GW Anth 1002

A blog for the students of Dr. Miller's Anthropology 1002 hybrid course #babzclass.

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Miller describes development on page 260 as "change directed toward improving human welfare.” It also goes on to add that a focus of development is trying to reduce poverty. This picture also fits to describe development because thats the focus of the Grameen Bank, they “are committed to developing and championing sustainable solutions that expand financial inclusion, improve livelihoods and enhance health."Personally, I believe that the organizations that want to provide people with the self-help tools to reduce poverty and hunger is the best way to go about development instead of just giving people money.  If I were to do anthropological fieldwork, I would want to explore the differences between Grameen Bank and Fonkoze, which focuses on similar issues. Both of these institutions work to serve the poor and ultra-poor in Haiti. I would be interested to see the impacts both of these institutions have had on the population. Furthermore, through further investigation, I would be able to have specific case studies to see what has worked in Haiti and what has not been effective.

Miller describes micro-credit loan on page 261 as a “Small cash loan made to low-income people to support to an income-generating activity” For my organization, we had to go a talk with the president of Grameen Bank Steve Hollingworth about development and Microfinancing. I took a picture of the flyer because I believe that it fits with Miller chapter 13 “People Defining Development.” The Grameen Bank focuses on giving poor people in Bangladesh and some other places small loans, also known as micro credit, most of them being women. By today, The bank had provided micro-loans and other services to around 23 million people. And in 2016, “Freedom for Hunger"a non profit and the "Grameen Bank"joined forces and now they are focusing on providing women with tools that they can help themselves to reduce hunger and poverty. If I were to do field work, I would want to learn about instances where micro-crediting doesn’t work/If they are instances where it does not work and what to do if it happens.

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The first image is a meme of the H Street cross walk. It shows the cross walk in three different stages, accompanied by commentary by an actor. First, it shows the Tasty Kabob truck and a few lines of a crosswalk with the text “Show me the best H Street” then more lines of the crosswalk with the text “I said the best H Street”. In the last image, there are crosswalk lines along the whole street with the text “Perfection”. This image is an example of a cultural fit. Miller defines cultural fit as a characteristic of informed and effective project design in which planners take local culture into account. The crosswalk is an example of a cultural fit because it demonstrates an adaptation of school culture. Many students and residents used to jaywalk because the street is not very wide, and the legal crosswalks were at either end of the street. In the middle of H St is the entrance to Kogan Plaza and Gelman library, places that receive a lot of foot traffic. This crosswalk has helped decrease the likelihood of car accidents. If I were to do further anthropological research, I would study the foot traffic around campus and see what technology could be added to benefit students and pedestrians.  

The second image is of crepe cake from the Bloomberg Family Picnic this summer. This image describes the term diffusion, which is defined as the spread of culture through contact. Crepes are essentially very thin pancakes made from wheat flour. They originated in Brittany, which is in the northwest of France. However, now crepes are eaten throughout France and considered the national dish. Creperies can be found all throughout the U.S. I think that this dish diffused easily because it can be eaten in many ways; there are sweet crepes, savory crepes, and even crepe cakes. I would further research foods that have diffused similarly to crepes in the United States.

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The Miller textbook defines invention as the spread of culture through contact. Trains were invented in the United Kingdom in 1804 by Richard Trevithick. Trains modernized the way people traveled and exchanged goods. It also connected distant places, for example, a trip from New York to California now takes a couple of days instead of a couple of months. Trains changed over to rapid electric transit systems in the 19th century through technological advances. One of the most important factors in the development of modern trains was the steam locomotive. The steam locomotive was not best suited for urban environments or underground operation. The invention of electric traction in 1890 created smoke-free subway system. I would conduct further anthropological research into the countries that do not have underground subways. 

