Anthropology Honors Theses

Comfortable with Their Bodies: Menstruation, Culture and Materialism in America

Sally Phipps — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 07:55:12 PST

This study analyzes the intersection of multiple cultural themes and discourses present in discussion of the alternative menstrual hygiene product, the menstrual cup. Through the qualitative research methods of first-person interviewing and autoethnography, the study forms the characteristics of the American menstrual cultural model and how the model upheld by menstrual cup users differs from it.

The study finds that access to alternative channels of information and an innate or learned acceptance of the body and bodily processes were indicators of whether or not an individual would be receptive to the cup. The mainstream consciousness was unlikely to foster bodily acceptance. Bodily acceptance was more likely encountered in individuals with interests invested in activities and lifestyle practices more likely to be labeled “alternative.” Using the cup also had a positive feedback effect in that it habituated users to and made them feel more comfortable with their bodies.

Socioeconomic and Cultural Aspects of Overweight and Obesity in Georgia's African American Community

Alicia C. Simpson — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 05:45:12 PST

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health and the Center for Disease Control (CDC), individuals who identified themselves as African-American or Black have the highest rate of obesity in the United States. The higher prevalence of overweight and obesity among the African-American population correlates to an increased risk for a number of diseases (including heart disease, diabetes, and several cancers) and an increased mortality rate for the African American population. Through focus groups and interviews, the research I will present focuses on perceptions of overweight and obesity among African-Americans, including any cultural beliefs associated with overweight, obesity and African-Americans. I examined cultural norms of body image, food preference (including "soul food" and other foods traditionally associated with African-American culture), and access to healthy foods and how the familial unit deals with issues of overweight and obesity. I also explored popular explanatory models surrounding the cultural acceptance of overweight and obesity in the African-American culture. Finally, I attempted to uncover the role that socioeconomic status plays in the acceptance, belief and/or knowledge of these models. A total of 80 participants who identify as African-American or Black were chosen using non-probability sampling techniques to participate in this research. I conducted 3 focus groups and 60 one on one interviews. Each participant in the focus group and one on one interview filled out a brief questionnaire about their perceptions of their own body image in conjunction with their interview. Varying socioeconomic status was sought amongst interview participants while similar socioeconomic status and education level were sought among focus group participants so that each person within the group felt as comfortable as possible sharing their experiences with weight and food. In my paper, I will discuss common themes that emerged in focus groups and interviews regarding perceptions of obesity among my participants.

Contemporary Amish Youth and the Transition to Adulthood

Maeghan B. Dessecker — Tue, 29 May 2012 12:39:35 PDT

As adulthood looms in an Amish adolescent’s life, he must make a crucial decision that will affect the rest of his life: To be or not to be Amish. Amish teens undergo a ‘coming of age’ rite of passage known as Rumspringa. This experience allows the Amish teen to be cast out in the Non-Amish world of electricity and other vanities. This rite varies among the different orders of the Amish church. Popular television shows and books often sensationalize Amish Rumpringa, but my research among the Amish in 2011 revealed some of the different variations within the Amish church and within families. Although Amish families handle the practices that lead to adulthood differently, often 80-90% of Amish youth join the Amish church. In a world of enticing accessibility, why do Amish youths generally choose a life of simplicity? In this paper, I explore the question concerning this high retention rate within the Amish church based on interviews and participant observation in the community.

Creating a Chronocline of the Diet of Theropithecus From Low-magnification Stereomicroscopy: How Has the Diet of Theropithecus Changed Over Time?

