China, East Asia, and the Pacific World—Ethnography Review Essay Assignment, Autumn 2021b

 Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Assignments"

On this day in Round and Square History 
2 November 2014—China's Lunar Calendar: 2014 11-02
2 November 2013—China's Lunar Calendar: 2013 11-02
2 November 2012—Rural Religion in China (33)
2 November 2011—Seinfeld Ethnography: Jerry's Haircut

[a] Modeled RF

 

China, East Asia, and the Pacific World

History 210

Anthropology, Ethnography, and 

the Study of Modern China

[b] Dance-sound RF

The Basics 

Read James Peacock's The Anthropological Lens (Week 9), as well as  ethnographies from weeks twelve through fifteen on the syllabus. Write an essay of at least 2,000 words (about six pages) commenting upon some of the many themes found in these ethnographies (noting the assignment title above) and showing their connections to the materials we have studied up to this point in the course. You already know the drill: 2,000 words, if well-written, might get you a "B." If you wish to do better, you need to write drafts and have content in the 3,000-word range (about ten pages, after revisions).

Preparation  

Although this assignment is deliberately open-ended (allowing you to use any number of interpretive strategies), do not forget its role as the final writing assignment in our course. Your work should engage, on some level, the full range of our materials throughout the course (your class notes, reading notes, abstracts, and even quizzes will be useful as you proceed). We have taken an "ethnographic" approach to modern China, and you job is to write a compelling review essay that guides the reader through not only the books themselves, but also the ways that ethnographies can help us to understand the modern world.

[c] Painted Totem RF

Review Essay  

A good way to approach the assignment is to write a “review essay.” This is precisely why I have assigned the New York Review of Books throughout the term. As you have surely noted by now, a good review essay has a two-pronged approach. It is, on the one hand, a “review” of the books (not unlike an “embedded book report” in a larger and much more sophisticated essay). Imagine that your ten-page essay, then, contains an “embedded set of reviews totaling about four pages—maybe five. In the “rest” of the essay you should show how the themes in the ethnographies can be seen in the wider perspective of Chinese civilization. In other words, how might the source materials (poems, essays, treatises) in the Ebrey and Mair readers, as well as the analytical books by Brook, Kuhn, Mann, and Cohen connect to the specific issues in the ethnographies you have read?

Additional Notes 

This assignment asks you to engage your four books (Peacock and the three ethnographies) and to review all of the work you have done thus far in the course. It does not require you to do outside research, and substantial outside work will almost certainly be counter-productive. For example, spending two or three pages on general narratives of modern China will be far less productive than spending those pages examining the arguments made by the various anthropologists we have read. Background information is occasionally useful (and you may have some from previous reading or coursework), but do not make the mistake of providing so much “background” that you don’t deal fully with the assignment itself. Plot out some of the themes and take notes to make sure you have dealt with the full range of possibilities in the materials. Your skills in spotting themes in the Ebrey and Mair books will pay off a great deal in this assignment, as will the general contextual and theoretical knowledge you have gained in our discussion.

[d] Pairs RF

Reminders 

—This assignment is meant to tie together much of the work you have done this semester. Just as you must do on weekly quizzes, be sure to use the full range of your “sources” in your interpretations—classroom analyses, Ebrey, and Mair (for context). As you know, historical source materials in this course are invaluable for sensing continuity (and change) in modern China, as seen in our ethnographies. 

—Do not forget that I will be evaluating this assignment with the assumption that you are trying to explain these matters to “intelligent non-specialists.” That means that I do not want you to “skip” those portions that you know I know. I want you to explain them. I want you to be the expert who is explaining these matters to someone who does not know much about cultural anthropology or modern Chinese history, but is certainly able to follow a complex argument. Imagine, for example, that you are writing for your the other professors who have taught you in your college education…and I will be looking over their shoulders.

—Follow standard Chicago Manual of Style citation form, and use my writing guide as you proceed. 

            http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html

—There should be a short bibliography of sources (class books and any outside materials that you happen to have consulted) at the end of your document. 

—Be sure that you fill out a “paper checklist” and attach it to your essay.

—Good luck.  There is more than enough material to write any number of essays. Choose several good points, scenes, or themes. Then write one.

Due by 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 8 in my office (hard copy)—MI 206

Use the word count feature of your software and put the word total at the bottom of the essay, e.g. “3,262 words.”