The Miller textbook defines modernization as political consolidation through the state, technological innovation, literacy, and options for social mobility. The subway is an important form of technology that exists. Specifically, in New York, around 5.7 million people ride the train every weekday. This is the 6 train that goes from downtown Manhattan (near the Brooklyn Bridge) to the Bronx. I usually take the train in the upper east side where there has been more modernization in the subway lines. Recently, the Q train was expanded into the Upper East Side through Second Avenue. They are considering adding more stops and expanding the train line into Harlem. This addition cost $4.5 billion for only 3 stops. It has become a key part of the Upper East Side and has eased travel for many residents. I would conduct further study into the cost of subway additions and how it affects low-income neighborhoods like Harlem. I would want to learn if it furthers gentrification and displacement in New York City. 

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The first picture is of a Red Bull car I saw while walking on campus. It was a very strange sight to see since I was not sure if it was meant to be advertisement or how someone wanted their car to look. Modernization is defined as a model of change based on belief in the inevitable advance of science and Western secularism and processes, including industrial growth, consolidation of the state, bureaucratization, a market economy, technological innovation, literacy, and options for social mobility (Miller 275). The picture reflects the key concept because the car represents different aspects of modernization. First the car itself is an example of technological innovation of transportation. Most Americans depend on cars. Roads, signs, and traffic laws have become part of our culture. Red Bull is a symbol for the market economy, since people choose between thousands of drink options. I think Energy drinks also represent the idea of industrial growth, since people use them to increase productivity. I would do anthropological research on whether people view energy drink companies as positive or negative, especially because of their popularity with younger generations.

The second picture is of the new cross walk on Hst. Students walk frequently between Kogan Plaza, Gelman Library, District House, Lisner Auditorium, Marvin Center, and various food trucks. It is important to remember that this project cannot be considered a development project. Project cycle is defined as the steps of a development project from initial planning to completion: project identification, project design, project appraisal, project implementation, and project evaluation (Miller 280). This picture relates to this key term because, although the crosswalk is not an example of development in the anthropological sense, the steps taken to complete it were like those outlined in the definition of project cycle. Project identification was seen when students and community leaders recognized the need for a new crosswalk about ten years ago when, “…pedestrians have recently begun crossing in the middle of the street in larger numbers than usual after the District House entrance was renovated and food trucks flooded the streets” (Grace and Schonfeld). Student leaders were consulted to create a solution for this problem which threatened student security and safety. Project design was demonstrated as GW had to create and submit a design that would be accepted by the District Department of Transportation. Students witnessed the project implementation as the new crosswalk, sign, and barriers around planters were installed. I think Cultural fit (defined as a characteristic of informed and effective project design in which planners take local culture into account) is an interesting term to consider in this example because of the mixed student response (Miller 280). From personal observation, it seems that more students use the crosswalk and less jaywalk, but it is not uncommon for students to cross wherever is the most convenient. The negative student response is also reflected in the supplemental image found on the GW student meme Facebook group; it can be debated if GW adequately designed this project. Convenience has long been known to be an important value of college culture. Although this project is an improvement, students view it as insufficient. If I were to do additional research, I would want to see if development projects are more successful when community members instead of institutions are involved in their design and implementation.

Sources:

1.            https://www.gwhatchet.com/2018/05/30/officials-introduce-plans-for-new-h-street-crosswalk/

2.            https://www.gwhatchet.com/2018/10/01/officials-to-install-new-h-street-crosswalk-this-week/

Supplemental Image:

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Miller defines invention as “the discovery of something new.” (Miller 262) For this I chose the Capital Bike share system in Washington. The bike was invented in 1817 by Baron Karl von Drais in Germany. The concept of a bike share is also very new and it only possible with modern technology. Washington DC is a tourist city where tourists would be hard pressed in using their cars for many destinations in the city. They often do not bring their own bikes so this fills void. DC is just generally a more pedestrian society where people walk most places. The bikes allow people to get to places a little bit more quickly as opposed to walking. This type of project would not work in a more rural or suburban area. As an example, in Greenville SC everyone owns a car and is always the primary mode of transportation. There are not that many urban areas where this type of project would be successful. Considering this chapter deals a lot with poverty, I would like to study whether or not people in poverty are ever able to actually use these and if they receive any benefit.

