Throughout This Cultural Anthropology Class, One Consistent

Throughout this Cultural Anthropology class, one consistent theme was the concept of the state. This is essential because the state is one of the core societal structures that influences people. In the context of anthropology, the state is studied as an institution because it holds a substantial amount of power over its citizens. Additionally, the role of the state is perceived in different ways depending on the culture. In this article, entitled â€Å"Ambiguous States: Confucius Institutes and Chinese Soft Power in the U.S. Classroom,† by anthropologist Jennifer Hubbert, the idea of the state is explored from the perspective of a Chinese initiative, the Confucius Institute. During these programs, Chinese teachers came to the United States to†¦show more content†¦For this reason, the Chinese teachers rarely ever addressed politics or controversies in China, but focused on â€Å"†¦language lessons on such general topics as kinship, food, occupations, and the natu ral environment† (333). Therefore, many students and their parents thought that this lack of discussion about the politics of China in the educational material was in fact â€Å"†¦the epitome of politics itself† (336). They believed that the state was controlling the messages in the class in order to avoid certain topics purposely. As a result, the Confucius Institutes actually â€Å"†¦reinforced images of a state whose power is constructed through censorship and dictatorship† (335). While the students and parents developed this idea because of their American background and the corresponding view of China, the Chinese teachers offered an opposing view of their state. The American students and parents both did not want to hear about communism and were nervous about the lack of political discussion in the classroom. On the other hand, the Chinese teachers did not want to discuss politics because they felt that it would overshadow other aspects of China. As one teacher stated, â€Å"politics isn’t our whole life† (336). Instead, they shared personal experiences and stories about living in China, doing activities such as â€Å"†¦living in modern apartment complexes, dining in international chain restaurants, and wearingShow MoreRelatedThe Legal System Of Colonial Virginia1450 Words   |  6 PagesVirginia has garnered considerable debate within early-American historiography. At the center of this discussion is the question of when colonial authorities first introduced English common law, and to what extent justices followed it prior to 1660. The relatively limited amount of surviving primary sources has maintained this debate. 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