[e] One RF

From Here to Ethnography—January 2019 "How Forests Think"

Click here for the Ethnography a Month Resource Center.
Click here for the Introduction to the Round and Square Series "Ethnography a Month."

[a] Thinking Forests RF

A few years ago, as part of an ongoing conversation with my Beloit College student, Jeffrey Le ('2018), I pondered the idea of an intensive, advanced anthropology course that would put students through the paces of the reading ethnography. 

[b] Steps to Knowledge

Back-and-forth we went with ideas for classic works to recently-published wonders that deserve immediate reading.

So, instead of a class (for now, at least), we're going to read a book-a-month. Together.

Since those discussions in my office, another Beloit College graduate, Kathryn Morrice ('2018) has joined us. She brings a natural sciences perspective that will help foster discussion.

So, this is the first in what will be an ongoing series on Round and Square, and it is as "straightforward" as the title suggests (that's a little bit of a joke). We are going to read and ponder an ethnography every single month, give comments, write a few reviews, and share them with readers (who we hope will also share comments and suggestions for coming months).  

Round and Square editors are experienced enough by now, however, to know that the going will be a little bit slow at first. Still, we have great hopes for a lively discussion of good ethnography as we continue. Just think of it—if you are a busy, professional anthropologist, there will be another twelve books each year that you'll click off of your to-do list. 

[c] How Forests Think RF

If you are (all the more likely) a busy non-professional anthropologist, but would like to see more about what makes "ethnography" so interesting as a genre, you have come to the right place.

Let's get started. This season (January-March 2019) we'll read How Forests Think: Toward and Anthropology Beyond the Human by Eduardo Kohn (California, 2013). Here is the link to the University of California Press website.

https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520276116/how-forests-think

So get yourself a copy (you know the drill by now), and let's get reading. I welcome comments here on Round and Square, through Facebook, and even by mail (I'm not that hard to find).

We're just getting our feet wet, so the series introduction (coming soon) will explain the concept more deeply.

Start thinking about forests, and we are eager to hear from you soon.

[d] Canopy Dawn RF

Social and Cultural Theory—Ethnography Review Essay 2015

Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Assignments"

On this day in Round and Square History 
2 November 2014—China's Lunar Calendar: 2014 11-12
2 November 2013—China's Lunar Calendar: 2013 11-02
2 November 2012—Rural Religion in China (33)
2 November 2011—Seinfeld Ethnography: Jerry's Haircut

[a] Modeled RF

This is the last writing assignment (this year) in my social and cultural theory course. All term, students have been reading theoretical essays in various anthologies and working diligently to make them make sense. The whole purpose of the course is to learn to use theoretical insights in our own work, and that means that we must position the readings in their historical context, learn what has changed, what theoretical trails have run cold, and, sometimes, find the ones that we need to travel down...again. Toward that end, I assign two sets of ethnographies for students upon which students can test their growing skills. They may choose either Renato Rosaldo's Ilongot Headhunting and Michelle Rosaldo's Knowledge and Passion—both the product of extensive, partnered fieldwork in the Philippines. The other choice is Edward Schieffelin's The Sorrow of the Lonely and the Burning of the Dancers and Steven Feld's Sound and Sentiment—the products of another kind of teamwork among the Kaluli of New Guinea. The readings take two weeks, and they culminate in this assignment.
 

Social and Cultural Theory

Anthropology 206

“Penultimate” Assignment

Ethnography, Theory, and a Sense of Place 

[b] Dance-sound RF

The Basics 

Read your two ethnographies from weeks twelve and thirteen on the syllabus. Write an essay of at least 3,000 words (about ten pages) commenting upon some of the many themes found in these ethnographies (noting the assignment title above) and showing their connections to the materials we have studied up to this point in the course.

Preparation  

Although this assignment is deliberately open-ended (allowing you to use any number of interpretive strategies), do not forget its role as the penultimate (next to last) assignment in our course. Your work should engage, on some level, the full range of our materials from the first twelve weeks of the course (your class notes, reading notes, abstracts, and even quizzes will be useful as you proceed). If you take the assignment seriously, it will give you a solid foundation—and significant momentum—for the last “month” of the course.