Miller defines social capital as “the intangible resources existing in social ties, trust, and cooperation.” This term was talked about within the context of development is poorer countries. Instead of large top down measures for development many agencies have used grassroots methods where work is done by small local groups. These local groups are more likely to have social capital among the local populace. This trust makes it easier for these groups to dispense aid to people who may be unwilling to deal with outsiders. An example of this is when the US army tried to develop parts of Afghanistan and the locals did not trust the improvements they made. As an example of social capital I chose a picture of a sweatshirt to represent the fraternity/sorority system as a group. These groups rely on social ties, trust, and cooperation to survive. The relationships between fraternities and sororities is necessary for them to cooperate in charity work such as profit shares. If I could do fieldwork I would like to study how effective grassroots development is and if it is better than top down methods.

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Miller defines development as “change directed toward improving human welfare.” (Miller 260) For this I chose the International Development Association (IDA) on H street. The IDA is the part of the World Bank which assists low income countries by giving out loans to develop local economies. The IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 75 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa, and is the single largest source of donor funds for basic social services in these countries. From 2011-2018 they have given 86 million people access to safe water, 657 million people essential health services, and trained 8.4 million teachers. The IDA works with countries to support micro-credit loans which is another term in the textbook and is defined as “a small cash loan made to low-income people to support an income-generating activity.” (Miller 261) These are used to support small business owners who live in countries which do not have a healthy financial sector of their own.

Miller defines an extractivist industry as “a business that explores for, removes, processes, and sells minerals, oil, and gas, that are found on or beneath the earth’s surface and which are nonrenewable”. (Miller 279) For this I chose the Exxon station on M street. Exxon is a natural gas company in the business of extracting oil from the ground for profit. Extractivist industries often have violent with native people and Exxon Mobil is no exception. In 2001, they were sued by Indonesian villagers for human rights violations. The villagers accused Exxon knowing about the abused of the Indonesian Security Forces who were hired to protect the the companies assets in the region. These abuses included rape, murder, torture, etc… The litigations are still going on today. If I could do fieldwork, I would like to investigate other human rights violations perpetrated by other extractivost industries

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The Miller textbook defines the term diffusion as “the spread of culture through contact” (Miller 262). The first photo was taken at Georgia Brown’s on 15th street this past Friday. The restaurant serves traditional black southern food that is typical to many African American households. The menu consisted of food like fried chicken, collard greens, and cornbread. While I was there, many of the restaurant goers were of diverse backgrounds who were indulging in traditional Soul Food. Therefore, I felt that this restaurant exemplifies diffusion as African American culture is being spread and enjoyed by all. If I were to conduct further anthropological fieldwork, I would like to study which aspects of African American culture are most diffused into overall American culture and why. For example, AA food has diffused into American culture more than AA beauty standards. Why is that?

The Miller textbook defines the term cultural fit as “a characteristic of informed and effective project design in which planners take local culture into account” (Miller 270). The second photo was taken inside the United States Institute of Peace building on Constitution Ave. USIP is a federal institution that aims to promote global peace through grassroot initiatives. My professor for my Religion in International Affairs class works for USIP and held class there, where we spoke to individuals whose job is focusing specifically on cultural fit and religion. Their goal is to develop culturally fit projects in order to establish security and peace between conflicting actors. If I were to conduct further anthropological fieldwork, I would like to study how cultural fit plays out on the ground and if local actors are susceptive to it or treat it as Western intervention regardless.

