Devising Strategies: Study of Issues in Anthropological Research as Faced by Graduate Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-196
Author(s):  
Rao Nadeem Alam

Research in anthropology is mandatory for any graduate student. It requires fieldwork in the community. This makes anthropology a vibrant and thrilling discipline. However, the graduate students in Pakistani universities are not well versed with research and particularly with fieldwork-based research in social sciences. Although the courses taught prior to fieldwork in one way or the other attempt to train the graduate students for practical fieldwork it still is not enough if a student does not put enough effort at the preparatory or synopsis stage. The advisor role of the supervisor is also very significant during this phase. This paper brings forth only five of many challenges and problems of research and fieldwork faced by Pakistani graduate students. This paper echoes the experiences of fieldwork and anthropological research by the graduate students of anthropology in Pakistan. The major challenge identified in the preparatory phase was a selection of the research topic. The rest of the challenges are of the fieldwork, starting with the choice of ‘locale’ and willingness or reluctance of interlocutors, and leading to language and translation challenges to write the accurate findings of the research and later present the research to a larger audience. Methodology as a recurrent challenge for graduate students of anthropology is a serious concern that is reported in this paper. This paper is based on the responses from 101 graduate students of anthropology at Quaid-i-Azam University, collected during 2009-2020 in the form of written assignments.

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3-4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Khairul Firdhaus Abdullah ◽  
Mohamad Marzuqi Abdul Rahim ◽  
Wahyu Hidayat Abdullah

This study aims to evaluate the role of Maahad Tahfiz ADDIN to produce huffaz in the State of Perak Darul Ridzuan based on the implementation of the Tahfiz Al-Quran curriculum with important instruments of collecting quantitative data (questionnaires). A survey method which was used involved 366 students from the Maahad Tahfiz Al-Quran ADDIN in the state of Perak who are randomly selected. The subjects of the study were students aged 13 years to 17 years old. A questionnaire was developed to collect the required data. The findings were analyzed descriptively by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 22.0. The results show that the implementation of the goals and objectives of the Quranic Tahfiz curriculum at Maahad Tahfiz ADDIN was the highest mean of 3.60. The conclusions from this study show that the goal and objectives of tahfiz are at a good level and can be further enhanced. On the other hand, the content of the curriculum and time allocation for the Quranic memorization should be given due attention and improvements so that Maahad Tahfiz ADDIN can actually filling the gap in producing more quality huffaz in the state of Perak Darul Ridzuan.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 22-33
Author(s):  
E.V. KUDRYAVTSEVA

The article is dedicated to the memory of Mikhail Konstantinovich Treushnikov, Doctor of Law, Professor, Honored Scientist, Head of the Department of Civil Procedure of the Law Faculty of the Lomonosov Moscow State University. The article analyzes the methodology of teaching civil procedure, focuses on the methodology of lecturing, seminars, and game processes. Mikhail Konstantinovich paid great attention to the methodology of teaching civil procedure. The author of the article offers a study of the section “Methods of Teaching Law” from the book “Creative Search in the Science of Civil Procedure Law” by M.K. Treushnikov published in 2020. This section presents methodological recommendations on how to prepare and give lectures for newly elected judges at the republican training courses for legal officers on two subjects: “Preparation of civil cases for trial is a mandatory stage of the process”, “Types of evidence in civil proceedings”. The other two articles in this section are devoted to different issues. One is devoted to the methodology of teaching law in non-law universities (on the example of Moscow State University), the other is written on the basis of a speech “Traditions and Innovations in Legal Education” at the conference meeting of the heads of the departments of social sciences of the Lomonosov Moscow State University on 16 February 2007 and shows the role of departments in solving the problems of legal education.


2000 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith Dowding

In a recent issue of this journal Peter John (1999) suggests we can use an evolutionary account to explain policy change. In particular he suggests we should see the battle of ideas about policy formation as an evolutionary process and gives as an example the introduction and abolition of the poll tax. John is correct in two claims in his article. First, traditional models of policy-generation tend to ignore the role of ideas, concentrating attention upon the bargaining and power struggles between different sets of competing interests. Secondly, he is right that evolutionary explanation has a place in the social sciences. But these two thoughts are best kept apart and the way he packages them suggests a poor understanding of evolutionary explanation and of the role ideas may play within it. There are at least three problems with his account. First, the object at which he directs explanation —in his example the poll tax—is misspecified. Secondly, he fails to specify a mechanism for the natural selection of ideas, leaving his claim about the promise of evolutionary accounts vague and unsatisfactory. Finally, he fails to distinguish learning as an intentional process from selection as an evolutionary one.


