anthropology assigment

The action of giving a gift is an event laden with cultural meaning and expectations.  The idea that giving a gift can be devoid of future attachment or obligation is debated in Western culture and simply impossible in most.  This assignment requires you to delve into the subject of gift giving and its underlying cultural meanings.  You will need to discuss gifts from your own cultural perspective and from the perspective of another cultural tradition.  There is a vast literature on the topic and it shouldn’t be difficult to find comparative perspectives to draw from.  Be critical of your own biases when you discuss your personal stance on gifting.  Remember that we are all taught specific behavioral patterns that make up what we consider to be our culture and try to look at your own cultural ideals from the perspective of someone that sees things differently.

Assignment Requirements

Write a 5 page essay on the above topic.

Formatting

·      Must be one of the following file types: .doc, .docx, .rtf.

·      Standard essay structure

·      12 pt. font

·      Double spaced

·      Standard 1 inch margins

·      3 references- 1 from the article provided and 2 of your choosing (at least one reference needs to be from sources not provided in class)

·      Cite references both within the text body and in a bibliography (bibliographies do NOT count toward page count)

Content

·      Critical analysis of your own gift giving practices

·      Critical analysis of another culture’s gifting practices

·      Discussion of the cultural implications of each perspective

·      Thoughtful insights

Grading

·      Essay structure                                   20 pts

·      Font/Spacing/Margins                         10 pts

·      References/Page count                        20 pts

·      Content (Quality)                               50 pts

         Total     100 pts

*Remember that if you submit an unacceptable file type or do not sight your sources you will receive a zero for the assignment and you will not have a chance to make up these points.