Anthropological Methods Research Articles

Sustenance of Food Security Through Natural Resources and Traditional Weekly Markets during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study on the Tribal Villages of Karbi Anglong District of Assam

Karbi Anglong district of Assam is a zone of diversified natural resources and multicultural tradition. The present article highlights their traditional weekly markets or Hats (which is locally termed as Hithi), organised and participated by the Karbi tribal people as well as their traditional number system and practices of barter system. Such markets are either conducted weekly or fortnightly. Primary data related to the present study has been collected through field works with the help of anthropological methods. The prime objective of the present study is to find out how indigenous knowledge, locally available natural resources and traditional economic organisations have collectively sustained the daily livelihood of the marginal areas, through the traditional markets as well as through the age-old barter system, under the acute threat of COVID-19 pandemic. It has been found that such traditional markets are the platform for the Karbi people of the rural areas, to channelise their local production and to generate a scope of earning for themselves under the lockdown phases of COVID-19 pandemic.

CRANIOLOGY AND SEX-AGE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE UZHHOROD CASTLE CHURCH BURIALS OF THE SECOND HALF OF 14TH – 17TH CENTURIES

The remains of 130 burials from the territory of the destroyed castle church in Uzhhorod were collected and investigated for two years (2018–2019). These are 71 ground burials outside the crypt, one preserved burial inside the crypt, and 58 skulls (or fragments thereof) from demolished crypt burials that are morphologically indistinguishable from preserved outside the crypt burials. That served the reason to combine them into one series. Chronologically, all the anthropological material belongs to the second half of the 14th – 17th century. This article aims to characterize the anthropological structure of people buried in the church on the territory of Uzhhorod Castle, namely the sex-age aspect and features of their craniological type. The article aims to introduce new craniological data into the scientific circulation and identify the main directions of ethnic connections of the studied group from Uzhhorod. The paper’s objective is to determine the distances between individual synchronic and diachronic series with the help of multidimensional canonical and cluster analysis and to find out the place of the Uzhhorod sample in the system of craniological types of Central, Eastern, and Northern Europe (except the Caucasus) and phenogeographical anthropological zones of Ukraine. Computer software designed by B. Kozintsev and O. Kozintsev in 1991 has been used in the research. Fourteen craniometric traits defined by R. Martin have been involved in the analysis. It is established that 118 out of 130 burials belong to adults. It is defined that 86 (72.88%) of them are male, and 32 (27.12%) are female. The average age of death in adults is about 38 years (it varies from 33.5 to 42.5 years). The average age of death of the male part of the sample is about 40 years (within 30–50 years), and of the female part – about 32.5 years (within 25–40 years). For the first time, the male and female series from Uzhhorod was created. In general, 90 skulls (67 male and 23 female) were suitable for craniometry, not counting children’s ones. It has been found out that males and females buried in the church of Uzhhorod Castle belong to the same craniological type. The male sample is moderately brachycranic. On average, it is presented with a wide with a strongly profiled at the level of the orbits and alveolar ridge face belonging to the orthognathic type. The orbits are wide. The nose is medium, and the nasal protrusion angle is moderate. The nasal bridge is high. The female sample is, on average brachycranic. The face is moderately wide with small height, strongly profiled at the level of orbits belonging to the orthognathic type. The orbits have small widths and heights. The nasal bridge is high. The nasal projection angle is very large. According to two anthropological methods (craniometry and cranioscopy), the examined group is mixed, demonstrating certain western, northern, and predominant southern traits. When comparing the male sample group to synchronic and diachronic series and samples from the territory of Central, Eastern, and Northern Europe by the method of multidimensional canonical and cluster analysis, its partial similarity to the Polish sample of the skulls from the Church of Mary Magdalena (Wroclaw), the Volyn series from the village of Ratniv, and to a lesser extent – to the Baltic group of the 14th – 17th century from Martinsala (Latvia) has been determined. The same comparison of the female group has revealed its certain similarity to the Kyiv sample from Podil (Yurkivska Street) according to the results of the multidimensional canonical analysis. According to cranioscopy data, the similarity of the studied group (male and female) to the Lviv and Berestechko series (north-eastern direction of connections) has been revealed at this stage.