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In Miller’s textbook, the key concept “invention” is defined as “the discovery of something new” (Miller, p. 362). I linked the pizza shaped seedcake with this key concept because it is not really a pizza or a traditional seedcake. It tastes like the traditional seedcake in China, which is fried and crispy. However, it has the shape of a pizza. And It is cut in small pieces like a pizza usually does. Like inventing a new recipe, it is something invented by the Chinese-American cooks here in the United States and it was given its own name by the restaurant. The original seedcake in China was smaller than this one on the picture and is usually thicker. We usually directly grab it by our hands and take a bite. Since this eating way does not match Westerners eating habits, the new version was invented.

The textbook defines the key concept “diffusion” as “the spread of culture through contact” (Miller, 262). The second picture I took is the restaurant where I ordered this seedcake. It is a restaurant called Shanghai Lounge and it is located in Georgetown. I considered it as “spread of culture” since food can also be seen as a kind of culture. Different place around the world have different eating habits, but through the spread of culture, people can find different cuisines in places where the certain kind of cuisine did not belong. For example, I can have Chinese food in here, Washington, D.C, I also can buy hamburgers and sandwiches back in China. As the article “How sushi went global” in C&C indicates, foods are globalizing.

If I am able to do research, I would want to know that also food is globalizing, why they can not keep exactly how they were and have to make some change in order to be accepted.

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Miller defines diffusion as “the spread of culture through contact.” (Miller 262) For this I chose the statue of the Russian Romanticist Alexander Pushkin which is located on H street on Foggy Bottom. Pushkin was on June 6, 1799 and is considered the father of modern Russian literature. His work was closely associated with the Decembrist Revolt which resulted in his banishment. This statue was part of a culture exchange program with Russia in 1999. On the US’s part, they gifted Moscow a statue of the American writer Walt Whitman. This is a perfect example of diffusion because it was the objective of both governments to expose their people to the culture of former enemies from the Cold War. If I could do anthropological work, I would study if the Russian and American people had higher opinions of each other's culture after the Cold War. 

Miller defines modernization as “a model of change based on belief in the inevitable advance of science and Western secularism and processes, including industrial growth, consolidation of the state, bureaucratization, a market economy, technological innovation, literacy, and social mobility” (Miller 264)Modernization can bring about positive change but can also bring devastating environmental consequences, the destruction of indigenous cultures and economic inequality. My example would be the self serve kiosks you see at panera and many others food establishments. These machines and automation in general are feared to put much of the service industry out of work in the future causing crippling unemployment and income inequality. Automation brought on by modernization will also be an issue in poorer countries as well. The World Bank Estimates that up to 85% of jobs in the developing world are susceptible to automation in the future. If I could do fieldwork, I would like to study how these developing countries will deal with the income inequality which may come from modernization efforts.

https://www.inet.ox.ac.uk/news/automation-impact

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1.      Modernization

In Cultural Anthropology in a Globalizing World, Miller defines modernization as, “a model of change based on belief in the inevitable advance of science and Western secularism and processes, including industrial growth, consolidation of the state, bureaucratization, a market economy, technological innovation, literacy, and options for social mobility” (Miller, p. 264).

At first glance, the first photo seemingly shows a typical arcade amusement arcade, but is actually a part of the entertainment section of Facebook’s headquarters in Silicon Valley. Forget the cubicles, Facebook’s workplace is the epitome of a “modern” workspace. The basic idea is that employees will only have to worry about their work, while Facebook deals with employees’ basic needs from food to entertainment. This new “fun workspace” trend relates back to Miller’s definition of modernization influenced by industrial growth, when companies are making work fun. The incentive to keep employees happy is in hopes of increasing productivity and efficiency in the workplace.

If I could carry out anthropological research, I want to look into how this new model of working environment are actually creating more motivated workers or are only creating more disruptions and distractions for workers.

 2.      Invention

The definition of invention by Miller is “the discovery of something new” (Miller, p. 362). The second photo is taken at Artechouse, an art gallery in Washington DC. At the time of my visit Artechouse was holding an immersive and interactive exhibition- New Nature. Using the new invention of “cutting-edge digital tools” like motion sensors, apps that activate augmented reality, and machine learning software (I would largely focus on machine learning software for this post), the artworks create computer-generated graphics that interacted in real-time. 

