Kerwin Lee Klein
- Published in print:
- 1997
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520204638
- eISBN:
- 9780520924185
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520204638.001.0001
- Subject:
- Anthropology, American and Canadian Cultural Anthropology
The American frontier, a potent symbol since Europeans first stepped ashore on North America, serves as the touchstone for this book's analysis of the narrating of history. The book explores the ...
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The American frontier, a potent symbol since Europeans first stepped ashore on North America, serves as the touchstone for this book's analysis of the narrating of history. The book explores the traditions through which historians, philosophers, anthropologists, and literary critics have understood the story of America's origin and the way those understandings have shaped and been shaped by changing conceptions of history. The American West was once the frontier space where migrating Europe collided with Native America, where the historical civilizations of the Old World met the nonhistorical wilds of the New. It was not only the cultural combat zone where American democracy was forged but also the ragged edge of History itself, where historical and nonhistorical defied and defined each other. The book maintains that the idea of a collision between people with and without history still dominates public memory. But this collision, it believes, resounds even more powerfully in the historical imagination, which creates conflicts between narration and knowledge, and carries them into the language used to describe the American frontier.Less
The American frontier, a potent symbol since Europeans first stepped ashore on North America, serves as the touchstone for this book's analysis of the narrating of history. The book explores the traditions through which historians, philosophers, anthropologists, and literary critics have understood the story of America's origin and the way those understandings have shaped and been shaped by changing conceptions of history. The American West was once the frontier space where migrating Europe collided with Native America, where the historical civilizations of the Old World met the nonhistorical wilds of the New. It was not only the cultural combat zone where American democracy was forged but also the ragged edge of History itself, where historical and nonhistorical defied and defined each other. The book maintains that the idea of a collision between people with and without history still dominates public memory. But this collision, it believes, resounds even more powerfully in the historical imagination, which creates conflicts between narration and knowledge, and carries them into the language used to describe the American frontier.
Sonya Salamon
- Published in print:
- 1992
- Published Online:
- July 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780807845530
- eISBN:
- 9781469616094
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of North Carolina Press
- DOI:
- 10.5149/9781469611181_Salamon
- Subject:
- Anthropology, American and Canadian Cultural Anthropology
This book consolidates, refines, advances and grounds recent scholarship that challenges familiar platitudes about family farming and rural life in the United States. Its approach yields a depth of ...
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This book consolidates, refines, advances and grounds recent scholarship that challenges familiar platitudes about family farming and rural life in the United States. Its approach yields a depth of information about farming culture not usually found in the literature on rural America. The book takes the reader on a cultural tour of a cherished American institution and landscape: midwestern farm families and their farms. With attention to detail and knowledge borne of first-hand study over many years, the author reveals the pervasive imprint of ethnicity. The book represents one of those rare studies that enrich our social vision and understanding in extraordinary ways. It contributes to the study of agriculture and culture, and its cross-disciplinary approach will engage scholars in many areas. For historians, it is an illustration that different behaviors between American and immigrant farmers, planted over a century ago in the Middle West, have endured to the present.Less
This book consolidates, refines, advances and grounds recent scholarship that challenges familiar platitudes about family farming and rural life in the United States. Its approach yields a depth of information about farming culture not usually found in the literature on rural America. The book takes the reader on a cultural tour of a cherished American institution and landscape: midwestern farm families and their farms. With attention to detail and knowledge borne of first-hand study over many years, the author reveals the pervasive imprint of ethnicity. The book represents one of those rare studies that enrich our social vision and understanding in extraordinary ways. It contributes to the study of agriculture and culture, and its cross-disciplinary approach will engage scholars in many areas. For historians, it is an illustration that different behaviors between American and immigrant farmers, planted over a century ago in the Middle West, have endured to the present.
Oneka LaBennett
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- March 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780814752470
- eISBN:
- 9780814765289
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9780814752470.001.0001
- Subject:
- Anthropology, American and Canadian Cultural Anthropology
Overwhelmingly, Black teenage girls are negatively represented in national and global popular discourses, either as being “at risk” for teenage pregnancy, obesity, or sexually transmitted diseases, ...
