Anthropology Commons^™

Becoming The Corporate Native...Virtually: An Ethnography And Corporate Culture Assessment Of A Virtual Organization, Jennifer Laurel Avery

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents an investigation of a rarely studied business entity in the cross disciplinary literature on organizational culture, a completely virtually organized firm. Subscribing to a conviction that any culture can only be understood through an approach that uncovers the lived experiences of its members, I employ the traditional anthropological method of participant observation as my foundational data gathering technique. In an effort to help engage anthropology with the cross disciplinary organizational culture literature generally, I also use two well-known methods of corporate culture assessment from the management sciences. I provide a number of recommendations to the sponsors of …

Reciprocity And Development In Disaster-Induced Resettlement In Andean Ecuador, Albert J. Faas

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation addresses gaps in anthropological knowledge about how reciprocity--and a specifically Andean form of reciprocity--works in disaster and resettlement settings. This study looks at the practices of reciprocity in a disaster-affected community (Manzano) and a disaster-induced resettlement (Pusuca) in the Andean highlands of Ecuador. Specifically, it examines two aspects of reciprocal exchange practices in these sites. It first looks at some of the factors that affect the continuity of reciprocal exchange practices, which other studies have found to play a vital role in recovery from disasters and resettlement. It then looks to the roles of unequal power relations in …

"People...Do Not Come With Standardized Circumstances": Toward A Model For An Anthropology Of E-Government, Marc K. Hebert

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Many Americans appreciate the availability and ease of using government websites to conduct their business with the state. What then of the most vulnerable in society? How do they access and use a standardized application process for government assistance, considering their potential resource, educational and physical constraints? Many go to public libraries and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which shifts the responsibility to help applicants from the government agency administering the program to local actors whose primary duties lie elsewhere.

The aim of this research is to document the experiences of three groups of people, primarily located in a central Florida, urban …

"Planting Wholesome Seeds": Organic Farming And Community Supported Agriculture At Sweetwater Organic Community Farm, Philip R. Mcnab

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sweetwater Organic Community Farm is an organic farm and environmental education center located in Tampa, Florida. The farm employs the community supported agriculture (CSA) model, in which members pay a single fee before the growing season begins and receive a weekly or biweekly share of the ongoing harvest in return. Using multiple ethnographic methods, this research aimed to understand the daily operations at Sweetwater as well as the perceptions of staff and CSA members. Findings indicated that there were myriad perceived advantages of organic agriculture but also imposing challenges that needed to be overcome. Moreover, staff members acknowledged the challenges …

Wrecking Recreation Center Relationships: How Policy Affects Urban Youth In Tampa, Florida, Brett A. Mervis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the impact of housing and recreation policy on Tampa's urban youth. Deconcentration policy suggests that public housing youth have improved life chances when relocated to mixed-income neighborhoods. In 2007, Tampa's Central Park Village (CPV) public housing complex was demolished and all families were relocated to new neighborhoods. Similarly, neoliberal policy advocates for the government's reduced role in poverty-alleviating mechanisms to include housing the poor and the funding of afterschool programs. To offset a smaller city budget due to state property tax rollbacks in the mid-2000's, Tampa Parks and Recreation instituted increased afterschool and youth sports participation fees. …

Parental Leave: Policy And Practice, Amanda Parr

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Parental leave is a broad term that encompasses maternity and/or paternity leave to care for an infant. Parental leave provides job protection for workers and may be paid or unpaid, with provisions varying throughout the world. Every industrialized nation offers some form of paid parental leave, with the exception of the United States, whose only federal policy regarding parental leave is the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), a law that allows eligible workers to take up to twelve weeks of unpaid, job protected leave for the birth or adoption of a child.