[c] Painted Totem RF

Review Essay  

A good way to approach the assignment is to write a “review essay.” This is precisely why I have assigned the New York Review of Books throughout the term. As you have surely noted by now, a good review essay has a two-pronged approach. It is, on the one hand, a “review” of the books (not unlike an “embedded book report” in a larger and much more sophisticated essay). Imagine that your ten-page essay, then, contains an “embedded set of reviews totaling about four pages—maybe five. In the “rest” of the essay you should show how the themes in the ethnographies can be seen in the wider perspective of social and cultural theory. In other words, how might the essays and lectures we have read in Anthropology and Theory and A History of Anthropology connect to the specific issues in the ethnographies you have read?

Additional Notes 

This assignment asks you to engage your two ethnographies and to review all of the work you have done thus far in the course. It does not require you to do “research,” and substantial outside work will almost certainly be counter-productive. For example, spending two or three pages on the political history of the Philippines will be far less productive than spending those pages examining the arguments made by Renato and Michelle Rosaldo (or Edward Scheiffelin and Steven Feld). Background information is occasionally useful (and you may have some from previous reading or coursework), but do not make the mistake of providing so much “background” that you don’t deal fully with the assignment itself. Plot out some of the themes and take notes to make sure you have dealt with the full range of possibilities in the materials. Your skills in spotting themes in the Moore, Bourdieu, and Eriksen books will pay off a great deal in this assignment, as will the general contextual and theoretical knowledge you have gained in our discussion.

[d] Pairs RF

Reminders 

—This assignment is meant to “tie together” much of the work you have done this semester.  Just as you must do on weekly quizzes, be sure to use the full range of your “sources” in your interpretations—classroom analyses, Moore, and Moberg (for context). As you know, the theoretical essays in Moore and the arguments in Bourdieu’s books lie at the heart of the class, and I would like to see connections to them in your essays. 

—Don’t forget that I will be evaluating this assignment with the assumption that you are trying to explain these matters to “intelligent non-specialists.” That means that I do not want you to “skip” those portions that you know I know. I want you to explain them. I want you to be the expert who is explaining these matters to someone who does not know much about cultural anthropology, but is certainly able to follow a complex argument. Imagine, for example, that you are writing for your FYI professor…and I will be looking over her shoulder.

—Follow standard Chicago Manual of Style citation form, and use the style sheet as you proceed. 

            http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html

—There should be a short bibliography of sources (class books and any outside materials that you happen to have consulted) at the end of your document. 

—Be sure that you fill out a “paper checklist” and attach it to your essay.

—Good luck.  There is more than enough material to write any number of essays. Choose several good points, scenes, or themes. Then write one.

Due by 10:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 22 in my office (hard copy)—MI 111

Use the word count feature of your software and put the word total at the bottom of the essay, e.g. “3,262 words.”

[e] One RF

Social and Cultural Theory—Ethnography Review Essay

Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Assignments"

On this day in Round and Square History 
2 November 2013—China's Lunar Calendar: 2013 11-02
2 November 2012—Rural Religion in China (33)
2 November 2011—Seinfeld Ethnography: Jerry's Haircut

[a] Modeled RF

This is the last writing assignment (this year) in my social and cultural theory course. All term, students have been reading theoretical essays in various anthologies and working diligently to make them make sense. The whole purpose of the course is to learn to use theoretical insights in our own work, and that means that we must position the readings in their historical context, learn what has changed, what theoretical trails have run cold, and, sometimes, find the ones that we need to travel down...again. Toward that end, I assign two sets of ethnographies for students upon which students can test their growing skills. They may choose either Renato Rosaldo's Ilongot Headhunting and Michelle Rosaldo's Knowledge and Passion—both the product of extensive, partnered fieldwork in the Philippines. The other choice is Edward Schieffelin's The Sorrow of the Lonely and the Burning of the Dancers and Steven Feld's Sound and Sentiment—the products of another kind of teamwork among the Kaluli of New Guinea. The readings take two weeks, and they culminate in this assignment.
 

Social and Cultural Theory

Anthropology 206

“Penultimate” Assignment

Ethnography, Theory, and a Sense of Place 

[b] Dance-sound RF

The Basics 

Read your two ethnographies from weeks thirteen and fourteen on the syllabus. Write an essay of at least 3,000 words (about ten pages) commenting upon some of the many themes found in these ethnographies (noting the assignment title above) and showing their connections to the materials we have studied up to this point in the course.