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Overwhelmingly, Black teenage girls are negatively represented in national and global popular discourses, either as being “at risk” for teenage pregnancy, obesity, or sexually transmitted diseases, or as helpless victims of inner city poverty and violence. Such popular representations are pervasive and often portray Black adolescents' consumer and leisure culture as corruptive, uncivilized, and pathological. This book draws on over a decade of researching teenage West Indian girls in the Flatbush and Crown Heights sections of Brooklyn to argue that Black youth are in fact strategic consumers of popular culture and through this consumption they assert far more agency in defining race, ethnicity, and gender than academic and popular discourses tend to acknowledge. Importantly, the book also studies West Indian girls' consumer and leisure culture within public spaces in order to analyze how teens are marginalized and policed as they attempt to carve out places for themselves within New York's contested terrains.Less
Overwhelmingly, Black teenage girls are negatively represented in national and global popular discourses, either as being “at risk” for teenage pregnancy, obesity, or sexually transmitted diseases, or as helpless victims of inner city poverty and violence. Such popular representations are pervasive and often portray Black adolescents' consumer and leisure culture as corruptive, uncivilized, and pathological. This book draws on over a decade of researching teenage West Indian girls in the Flatbush and Crown Heights sections of Brooklyn to argue that Black youth are in fact strategic consumers of popular culture and through this consumption they assert far more agency in defining race, ethnicity, and gender than academic and popular discourses tend to acknowledge. Importantly, the book also studies West Indian girls' consumer and leisure culture within public spaces in order to analyze how teens are marginalized and policed as they attempt to carve out places for themselves within New York's contested terrains.
Patrick Vinton Kirch
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520267251
- eISBN:
- 9780520947849
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520267251.003.0001
- Subject:
- Anthropology, American and Canadian Cultural Anthropology
The thesis of this book is that Hawai'i consisted of three to four competing archaic states, each headed by a divine king. Hawai'i offers a “model system” for how differences in rank originally ...
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The thesis of this book is that Hawai'i consisted of three to four competing archaic states, each headed by a divine king. Hawai'i offers a “model system” for how differences in rank originally dictated by kinship gave way to a durable inequality legitimated in new cosmogonic and religious ideologies, how control over the means of production passed from the domestic to political economies, and, ultimately, how chiefs became kings. This chapter uses a comparative ethnographic and linguistic approach to situate Hawai'i within its broader Polynesian context. The controlled linguistic analysis reveals that Hawai'i does not conform to the patterns typical of other Polynesian chiefdoms, that it had been transformed into something qualitatively different by the time of contact with the West. An overview of the chapters included in the book is provided.Less
The thesis of this book is that Hawai'i consisted of three to four competing archaic states, each headed by a divine king. Hawai'i offers a “model system” for how differences in rank originally dictated by kinship gave way to a durable inequality legitimated in new cosmogonic and religious ideologies, how control over the means of production passed from the domestic to political economies, and, ultimately, how chiefs became kings. This chapter uses a comparative ethnographic and linguistic approach to situate Hawai'i within its broader Polynesian context. The controlled linguistic analysis reveals that Hawai'i does not conform to the patterns typical of other Polynesian chiefdoms, that it had been transformed into something qualitatively different by the time of contact with the West. An overview of the chapters included in the book is provided.
Patrick Vinton Kirch
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520267251
- eISBN:
- 9780520947849
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520267251.003.0002
- Subject:
- Anthropology, American and Canadian Cultural Anthropology
This chapter reviews the contours of the Hawaiian archaic states which were functioning at the time of first contact with the West, and then investigates the major categories held to be criterial for ...
