NTA UGC NET/JRF Exam, December 2023 (Anthropology)

Total Questions: 100

21. Who is the author of the book titled 'The Origin of Family, Private Property and the State'?

Correct Answer: D. F. Engels
Solution:Friedrich Engels is the author of "The Origin of Family, Private Property and the State." Engels' work explores the development of family structures, private property, and the state, rooted in historical materialism. He argues that these institutions emerged alongside economic systems, particularly in the transition from communal to private property.

L.H. Morgan's research influenced Engels' theories, but Morgan is not the author. E.B. Tylor and Henry Maine focused on different anthropological and legal historical aspects, respectively. Thus, Engels' comprehensive analysis and historical perspective on societal evolution make him the correct author of this book.

22. Theoretical sampling and theoretical saturation are parts of:

Correct Answer: B. Grounded Theory
Solution:Theoretical sampling and theoretical saturation are key components of Grounded Theory. Grounded Theory involves developing theories based on data systematically gathered and analyzed. Theoretical sampling refers to the process of collecting data to generate theory, with sampling decisions guided by the emerging theory.

Theoretical saturation occurs when further data collection no longer contributes additional insights to the theory. Functional Theory, Focus Group Discussion, and Structural Theory do not specifically employ these techniques, making Grounded Theory the correct context for these concepts.

23. Who defined culture circle as "a culture complex which embraces all the essential and necessary categories of human nature"?

Correct Answer: C. Wilhelm Schmidt
Solution:Wilhelm Schmidt defined the culture circle as "a culture complex which embraces all the essential and necessary categories of human nature". Schmidt's concept of culture circles (Kulturkreise) suggests that cultures can be grouped based on shared fundamental traits and elements.

M.J. Herskovits, A.L. Kroeber, and F. Ratzel contributed significantly to anthropology, but they did not define the culture circle in this way. Schmidt's definition emphasizes the comprehensive and encompassing nature of these cultural complexes.

24. Who among the following is a formalist?

Correct Answer: D. Raymond Firth
Solution:Raymond Firth is a formalist in economic anthropology. Formalists apply classical economic theories and models to analyze non-industrial societies, emphasizing rational decision-making and resource allocation.

George Dalton, Marshal Sahlins, and Karl Polanyi are substantivists, arguing that economic behaviour is embedded in social, cultural, and institutional contexts. Firth's formalist perspective focuses on individual choices and economic rationality, distinguishing him from the substantivist approach of the others.

25. Clifford Geertz analysed the cockfight in the Indonesian island of Bali to comprehend the Balinese world view. This is an example for:

Correct Answer: A. Hermeneutics
Solution:Clifford Geertz's analysis of the cockfight in Bali-exemplifies hermeneutics. Hermeneutics involves interpreting cultural practices and symbols to understand the meanings and worldviews of a society. Geertz's "Deep Play: Notes on the Balinese Cockfight" uses the cockfight as a metaphor to explore Balinese social structures, values, and emotions.

Cultural focus, reinterpretation, and post-modernist approaches do not specifically capture the interpretive and symbolic analysis characteristic of hermeneutics, making it the correct approach for Geertz's work.

26. S.C. Dube's book 'India's Changing Villages' highlighted the following with regard to community development projects.

Correct Answer: C. Importance of cultural factors
Solution:S.C. Dube's "India's Changing Villages" highlights the importance of cultural factors in community development projects. Dube's research emphasizes that cultural practices, values, and social structures significantly influence the success and impact of development initiatives.

While he acknowledges weaknesses in block administration, the role of the elite, and culture contact, his primary focus is on understanding and integrating cultural factors. This perspective ensures that development efforts and effective.

27. The author of the book 'Caste and Race in India' is:

Correct Answer: C. G.S. Ghurye
Solution:G.S. Ghurye is the author of "Caste and Race in India". Ghurye's seminal work examines the complexities of the caste system, its historical development, and its interplay with race.

He provides a comprehensive analysis of caste as a social institution and its implications for Indian society. David G. Mandelbaum, M.N. Srinivas, and Louis Dumont also made significant contributions to the study of caste, but Ghurye's book is specifically titled "Caste and Race in India," making him the correct author.

28. Bride-price includes goods or money given to the brides' kin by the groom or his kin at or before the marriage. Some anthropologists prefer to use the term bride-wealth because:

Correct Answer: B. Use of the word 'price' is not acceptable as it amounts purchase of wife equating her as commodity
Solution:Anthropologists prefer the term bridewealth over bride-price because the latter implies a transactional nature, equating the wife to a commodity being purchased. Bride-wealth is considered more inclusive and respectful, emphasizing the cultural and social significance of the exchange rather than a monetary transaction.

Calculating exact values in early societies (A) and applicability to non-market economies (C) are relevant but secondary to the primary issue of cultural sensitivity. The term wealth (D) acknowledges the broader cultural and social dimensions of these exchanges.

29. Although societies with matrilineal descent seem in many respects like mirror images of their patrilineal counterparts they differ in:

Correct Answer: D. Lines of authority and descent not converging
Solution:Matrilineal and patrilineal societies differ in their lines of authority and descent not converging. In matrilineal descent, inheritance and lineage are traced through the mother, while authority often resides with maternal uncles or brothers. In patrilineal descent, both lineage and authority are traced through the father.

This divergence in lines of authority and descent is a fundamental difference between the two systems. Distribution across regions (A), economic organizations (B), and genderbased beliefs (C) are also factors but not as defining as the lines of descent and authority.

30. Direct access to land is the prime test of tribal organization. The larger the production of a given group in India that has direct access to land, the closer that group is to a tribal kind of organization. This view was expressed by:

Correct Answer: B. F.G. Bailey
Solution:F.G. Bailey expressed the view that 33. direct access to land is the prime test of tribal organization in India. Bailey argued that the degree of direct access to land correlates with the level of tribal organization, with larger production groups having stronger tribal characteristics. Surajit Sinha, N.K. Bose, and C.V. Fürer Haimendorf made significant contributions to the study of tribal societies, but Bailey's emphasis on land access as a defining feature distinguishes his perspective. This view highlights the centrality of land in tribal identity and organization.