S/S/134. Discuss some of the ways in which anthropologists have tried to make sense of witchcraft beliefs and accusations

The paper examines witchcraft beliefs in African cultures referring to the studies in ethnography and anthropology, and outlining the main features of witchcraft, its origins, social functions, etc.

S/P/168. Altered states of consciousness in most religions are drug induced. Discuss.

The paper examines altered states of consciousness from the perspective of their role in various religions. A review of literature is offered on religious rituals and shamanistic practices including the use of plants and fungi, dancing, meditation, sweating, and other techniques of obtaining ecstasy.

P/S/141. Non-genetic inheritance in evolution: theoretical approaches

The paper examines the role of non-genetic inheritance in the evolution of species reviewing the Developmental Systems theory (DST) and the Multiple Inheritance theory (MIT), reporting on the debates around the assimilation of non-genetic selection into evolution, the definition of heredity and selection units, etc.

C/S/33. How strong is patriarchal power in the \'traditional\' Taiwan families studied by anthropologists? What kinds of opportunities to women have for wielding power in this system?

This paper scrutinized power of patriarchy in traditional Taiwan family. It covers male dominance faced by Taiwan women at pre marriage, within concept of marriage and post marriage stage. It also involved the few patterns of support and power that Taiwan women face even in powerful patriarchy

C/S/28. HallÒs and GilroyÒs view of the identity

The work outlines the definition and understanding of ÓidentityÔ by S. Hall and P. Gilroy. The views are taken from a number of works published by the authors, such as ÓThe Black AtlanticÔ and ÓWho needs identity?Ô. The growth of different identities is explained: for example, strong identity growth after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

P/S/110. Role of cultural and natural formation processes in archaeological records

The paper investigates cultural and natural formation processes (C-transforms and N-transforms), the role of artefacts in the interpretation of archaeological records, the factors contributing to the preservation of site formation, post-depositional alterations, etc.

P/S/93. International development and changes in local cultures

The paper touches upon the theories of development seeking to understand if international development is possible without changing the culture of the area. A review of opinions is provided on the correlation between culture, development, aid, social justice, etc. focusing on the issues of womens rights in different cultures.

P/S/90. Is national identity based on continuity of culture?

The paper reviews the debate on the continuity of culture, arguing the existence of cultural links with the past in countries like modern Greece. The issues related to the construction of national identity are addressed.

P/S/71. Rituals: case of Big Brother

The paper seeks to investigate the phenomenon of ritual as a system of symbols. Anthropological nature of ritual is discussed; its social functions are outlined. Philosophic theories related to the symbolic aspects of rituals are reviewed and extrapolated to Ñreality television programmes, namely, the Big Brother. The symbolic implications of voluntary exposure to surveillance and complying with the established ritual are argued.

S/S/39. Where does value come from?

This essay explores the notions of the gift, exchange and reciprocity, challenging traditional Western notions of economics

S/S/38. Compare and contrast 2 anthropological accounts of politics and violence among the Nuer of Sudan. What do the differences (and similarities) between these accounts tell us about how anthropologists approach war and violence?

This essay will present and analyse the approaches of Evans-Pritchards (1940) in The Nuer and Hutchinson (1996) in Nuer Dilemmas. They present two very different accounts of the Nuers political institutions and the use of violence in society, shaped both by the changing nature of Nuer society throughout the twentieth century and by their different anthropological approaches.

S/S/37. ÑIdentity is constructed through, not outside, difference. Discuss with relation to ethnographic examples.

This essay explores identity in relation to the gypsy community, the Nuer of Sudan and Abner Cohens account of the Notting Hill Carnival. It proposes that identity is relational, and identity is constructed through both similarities and differences.

S/S/36. Ethnography is both product and process. Discuss this statement with reference to both the Argonauts of the Western Pacific and The Trobrianders of Papua New Guinea concentrating specifically on the institution of the Kula

This essay discusses ethnography, the defining method of social anthropology. It uses the Malinowskis famous ethnography of the Trobriands of Papua New Guinea and Weiners subsequent account, discussing a number of issues in relation to ethnography, including the role of history and the role of theory.

S/S/35. Discuss with reference to specific ethnographic examples, what we may learn about people from looking at food and eating

This essay will present the various structural accounts of the anthropological significance of food, alongside those which analyse the cultural implications of food not as a universal code, but a dynamic process in which social actors are constantly in the process of manipulating and shaping their cultural codes. It will propose that structural accounts are useful, but a less formal and nuanced account of the significance of food is required.

S/S/34. Can gender be seen as a natural category or is it rather, in the societies youre read about, a culturally constructed difference?

This essay discusses the degree to which gender is a natural category or a cultural construction. It explores a number of ethnographies, including Kulicks ethnography of transgendered prostitutes, Brandes ethnography of a town in southern Spain and Herdts ethnography of the Sambia.

S/S/33. Book Review of Cowans ÑDance and the Body Politic in Northern Greece

This essay explores the key issues in Jane Cowans ethnography of a small town in Northern Greece. The ethnography particularly explores the dance as an arena for exploring gender and sexuality.

S/S/32. Can there be orderly social life without the state?

This essay first outlines Hobbes account of the state. The essay explores a number of societies without the state in order to prose that such societies do have mechanisms for social control. Hobbes had neglected the powerful impact of the cultural domain. Indeed, when analysing societies it is necessary to analyse political systems together with economic, cultural and social domains, creating a dynamic myriad of interdependent relationships.

S/S/28. Do chimpanzees have culture? Indicate if your answer is "yes" or "no" and support your argument in this essay. In supporting your argument, provide your own evidence and opinion on what you think are the most important factors in defining culture.

It has been recently argued that "culture" is present in chimpanzees and it is not the exclusive domain of humans. However, the argument for chimp culture has not been roundly accepted and it is the basis for a current debate, some anthropologists arguing that humans possess unique traits that set them apart from the primates.

S/S/21. What makes a father?

This essay will analyse a number of different ethnographic accounts of the role of father and kinship, focusing on the relationship between social paternity and biogenetics. This essay will propose that the concept of the father is socially constructed. However, this analysis will not neglect the biogenetic basis of certain cultures ideas of kinship. Indeed, biogenetic ideas often legitimise the position of the father, but alone, they do not constitute a sufficient basis for the makings of a father.

S/S/20. 'Where cultural difference was formerly underpinned by structural boundaries, these have now given way to boundaries, which inhere in the mind: symbolic boundaries' (Cohen). Use ethnographic examples to evaluate this assertion

This essay first explores the theoretical arguments relating to the symbolic/structural boundaries between communities, outlining the theories of Fortes and Cohen. It integrates ethnographic evidence in relation to gypsies in England, Hungary and Slovakia to illustrate such arguments. Using Abner Cohen's account of the Notting Hill Carnival the essay synthesises a number of perspectives to present a more sophisticated account of the relationship between symbolic and structural boundaries.

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