The picture shows the main space creature in the exhibition.The creature is alien-looking and it looks like it could be the baby if plants and microorganisms could reproduce. Those who use the exhibitions’ app can interact with the creature by touching the screen to feed it tiny coloured triangles (the food). Or the creature can be told to move wherever by dragging it across the screen. 

I think it perfectly illustrates how the invention of machine learning software changes how we can experience art. What fascinated me the most is that when multiple people are interacting with the creature at the same time, it has the power to decide which one it would like to interact with first. This is ultimately the learning process for the user and the creature.

As an anthropologist, I would do further research into machine learning software and the bonds with the creators. My main question is to know if these creators would start to treat the software just like a human. 

*This relates back to the Expressive Culture chapter in the Miller textbook about anthropologists studying the artists to gain insight into their art- in this case, it’s about studying the programmers of these machine learning software to better understand the softwares they create.*

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This photo was taken in New York this past November and it shows Times Square, also known as the ‘Theater District’ in Manhattan, a booming district of businesses and plazas covering 42nd street. I chose this photo because it relates to the key concept of ‘modernization.’ Modernization is a form of change marked by economic growth through industrialization and market expansion, political consolidation through the state, technological innovation, literacy, and options for social mobility. The textbook continues to state that it originated in Western Europe...with the emerging emphasis on material progress and individual betterment. New York or ‘The Big Apple’ as its commonly referred to, is known as the city of dreams or individual betterment and I believe no place other than Times Square illustrates that. Times Square is marked with constant technological innovation, seen through the glowing lights of buildings to the shining screens igniting the plaza, making you feel as if the sun never set. 

Obviously New York was not always marked with these markets and innovation as at one point in time it was consumed by nature, yet the amount of technology that fills that one street shows how much mankind has progressed technologically. However, this rash amount of building relates to another key concept: development aggression. Development aggression is the imposition of development projects and policies without the free, prior and informed consent of the affected people. The Shinnecock, Oneida, Seneca and Tonawanda were the native Indians of New York yet the Indian Removal Act, which stated that all Indians on the East coast were forced to move West of the Mississippi, utterly uprooted them from their native land in New York. In a sense, 42nd street is ‘borrowed land’ as Native Americans never consented to their removal, nor the building of businesses over their territory. I would additionally like to learn how modernization, coupled with development aggression, causes a unanimous standard of ‘culture’ within the people of that region. Moreover, actual anthropological fieldwork can be done related to the photo to study the traces of Indian history that can be found in the land, as well as how modernization and the Indian Removal Act affected their community.

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The picture above describes two words: diffusion and acculturation. This is a picture of the Tasty Kabob food truck that is on campus near Gelman Library almost everyday. Kabobs are usually deemed as Middle Eastern cuisine, yet the kabobs at Tasty Kabob do not taste traditional or Middle Eastern in any way. Not even the Pita bread tastes traditional. According to chapter 13 of the Miller textbook, diffusion is the spread of culture through contact. In this case, it is an example of a less powerful culture (Middle Eastern culture) providing sources of cultural change in a dominant culture (American culture. Further, acculturation is a form of cultural change in which a minority culture becomes more like the dominant culture. For example, the kabobs served from the truck do not use the same flavors and spices in traditional Middle Eastern cuisine. They are not served on kabob sticks or in kabob form, they’re usually chopped or very small pieces of meat. To me, that seems as the minority culture attempting to become more like the dominant culture. Serving the meat in a certain way and cooked a certain way, less spicy than it should be, different types of bread and even different rice, to try an appeal to the more dominant culture. 

If I could do research, it would focus on assessing how Middle Eastern food sold in the United States is different from its traditional roots, and what causes these changes. 