Preparation  

Although this assignment is deliberately open-ended (allowing you to use any number of interpretive strategies), do not forget its role as the penultimate (next to last) assignment in our course. Your work should engage, on some level, the full range of our materials from the first twelve weeks of the course (your class notes, reading notes, abstracts, and even quizzes will be useful as you proceed). If you take the assignment seriously, it will give you a solid foundation—and significant momentum—for the last “month” of the course.

[c] Painted Totem RF

Review Essay  

A good way to approach the assignment is to write a “review essay.” This is precisely why I have assigned the New York Review of Books throughout the term. As you have surely noted by now, a good review essay has a two-pronged approach. It is, on the one hand, a “review” of the books (not unlike an “embedded book report” in a larger and much more sophisticated essay). Imagine that your ten-page essay, then, contains an “embedded set of reviews totaling about four pages—maybe five. In the “rest” of the essay you should show how the themes in the ethnographies can be seen in the wider perspective of social and cultural theory. In other words, how might the essays and lectures we have read in Anthropology and Theory and Social Theory connect to the specific issues in the ethnographies you have read?

Additional Notes 

This assignment asks you to engage your two ethnographies and to review all of the work you have done thus far in the course. It does not require you to do “research,” and substantial outside work will almost certainly be counter-productive. For example, spending two or three pages on the political history of the Philippines will be far less productive than spending those pages examining the arguments made by Renato and Michelle Rosaldo. Background information is occasionally useful (and you may have some from previous reading or coursework), but do not make the mistake of providing so much “background” that you don’t deal fully with the assignment itself. Plot out some of the themes and take notes to make sure you have dealt with the full range of possibilities in the materials. Your skills in spotting themes in the Moore and Moberg books will pay off a great deal in this assignment, as will the general contextual and theoretical knowledge you have gained in our discussion.

[d] Pairs RF

Reminders 

—This assignment is meant to “tie together” much of the work you have done this semester.  Just as you must do on weekly quizzes, be sure to use the full range of your “sources” in your interpretations—classroom analyses, Moore, and Moberg (for context). As you know, the theoretical essays in Moore and the arguments in Bourdieu’s book lie at the heart of the class, and I would like to see connections to them in your essays. 

—Don’t forget that I will be evaluating this assignment with the assumption that you are trying to explain these matters to “intelligent non-specialists.” That means that I do not want you to “skip” those portions that you know I know. I want you to explain them. I want you to be the expert who is explaining these matters to someone who does not know much about cultural anthropology, but is certainly able to follow a complex argument. Imagine, for example, that you are writing for your FYI professor…and I will be looking over her shoulder.

—Follow standard Chicago Manual of Style citation form, and use the style sheet as you proceed. 

            http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html

—There should be a short bibliography of sources (class books and any outside materials that you happen to have consulted) at the end of your document. 

—Be sure that you fill out a “paper checklist” and attach it to your essay.

—Good luck.  There is more than enough material to write any number of essays. Choose several good points, scenes, or themes. Then write one.

Due by 10:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 23. 
(Send to me as a .pdf file and an e-mail attachment)

Use the word count feature of your software and put the word total at the bottom of the essay, e.g. “3,262 words.”

[e] One RF

Cultural and Intellectual History Tweets—Book Guru

Click here for the "Cultural and Intellectual History Tweets" Resource Center (all posts available)
Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Cultural and Intellectual History Tweets"
This is a "small" (小) post—click here for an explanation of Round and Square post lengths.

***  *** 

On this Date in Round and Square History

8 May 2013—China's Lunar Calendar 2013 05-08
8 May 2012—Flowers Bloom: Shakespeare's Politics
8 May 2011—Hurtin' Country: Chill of an Early Fall

[a] Outer story RF

This new Round and Square series gets right to the point...and then starts circuiting around it. We begin with a 140 character tweet about cultural-intellectual history. This is followed by an English-style haiku (with a few liberties taken here and there—hey...English ain't Japanese). We end with a nice recipe. Simple, and to-the-point (except that it really is neither of these...and that is the whole point). Oh, and I still believe in complete sentences and fully-formed wrdz (they can't always be exactly "complete" on Twitter, but, as I like to say, "you can see 'complete' from there." Sorry, but that's the way I roll. 

