Purpose

This week we venture out to meet then twelve-year-old Chai Thao who will tell us about her Hmong family in neighboring Appleton, Wisconsin, and what it was like to grow up in a Hmong shaman’s family as an “American” pre-teen.

One of the most important decisions in doing anthropological research is choosing your "Unit(s) of Analysis". We will have a closer look at "Units of Analysis" in anthropological research in Week 10, but in the meantime try that approach out, looking at Chai Thao, narrator of The Split Horn video, and the acclaimed Olympic gymnast Sunisa Lee (the first Hmong-American Olympian).

This week we’ll consider some “Other Important Terms” that you should also keep in mind.

The other main item this week is that you need to prepare for the Midterm Exam next week. So catch up on your readings, slides, and videos, and start thinking about the Midterm Exam.

Slide decks include the “Main Characteristics of Anthropology”, “Holism”, and “Other Important Terms” (such as ethnography and ethnology). "Units of Analysis" are important terms we will look at after the exam.

The Main Characteristics of Anthropology include: The Four Fields approach, Culture as the main concept, The Comparative Method as the major approach, Holism as a main theoretical perspective, and Fieldwork as a main methodological research tool.

Outcomes

To understand the U.S.A. and its main microcultures from a global ETIC holistic perspective.
- To get a little "practice" (like an Olympian) doing a comparative/contrast review using the "Individual" as a "Unit of Analysis".
To review (1.) historical, (2.) methodological, (3.) conceptual, (4.) theoretical, and (5.) comparative ethnographic materials covered "up until so far" in class, in preparation for the Midterm Exam.
To reflect on the class itself, including its structure and contents.

Begin Week 6

Now that you have a sense of the purpose and outcomes contained within this module, begin working through the activities:

by using the “Next” button below to advance through the activities in sequential order
or by going directly to the Week 6 Module for a listing of the activities.