Follow the Thing Model Sample Essay.
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I need someone to answer a few short answers and write a short essay on anthropology and globalization. The questions are simple and straightforward. I am uploading below a screenshot of the exact directions, along with the prompts for everything and the rubrics. Please use the Chicago Author-Date style for in-text citations as the directions entail. Also I will be attaching ALL of the course readings, along with the course slides if you need. Anything else you need should be in the directions. Please let me know if you have any questions, as I am happy to answer.
Here is a LOT of files. ? You barely will need to use any of them however, you may need to use a few of them in order to answer a few questions, or to provide sources. You do not need to read any of them full and deeply. Also I added slides for you to look at which can answer some of the questions also. This should cover everything. If you need anything else please let me know
Requirements: 3 200 words 1 750 words
Follow the Thing Model
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Follow the thing is an important model in the study of globalization. By following specific things, anthropologists can identify various human interactions involved from the production to the consumption of the product. Introduced by Ian cook, the model was initially used to trace papayas from their production in the tropical islands to their sale in the United Kingdom. Following the papayas enabled Cook to identify the numerous human interactions that people rarely acknowledge involved in the production to the sale of papayas (Cook and Harrison 2007). However, Cook also acknowledged that by following the papayas, his various assumptions of the process were continuously unraveled, thus forcing him to develop new explanations for the numerous interaction he observed resulting from the production of papayas in the fields of Jamaica. Cook’s method is effective in identifying the various cultural implications of various products and tracing the various human interconnections arising from the products. Follow the thing is an advantageous method as it enables anthropologists to understand the different social interactions that result from globalization
Cook’s follow the thing method of studying globalization has various advantages that make it a feasible method(Cook and Harrison 2007). One of the primary advantages is that it presents new questions that challenge existing perceptions of the interactions. For example, by following papayas from the field, Cook was able to identify the by-products arising from the production of papayas and their use in Jamaica. In addition, Cook has also identified the numerous interactions and cultural benefits arising from the by-products of papaya production(Cook and Harrison 2007). The questions would not have been raised if Cook had not followed the papaya from its initial production stage to the final stage. Therefore, by following items from the initial stage to the final stage, researchers can identify the interconnectivity of globalization arising from the product (Smit 2021). The challenging questions that follow the thing model present also present a better understanding of globalization resulting from the product. Therefore, the model is effective in analyzing globalization and its impacts on individuals globally.
However, Cooks follow the thing model also has its weaknesses and limitations, which prevent researchers from using the model. One of the primary weaknesses is that it is time and resource consuming. A researcher has to have a lot of resources at their disposal to effectively follow an item from its production to its final consumption stage in the market. For example, Cooks research following the papaya required them to travel across Jamaica, identifying the different processes papayas undergo and eventually following the papayas to London in the United Kingdom (Cook and Harrison 2007). Without adequate resources, the research would not have been possible. Similarly, the research also requires a lot of time as the researcher has to continuously interact with the individuals involved at different stages to understand the process better. Cooks follow the thing model is also disadvantageous because the data collected can be inaccurate, thus presenting a wrong depiction of the impact of globalization at different stages. Therefore, although Cook’s follow the thing model has its advantages, it also has various weaknesses which reduce its effectiveness.
Various authors have used Cook’s Follow the thing method to study globalization anthropologically. One of the authors who uses Cook’s follow the thing method is Berg who’s project explores the sale of sea otters for Iron. The project involves following the iron trade to eventually uncover the underlying interrelationships (Berg 2019). However, the project effectively accomplishes its purpose through use of the method. Another author that uses the follow the thing method is Joseph Inikori. Joseph Inikori follows the slaves across the Atlantic and thus identifies how the slave trade contributes to the rise of the global capitalist economy (Inikori 2020). The various researchers who use the follow the thing model successfully identify the various interaction involved in globalization and its impact on society.
In conclusion, follow the thing model is very effective in studying globalization anthropologically. Researchers can identify the different human interactions arising from the production of the product to its sale in the market. In addition, the method also assists researchers to identify how the product influences the various cultures of the individuals handling it globally. The primary advantage of following the thing method is that it enables researchers to develop innovative questions regarding how products play a role in globalization and thus make the research more detailed. However, the method also has its weaknesses. Some of the project’s weaknesses include its intensive use of time and resources. Therefore, researchers with limited time and resources cannot use the method effectively. Various authors have also used the method, thus demonstrating the effectiveness of the method in assessing globalization.
Bibliography
Berg, Maxine. 2019. Sea Otters and Iron: A Global Microhistory of Value and Exchange at Nootka Sound, 1774–1792*. Past & Present 242, Nr. Supplement_14: 50-82. doi:10.1093/pastj/gtz038, .
Cook, Ian and Michelle Harrison. 2007. Follow the Thing. Space and Culture 10, Nr. 1: 40-63. doi:10.1177/1206331206296384, .
Inikori, Joseph E. 2020. Atlantic Slavery and the Rise of the Capitalist Global Economy. Current Anthropology 61, Nr. S22: S159-S171. doi:10.1086/709818, .
Smit, Douglas. 2021. Migration. Presentation.