Reference no: EM133794391 , Length: word count:700

Assignment - On Investing One's Life

Detail from the English-language cover of Nastassja Martin's book "In the Eye of the Wild" published by New York Review Books

Purpose - The goal of this assignment is to illustrate the personal impact anthropological research can have on the practitioner. While we think of anthropology as an academic discipline, the personal lives of most anthropologists are deeply affected by the work they do professionally. The books selected for this exercise are not academic ethnographies. They are raw biographical reflections of individuals with a purpose. The first book is based on the diaries of an Indigenous activist who is not an anthropologist, but who has dedicated her life to fighting for the rights of her people and their relations to the land. Her recollections are deeply insightful and arguably anthropological in their own way. The other two books are biographical sketches by European anthropologists working in similar contexts and on similar topics, but as outsiders. Each of the three books reveals a kind of ‘behind-the-scenes' account of the transformative ‘side effects' of ethnographic work. They also speak to the question of what it means to be human. Please choose one of the three books for your Book
Assignment.

Format: You are expected to use a pen or fountain pen (preferably not a pencil) to write the assignment inside the instructor-supplied notebook. The word count (excluding header, title, and bibliography) should not exceed 700 words. Citation follows Harvard style for in-text citation and bibliographic entries at the end of the assignment. If you prefer a different style, be sure to follow it consistently. If you have any questions about the assignment,
please do not hesitate to contact the instructor well ahead of the assignment's

Introduction

Has a hook, offers a thesis, and gives an outline (1) This is an example of the format for the introduction. The introduction opens with a memorable hook, which could be a properly cited quote (but it doesn't have to be). It also provides a single clear thesis statement, which can be a purpose
statement or an actual claim. The goal of the written assignment is to
substantiate your thesis. The introduction also offers a brief outline, which gives the reader an idea of the methods and sequence in which you will lead them to your thesis. The introduction should not exceed 100 words.

Main Concept

Explores what you consider the most significant concept (1)
Contains one or more verbatim quote(s) followed by proper citation (1) Based on your reading, the first paragraph of the body explores the most significant concept presented in the book. Explain the concept in your own words, and use a verbatim quote from the book to illustrate your point.

Immediately following the verbatim quote, cite the author of the book in your text. Be sure to reference the author's name, the year of the publication, and the page on which the quote appears like this: "Verbatim quote" (Last Name 2021:65). Then be sure to have the full reference in your bibliography at the bottom of your assignment. Make sure your paragraphs are structured as follows: The first sentence indicates the topic of the paragraph. The second and subsequent sentences flesh out the topic with material evidence. Your final sentence serves as a transition into the topic of your next paragraph.

Personal Experience

Explains how concept ties into personal experience (1)
Offers concrete example from personal life (3) In the second paragraph of the body, show how the concept, explained in the previous paragraph, ties into your own personal life experience. You may have had a similar experience, or maybe you have not. In either case, explore the concept from the standpoint of your own life. Ask yourself what it is in your life experience that makes you think about the concept in the way that you do.
Explain this to the reader in clear language, providing at least one descriptive and concrete example. Make every effort not to write in the abstract. An example should describe an actual event, helping the reader understand not only why the above concept is significant to you but also why you can relate to it personally. It may take some time to formulate your experience in such a way that you can fit it into a single paragraph.

Change of View

Explains divergent possible views of the discipline (1) The third paragraph of the body asks: How has the book changed your view of anthropology? Following your personal account from the previous paragraph, take some time now to describe how a ‘behind-the-scenes' view of fieldwork has changed your understanding of the discipline itself. It is one thing to
understand the tools, theories, and subject matter of an academic discipline. It is

Describes personal change of view of discipline (1)
Takes a standpoint or position (1)
Offers opinion on how to move forward (1) quite another to see how human subjectivity, life history, personal passion, and identity influence how social scientists make use of their tools. Be sure to include your standpoint on the reality of human subjectivity in the practice and theory of any academic discipline. What is to be done about this reality in your opinion?

Affect on Thinking

Describes book's impact on personal thinking (1)
Offers a future scenario for analysis (1)
Reflects on relationship between thought and action (1) In the final paragraph of the body, ask yourself how the monograph has affected your thinking, going forward? Provide at least one specific example of a future situation you may encounter. How will you approach this situation differently because of what you learned in this book? Briefly explain your previous way of thinking about the situation, then explain how your thinking has changed. What connections do you foresee between your thinking and your future doing? How may your actions change as a result of your thinking?

Conclusion
Summarizes main ideas, reiterates thesis, and suggests direction for further reading (1) In your conclusion, be sure to provide a summary of your points and reiterate your thesis. Do you think you have succeeded in leading the reader to your conclusion, based on the evidence you provided? Also let the reader know what kind of literature you would like to seek out next in relation to the topics discussed in this exercise. Your conclusion should not exceed 100 words.