Author(s):  
Douglas Cairns

Thymos (or thumos), cognate with Indo-European words meaning “smoke,” is one of a number of terms in Greek which associate psychological activity with air and breath. In the Homeric poems, thymos is one of a family of terms associated with internal psychological process of thought, emotion, volition, and motivation. Though the range of the term’s applications in Homer is wide, that in itself gives us a sense of the unity of cognitive, affective, and desiderative processes in Homeric psychology. No post-Homeric author can rival that range, but something of the richness of the Homeric conception of thymos as an interrelated set of motivations re-emerges in Plato’s conception of the tripartite soul in the Republic and the Phaedrus. Plato’s thymos represents a pared-down model of human agency typified by one central desire or aim in life but also exhibiting whatever further capacities of persons are necessary to enable it to pursue that aim in interaction with the other elements of the personality. As in Homer, the metaphorical agency of Plato’s thymos does not detract from the notion of the individual as the real centre of agency. Plato’s conception of thymos, in turn, is a fundamental point of reference for Aristotle’s treatment of thymos as a type of desire (orexis). Though Aristotle tends more generally to use the term as a synonym for orgē (anger), there are also traces of older associations between thymos and qualities such as assertiveness and goodwill towards others. Elsewhere, thymos tends to mean “heart” or “mind” (as aspects of mental functioning), “spirit,” “inclination,” or “anger.” A selection of these uses is surveyed, but the article overall concentrates on Homer, Plato, and Aristotle, where the role of thymos is of a different order of importance.


2019 ◽  
pp. 93-106
Author(s):  
Maja Muhić

The past few decades have been marked by an increasing discussion on the role of dialogue in anthropology, especially following the anthropological turn of the 80s, when the discipline was looked upon as one “writing a culture” rather than understanding it from the insider’s perspective, while the ethnographer was thought of as the epistemic dictator, incapable of establishing a dialogical relation with his subjects of inquiry. The power relationship was indeed one of the most prominent problems in creating an equal, dialogical setting between the anthropologist and the other culture. This paper aims at revisiting feminist anthropology tracing the elements which constituted it, its original inspiration, and main motifs of action mostly gathered around the strong male bias of the discipline. This bias was predominantly manifested in the monological, androcentric understanding and exploration of cultures. In tracing these aspects, and acknowledging the more egalitarian status of this discipline since its early days versus other social sciences (Margaret Mead, Ruth Benedict were among the most prominent women anthropologists), the paper will look at early women anthropologists works some of which were excluded from the canon. It will also point to the existence of strong male bias in ethnography and the discipline as a whole, thus triggering the emergence of feminist anthropology with its capacity for reflexivity and accountability in ethnographic work.


2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 289
Author(s):  
Vladimir Ilić

The paper deals with the problems while planning the application of method of observation as the primary method for data collection. These include determining the objectives, theoretical and operational elaboration of the research plan and collection of initial evidence from other sources of data that can be used to successfully plan research mainly based on observation. In the first section of the paper it is pointed to the unjustified overemphasis of differences between participatory and non-participatory forms of observation in its planning. The second section shows the possibility of its application to other sources and methods of data collection when planning observations. Special attention is paid to the role of interview and sequential analysis. In the third section, the issues of preparing data analysis in the planning of observation are specifically discussed. The fourth section shows the specificity of the planning of observation, depending on the nature of the data. We also considered the concretization of the plan of observation, including the selection of size, location and time for performing monitoring and positioning one or more observers. The fifth section briefly points to some suggestions about training observers. The concluding section of the paper deals with planning during the observations, with emphasis on grounded theory.