This research project explored how parents understand …

Astronomical Implications For The Mound Of The Cross At Paquimé, Chihuahua, Mexico, Michael T. Searcy, David Derrick

Faculty Publications

The fourteenth-century site of Paquimé represents the apogee of the Casas Grandes cultural tradition. Monumental architecture such as effigy mounds and ball courts contrast sharply with other sites in the U.S. Southwest/Northwest Mexico. In particular, the Mound of the Cross, a cardinally aligned mound structure, suggests that those at Paquimé were aware of and may have tracked celestial bodies as part of a seasonal round. Findings also suggest that the alignment of the cross can be attributed to solar patterns that are different than today’s due to earth’s precessional cycle.

Social Variability In The Emergence Of The Pueblo World, Richard Wilshusen, Gregson Schachner, James R. Allison

Faculty Publications

Between A.D. 650 and 950, there was a near total reorganization of society in the northern Southwest. In some areas, intensive agriculture, high population growth rates, and large villages appeared. In others, diverse mixes of subsistence strategies enabled the creation of aggregated communities and semi-sedentary settlements within the same landscape. A third pattern of high mobility and seasonal use of smaller settlements defined much of the periphery. In many areas, people pursuing more than one of these patterns resided simultaneously. We propose that the patterns established by A.D. 800 were integral in the shaping of later Pueblo history.

[Introduction To] Rethinking The Post-Soviet Experience: Markets, Moral Economies, And Cultural Contradictions Of Post-Socialist Russia, Jeffrey K. Hass

Bookshelf

Thus, one goal of this book is to challenge and expand our understandings of post-Soviet transformations by tapping theories so far underutilized (if used at all) in analyses. I will draw on various sources of data--original primary-source data as well as secondary data from various disciplines and accounts--to map out a theoretical landscape.One important goal is to rethink how to look at these data. I want to look deeper into social dynamics of institutional change.

Xrf And The Corrosion Environment At Camp Lawton: A Comprehensive Study Of The Archeological Microenvironment Of A Civil War Prison Camp, Amanda L. Morrow

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Author's abstract: Handheld X Ray Fluorescence (XRF) technology is a new and emerging method in the field of archeology. This thesis discusses the results of XRF comparative analysis and comparative chemical analysis between a given ferrous metallic artifact's corrosion environment (the surrounding soil matrix) and the subsequent corrosion products formed on the artifact. The hypothesis is that the data will demonstrate a chemical correlation between the two. Iron and chlorine are the two major elements discussed in the study. The artifacts in the sample set have been collected from Camp Lawton (9JS1), a Confederate Prison for Union Soldiers located in …

A Morphometric Assessment Of The Intended Function Of Cached Clovis Points, B. Buchanan, J. D. Kilby, B. B. Huckell, Michael J. O'Brien, M. Collard

History Faculty Publications (Archived)

A number of functions have been proposed for cached Clovis points. The least complicated hypothesis is that they were intended to arm hunting weapons. It has also been argued that they were produced for use in rituals or in connection with costly signaling displays. Lastly, it has been suggested that some cached Clovis points may have been used as saws. Here we report a study in which we morphometrically compared Clovis points from caches with Clovis points recovered from kill and camp sites to test two predictions of the hypothesis that cached Clovis points were intended to arm hunting weapons: …

An Assessment Of The Impact Of Hafting On Paleoindian Point Variability, B. Buchanan, Michael J. O'Brien, J. D. Kilby, B. B. Huckell, M. Collard

History Faculty Publications (Archived)

It has long been argued that the form of North American Paleoindian points was affected by hafting. According to this hypothesis, hafting constrained point bases such that they are less variable than point blades. The results of several studies have been claimed to be consistent with this hypothesis. However, there are reasons to be skeptical of these results. None of the studies employed statistical tests, and all of them focused on points recovered from kill and camp sites, which makes it difficult to be certain that the differences in variability are the result of hafting rather than a consequence of …

Tipping Points Among Social Learners: Tools From Varied Disciplines, R. A. Bentley, Michael J. O'Brien

History Faculty Publications (Archived)

There is a long and rich tradition in the social sciences of using models of collective behavior in animals as jumping-off points for the study of human behavior, including collective human behavior. Here, we come at the problem in a slightly different fashion. We ask whether models of collective human behavior have anything to offer those who study animal behavior. Our brief example of tipping points, a model first developed in the physical sciences and later used in the social sciences, suggests that the analysis of human collective behavior does indeed have considerable to offer.

