Ethnography blog

The definition of ethnography is the scientific description of the customs of a culture of individual person. Ethnography can go well beyond it's definition. It's a learning experience for some and can sometimes transcend national boundaries because it opens up people of other cultures to learn and understand each other. It's political, environmental and spiritual. CSP (cultural systems paradigm) is to facilitate the holistic study of cultural systems. The aim of the studies is to focus on the biological, and physical appearance of a person. As well as the social, cultural and belief systems that group focuses on. They also aim to understand the physical environment that surrounds them and the needs of that group in order to survive. My question is how do CSP's help change the way we view our own culture?

There were many things in Living on a Dollar that I could not relate to. They struggled to get water, medicine and food and I have access to all of those things within 100 feet of where I am sitting. I sometimes take those things for granted. One thing I related to in the video was that even in very dark desperate times the people of that city still manages to overcome challenges and look at the positive things in bad situations. I always try to look for the positives even in very hard times.

I think they did a good job with the the 7th category which is understanding the physical environment. They really had to apt to the changes in the physical environment. They were stricken with disease and had to personally experience the hardships that the people of that city have to experience everyday. They even ended up growing their own radishes for business. One category I think they didn't really focus on well was the 5th category which is expression through art form. I felt like they didn't really get to invested in understanding their cultural art forms and participating in them.