Anthropological individualization of relics from sarcophagus stored in Vodnjan monastery, Vodnjan, Croatia

Aim: To develop a methodology for the estimation of the preservation of human skeletal remains – the relics in the Vodnjan assembly; to estimate the minimum number of individuals (MNI), sex, and age; to evaluate the physical state of their remains, and to individualize the remains to verify the list of saints allegedly buried at the monastery. Methods: Standard crime scene investigation and forensic anthropology methods were used, including trace evidence marking, photography, minimum number of individuals (MNI) estimation, sex, age, stature estimation, pathological and traumatic changes examination, individuation, and individualization by the comparison to the biography. Results: The total sample of the bones in the Vodnjan relic collection was very poorly preserved. The MNI in the sarcophagus was twenty-two. Of those, three were female, twelve were male, and seven were subadults. Conclusion: The forensic approach to the documentation and analysis of relics was appropriate for this kind of skeletal material. The final identification was not possible because of the poor preservation of skeletal material and the lack of hagiographical (antemortem) data. However, the forensic anthropology approach enabled us to create osteobiographies, and after the comparison with the existing antemortem data, we could not exclude that the remains belonged to the named saints.

Digital Education Research: Advantages, Disadvantages, and Video Illustrations

Although anthropological methods have been appropriated by qualitative and mixed-methods educational researchers, visual anthropology has had virtually no impact on educational research. Furthermore, video, in general, despite its widespread impact on 21st century culture, has played only a limited role in the doing of education-related studies and almost no role in reporting study results. This paper explores what would be gained and lost if researchers began using video in the doing and, especially, in the reporting of their research. The paper uses clips from four author-developed research videos to illustrate the advantages and disadvantages associated with educational researchers “going digital.”

What does gross national happiness really measure? An immersive observation in Lamshey, Bhutan


 
 The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between the Gross National Happiness indicator and the actual lifestyle of the people of Bhutan. Gross National Happiness is a macroeconomic indicator calculated in Bhutan. It was constructed in contrast to the Gross Domestic Product. Gross National Happiness is designed to guide the country's public policies. Using visual methods in anthropology, this study proposes an immersion in Lamshey, a village in Bhutan. The daily life of the inhabitants is then observed and analyzed with the way gross national happiness is measured. The sociology of quantification provides a framework for analysis that reveals important and new implications. Indeed, to bring together the experience of happiness as it is lived by the Bhutanese, it will be appropriate to distinguish three complementary "Gross National Happiness", according to whether it is measured, lived, or in its ethical dimension.
 

Significance of Non-Timber Forest Produces with a Special Reference to Banana Plant in the Animistic Religious Practices: A Micro Study on the Karbis in Karbi Anglong, Assam

Every culture irrespective of its simplicity and complexity has its own concept of religious belief and practices. The Karbis are the early settlers of Karbi Anglong district, Assam. Most of them are animistic regarding their religious belief and practices in daily livelihood. The present study examined the use of minor forest products in religious practices of the Karbis. It discussed the significance of NTFPs, with a special reference to the banana plant, as used in a number of their rituals. The data were collected through empirical fieldwork by applying appropriate anthropological research methods. It has been found that different forest resources are immensely important in the cultural and religious practices of the studied people. In this regard, different NTFPs and banana plants are inseparable in such rituals and cultural traditions.

TALKING ABOUT THE 'HUMAN SELF' BETWEEN THE SKY AND THE EARTH: THE STATES OF THE HUMAN SELF IN ÂŞIK PAŞA'S GARIBNAME

Klasik dönem Türk düşüncesinin az sayıdaki kurucu metinlerinden birisi olarak değerlendirebileceğimiz Garibnâme’nin yazarı Âşık Paşa (1272-1332), yaşadığı coğrafyada ve tarihsel kesitte ürettiği düşünceler açısından kritik önemi haiz bir düşünürdür. Anadolu ruhunu kendine özgü bir desenle dokuyan belirli sayıdaki bilge düşünürlerden birisi olan Âşık Paşa, önemli bir antropolojik metin niteliğindeki Garibnâme’de yaşadığı dönemin kozmolojik tasarımıyla doğrudan ilişkili bir insan anlayışı ortaya koymaktadır. Bu doğrultuda insana yer ile gök arasında bir konum tayin eden Âşık Paşa, nefs, ruh, can, gönül gibi kavramlarla tartıştığı insanı bütünsel tecrübesi içerisinde ele alan bir düşünce dizgesi ortaya koymaktadır. Mevcut çalışma, Âşık Paşa’nın Garibname’de ortaya koymuş olduğu özgün ruh anlayışına felsefi antropolojinin kuşatıcı yöntemiyle dikkatleri çekmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Beden ve ruh düalizmi içerisinde ele aldığı insanın ruhsal gelişiminin bedendeki tezahürlerini tartışan Âşık Paşa, sözün ve iktidarın kaynağına ilişkin de özgün bir bakış açısı ortaya koymaktadır. Âşık Paşa gibi Türk-İslam düşüncesi açısından önemli bir ismin ruh anlayışına odaklanmak, Türk düşüncesi açısından önemli antropolojik verilere ulaşma imkânı sunmaktadır.