Meri K. Hatchett — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:18:13 PST

The primate genus Theropithecus is represented at various Plio-Pleistocene sites including the Pliocene site of Makapansgat (2.9 mya), the early Pleistocene cave of Swartkrans (1.8 mya), the late Pleistocene deposits from Elandsfontein (700,000 ka) and by extant gelada baboons from Ethiopia. To examine how diet has changed over time in this genus, dental microwear features of Theropithecus darti (n=2), Theropithecus danieli (n=8), Theropithecus gelada (n=2) Theropithecus oswaldi (n=1) Parapapio whitei (n=14), Papio robinsoni (n=16) and Papio ursinus (n=13) were examined under low-magnification (35x) using light refractive technology. Although there is a significant relationship between small pits and fine scratches, Analysis of Variance followed by Tukey’s post-hoc tests failed to demonstrate significant groupings. However, bivariate analyses suggest that as scratch count increases, pit count decreases. The results suggest that there is much dietary variation in modern and extinct gelada baboons, but that extant Theropithecus relies somewhat more on grassland resources than did their extinct counterparts.

Negotiating Identity Among Second-Generation Indian Americans: A Collaborative Ethnography

Kelly E. Murray — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:15:41 PST

This thesis focuses on college-aged second-generation Americans whose parents emigrated to the U.S. from India. The purpose of the study is to examine the ethnic and cultural identities of second-generation Indian Americans in the Atlanta area. This exploratory study is meant to interrogate cognitive boundaries to suggest that identity is not a fixed state but a fluid process that is continually shaped both by the individual and by society. I have amassed data through both video-recorded ethnographic interviews and self-video ethnography yielding visual ethnographic material that supplements the written thesis. During the research period, I posted regularly at www.kellyshonorsthesis.wordpress.com, providing updates on my progress with the research project. Through creating a visual project that is public from the very beginning, I have aimed to achieve transparency as a researcher and to increase visibility for the field of anthropology. In addition, I demonstrate that research collaboration using self-video ethnography can be an effective ethnographic method to give voice to research participants and to reveal nuances not otherwise accessible.

Sickness, Violence and Reconciliation: Congenital Heart Disease in Iraq

D. Alexander Phillips — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 11:15:36 PST

Congenital heart disease affects tens of thousands of children and families throughout Iraq, where complex surgical treatment remains largely unavailable. Through participant-observation and in-depth interviews, I investigated the understandings of this disorder among families in two areas: Kurdish northern Iraq and Arab southern Iraq. I pay particular attention to families’ perspectives on causes and treatment of the disorder in relation to historical and current macrosocial forces. Among the families I spoke with, there is a strong connection between the recent history of violence in Iraq and congenital heart disease. This thesis is largely an attempt to understand the uses and implications of this connection between sickness and violence for Iraqi families pursuing treatment through an international non-governmental organization.

The Cultural Influence and Interpretation of Depressive and Anxiety Disorders

Joy M. Messerschmidt — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 11:51:04 PDT

The diagnosis and treatment of depressive and anxiety disorders has changed rapidly in the past century. Western medicine has produced diagnostic criteria, pharmaceuticals, and different therapies, increasing public awareness of these conditions. This research investigates the potential and perceived cultural, familial, and political influences on anxiety and depressive disorders in the current biomedical system; analyzes the effects of this system on the patients within it; and compares the causality, diagnosis, and treatment of these conditions cross-culturally. To accomplish these research goals, I conducted in-depth interviews with people affected by depression and anxiety in the Atlanta area. I will present my analysis of the interview data collected, focusing on the extent to which each participants' familial and cultural backgrounds and attitudes towards biomedicine affected their choices and experiences with treatment. I also explore the role of pharmaceutical advertising and marketing strategies in patients’ perceptions of their disorder and treatment options.

The State in the Indus River Valley

Adam Green — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:22:52 PST

This thesis examines the concept of the state in the context of the Indus River Valley, located in northwest India and Pakistan. In the first section, I synthesize several popular trends in state discussion from both inside and outside of archaeological theory. I then apply my synthesized approach to state definition to the archaeological record from the Indus River Valley. The resulting work visits both the concept of the state and the rich cultural history of the Indus Civilization. I determine that there was a state in the Indus River Valley, but that the Indus state was very different from others scholars have identified in the archaeological record.