5.1 Anthro and Me

Anthropology: Socialization and Rites of Passage

 Up to this point we have looked at Socialization mainly

from the viewpoint of psychologists and sociologists.  Anthropology also has important contributions to our understanding of Socialization.  Anthropologists focus on differences in socialization from culture to culture and their effects on the individual.

 Beliefs

 Rituals  Expectations based on gender, social class, race  Acceptable and unacceptable behaviour and attitudes  Rites of Passage

 Two men holding hands in public indicates that they are      



equals and friends If my father dies, it is best that my mother marry my uncle Family compatibility is more important than romantic love when choosing a marriage partner Fat women are more desirable than thin women Homosexuals should be allowed to legally marry A tattoo indicates that you are a responsible adult The best way to gain status in society is to give away a lot of material goods Family and parental wishes should always be more important than personal desires or needs

 How many ceremonies can you think of that are

intended to be helpful in life transitions, such as birth, death, coming of age or adulthood?

 A ceremony, ritual or event that marks a change in life

or status.  Commonly: birth, adolescence, marriage and death  But a large variance in HOW these events are marked

 For example, after a death:  Canada – funeral last for a few hours, maybe a wake  Maori – large gathering of extended family for a week or

more to give speeches, celebrate, and mourn  Judaism – immediate family sit shiva, which lasts for a week, and mourners are not supposed to work or attend school

 Rites of passage exist to help individuals move from

one stage of life to another, reduce stress, create emotional bonds, and strengthen the fabric of society.  Common Canadian rites of passage – how do we

celebrate the following? Which is most important? Reaching puberty Religious initiations (bar/bat mitzvahs) First date Driver’s licence Graduating high school Drinking alcohol First sexual experience

Moving from the parent’s home Graduating from postsecondary Getting a job Getting married Buying a home Having children

 Amish rumspringa – begins when Amish youth turns 16  Not subjected to church’s rules about behaviour until they are

baptized  Youth go into the world and experience – rumspringa ends when a youth agrees to be baptized and thus to take up the responsibilities involved with being an adult member of the Amish community  Aborigines of Australia – expected to be alone in the

wilderness for several days, with no food or drink, seeking guidance from the spirit world (often a vision quest)  Kikuyu of Kenya – initiates live together in a special dwelling for a year  Receive special instruction from elders and perform specific

duties

 Indicate a transformation from child to adult  Occur at a specific point in life  Male rites of passage are more common than female

rites  Can be painful and traumatic, especially in societies that engage in warfare regularly  Often involve: scarification, beatings, fasting, genital

mutilation, tattooing, and intimidation through threats and stories  Hardships thought to strengthen boys and help turn them into menhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_zmQlNmge4 –

 Often the transition from childhood to adulthood revolves,    



for girls, around first menstruation Rites often include instruction in the responsibilities of womanhood – often focused on being a wife and mother Ex: Debutante ball – ‘coming out’ into society and exposure to potential marriage partners Ex: Jewish bat mitvah’s at 12 Ex: Mescalero Apache – all girls who have had their first menstruation in the past year gather, don ceremonial dress, are blessed by singers, relatives and friends, participate in songs, dances, and historical stories What are the differences in attitude and gender roles between the rights of passage? How are the rituals different?

 Often a part of rites of passage  Tattoos, piercings, scarring

and branding  In NA, become a way to express Identity

 Scarification – an age-old practice (originally from

Africa) that is part of the rite of passage into adulthood

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Mz1vaTeUSY  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGsWIbdNCBQ  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bIse151gzU

 Tattoos were once seen as a sign of deviance. Do some

people still feel this way? Is there a difference in opinion between generations about where and when tattoos are acceptable.

 Graduating, finding a job and becoming financially

independent are all Western rights of passage  But, with changes in the job market, schooling (postgraduate) can extend well into a person’s 20’s  With high unemployment and the number of students graduating with large student loans, some studies say that Western nations don’t hit adulthood until as late as 35.  More people have also been delaying leaving the family home (student debt, no jobs, saving, etc.)

 http://www.cbc.ca/doczone/episode/generation-

jobless.html