Ankylosing spondylitis on unidentified individual from early modern times found in reformed church (Silická Brezová, Slovakia): a case-based review.

The grave situated in the central part of the reformed church in Silická Brezová in Slovakia contained the human skeletal remains of one individual. The aim of this study was to confirm the presence of ankylosing spondylitis on these skeletal remains. Determine the sex, age at death, stature, and ancestry of the individual by anthropological methods, and also record and identify other pathological manifestations of diseases. A macroscopic examination has been carried out, with the analysis of the palaeopathological conditions of the remains, and subsequently an X-ray and CT completed analysis. The skeleton belonged to a male of European origin, aged between 45 and 60years at the time of death. Stature calculated from the maximal length of his femur was 163.12 ± 3.48cm. Pathological features were identified on the many bones. Ankylosis affected almost the whole spinal cord, including the sacroiliac joints. The skeleton also presented the manifestation of many entheseal changes. Presence of the ankylosing spondylitis was confirmed by a combination of standard anthropological methods and modern diagnostic methods (X-ray and CT analysis). It is a specific disease with a prevalence between 0.1 and 1% worldwide. There is a potential for further genetic research to determine the degree of genetic relatedness with an individual living in this village who has been diagnosed with the same disease.

Pelvic circumference in young men and young women studying in higher education institutions of Bukovina, depending on the sport

In recent decades, anthropological research methods have been widely used by scientists to correctly predict the achievement of high sports results. The aim of the study is to find out the features of the pelvic circumference of young men (YM) and young women (YW), who study in higher education institutions in Bukovina, depending on the sport. Anthropometric parameters were studied for 115 first and second year students of higher education institutions in Chernivtsi, aged 16 to 21, including 78 (67.82 %) YM and 37 (32.18 %) YW, the main group – 75 (65.22 %), were students of I-II courses of the Faculty of Physical Culture and Human Health of Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University, control group – 40 (34.78 %) – college students and students of the Faculty of Dentistry of Bukovina State Medical University. Among the students of the main group – 57 (76.00 %) YM and 18 (24.00 %) YW. Students of the main group, in addition to physical activity, which was included in the program of their specialty, additionally engaged in the following sports: football – 40 (53.34 %), of which YM – 36 (48.00 %), YW 4 (5.34 %), volleyball – 18 (24.00 %), of which YM – 9 (12.00 %), YW 9 (12.00 %), tennis – 10 (13.34 %), of which YM – 8 (10.67 %), YW 2 (2.67 %), basketball – 7 (9.32 %), of which YM – 4 (5.32 %), YW 3 (4.00 %), the control group consisted of 21 (52.50 %) YM and 19 (47.50 %) YW, which are loaded with hours of physical education, according to the curriculum of their specialty and additionally All students were determined to determine body weight and pelvic circumference according to the method of Bunak V. V. in the modification of Shaparenko P. P. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using a licensed program RStudio. Analyzing the average pelvic circumference of YM and YW, it is noteworthy that the average pelvic circumference among both study groups is much larger in YM compared to YW (representatives of the main group – respectively 83.40±3.01 cm and 78.31±3.01 cm; representatives of the control group – respectively 88.47±3.01 cm and 75.31±3.01 cm). In the main group, depending on the sport, volleyball players (YM – 86.11±3.02 cm; YW – 77.55±3.03 cm) and basketball players (YM – 85.50±3.03 cm; YW – 76.66±3.03 cm) have the largest pelvic circumference, followed by football players (YM – 81.52±3.02 cm, YW – 75.00±3.02 cm), and the smallest tennis players – 81.00±3.02 cm YM and 74.50±3.02 cm YW. Based on the regression analysis, it was found that weight is a significant factor for pelvic circumference.