Cultural Evolutionary Tipping Points In The Storage And Transmission Of Information, R. A. Bentley, Michael J. O'Brien

History Faculty Publications (Archived)

Human culture has evolved through a series of major tipping points in information storage and communication. The first was the appearance of language, which enabled communication between brains and allowed humans to specialize in what they do and to participate in complex mating games. The second was information storage outside the brain, most obviously expressed in the "Upper Paleolithic Revolution" - the sudden proliferation of cave art, personal adornment, and ritual in Europe some 35,000-45,000 years ago. More recently, this storage has taken the form of writing, mass media, and now the Internet, which is arguably overwhelming humans' ability to …

Adult Learners In A Novel Environment Use Prestige-Biased Social Learning, C. Atkisson, Michael J. O'Brien, A. A. Mesoudi

History Faculty Publications (Archived)

Social learning (learning from others) is evolutionarily adaptive under a wide range of conditions and is a long-standing area of interest across the social and biological sciences. One social-learning mechanism derived from cultural evolutionary theory is prestige bias, which allows a learner in a novel environment to quickly and inexpensively gather information as to the potentially best teachers, thus maximizing his or her chances of acquiring adaptive behavior. Learners provide deference to high-status individuals in order to ingratiate themselves with, and gain extended exposure to, that individual. We examined prestige-biased social transmission in a laboratory experiment in which participants designed …

Genes, Culture, And Agriculture: An Example Of Human Niche Construction, Michael J. O'Brien, K. N. Laland

History Faculty Publications (Archived)

Theory and empirical data from a variety of disciplines strongly imply that recent human history involves extensive gene-culture coevolution, much of it as a direct result of human agricultural practices. Here we draw on niche construction theory (NCT) and gene-culture coevolutionary theory (GCT) to propose a broad theoretical framework (NCT-GCT) with which archaeologists and anthropologists can explore coevolutionary dynamics. Humans are enormously potent niche constructors, and understanding how niche construction regulates ecosystem dynamics is central to understanding the impact of human populations on their ecological and developmental environments. We use as primary examples the evolution of dairying by Neolithic groups …

Beveled Projectile Points And Ballistics Technology, C. P. Lipo, R. C. Dunnell, Michael J. O'Brien, V. Harper, J. Dudgeon

History Faculty Publications (Archived)

Explanations for beveled blade edges on projectile points have been debated in North America archaeology since the first systematic description of lithic assemblages in the nineteenth century. Debate has centered around two opposing perspectives. One views beveled edges as features of projectile points that cause them to spin during flight. The other views beveling as a product of edge resharpening that is done unifacially to conserve scarce resources. Here we use a fluid-dynamics model to simulate the effect beveling has on projectiles. Expectations derived from this modeling are evaluated using wind-tunnel experiments. Our findings indicate that beveling produces in-flight rotation …

Risk Of Resource Failure And Toolkit Variation In Small-Scale Farmers And Herders, M. Collard, A. Ruttle, B. Buchanan, Michael J. O'Brien

History Faculty Publications (Archived)

Recent work suggests that global variation in toolkit structure among hunter-gatherers is driven by risk of resource failure such that as risk of resource failure increases, toolkits become more diverse and complex. Here we report a study in which we investigated whether the toolkits of small-scale farmers and herders are influenced by risk of resource failure in the same way. In the study, we applied simple linear and multiple regression analysis to data from 45 small-scale food-producing groups to test the risk hypothesis. Our results were not consistent with the hypothesis; none of the risk variables we examined had a …

