#niliezekiel

[gwanth1002]

Development and Modernization 

Development is defined as a change directed toward improving human welfare (Miller 2017, p. 346). As the textbook mentions, development is often aims to prevent or reduce poverty. Some approaches include making sure people have access to basic needs like adequate food and housing. 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 2017, p. 350). The above photos are examples of both of these concepts. They were taken in NoMa, a neighborhood in DC. The fact that NoMa is even now considered a neighborhood is an example of development and modernization.

The first photo shows the retail center of the neighborhood just a block from the metro stop. Although not all pictured, there is a Harris Teeter (grocery store), CVS, Starbucks, gym, dry cleaners, and a few other stores and services. There are also new apartment buildings above many of these storefronts, as well as farther down the street. This center is in contrast to just a few blocks farther into the neighborhood, which is comprised of smaller, less slick, older residential communities. The two areas look very different, though are part of the same community. The development aimed to bring more services (improve human welfare). The neighborhood was consciously revitalized to prevent poverty following economic hardships (DC Urban Turf Blog, 2011). The neighborhood is very appealing for developers, as evidenced by the second photo, which is just one example of the many construction sites in NoMa. As the history page from the NoMa Business Improvement Development states, “Private-sector developers, facing burgeoning demand for close-in office and residential space within the District, began to realize the neighborhood’s potential and started planning for the development of up to 20 million square feet of mixed-use space over the next ten years.” 

The modernization occurring in NoMa shows the desire for increased industrial growth and a market economy, as well as options for social mobility. Due to these developments and marketing, NoMa has become an attractive place for people to live (many apartments for rent) and work, with all the increased industry. The developers have attempted to brand the community to be an appealing place for people to move to, even though it was not very well known before the developments. However, there are still many people living and working there who called NoMa home long before it was a defined and growing development.

[gwanth1002]

Push-Pull Theory and Displaced Person

This photo pictures my grandmother Sylvia, who gave permission to be used, at my house last week. Sylvia was born in Krakow, Poland in 1938. When the war broke out and the Holocaust began, she was hidden in a convent for most of the duration of the war, while her mother was hidden around Poland, eventually ending up in Austria with fake papers as slave labor, and her father escaped a work camp and hid under fake papers. Obviously, the conditions of the war made life extremely dangerous and difficult in Europe, and much of their family was killed. In the case of my grandmother and great grandparents, however, they luckily all three survived the war, ending up as displaced persons. A displaced person is defined someone who is forced to leave his or her home, community, or country, due to factors such as colonialism, slavery, war, and persecution (Miller 2017, p. 329). Due to the war, after Eastern Europe was liberated, they became displaced people with no communities to return to. This pushed them to look for options to emigrate to Israel (then Palestine) or the US. According the Miller textbook (2017, p. 325)  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”). The push-pull theory is also used in general when discussing why people choose to migrate. In this case, there were simply no opportunities for my family following the war, as their communities and businesses had been destroyed or taken, so there were major push factors at work causing them to leave Poland. They craved opportunities for a fresh start in places like Israel and the US, so as soon as they were able, they moved to New York.

While obviously my grandmother is not currently migrating, she is still an example of these key concepts because she is a product of these experiences and still an example of being a displaced person and push-pull factors.

[gwanth1002]

Primary Group and Social Capital

This is a photo taken after the induction ceremony for new pledges into APO, a community service fraternity on campus. The fraternity is an example of a primary social group, as its members meet on a face-to-face basis. In fact, there are many scheduled mandatory and optional events for pledges and brothers to attend throughout the week. For brothers, there is a chapter meeting once a week, as well as required service hours and fellowship hours (time spent at activities with other brothers). For pledges (myself included), we have pledge meetings twice a week and have similar requirements of service and fellowship events. In addition to meeting regularly, the fraternity aims to allow its members to create close friendships amongst each other while participating in the shared goal of service. There is also accountability to the group because of membership requirements, as well as less standardized expectations of just being a good friend. 

In addition to being a primary social group, APO is an example of social capital. Social capital is defined as the intangible resources existing in social ties, trust, and cooperation. Being a part of a fraternity allows for many opportunities that one would not have without the group. There is collective knowledge of all the other members, who are eager to share their experiences and expertise with fellow brothers. There is also the alumni network, which allows for APO members to connect with individuals working in their field and get advice and assistance, because both individuals have the social tie of APO even if they did not meet before. Additionally, there are opportunities to work with people and organizations outside of APO through resources that APO has. Finally, the social support system that fraternities and sororities provide is also an example of social capital.

[gwanth1002]

Kinship System, Bilineal Descent, and Nuclear Household

A kinship system is the predominant form of kin relationships in a culture and the kinds of behaviors involved. As we live in a western culture here in America, we primarily think of kinship as relations through birth. We have a system of bilineal descent, in which descent is traced through both parents. Pictured above is my friend Glen with his parents Glen and Kerri. His parents visited this weekend to watch his lacrosse game. These three individuals, along with his sister Ashley (not pictured) represent a nuclear household comprised of two married adults and two children. This is a very common way of setting up a household in the US. In other cultures, however, there are many more variations of the way families are set up. 

In my high school Spanish classes, we compared some hispanic cultures with our own. We found that it was much more common for these cultures to have extended households (more than one set of parents and children living together) because it is common to live in a house with extended family, and not just the nuclear family. In these cultures, the responsibility of raising children can be more shared among different family members, not just the parents.

There are laws as well as customs in the US that make Glen’s family a common example of a typical family. American law prohibits polygamy, so each marriage can only involve two spouses. While seemingly obvious in America, other countries allow for multiple spouses, which changes the way families are organized and responsibilities distributed. In addition to laws, it is typical of US culture to have a family unit comprised of two parents and children. However, as mentioned in Chapter 8 of Miller’s Cultural Anthropology, changes in laws concerning who can be married legally have expanded, along with our culture’s tendency to accept non-”typical” family structures, both in terms of marriage and children. 

[gwanth1002]

Formal Sector and Informal Sector

The formal sector, salaried or wage-based work that is officially registered, can be seen in most cultures. So can the informal sector, which is not officially registered and sometimes illegal. In America, a society that functions on market exchange, both sectors are apparent and both are governed by the laws of supply and demand. 

In the first photo, a Subway store is pictured, advertising $6 footlong sandwiches. The workers there are paid by hour, and those higher up in the franchise likely have salaries, thus part of the formal sector. The prices of their products are determined by the demand of the consumers and the ability of Subway to supply the products. 

The second photo shows a street vendor selling DC merchandise. Many vendors have licenses, but some do not. The industry of street vending is much less regulated than a business like Subway, and can often be unregistered. However, as it is also a part of the market economy, its prices are determined by supply and demand.

While the formal and informal sector vary in terms of regulation, they both contribute meaningfully to our economy and the way individuals earn a living and consume goods and services.