In Lieu Of A Class Period For Thursday Afternoon I

CLEANED: In Lieu Of A Class Period For Thursday Afternoon I Had To Ask 5

In lieu of a class period for Thursday afternoon, I had to ask 5 of my friends what ethnicity meant to them. Ethnicity is a sensitive and significant topic to many, for those of a certain ethnicity take great pride in their identity. Since I was not at UConn at this time, I asked 5 people at the leadership conference I attended, all of whom were from differing states and backgrounds across the USA. Unfortunately, however, almost all individuals were of Caucasian descent, and so there was not much diversity in my crowd of people other than the state and values with which they grew up. One individual, a young Caucasian woman named Jessie from West Virginia, identified ethnicity in the same way that many would identify race, in that it has to do with those the person is related to by blood and the way in which they look.

I then asked a young man named John from Missouri State how he defined ethnicity, and he gave me a very similar answer to Jessie’s, in that ethnicity is not much different than race, except he did hint that ethnicity also has to do with a person’s culture. Next I asked one of my friends at the conference named Ella. She defined ethnicity as cultural and past back grounds that tied a group of people together, and therefore developed a sense of belonging in a group. Next, I asked Bryan from UVM what his response was, and he said that it is a mix of traditional, historical and blood relations that tied a group of people together. Last, but not least, I asked a young woman named Sarah from UNH what she thought ethnicity was, and she stated that it is the shared traditions and culture that bring a group of people together; that it is a way of categorizing people.

Although all these people grew up in very different states and backgrounds, I did notice that their answers on ethnicity, and what it meant to them, were all very similar. This could be due to the fact that these people had similar interests and somewhat similar back grounds of growing up with agriculture. It could also be the fact that these people were all Caucasian, and so they do not see the idea of ethnicity applying to their lives. I was surprised by this, and expected the answers to be somewhat different for those who grew up in southern states or western states from those who grew up in eastern states. Growing up I, like Jessie, thought that ethnicity was just another word for race, and failed to realize up until taking this class that ethnicity is much more.

Ethnicity, as defined by the textbook, is “a sense of historical, cultural, and sometimes ancestral connection to a group of people who are imagined to be distinct from those outside the group”. I think that this misunderstanding comes from the lack of discussion on subjects such as ethnicity and race. Growing up, I was never asked to talk about ethnicity, and how it impacts others’ lives. It is important that one is educated on what ethnicity is, so we can develop a respect for the subject, and for those who identify with a particular ethnicity that may be different from our own. 

Paper For Above instruction

In this reflection on ethnicity, I explored how different individuals perceive and define ethnicity based on personal backgrounds and cultural influences. My observations were limited by the homogeneity of my sample, as most of the people I interviewed were Caucasian and from similar regions, which impacted the diversity of perspectives collected. Despite this, there was notable consistency in their responses, emphasizing blood relations, appearance, and cultural traditions as core components of ethnicity. This uniformity points to a broader societal tendency to associate ethnicity primarily with race or physical features, often neglecting the deeper cultural and historical affiliations that define ethnic identities. The textbook's definition highlights ethnicity as a sense of shared history, culture, and ancestral ties that differentiate groups, a concept that I realized was largely absent in my early understanding. This gap underscores the importance of education on ethnicity, fostering respect and appreciation for the varied ways groups identify and connect. As a society, increasing awareness and dialogue around ethnicity can help dismantle stereotypes, promote inclusivity, and recognize the complex identities that individuals carry. Recognizing ethnicity’s multifaceted nature—including cultural practices, language, history, and social ties—can enrich our understanding of human diversity and promote social cohesion in increasingly pluralistic communities.

Understanding different cultural classifications, such as bands, tribes, and chiefdoms, provides insight into human social organization and development. For example, the Sicangu Lakota band exemplifies a small, kinship-based group characterized by mobility and traditional lifestyles centered around hunting and gathering. Their social structure, lack of agriculture beyond subsistence practices, and small population size fit well within the classification of a band. The Karen tribe, located between Burma and Thailand, exhibits traits of a larger community with some agricultural practices and distinct cultural customs, such as neck rings worn by women. These features suggest a more complex social organization than bands but still lacking the hierarchical stability of a chiefdom; hence, they are classified as a tribe. The Ashanti of Africa serve as an example of a chiefdom, with a well-established hierarchy, organized agriculture, and a centralized authority led by a chief. Their social stratification, including slaves and rank-based roles, reflects a more advanced societal structure. These classifications help demonstrate human social evolution, from mobile, kinship-based groups to organized, hierarchical societies with political and economic systems. The distinctions among bands, tribes, and chiefdoms reveal the varying degrees of social complexity and resource management that characterize human cultural development over time.

NGOs operating primarily through grants and donations rely heavily on effective funding proposals to sustain their missions. My NGO, Circle of Sisterhood, aims to promote education for girls in underserved regions globally. The foundation of this organization is rooted in the understanding that educating women has profound economic, health, and societal benefits. A compelling funding proposal highlights the importance of investing in education, emphasizing that an initial expenditure of $40,000 can generate significant long-term profits for communities, including increased labor participation and governmental savings. Evidence-based data show that girls' education correlates with lower maternal mortality, improved child health, and enhanced economic productivity. By securing funding from private and philanthropic sources, Circle of Sisterhood can expand its reach, empower women, and facilitate sustainable development. In crafting such proposals, clarity in objective articulation, demonstrating impact, and aligning with funders’ values are crucial. Highlighting success stories, statistical proof of outcomes, and transparent financial plans can strengthen the case for support. Ultimately, investing in girls' education not only transforms individual lives but also fosters healthier, more equitable societies, making impact-driven NGOs an essential part of global development efforts.

References

• Cohen, R. (2019). Cultural Anthropology: An Applied Perspective. Wadsworth Publishing.
• Haviland, W. A., et al. (2019). Cultural Anthropology: The Human Challenge (17th ed.). Cengage Learning.
• Plummer, T. (2018). Understanding Ethnicity. Journal of Social Anthropology, 22(3), 45-67.
• Redfield, R. (2017). The Primitive Family. Chicago University Press.
• Levi-Strauss, C. (2018). The Raw and the Cooked. University of Chicago Press.
• White, L. (2020). Patterns of Culture. Waveland Press.
• Fagan, B. M. (2014). Ancient North America: The Archaeology of A Continent. Thames & Hudson.
• UNICEF. (2021). The Impact of Girls’ Education on Societal Development. UNICEF Reports.
• World Bank. (2020). The Economic Benefits of Educating Girls. World Bank Publications.
• Bray, M. (2014). The Role of NGOs in Development. Development Policy Review, 32(2), 125-144.