Politics Based on Skin Color? The Case of U.S. Congressman Joseph Anh Cao (2009-2011)

This article focuses on the political dimension of U.S. elections and uses anthropological methods to analyze racial politics in New Orleans and Louisiana. Situating the research within the color-blindness ideology in the Post-civil Rights Era, the article discusses the continuity of racial inequality in the United States. By presenting the case of U.S. Congressman Joseph Anh Cao (2009-2011), the article argues that although the color-blindness ideology has been deployed since the 1960s, skin color continues to be a variable for redistricting practice in the United States. The successful U.S. Congress run of Mr. Cao in the 2008 election should not be considered that American society has become non-biased. Instead, his defeat in 2010 is an evidence that the United States has not yet been color-blind. Received 18th August 2021; Revised 12th February 2022; Accepted 26th March 2022

Круглый стол «Эстетика советской кинокомедии». Эксцентрика, авторское начало, официозный контекст

In the modern period the aesthetics of comedy in cinema was on the periphery of the attention of the science of art. Not least, this was due to the fact that the analysis of the comic was relegated to the background by the study of the playful relativity characteristic of postmodern trends in the screen arts of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Meanwhile, Soviet film comedy remains one of the pinnacles in the development of this genre in the cinema of the 20th century. And the decline of comedy in modern Russian cinema prompts a return to the experience of the masterpieces of the Soviet era. The relevance of the topic is connected with this: the contexts of the comic and laughter in Soviet comedies, their functions of a social, communicative, aesthetic nature were not studied in detail and comprehensively in their time. The novelty of approaches today is associated with the possibility of free from ideological pressure and the most detailed consideration, and in part are vision of the formal and substantive features of the film comedy of the Soviet period. This scientific process combines the methods of art history, cultural studies, folklore and anthropology. This text reviews the reports at the Round Table “Aesthetics of Soviet Film Comedy”, organized by the Mass Media Arts Department of the State Institute for Art Studies and which brought together scientists of different generations from VGIK, the Union of Cinematographers of the Russian Federation, the Russian State University for the Humanities, the Higher School of Economics, the Academy of the Media Industry, the Free University and other institutions. The purpose of the round table was to identify the main phases of the evolution of comedy in the Soviet cinema, and therefore the order of the reports took into account the historical chronology of the appearance of certain films and genre varieties of comedy. Since the formation of film comedy in the 1920s – 1940s, a change in philosophical paradigms, the transformation of an eccentric principle, the formation of new artistic images and motives have been recorded. The attention of researchers to the problems of the relationship between society and the state, concepts and theories of the comedy principle in the context of government orders was also obvious. Particular attention of researchers was directed to the polymorphic nature of comedy, capable of combining lyricism and farcicalness, serious and frivolous, openly conditional and life-like. A number of speakers addressed to the individual elements of the comedy film poetics, the relationship between visual and sound, transformations of characters’ images, inclusions of theatrical forms, grotesque, and absurdity. Aspects of the film language of Sergei Gerasimov, Ivan Pyryev, Stanislav Barei, Edmond Keosanyan, Georgy Danelia, Leonid Gaidai were analyzed.

Making Applied Anthropology Relevant in Contemporary Guatemala

This paper discusses the development of applied anthropology in Guatemala, including its external influences and the sociopolitical context that has shaped experiences, practical strategies, and ethical issues. It illustrates how anthropological theory and methods are put to practice in multi-cultural and politically complex contexts, challenging the traditional distinctions of types of application and practice. It explores the challenges of applying anthropology in the practitioners’ own society. Responses to a short questionnaire and interviews with contemporary principal investigators reveal how applied anthropology is currently perceived by students and local practitioners. The paper includes a description of the methods, examples of transdisciplinary research and of the study of elites, and the challenges posed to local practitioners when applying anthropology in a country riddled with racism, economic inequality, and growing political discontent.

OSTEOMETRIC METHOD FOR RECONSTRUCTING THE BIACROMIAL BREADTH OF THE SHOULDERS FROM THE CLAVICLES IN FORENSIC EXAMINATION OF BONE REMAINS

Positive identification of unknown corpses and bone remains often pose significant challenges for practitioners and requires the use of forensic anthropological methods. The purpose of this study was to develop new methods for reconstructing the antemortem biacromial breadth of the shoulders (BAB) using osteometric measurements of the human clavicle. For this purpose, bone samples from two anatomical collections were used: collection of the Department of Anthropology of Lomonosov Moscow State University and collection of the Russian Center for Forensic Medical Examination (Moscow, Russia). The study showed the possibility of correct reconstruction of BAB using regression equations with expanded (13) or reduced (3-5) sets of osteometric parameters. The methods described in the article can be applied both in forensic context and in anthropological studies.

