Introduction to cultural anthropology Essay

Philippe Bourgois conducted fieldwork in urban joined States and Central America in similitude to political issues related to ethnimetropolis, to-do of path children, political violence, labor relations and popular resistance. In unite States, Bourgois fieldwork mainly focuses on social suffering, cultural issues and political economy. His most late work relates to substance abuse, homelessness, violence and HIV prevention.He argues that although inner city street culture of drug dealers emerges as a search for gravitas and rejection of racism, it is one purview that has led to personal degradation and community ruin. His affirmation points out two interrelated concepts that atomic number 18 social complex body part and agency use by anthropologists to understand how society is produced and reproduced. A study concern in this paper is an illustration on how structure and agency shape the lives of primo Ceasar. A close look of the two terms has an outstanding feature film that relates to live at inner-city streets. social organization is the recurrent patterned arrangements which limit choices and opportunities constitute by individuals. On the other hand, agency is the capacity of individuals to act severally and make their make free choices. It is the intention, dream, hope, determination and effort to do something for throw in support of continuity. The relationship surrounded by structure and agency as applied by anthropologists to understand how society is reproduced include the concept of complementary color forces.A society is a collection of individuals from different patronizegrounds and considers certain(p) values. Structure influences human behavior and individuals are capable of changing social structures they inhabit. In reverse to this position, the capacity of individuals as agents to construct and reconstruct their worlds is a vulgarality survey observed by anthropologists especially Philippe Bourgois. A major difference of opinion between structure and agency is that the latter relates to ability of actors to operate singly of social structure constraints.The usage of social science has shifted towards the problem of autonomy. In this context, agency raises questions about importance of human intentions, nature and social aspect of free entrust, political capacity and moral choice. Social structure determine individuals exercise in the aspect of what they think or feel about kind in particular issues of life separated by external powers. A good example to reflect the concept of structure and agency is in the case of team members in sportsmanship.Each team member has the honest to exercise freedom out of their own will but period of action is governed by traditionally accepted rules of behavior in paying attention to a particular sport. In essence pressure from authorities and peers f prevents individuals from going against anything they would like to do. Another applicable example in relation to structure and agency is the inner-city life on the streets that results from social segregation of children prima(p) to rise of homelessness.Street children in most urban centers are as a result of social marginalization that sees many of the children leave their homes to get life of drugs in urban centers. Structure and agency are common elements in life that shapes life of many individuals including Primo, Ceasar and Candy. The educational concept of ethnographies is stress on racism, immigration and sexism. Considering the concept of structure and agency in the aspect of freedom to carry on with personal activities out of free will is against political and social resistance.Primo a manager of crack planetary house was one of the best friends to Philippe Bourgois and his life was shaped by following concepts of structure and agency. He never liked school and doing homework was one of the trounce mistakes in his school life. The culture in New York City of uncouth working cla ss affected many intimate relationships at youngish age and Primo fell in this category. In addition universe way from parents meant inappropriate mechanism of escaping from ethnicity considerations. Primo inherited his mothers identities and employee traits at inner-city street shop.He was very problematic to teachers and run awayed certain tricks to protect himself from insults by his teachers. The conflict between Primo and teachers resulted to a fearful relationship between son and mother. As a responsible mother, she sort of Primo should respect teachers for better grades but this worsened the situation. Finding it firmly to achieve in class, Primo opted for street culture where he started committing tough crimes. Out of free will a concept of agency, Primo change street culture in the context of accent, body language, clothing and play style.He was free to engage in any kind of drill as the environment allowed him to exercise the right of freedom. The bad relationship between Primo and his mother made him change his lifestyle to embrace street culture. This is a concept of structure and matters that arose such as poop outing to manoeuvre his mother the grades he attained is an issue of agency. Having lived a life of freewill in the inner city Primo married and raised his family. He was bound to raise up his family a responsibility that saw him advice his own son to respect teachers for better results.The concept of structure and agency contributed to a certain level in the lives of Primo and many other plurality such as Ceaser and Candy. The common element among the three individuals was the concept of family, institutional and personal violent interfaces. Caesar was very violent and used to fight back at school that originated from the desire to exercise right of freedom. Meritocracy in the US The myth of meritocracy in America is real and people recall that those who are poor deserve to be poor because of their laziness and stupidity.The p oor believe that wealth in America is based on merit a concept that to my opinion is material. The wealthy in United States of America extradite their position because of hard work and academic performance. Laziness is one major factor that makes people in U. S to be poor as there are many opportunities that can make an individual shape his or her potential. Hardworking people in America never fail to get job and it is the reason that probes people to travel oversees as a way of exploiting available opportunities.My opinion or take about meritocracy in U. S is that those Americans who consider wealth in America is as a result of hard work and intelligence are wrong. The small pct of poor Americans is a as a result of laziness and ignorance. This is because U. S is one of the most powerful nations in the world with an economic structure that can support all its citizens. This means that there are a number of opportunities that can provide Americans and other immigrants with job opp ortunities for better life.