"How Do We Not Go Back To The Factory?" Negotiating Neoliberal Conditions In A Latina-Led Transnational Development Organization In El Paso (Texas), Anthony Michael Jimenez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: As the structure of the global economy shifted the United States' manufacturing base South of the U.S-Mexico in the years up to and post-NAFTA, thousands of women of Mexican descent residing in El Paso (Texas) were displaced from their garment factory jobs and left without social, political and economic support. Subsequently, some of these women joined La Mujer Obrera, an organization committed to fostering community development for low-income women from both sides of the U.S-Mexico border. The organization faces difficulties in receiving economic aid from the local government, which is apparently due to their development model being incompatible with …

Recipes Of Resolve: Food And Meaning In Post-Diluvian New Orleans, Jessica Claire Menck

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

In 2005 the city of New Orleans experienced catastrophic flooding as a result of the failure of the federal levee system following Hurricane Katrina. This was an immediate disaster that evolved into a longer-term crisis as the city, state, and national government struggled to respond to the event. This study focuses on one part of managing crisis: meaning making. Specifically, the study investigates meaning making within the food community of New Orleans, asking the questions: is food a way for individuals and groups to make meaning following critical change events such as the failure of the federal levee system in …

Vamonos Al Baile! Corridos, Regionalism, & Cultural Symbolism: An Expressive Narrative Approach To Los Tigres Del Norte, Jorge Luis Aguilar

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study seeks to understand how qualities and characteristics of the study's participants are influenced not only by their families and humble roots, but also for how they are influenced specifically by corridos of Los Tigres Del Norte in which the theme of the songs speak of immigrant life, values, and experiences as bicultural citizens and naturalized citizens. In this study, these ideas are explored and examined using various methodological approaches, including in-depth interviews, open-ended questions, and participant observations. This study also demonstrates how corridos communicate with their listeners, how they are influenced by the corridos, and more importantly, how …

Becoming Indonesians: The Bā ʿAlawī In The Interstices Of The Nation, Ismail Fajrie Alatas

Antropologi Indonesia

This paper examines the Bāʿ Alawī—a group of Ḥaḍramī diaspora acknowledged as the descendants of Prophet Muḥammad—in post-colonial Indonesia. In particular, it observes the Bā ʿAlawī scholars' creative adaptation and manipulation of their Sufi path, ṭartqa 'alawiyya y in their attempt to secure their place within the wider imagination of Indonesian nationhood while protecting their distinctive genealogical eminence. In the twentieth century the t̠arīqa, which had long functioned to secure their identity, differentiate them from others and nurture their diasporic consciousness, proved incompatible with the assimilationist discourse of the nation. Further challenges came from Islamic reformism, preaching egalitarianism increasingly defined …

Pengelolaan Sumber Daya Laut Kawasan Terumbu Karang Takabonerate Dan Paradigma Komunalisme Lingkungan Masyarakat Bajo Masa Lalu, Munsi Lampe

Antropologi Indonesia

This article aims to analyze the complexity of interactions between Bajo fishermen communities and their sea environment in the form of coral reef resource management in Takabonerate in the past time by application of the paradigm of communalism in human ecology. The question proposed is how to construct the complexity of the interaction between Bajo fishermen communities and their sea environment in the context of belief systems, and socio-economic and political institutions in the early time of their arrival in Takabonerate archipelago up to the of 1940s. The article’s material are taken from field research reports in which the data/information …

Gondang Di Komunitas Parmalim Batak Toba: Teks, Konteks Dan Aspek Performatif, Irwansyah Harahap

Antropologi Indonesia

This writing is about Gondang music which exists among the Toba Batak Parmalim community of Hutatinggi in the district area of Toba Samosir, North Sumatra province of Indonesia. Content of discussion includes an historical background of the people and knowledge and expressions of Gondang music among Toba Batak people in general and Parmalim community in particular. The performance aspects of Parmalim gondangs, including music ensembles, repertoires and ritual musical practices, will also be discussed as part of discussion.