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In Miller’s textbook, diffusion is defined as “the spread of culture through contact (Miller, 262).” The closest dish pictured above is of meat-dish called ćevapčići, the national dish of Bosnia. It was taken in a Bosnian restaurant called the “Old House Cosmopolitan Grill” in Old-Town Alexandria. The dish consists of beef (or pork) minced meat rolled into sausage-like components, with onion, tomato, kajmak (a cross between sour cream and cream cheese), and lepinje (specially-made bread patties). Although the dish looks similar to a hamburger, the meat comes sausage-form, and it is customary to eat all components separately, not altogether as hamburgers are usually eaten. I chose this dish to explain diffusion because ćevapčići were originally inspired by the Turkish köfte kebab, which was spread during the Ottoman occupation of Bosnia. Bosnians added the lepinjeto the dish as well as sauces like kajmak. Quickly, ćevapčići became a popular food item in Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, and it even became the national dish of Serbia. Through cultural contact, the dish has become a staple in much of Eastern Europe with some regions putting their own spin on it. For example, in Croatia it is common to eat ćevapčići with a red, slightly spicy sauce called Ivar, however, in Bosnia, the dish is traditionally served with kajmak. If I was to do further anthropological research, I would want to study the different variations of similar dishes in the Balkans between Bosnian and Croatian culture, and why/how the variations came about.

The second picture describes invention as “discovery of something new (Miller, 262).” The image shows a line of people working out on Cybex treadmills. The picture was taken in the gym of the Lerner Health and Wellness Center on the GW campus. I chose this picture to represent an invention because the treadmill is a fairly new technological innovation that makes working out easier for many people. Additionally, Miller also explains that “many inventions bring about positive cultural change,” which applies to treadmills because they have made exercise more convenient to many people. Since the development of other inventions like the television, smartphone, the car, and the computer, many people forgo exercise in favor of easy relaxation. The invention of the car, although it has made many positive impacts on long-distance travel, has also created a culture of laziness when people decide to drive a car instead of walking a few miles. Due to inventions like these, had become less and less active, eventually causing many health problems. The invention of the treadmill made exercising convenient as people no longer had to brave the weather or dodge pedestrians and cars on busy streets. This caused a positive social change as, especially now in the US, there is a rising exercise and fitness movement aiming to get people active and healthy. If I was to do further research, I would want to research the gym-exercise habits between US and Chinese culture, and if there is a general consensus within a culture about each individual’s reason for exercising (i.e. health, image, fitness, hobby, etc).

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The first picture was taken over the Thanksgiving break while my father was fixing the dryer. It was broken and making disrupting clunking noises caused by a buildup of lint over the past decade. Invention is defined as the discovery of something new (Miller 272). This image relates to the key concept since clothes washers and dryers are significant inventions. Before their creation, women were charged with clothes washing using soap, washboards, and by scrubbing with their bare hands. They would then hang the clothing with clothespins to dry. This process took up a lot of time. The commercialization of these machines greatly affected women’s role as the homemaker since they had more time for other activities such as work. Hans Rosling called the washing machine the “greatest invention of the industrial revolution.” If I were to conduct anthropological research on this this topic, I would want to see how domestic work is split between men and women across cultures.

The second picture is of Wesley a lesson horse at Waredaca farm. He is trained in the English style of riding which is reflected in the use of the English saddle as opposed to the Western saddle. Diffusion is defined as the spread of culture through contact (Miller 272). The photo relates to the key term because horse culture, horse-back riding, and horses themselves in the Americas were diffused from European culture. Horses are not native to the Americas, so Native Americans would never have met a horse before Europeans brought them on their ships. As horsemanship spread across North America, very little was changed. However, the Native American norm of mounting from the right side is an interesting example of how historical context can affect cultural practice. Europeans always mount from the left side since they carried swords. If I were to do an anthropological study, I would want to see if and how modern Native Americans view horses as part of their history and culture.