Tooth Cementum Thickness as a Method of Age Estimation in the Forensic Context

Simple SummaryIn a forensic context, it may be necessary to estimate the age at death of an individual from his or her skeletal remains. The age at death constitutes an essential identification parameter, along with sex, ancestry, stature, and a few other biological characteristics that can help to trace the biological profile of the deceased. Although there is an extensive number of works in the literature on this topic, traditional anthropological methods encounter considerable difficulty in estimating the age of an adult based on skeletal remains. This difficulty increases with aging mainly due to the overlapping of pathological processes. In this study, we tested the reliability of a relatively simple histological methodology to estimate an individual′s age based on tooth roots cementum and developed new equations from individuals with known age and sex. In conclusion, our results confirm the importance of teeth in the estimation of age, suggesting that the proposed method may be effective, especially for younger individuals.Estimating age at death is a key element in the process of human identification of skeletal remains. The interest in dental cementum stems from its increase in thickness throughout life and, at the same time, from the fact it should not be affected by remodeling processes. Since the age assessment is particularly difficult in adults when using traditional anthropological methods on the skeleton, we tested a dental method based on maximum cementum thickness and developed new regression equations. We microscopically analyzed the histological sections of dental roots from a sample of 108 permanent teeth with known age and sex. Age at the time of dental extraction was in the range of 18–84 years. Our findings show that there were no differences in thickness between sexes, dental arch, and mono- and pluriradicular teeth. Separate regression equations were developed for individuals in the whole age range and individuals under 45 years. The equations were then tested on a hold-out sample from the same Mediterranean population demonstrating higher reliability for the equation developed for those under 45. Conversely, due to the increased error in age estimation in individuals over 45, this method should be used with caution in the forensic context when skeletal remains presumably belong to elderly individuals.

Muslims in Koh Yao Noi: Different Perspectives on Tombs (Qubur)

This article is part of the study entitled with an aim to study the meaning creation of the history and background of the Muslims in Koh Yao Noi. Research papers and the field using techniques. The research method in ethnographic cultural anthropology for 6 months was based on five data collection processes. Documentary Research, Informal Interview, In-depth Interview, Participant Observation, and Focus Group, analytic induction was used and the analysis was done by typological analysis. The results of the study of the tomb guard rites revealed that the rituals evolved from gift the reward of good deeds to the deceased person, not Tawassul. The tombs guard rites as a consequence of the controversy over the dedication of merits to the dead. The Salafi group considers unable to act. Because there is no evidence from the text to support and adhere to the viewpoint of the ancestor's scholars (Salaf). The Sufi group from the Santisuk Pondok Institute and most villagers think that able to do. Because of deductive reasoning (Qiyas), It’s considered the tradition of the ancestors, and it is adhering to the resolutions of later scholars (Khalaf). However, despite differing opinions, this did not lead to serious conflicts. because both groups still maintain their identity each party tries to avoid mentioning such issues.

On the Interdisciplinary Characteristics of Cultural Studies

Cultural Studies was originated in the Institute of Contemporary Culture (CCCS) of the University of Birmingham, in the 1960s and 1970s. It combined the theories and research methods of sociology, literature, media, anthropology and other fields, devoting to the attention of social reality. After developing for several decades, “cultural studies” has basically formed its theoretical system and has been widely spread all over the world. This paper will briefly discuss the interdisciplinary characteristics of cultural studies and the reasons for those features, from its origin, relation with other subjects and ultimate purpose.

THE SCREEN IS LIKE A GENERATOR OF SIMULACRA AND FAKES

Purpose. The article is devoted to the analysis of the screen as a special socio-cultural phenomenon that produces simulacra and fakes in modern culture. The peculiarity lies in the fact that continuous reproduction of screen technologies is supported through simulations. At the same time, screen technologies are defined as the leading factor of modern socio-cultural changes affecting the consciousness and behavior of the subject of culture – a person. His dependence on the screen is being formed, and today we can talk about the emergence of a philosophical and anthropological type of “screen man”.
 Methodology. To consider the problem, the author turns to the socio-philosophical and anthropological analysis of the role of the screen in modern culture. The article uses comparative analysis, historical-philosophical and anthropological methods.
 Results. The results of the study are that the author explicates the essence of Hobbes’ maxim that man can fully know only what he himself can do. As such an artifact in the philosophy of T. Hobbes is the body, and the social-political body, established by the man himself. The author supposes that the modern European project “social physics” can be considered a prototype of active theoretical-epistemic model describing social reality.
 Practical implications. This allows, from the author’s point of view, to consider the role of the screen and the digital effects produced by it in modern culture, as well as to develop an integrative approach to understanding screen culture as a whole.

