Week 5: Failed Recipients: Extracting Blood in a Papua New Guinean Hospital - Alice Street

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 Failed Recipients: Extracting Blood in a Papua New Guinean Hospital

 ALICE STREET

 This article, explores ideas of kinship obligation in the wider context of anonymised voluntary blood-donation and how that can lead to ideas of community and kinship. A study is made of a system often used to encourage the donation of blood for society-members’ relatives in hospital, with the family often feeling pressured to donate in order to replace blood the hospital had used to treat their relative.

This article looks at the implied and express systems of obligation that can arise as a result, with a focus on a particular hospital (Madang, in Papua New Guinea) as a prime example. However, this blood-exchange based on indirect kinship, is much more complex than first appears as, often, hospital staff have to act as negotiators in order to bring about the blood ‘transaction’ as the blood donated by a family member, often with a specific patient in mind, may not be compatible and has to be re-allocated. However, at the same time, in order to maintain the efficiency of the blood donation scheme for the hospital, the hospital has to conceal the re-allocation from the donors in case they object Therefore hospitals use the strong kinship obligation to help fellow members of the Wantok.

Qualitative data is the main type of data used via participant observation leading to advantages of analysis in giving a higher degree of authenticity to the findings and a better contextual sense of the participants’ involvement.

Also, close bonds had been established between Alice the ethnographer and the residents at the hospital in Papua New Guinea which meant that the trust gained  over the time by Alice led to the data  produced being more reliable as, for example, the hospital patients were happier to share their anxieties regarding their stay in the hospital. 

Patients in the medical ward of the hospital talked about their anxiety that their relatives forgot them when they entered the hospital, that they did not visit them, bring them gifts of garden food or cold water, or donate blood. Patients also expressed anxieties that while they were away people would raid their gardens or their houses.

Week 4: Essay C Feedback

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FEEDBACK on “Advantages of the Concept of ‘Relatedness’ over that of ‘Kinship’”

Factual Knowledge

The essay shows a reasonable knowledge of the relevant theories and case studies and it is generally accurate and reasonably comprehensive although a little more detail could be offered regarding the detail and evolution of the competing kinship theories. 

65%

Awareness of Scholarly Opinion

There appears a good demonstration of the main relevant issues and opinions with a clear explanation of the two main competing theories although this could be more directly linked to the sources.

65%

Expression of Argument/Use of Language

The piece uses a high level of quite specialised language which is generally coherent and intelligible.

65%

Structure

A clear, logical structure is displayed tracing the evolution of the theories with an attempt at a sensible conclusion.

65%

Critical Judgement

Mostly relevant with a balanced critique of sources, although some are given much less coverage than others (eg Morgan, Lopez and Levi-Strauss) although this may be because their theories are more minor and this may have led to a slightly indistinct conclusion.

60%

Presentation

Generally, reasonably good with various informative detail although the formatting, especially in the Resources section could have been a little tidier and more headings in the main part.

60%

Referencing

This displayed a reasonably wide range of relevant sources, correctly cited

65%

Week 3: Essay C Introduction

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 What are the advantages of the concept of ‘relatedness’ over that of ‘kinship'?

This essay attempts to show the evolution of theories of kinship from twentieth century Eurocentric ones, based more upon traditional familial relationships arising from blood or law, to a more modern approach (via an initial critique of the traditional kinship model by Schneider (1984) which led to a more rounded theory of relatedness, hypothesised by Carsten (1995)). The article seeks to better explain the complexities and nuances of how such relations can arise by further taking account of wider processual practices that can lead to such bonds.

 In examples of such processual practices in non-European cultures, this essay attempts to build a map of how these can bring awareness to familial-type relationships and trigger seemingly familial taboos (such as incest), even in a non-familial context. It proposes that such a theory (i.e. of 'relatedness'), if it had been available to be applied in previous research, might have identified other forms of kinship that may have been missed at the time and will further suggest that the advantages of the concept of relatedness over kinship (in addition to the above) would be a more holistic and accurate ability to identify and represent examples of kinship-type relationships, together with a much more balanced and less male-centric approach which acknowledges the place of women in creating kinship relations.

Week 2: Museum Exhibit

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THE OTTER: MUSTELIDAE

Figures; 1, 2 & 3- Otter (Mustelidae)

This exhibit is part of an interactive natural history museum. Mostly visited by schools.

These charismatic creatures are known for their incredibly soft yet dense fur and impressive shell opening abilities.

The sea otter is one of the smallest marine mammals on the planet yet still one of the largest members of the animal family Mustelidae. This group also includes other mammals such as weasels and skunks.

They originated from terrestrial weasel-like ancestors then evolved into semi-aquatic hunters, thriving in marine habitats, (as opposed to on land).

Sea otters have developed numerous adaptations which help them to survive in their marine environment. They have long whiskers to help them detect vibrations when they cannot see in the water.

They also have sensitive forepaws with retractable claws which help them to comb through the sea bed in order to find prey.

Otters are excellent hunters that prey on fish crustaceans and other critters. They have an especially technique to opening shellfish, they will find a rock at the sea bed then place in on their chest before smashing the mollusc down until it breaks, then eat what’s inside.

 

While they sleep, they will attach themselves to kelp so they don’t float away, and will also link each other’s paws to stay together.

 

Unfortunately, as their fur is so soft they were previously hunted until nearly extinct. But this is not the only problem they face, they are still at risk from pollution and habitat loss.

References:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/otters-1

https://academic.oup.com/mbe/article/36/12/2631/5481008

https://www.seaotters.com/sea-otter-natural-history/