Sources:

1.      https://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_and_the_magic_washing_machine

2.      http://www.jstor.org/stable/83702

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Within the textbook Cultural Anthropology in a Globalizing World, Miller defines modernization as, “a model of change based on belief in the inevitable advance of science and Western secularism and processes, including industrial growth, consolidation of the state, bureaucratization, a market economy, technological innovation, literacy, and options for social mobility” (Miller, 264). The photo above was taken this past Thursday at the Foggy Bottom-GWU metro stop. I was getting on the metro to meet up with a friend when I realized that the metro in Washington, DC was a great example of modernization with regards to infrastructure, specifically surrounding transportation and technological innovation. The metro planning began in the 1950s, “construction began in 1969, and the first segment opened for operation in 1976.” Present-day, the metro spans over 103-miles and is the “third-busiest rapid transit system in the United States in number of passenger trips.” Throughout the past couple of years, the DC Metro has undergone several renovations and continues to undergo renovations from the city. If I could do actual anthropological fieldwork with regards to modernization, I would want to research how the development of transportation infrastructure positively and negatively affects low-income communities.

Within the textbook Cultural Anthropology in a Globalizing World, Miller defines invention as, “the discovery of something new” (Miller, 262). The picture above was taken this past Saturday as I was walking to class on The George Washington University Foggy Bottom campus. The picture is of a Blue Light Emergency Phone, which can be found all throughout the GW campus and on many college campuses throughout the United States. They were invented as a safety mechanism, so if an individual is or feels that they are in danger, they have the ability to call the authorities for help. The police will be able to track down the individual based off of the Blue Light location that they called from, so the individual does not need to specify their location if they are unaware of where they are. Additionally, the Blue Light Emergency Phone system serves as a tracker. If an individual is being followed, they can press the main button on the Blue Light and a blue light will be emitted from the top of the call box. As they are walking, they can continue to press the Blue Light button on other Blue Light Emergency Phone boxes and a trail will be illuminated for the police to more efficiently find an individual who is in need of their help. Blue Light Emergency Phone systems are a relatively new invention, but they are crucial to prioritizing students’ safety on campus. If I could do actual anthropological fieldwork with regards to inventions like the Blue Light Emergency Phone, I would want to interview individuals who have utilized the Blue Light Emergency Phone system to get their insight on the pros and cons of the call box and to see if they believe that having the Blue Light Emergency Phone systems available to them makes them feel safer on campus.

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This photo was taken at El Puerto Restaurant in Arlington. I attended for the MUUSA (Musicos Unidos USA) awards ceremony which included dinner, musical performance, and dancing. My great uncle, a guitarist, was being recognized and invited his two sisters and me back in October. This was my view from our table of the stage and other attendees.

International Migration is defined as the movement across country boundaries (Miller 253). This key concept relates to the photo because this ceremony was specifically for Latin American artists and music influencers who have done significant work in the United States. So, most of the people pictured, or at least their relatives, are international immigrants coming from countries such as Argentina, El Salvador, Chile, etc. Some people in this crowd may have been born in the United States and identify as Latinx like me, but we could not be considered international immigrants. If I did anthropological research on this topic, I would investigate whether immigrants prefer to integrate into previously established forms of civil society that comprise of members their new home or forms of civil society created by their own microculture.

Push-pull Theory is defined as an explanation for rural-to-urban migration that emphasizes people’s incentives to move because of a lack of opportunity in rural areas (the “push”) compared with urban areas (the “pull”) (Miller 253). This photo is an example of this concept because the artist’s reasons for migration may be explained by this theory. The US music market has a very large audience and more opportunities for Latin musicians. As the US Spanish-speaking population grows, demand for Latin music grows as well.  My uncle has been successful in having a career performing music. Even though there is a higher probability of economic return, many musicians (Latinx or not) still must take on extra jobs to support themselves. If I were to conduct further anthropological research, I would like to learn if there is any relationship between the socioeconomic status of artists in their home country and their reception domestically, internationally, and in the global music scene.