Anthropology Department Honors Papers

Exploring Ecotourism in New Caledonia

Anakena Paddon — Fri, 18 May 2012 13:42:51 PDT

“Enemies of Life in the Name of Life”: Seed Patents, GM Crops, and the Global South

Patricia Arenson — Mon, 30 May 2011 11:37:31 PDT

In the past few decades agribusiness in the global North has developed a booming industry in genetically modified (GM) crops; industry giants have secured patents and aggressively protected them to maximize profits. This new technology has been exported to the Global south, where its introduction has caused a cascade of horrific problems for farmers and non-‐farmers alike. GM crops and seed patents have exacerbated poverty, accelerated the loss of indigenous knowledge, and threatened to destroy ecosystems through the loss of biodiversity. This honors thesis explores these issues with a focus on the situation in India, where Vandana Shiva has led the fight for seed sovereignty, biodiversity, and farmers' rights.

Diasporic Identities in Israel: A Study of Ethiopian Jews

Erich S. Roberts — Sat, 16 May 2009 08:24:52 PDT

Contemporary concerns of anthropology stress the role of power relations in framing the study of a marginalized people within society. In this study, the present predicament of the Ethiopian community in Israel is examined through the highly political processes of nationalism, ethnic conflict, and identity construction. Each of these factors hold implications for the ways by which a dominant European nationalist ideology in Israel has come to impose forces of authority upon subjugated, non-European ethnic groups. The Ethiopians are one such group. The point of divergence between the community of Ethiopian Jews and Israel’s national identity has caused the Ethiopian youth to rebel, resist, and construct their identity both globally and spatially. This phenomenon creates a significant dependence on the behavior of prominent communities in the African diaspora. The structure of this paper aims to illustrate the transnational identity of these youths as a response to Israel’s decision to ideologically orient itself toward Western, capitalist values. Zionism’s original foundation took root in precepts prevalent in the European Enlightenment, such as socialism and Marxism. My work, however, reveals a distinct Ethiopian perspective that today views the nation-state as a source of much conflict. This paper emphasizes conceptions of the field in anthropology, as well as the practices of fieldwork. It also, however, engages fieldwork itself to explore the specific role of space in the lives and imaginings of Ethiopian youth.

Cultural Heroes and Mirrors of Darker Desires: Transitioning Tricksters of Our Past into Contemporary Society

Laura R. Nadelberg — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 12:50:53 PDT

This paper is concerned with the trickster character, and its major importance and existence cross culturally, as well as in contemporary society. Many individuals are confused as to what exactly a trickster is. This paper will attempt to explain its nature in terms of defining characteristics. Although the trickster is generally thought of a lost icon or an extinct character, this paper will show that it is very much alive and well in today’s culture.