From: buckley@ucsu.Colorado.EDU (BUCKLEY  CHARLES RAY)
Subject: Re: [GEN] Anthroplogy major, questions. (was: degrees)
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 08:38:06 GMT

In article <1992Nov17.213026.1@ducvax.auburn.edu> dr@ducvax.auburn.edu writes:
>In article <Bx455o.4wA@ais.org>, newt@ais.org (Heather Darling) writes:
>> I'm a sophomore in college planning on majoring in anthro. I need to know
>> what I'll be able to do with this degree though. Is it possible to use it
>> for any sort of social work? I'm interested in cultural preservation and
>> plan to work with the peace-corps after I graduate. Any advice would be
>> appreciated, I'm especially interested in working in the appalachian area of
>> the US. 
>> Thanks

>> 
There are a lot of historical societies in the app region. I do not know the
original poster is posting from, but I would suggest a literature search at
your schools library on journals specific to the appalachian region. From
personal experience, i know of the Blennerhasset Historical Society and
the West Virginia Historical Society. The first is located in Parkersburg
West Virginia and primarily deals with events in the early 1800's. The other
i have only heard mentioned in passing but i believe they are a much more
comprehensive society. I believe they are located in Charleston WV. They
are a state government organization so a lit search should be able to locate
them. ( this is what i get for working in a library to get thru school :-).

>I'm a little surprised that this post did not generate any followups;
>in any case, I've cross-posted to alt.peace-corps and alt.appalachian -
>both convivial groups with helpful people who might be able to share
>some first-hand experience/insights.  Usual remarks about followups,
>though I think alt.peace-corps and alt.appalachian are inclusive enough
>to tolerate sci.anthropology ;^)  The Appalachians... sigh... miss them 
>every day I'm not there.
>
You didn't need to try the butter. 

>Obligatory sci.anthropology content: Saw a related ethnography recently; 
>written perhaps 20 years ago, the new edition had a self-reflective
>introduction added.  This ethnography was of particular interest to me 
>because I had at least some direct familiarity with both the culture 
>being described and the ethnographer's culture.  It's an odd feeling 
>to find what one has tacitly assumed to be habits, or character traits, 
>or even the product of a putatively unique family upbringing, described 
>as identifying local cultural traits...
>
What was the info on this article. I would be interested in reading it.
I know that during the time I was in the military that many of the West
Virginias had similar traits. I also remember that a number of books from
vets of the Viet Nam war described similar information about people from the
region. I remember that it was mentioned that West Virginians generally did
not like to follow orders unless they knew and respected the person giving
them. I remember this because I got out about 2 steps of a court martial
for that very reason. ( I always figured it was because I was stubborn - or
as the sais as I was growing up 'ornry' [2 sysllables for the linguists out
there]).

>Disclaimer & Context Dependent Tangent:  One should not necessarily 
>infer that I possess these traits (though I *would* claim that many
>of my friends do).  It seems more (or at least equally) plausible
>that I merely identify with the culture, or admire the cultural traits.
>I think this is one of the standard intro sociology demonstrations,
>where everyone is given an identical "personalized" character profile - 
>some 80% (?) think it describes them closely...  
>
methinks he doth protest too much.

>	D.R.
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>David Roller  |    Bitnet = dr@auducvax            |  "Because we're all
>Auburn Univ.  |  Internet = dr@ducvax.auburn.edu   |   in this together."
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