2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Mohamed Ararou

This research aims to clarify the concept of doctrinal rules and adjust its basic terminologies. It further aims to lay down a map for the method of rooting this science by mentioning its rooted sources, in addition to drawing a miniature picture of its history, origin, formation and development. The paper ends with practical models to highlight its importance in rooting the science of nodal rules and facilitating the mentioning of its scattered discussions in a short and comprehensive phrase. The study further illustrates the pioneering role of doctrinal rules science in managing the doctrinal disputes, combining multiple sayings, and in bringing together opposing opinions. The study follows the inductive, descriptive and analytical approach. The importance of the research topic lies in the fact that it tackles something that has not yet been widely examined. Thus, researching such a topic is considered a new thing due to the scarcity of what has been written on it, on the one hand. On the other hand, the topic is serious as it talks about the Contractual Rules, which have not gained sufficient research among the applicants. Besides, what has been so far written on the doctrinal rules is related to the chapters of the doctrine and its general discussions; a matter which is similar to Al-Ghazali’s rules of beliefs. No allocation was dedicated to its contractual aspect. Accordingly, the present research is one of the important building blocks of the doctrinal lesson, as it is related to inferencing the science of belief and collecting its dispersed discussions under general rules in an


2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Rybicki ◽  
Andrzej K. Jastrzębski

In contemporary academic discourse, there has been a strong tendency to shape theology according to a viewpoint based on the achievements of other sciences, especially those found in philosophy, psychology, sociology and anthropology. This has been particularly illustrated in the issue of masculinity. In this context, a question arises as follows: does theology have something to say to the social sciences? Or, does it only have to submit to them and simply fulfil the role of a commentator? The setting of this study has been the contemporary crisis in understanding masculinity, and the theological reflection that this situation calls for. To address this challenge, we have used a historical-analytical method in which we traced the historical and philosophical underpinnings of the concept of masculinity, with a special focus on modernity, in order to clearly understand the present state of the debate around masculinity.As a result, we have proposed some direction for future theological development, demonstrating that theology may also influence and inspire the other sciences. In conclusion, we have encouraged a deeper collaboration of various sciences that have already developed a reflection on masculinity, whilst avoiding unnecessary biases and simplification; we have sought to establish a better collaboration between feminist movements and theological reflection as well as making use of theology’s potential to inspire other sciences such as psychology, sociology and anthropology in this endeavour.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: Using such an interdisciplinary collaboration, theology can supply a more positive and hope-giving picture of the contemporary male human being facing an identity crisis, as is demonstrated predominantly in the social sciences. Special attention to this topic has been given in Spiritual Theology.


2021 ◽  
pp. 342-368
Author(s):  
Anne Storch

This chapter explores the dialectics of walking and resting, and of mobility and waiting, with regards to creativity in language. It thereby focuses on the interruption and unintended break as an opportunity for interactions and encounters across linguistic epistemes, boundaries and norms. Walking as a methodology and epistemic approach has been discussed in anthropology, the social sciences and literary critique, but met very little interest in linguistics. This chapter on the one hand consequently attempts to address walking as a substantial approach to the study of multilingualism and improvisation, but on the other aims at highlighting disruption and stillness as creating the very liminal space and practice through which language creativity can emerge and be realized. It touches upon various practices that are crucial: being stuck, passing time, getting lost. Points of special interests interest include the role of language in the love songs and other genres, especially in the context of the Mediterranean, disruptions associated with migrations and peoples’ movements, the context of tourism, and the linguistic effects of spirit possession.


2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-61
Author(s):  
Evinc Dogan ◽  
Ibrahim Sirkeci

In this special issue of Transnational Marketing Journal, we brought together a selection of articles drawn from presentations at the Taste of City Conference 2016: Food and Place Marketing which was held at the University of Belgrade, Serbia on 1st September 2016. We have supported the event along with Transnational Press London. We thank to Goran Petkovic, the Faculty of Economics at the University of Belgrade, and Goran’s volunteer students team who helped with the conference organisation. Mobilities are often addressed within social sciences varying across a wide range of disciplines including geography, migration studies, cultural studies, tourism, sociology and anthropology. Food mobilities capture eating, tasting, producing and consuming practices as well as traveling and transferring. Food and tastes are carried around the world, along the routes of mobility through out the history. As people take their own culture to the places, they take their food too. Food meets and mingles with other cultures on the way. Fusion food is born when food transcends the borders and mix with different ingredients from different culinary traditions. Although certain places are associated and branded with food, it is a challenging job to understand the role of food and taste in forming and reformulating the identity of places. 


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