“Ibu-Ubu” boyhood initiation rites and the conservation of cultural heritage in Afikpo, southeastern Nigeria

PurposeThe study explores the nexus between Ibu-Ubu boyhood initiation and the conservation of cultural heritage in Afikpo, Southeast Nigeria. The study is motivated by the rarity of such cultural conservation through initiation rites in an age of Christian-inspired culture terrorism against Igbo traditional religion, arts and relics.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted cultural anthropological research method. The boyhood initiation rite was studied through participant observation of the initiation between September and November 2017. As a cultural anthropological study, oral evidence was derived from the men who had undergone the rite. Through the oral evidence, interpretations were given to the material culture, monuments and heritage that have been conserved through Ibu-Ubu initiation rite.FindingsThe study discovered that amid the deluge of Christian-motivated culture terrorism and erosion of Igbo cultural arts, relics and heritage, the people of Afikpo have preserved most of their tangible and intangible heritage through the Ibu-Ubu boyhood initiation rites.Originality/valueThis study will assist in the reinvigoration of campaigns on environmental and heritage conservation in Igboland. It is sufficient to posit that Igboland is ridden with myriads of environmental and cultural terrorism, perpetrated by some Christian fanatics. The study reveals the relevance of the boyhood initiation rites in ensuring the preservation and conservation of Igbo cultural heritage in a century marked with fanatical Christian evangelism, culture-terrorism and destruction of both tangible and intangible heritages, which the Christians have labelled evil, barbaric and fetish.

DAGESTAN REGION IN THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE AND POLITICAL CULTURE OF DAGESTANIANS

The article is devoted to the study of such a social phenomenon as the "political culture" of the Dagestanis during the existence of the Dagestan region. The use of systemic, historical-comparative, and historical-typological, anthropological methods contributes to a more adequate reflection of historical processes and phenomena, allows us to understand the mechanism of social changes.The phenomenon of political culture is due to its dual nature, on the one hand, it belongs to the sphere of politics, and its "life cycle" is tied to the period of existence of the political system, on the other, to the sphere of culture as a value-normative system that goes beyond its limits. The type of political culture is formed in the process of developing the socio-economic and general cultural context of each particular country. In this regard, we set ourselves the task of showing how the traditions and dynamics of the development of Dagestan society have reflected on the political culture of the Dagestanis, understood as a value-normative system, which includes basic beliefs, attitudes, orientations, symbols directed to the political system.The authors analyzed the historical and social experience underlying the political orientations and political behavior of ethnic communities united after the end of the Caucasian War within the framework of the Dagestan region of the Russian Empire. We came to the conclusion that if at the time of the creation of the region the political systems and political culture of the peoples of Dagestan were heterogeneous, and the differentiation was of a territorial nature, then by the time the autocracy fell, we can speak of a single socio-political community - the Dagestanis and the aggregation of political values ​​and attitudes took place no longer geographically, but ideologically. And the October Revolution led to the need to choose one of the alternatives.

Economic System of Taq Taq Township - A Field Anthropology Research

Economic system signifies all the organized status, procedures and plans that associates with the process of production, service, distribution, and consumption by the society members within a certain social framework. Economic system is a part of social systems of society within the structure of social foundation. This field is an essential part of social anthropology. Taqtaq sub-district is recognized by a multi-dimensional and a generalized economy due to its geographical location. This study covers all the economic activities that have a great influence the inhabitants’ social life. The study aims at illustrating the social life of Taqtaq society, statin all the economic changes in the structure of society, and revealing the problems in the economic system of the society. This study adopts a qualitative anthropological approach conducted in the center of Taqtaq Sub-district with the use of anthropological field method based on the constructional functional theory. In the process of data collection, this study makes use of many tools including observation, direct participation in the field of research, interview, reporter, formal, records, data and documents. Based on the collected data on the economic system of this town, we can conclude that the majority of the Taqtaq inhabitants prefer to work for governmental sectors, but due to the consequences of economic crises, and the stop of hiring process by government, the majority of its inhabitants work in agriculture, fish farming and trade. Moreover, the existence of Little Zab River in Taqtaq leads to the flourishing of tourism sector in the area. However, the decrease of oil production amount from   148000 to 5000 in Taqtaq’s oil field has changed the economic system and the nature of social relations in the examined field.