of kinship and social groups. Conceptual categories used to describe the social structures of society are defined first, including culture, material culture, nonmaterial culture,…

This paper demonstrates, with reference to the Samal of Tagtabon Island, how the structure of local domestic groups and the statistical distribution of residence types can be derived from a detailed description of the decision rules used by Samal native actors themselves in making, evaluating and predicting residence choices. Considering the…

As an introduction to Afghani refugees in the United States, this report discusses various aspects of Afghani life both in the U.S. and Afghanistan. Within the discussion of Afghani cultural background, Afghani history, geography, livelihood, language, ethnicity, religion, art, food and dress, festivities, names, and social structure are reviewed.…

Broadly conceived, social impacts refer to all changes in the structure and functioning of patterned social ordering that occur in conjunction with an environmental, technological, or social innovation or alteration. Departing from the usual cost-benefit analysis approach, a new methodology proposes conducting social impact assessment grounded in…

This booklet touches upon many aspects of the Maasai tribe of Tanzania and Kenya. Topics covered include an historical background examining Maasai origins and contact with Europeans and a survey of their economic system detailing community life, daily routine, diet, the importance of and ideas about raising livestock, food, technology, and…

This is the first of three volumes which comprise a review of the social, psychological, and biological aspects of aging. This volume organizes, evaluates, and interprets research data, concepts, theories, and issues in aging from the perspectives of the various social sciences. Intended for use by researchers, professional practitioners,…

This teaching aid outlines basic anthropological concepts described in the various units of the Anthropology Curriculum Project. The outline of important concepts to be learned is intended to be used by the teacher in conjunction with the other instructional materials in each unit. The introduction defines anthropology, its branches and purposes.…

One of 52 theoretical papers on school crime and its relation to poverty, this chapter proposes that many forms of youthful misbehavior (particularly vandalism in high schools) are rooted in the normal dynamics of culture among youth. Typologies are used for understanding the social organization of the peer group world and the issue of high school…

Prison language, primarily the lexicon, at the Women's Correctional Center (WCC) in Columbia, South Carolina is described. This center is considered here as a speech community and a subculture. Inmates have developed speech habits and vocabulary which indicate the social structure of the prison and inmate values. They coin or metaphorically extend…

The book examines the effect of class barriers on blue collar workers by mirroring occupational/ethnic backgrounds of the white manual-laboring population in the Boston area through urban anthropological observations as well as 150 in-depth interviews conducted in 1969-70. It mainly reflects the experience of middle-aged, third generation American…

In an effort to promote an evolutionary view of culture, the Tucson Papago society was examined in terms of Fredrick Barth's theory that: (1) an ethnic group may be involved in complex institutional sharing and still maintain its identity; (2) there is a structuring of interaction in institutional sharing such that each group is defined by the…

Educational research has supported the thesis that educational reforms fail to achieve equality because of similarity of structure between the places of work and schooling. Analysis of the fact that schools replicate the structure of social relations of production presents several problems, including a challenging consumption interpretation, the…

After the fur trade reached the Ojibwa during the early 17th Century, tribe structure and function rapidly changed. The intensity of social life increased as the Ojibwa and neighboring tribes gathered to exchange fur pelts for European items. Trade became so important that intertribal hostilities arose and an almost unrestrictive slaughter of…