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This chapter reviews the contours of the Hawaiian archaic states which were functioning at the time of first contact with the West, and then investigates the major categories held to be criterial for archaic states, and the hypothesis that the contact-era Hawaiian polities are properly conceived of as states, rather than as chiefdoms. Contact-era Hawai'i was a true class society, a trait that puts it squarely in the realm of early archaic states, as opposed to chiefdoms. The Hawaiian economic system had elements of both “staple” and “wealth” finance to it. Furthermore, the chapter explores the functions of the kahuna pule and their principal cults, both in legitimating the divine kingship, and in serving the political and economic interests of the king and the ali'i class. Hawaiian social organization exhibits a key axis of the transformation from chiefdom to archaic state.Less
This chapter reviews the contours of the Hawaiian archaic states which were functioning at the time of first contact with the West, and then investigates the major categories held to be criterial for archaic states, and the hypothesis that the contact-era Hawaiian polities are properly conceived of as states, rather than as chiefdoms. Contact-era Hawai'i was a true class society, a trait that puts it squarely in the realm of early archaic states, as opposed to chiefdoms. The Hawaiian economic system had elements of both “staple” and “wealth” finance to it. Furthermore, the chapter explores the functions of the kahuna pule and their principal cults, both in legitimating the divine kingship, and in serving the political and economic interests of the king and the ali'i class. Hawaiian social organization exhibits a key axis of the transformation from chiefdom to archaic state.
Oneka LaBennett
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- March 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780814752470
- eISBN:
- 9780814765289
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9780814752470.003.0005
- Subject:
- Anthropology, American and Canadian Cultural Anthropology
This concluding chapter connects the insights of the previous chapters, emphasizing the linkages that tie together spatialized definitions of race and gender, the concept of “authenticity,” and the ...
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This concluding chapter connects the insights of the previous chapters, emphasizing the linkages that tie together spatialized definitions of race and gender, the concept of “authenticity,” and the creation of transnational, youthful West Indian subjectivities. It considers how West Indian notions of success are gendered and generational, and reflects on the degree to which West Indian girls' bold critiques and strategic identity assertions translate into real-life opportunities for social empowerment and economic success in the shadow of a museum threatened by economic restructuring and gentrification. In the end, these young women will face choices, both grim and hopeful, as they transition into womanhood and into becoming Americans.Less
This concluding chapter connects the insights of the previous chapters, emphasizing the linkages that tie together spatialized definitions of race and gender, the concept of “authenticity,” and the creation of transnational, youthful West Indian subjectivities. It considers how West Indian notions of success are gendered and generational, and reflects on the degree to which West Indian girls' bold critiques and strategic identity assertions translate into real-life opportunities for social empowerment and economic success in the shadow of a museum threatened by economic restructuring and gentrification. In the end, these young women will face choices, both grim and hopeful, as they transition into womanhood and into becoming Americans.
Oneka LaBennett
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- March 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780814752470
- eISBN:
- 9780814765289
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9780814752470.003.0001
- Subject:
- Anthropology, American and Canadian Cultural Anthropology
This introductory chapter maps out the variegated context that informs the youth culture of Black youth, especially that of adolescent West Indian girls. Racialized stereotypes and constructions of ...
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This introductory chapter maps out the variegated context that informs the youth culture of Black youth, especially that of adolescent West Indian girls. Racialized stereotypes and constructions of these youths' lives remain pervasive in mainstream media; in response, they have found ways to claim public spaces and perform authenticity in defiance of what mainstream culture has perceived as “real.” As they navigate these boundaries, youth of color are often misunderstood, viewed as criminals, or rendered invisible. Their presence in New York's public spaces is regarded alternatively as a nuisance and as an entertaining oddity. They are avoided, pitied, or exoticized. They are either exploited pawns or crafty entrepreneurs. But these urban minority youth are also negotiating the spheres of labor, leisure, and consumption to turn a profit and to demand the attention of a public that rarely engages with them.Less
This introductory chapter maps out the variegated context that informs the youth culture of Black youth, especially that of adolescent West Indian girls. Racialized stereotypes and constructions of these youths' lives remain pervasive in mainstream media; in response, they have found ways to claim public spaces and perform authenticity in defiance of what mainstream culture has perceived as “real.” As they navigate these boundaries, youth of color are often misunderstood, viewed as criminals, or rendered invisible. Their presence in New York's public spaces is regarded alternatively as a nuisance and as an entertaining oddity. They are avoided, pitied, or exoticized. They are either exploited pawns or crafty entrepreneurs. But these urban minority youth are also negotiating the spheres of labor, leisure, and consumption to turn a profit and to demand the attention of a public that rarely engages with them.