Handphone Xxx: Video 3gp Dan Moralitas, Anzieb -

Antropologi Indonesia

This article examines the development of cell phone technology in relation to the cultural practices, in particular the practice of making 3GP sex videos and how public responses to the spread of such video into the public domain. People who recorded their sexual activities mostly admitted that they did it spontaneously or just for fun. The majority of people who recorded their sexual activities aimed not to distribute the video. In addition, those recordings are generally not meant for commercial use, which differentiate them from porn movies. For both men and women making a 3GP video brings unique sensations and …

Reproduksi Stereotip Dan Resistensi Orang Katobengke Dalam Struktur Masyarakat Buton, Tasrifin Tahara

Antropologi Indonesia

Buton manuscripts indicated that Buton Kingdom appeared in 14th Century. In the periods of the 17 th, 18th, and 19th centuries, Buton Kingdom initiated to be the free kingdom. In the begining of 20th , dutch colonial goverment incorporated that the Buton kingdom and placed it under their rule. The principles were laid down based on the social cultural in eceonomic development. Relation to be governed especially are in the field of education, health, and economy. In 1960, Buton kingdom was dissolved following the death of Sultan Laode Muhammad Falihi as the last sultan. During the kingdom era, Buton social …

Identitas Tionghoa Muslim Indonesia Pasca-Orde Baru: Melampaui Batas-Batas Kategori Peranakan Dan Totok, Afthonul Afif

Antropologi Indonesia

The dramatic change in some important aspects of this country after the collapse of New Order Regime, primarily in the political aspect, provided larger opportunity to Indonesian Chinese in constructing their real identity, included to the Indonesian Chinese Muslim. In one hand, Indonesian Chinese Muslim tended to re-strengthen their cultural identity shown by articulating some features of their ethnic identity, and they show more the involvement in developing discourse of national building and the life of majority group by using their Islamic identity in the other hand. At this point, they then could not be categorized as ‘peranakan’ and ‘totok’, …

Kebersamaan Di Ruang Publik Pada Pawai Perayaan Gotong Toa Pe Kong Berbasis Masyarakat Majemuk Di Slawi Pasca Orde Baru 2010, Zeffry Alkatiri, Fabianus H. Koesoemadinata

Antropologi Indonesia

This article observes collective action of Toa Pe Kong celebration in the public space during Post-New Order era in Slawi, Central Java. This celebration involves local people from different religions and cultures. Why this celebration can be done after New Order? What aspect functions as collective bond among Slawi plural society? Using historical and cultural sources, this study analyses function and meaning of the ritual in relation to the collective aspect of Toa Pe Kong celebration.

Makna Kultural Mitos Dalam Budaya Masyarakat Banten, Ayatullah Humaeni

Antropologi Indonesia

This article discusses various myths spread in several areas of Banten. How Bantenese society understands and believes in myths that have spread and are still maintained from generations to generations and how the roles and functions of myths for Bantenese society constitute the main focus of this article. This article is field research using ethnographical methods based on in anthropological perspective. To analyze the data, the researcher uses a structural-functional approach. Library research, participant-observation, and depth-interview are methods used to collect the data. Myth is a part of folklore that appear in almost every culture of the world, especially in …

Puisi Lisan Masyarakat Banda Eli Ketahanan Budaya Di Maluku Setelah Perang Pala, Timo Kaartinen

Antropologi Indonesia

This article asks the question how Banda displaced from the Banda Islands due to colonization of Banda by the VOC in 1621, maintain their existence as a sustainable cultural group. Banda communities play an important role in maritime commerce in the eastern part of Indonesia at the beginning of the colonial period. They survive as one cultural group in two villages on the islands of Kei. The traditional songs of the two villages center on the sea voyage. The argument is that Banda people are mobilized by oral traditions that reveal the kinship ties of Banda people with their partners …