Posted: April 9th, 2015

Essay Exam 3

Essay Exam 3
For each question, answer in at least one full page (to thoroughly answer each question, you may have to go beyond a page). Each page should be typed, double spaced, Font 12, Times New Roman. There are four questions worth 25 points each for a total of 100 points. You will be graded on the thoroughness and accuracy of your answers, as well as the quality of your writing. Please email me your responses by 7:00 pm on Tuesday, April 14th in order to receive credit.
1.    Explain the reasoning for polygynous marriages in general, and sororal polygyny in particular. Then, explain the reasoning for fraternal polyandry. In other words- why do these forms of marriage make sense for the cultures that practice them?
2.    Explain the importance of kinship and descent in less industrialized parts of the world than the USA. In other words, what functions do kinship and descent serve? Then, explain the unilineal versus non-unilineal descent.
3.    Explain the cultural traditions and history that have led to sex selective abortions in China and India, as well as the long term consequences of this practice.
4.    Explain how gender is a social construction using the Hua of Papua New Guinea as an example.