Oneka LaBennett
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- March 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780814752470
- eISBN:
- 9780814765289
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9780814752470.003.0002
- Subject:
- Anthropology, American and Canadian Cultural Anthropology
This chapter presents an ethnographic mapping of the youngsters' journeys within and beyond the confines of the Brooklyn Children's Museum (BCM), placing West Indian immigrant youth within the racial ...
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This chapter presents an ethnographic mapping of the youngsters' journeys within and beyond the confines of the Brooklyn Children's Museum (BCM), placing West Indian immigrant youth within the racial and gender-based obstacles Black teens must traverse as they navigate New York City. Outings to a Barnes and Noble bookstore, a McDonald's restaurant, and a movie theater, along with the teens' uses of cellular phones, emerge as conflict-ridden sites. The chapter addresses the prominent role of consumer culture in shaping the lives of these urban dwellers and interprets the youths' extracurricular activities in and around BCM as spatializing forces that help to construct transnational racial and gender identities.Less
This chapter presents an ethnographic mapping of the youngsters' journeys within and beyond the confines of the Brooklyn Children's Museum (BCM), placing West Indian immigrant youth within the racial and gender-based obstacles Black teens must traverse as they navigate New York City. Outings to a Barnes and Noble bookstore, a McDonald's restaurant, and a movie theater, along with the teens' uses of cellular phones, emerge as conflict-ridden sites. The chapter addresses the prominent role of consumer culture in shaping the lives of these urban dwellers and interprets the youths' extracurricular activities in and around BCM as spatializing forces that help to construct transnational racial and gender identities.
Oneka LaBennett
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- March 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780814752470
- eISBN:
- 9780814765289
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9780814752470.003.0003
- Subject:
- Anthropology, American and Canadian Cultural Anthropology
This chapter interrogates the common view that hip-hop culture is largely constituted in misogyny, rampant consumerism, and male violence. West Indian girls pursue a symbolic “dual citizenship” as ...
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This chapter interrogates the common view that hip-hop culture is largely constituted in misogyny, rampant consumerism, and male violence. West Indian girls pursue a symbolic “dual citizenship” as they construct their subjectivities and negotiate dialectic notions of authenticity within hip-hop culture. The girls voice strong preferences for female hip-hop artists and television personalities whom they define as “real.” Their conceptualizations of authenticity are explored in the ways in which cheerleaders at the Flatbush YMCA and youth at BCM interpret American hip-hop and West Indian dancehall music. Although the mainstream versions of both genres rely on sexually explicit lyrical content and debasing portrayals of women, West Indian girls and their mothers apply a double standard, seeing hip-hop as corruptive and dancehall as “positive.” These contradictions perhaps speak to the ways in which Black consumer culture has been demonized in American society.Less
This chapter interrogates the common view that hip-hop culture is largely constituted in misogyny, rampant consumerism, and male violence. West Indian girls pursue a symbolic “dual citizenship” as they construct their subjectivities and negotiate dialectic notions of authenticity within hip-hop culture. The girls voice strong preferences for female hip-hop artists and television personalities whom they define as “real.” Their conceptualizations of authenticity are explored in the ways in which cheerleaders at the Flatbush YMCA and youth at BCM interpret American hip-hop and West Indian dancehall music. Although the mainstream versions of both genres rely on sexually explicit lyrical content and debasing portrayals of women, West Indian girls and their mothers apply a double standard, seeing hip-hop as corruptive and dancehall as “positive.” These contradictions perhaps speak to the ways in which Black consumer culture has been demonized in American society.
Catherine Fennell
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- September 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780816697366
- eISBN:
- 9781452953649
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Minnesota Press
- DOI:
- 10.5749/minnesota/9780816697366.003.0010
- Subject:
- Anthropology, American and Canadian Cultural Anthropology
Chapter Six asks how those without any connection to public housing might learn to care about its destruction and redevelopment. It takes up that question by tracking early efforts to bring a ...
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Chapter Six asks how those without any connection to public housing might learn to care about its destruction and redevelopment. It takes up that question by tracking early efforts to bring a national public housing museum to Chicago's Near West Side.Less
Chapter Six asks how those without any connection to public housing might learn to care about its destruction and redevelopment. It takes up that question by tracking early efforts to bring a national public housing museum to Chicago's Near West Side.