If the tweet is "informational" (as today), it is "true." The recipe is "real." The haiku is just, well, odd.

I would tell you more...if I had more than 140 characters with which to work (+ spld thngs fny).

Tweet

[b] Inner story RF

At work with a "book guru" on a new idea, mixing history, fiction, TV, and ethnography. Only I can write it—that's not hubris (only oddity).

Haiku
Inner, outer tales.
Urban, rural, wealthy, poor.
What will "China" do?

Recipe
After a long day of watching Chinese television dramas, monitoring weibo (and other sites), and reading Chinese history, there is nothing like a nice, toasty, spicy Sichuan hot pot. I can taste the peppers now (辣...不怕).

Sichuan Hot Pot Recipes

[c] Hot RF

Assignments (15)—Chinese Ethnography Review

Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Assignments"

A year ago on Round and Square (6 December 2012)—Quotidian Quizzes (d)

Two years ago on Round and Square (6 December 2011)—Kanji Mastery: Radical 116—Cave

[a] Charted Course RF

This is the last assignment for the Chinese History and Culture course. Students have written a wide variety of papers, and engaged the study of Chinese history and culture from several angles. Their task in this assignment is to think about the relationship between "ethnography" and Chinese society. They will review all of our ethnographic readings and write a review essay in the style of the New York Review of Books (which they have been reading all term).
 

Chinese History and Culture

HIST 210/ANTH 275

Review Essay—Ethnographies of China

The Basics 

Reflect upon the ethnographic works you have read in this class (Producing Guanxi, Chen Village, and In One's Own Shadow). Write an essay of at least 3,000 words (about ten pages) commenting upon some of the many themes found in these ethnographies (noting the assignment title above) and showing their connections to the materials we have studied up to this point in the course.

[b] Prepared RF

Preparation  

Although this assignment is deliberately open-ended (allowing you to use any number of interpretive strategies), do not forget its role as the final assignment in the course. Your work should engage, on some level, the full range of our materials in the course (your class notes, reading notes, abstracts, and even quizzes will be useful as you proceed). If you take the assignment seriously, this will be a useful "culminating" experience in the study of China. In a nutshell, you should write a review essay engaging the relationship between ethnographic studies done by anthropologists and "modern China."

Review Essay  

You must write a review essay. This is precisely why I have assigned the New York Review of Books throughout the term. As you have surely noted by now, a good review essay has a two-pronged approach. It is, on the one hand, a “review” of the books (not unlike an “embedded book report” in a larger and much more sophisticated essay). Imagine that your ten-page essay, then, contains an “embedded set of reviews totaling about four pages—maybe five. In the “rest” of the essay you should show how the themes in the ethnographies can be seen in the wider perspective of social and cultural theory. In other words, how would you interpret ethnographic writing and modern Chinese themes through the "lens" of our study of Chinese history (and culture)?

[c] Reflection RF

Additional Notes 

This assignment asks you to engage your three ethnographies and to review the work you have done thus far in the course. It does not require you to do “research,” and substantial outside work will almost certainly be counter-productive. Background information is occasionally useful (and you may have some from previous reading or coursework), but do not make the mistake of providing so much “background” that you don’t deal fully with the assignment itself. Plot out some of the themes and take notes to make sure you have dealt with the full range of possibilities in the materials.

Reminders 

—This assignment is meant to “tie together” much of the work you have done this semester. Review your notes and quizzes (and the final exam)...and then write.

—Don’t forget that I will be evaluating this assignment with the assumption that you are trying to explain these matters to “intelligent non-specialists.” That means that I do not want you to “skip” those portions that you know I know. I want you to explain them. I want you to be the expert who is explaining these matters to someone who does not know much about cultural anthropology, but is certainly able to follow a complex argument. Imagine, for example, that you are writing for your FYI professor…and I will be looking over her shoulder.

[d] Proceed RF

—Follow standard Chicago Manual of Style citation form, and use the style sheet as you proceed. 

 http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html

—There should be a short bibliography of sources (class books and any outside materials that you happen to have consulted) at the end of your document. 

—Good luck.  There is more than enough material to write any number of essays. Choose several good points, scenes, or themes. Then write one.

Due by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 17.
(Send to me as a .pdf file and an e-mail attachment)

Use the word count feature of your software and put the word total at the bottom of the essay, e.g. “3,262 words.”

[e] Span RF