To An Anthropologist, Food Is The Basis To Social, Cultural

To an anthropologist, food is the basis to social, cultural and biological life, and therefore of the utmost concern to most people (Leng, 2016) however, with the growing population, climate changes and lack of agricultural land we have had to switch our approach to food production. Genetically modified or engineered food has become a heated topic in the media for the past few years as there is not a clear decision on whether their benefits outweigh their concerns. Genetically modified food is a grey area to discuss as there are strong opinions surrounding which tend to be very biased. The difference between genetically modified food and genetically engineered food isn’t explained and the terms tend to be used interchangeably- however,†¦show more content†¦Since 1996, farmers in developing countries have received an extra 70 billion dollars from switching to genetically modified crops as they are able to produce a higher yield (Staropoli, 2016). Globally, farmers have reported that on average, they were able to make back over 3 dollars on every genetically modified plant in comparison to traditional crops. However, that 3 dollars was actually over 4 dollars in developing countries in South America, Africa, and parts of Asia (Staropoli, 2016). For example, corn farmers who had genetically modified insect resistant crops claimed to have a 13 percent increase in their yield, whilst cotton farmers had a 17 percent yield in comparison to conventional farmers (Lendman, 2008). Farmers are able to get a notable yield improvement but at the cost of plant di versity and vulnerable plants. In the last one-hundred years, the global seed diversity has declined 75-90%. The majority of our world relies on less than 20 different crops (Gidding, 2016). This highlights many concerns revolving around genetically modified plants vulnerability and a lack of plant evolution. We continue to lose touch with our wild plants. In 2014, over 180 million hectares of genetically modified crops were cultivated by more than 18 million farmers in 28 countries (Kalaitzandonakes, Phillips, Wesseler, Symth,Show MoreRelatedFood Preferences and Taboos: an Anthropological Perspective1526 Words   |  7 PagesFood Preferences and Taboos: An Anthropological Perspective Across the world, there is an extensive range of animals and plants of which humans have at their disposal for consumption. Despite this though, many cultures and societies engage in preferences and taboos of which restrict their dietary range. The term â€Å"food taboo† has been used to describe the practice of where people deliberately avoid consuming a food, which is otherwise perfectly okay to eat (Lien, 2004). The question of what makesRead MoreGlobal Science Case Study981 Words   |  4 Pagesrules, regulations, applications and interpretations, required for the maintenance of self-regulating integration of different economic forms, is treated as the necessary thing for a more just world. However, several historical instances and social and cultural contexts have revealed that the sovereign significance of economics has continued to impress us with many surprises, shocks and uncertainties. As observed in the recent global economic crisis during the 1972 global oil crisi s and the 2008 majorRead More Sociology vs. Cultural Anthropology Essay939 Words   |  4 Pagesthat an anthropologist approaches a problem and attempts to solve it is different than a sociologist because of the discerning basis of their knowledge. Some of the research methods require a researcher to be up close and personal with subjects while in other methods the subject don’t even realize they are being observed. From these research methods, sociologists and anthropologists draw conclusions from their observations. Sociological research methods include experiments and social surveysRead MoreWhat Are The Four Primary Types Of Human Adaptation?1685 Words   |  7 Pagesfour primary types of human adaptation? Why has their interrelationship been particularly important for the human species? Anthropology recognizes four primary types of human adaptation: genetic change, developmental adjustment, acclimatization and cultural adaptation. Individuals may develop a successful adaptation with the help of biological evolution. i.e. genetic change, that is caused by the constant environmental stress, experienced by many generations. It is a well-known fact that those who canRead MoreAnalysis Of The Article Mixed Blood By Jeffrey Fish907 Words   |  4 Pagesnot uncommon to hear the question, â€Å"What are you?† This seemingly simple question stems from the American belief that individuals can be divided into different biologically defined racial groups. However, anthropologists have long argued that U.S. racial groups are a product of American cultural constructions, meaning that racial groups are not genetically determined but only represent the way cultures (in this case Americans) classify people. For example, in the U.S individuals are classified intoRead MoreKin ship, By Anthropologist Robin Fox1006 Words   |  5 Pages Anthropologist Robin Fox states that ‘the study of kinship is to anthropology what logic is to philosophy or nude is to the art, it is the basic discipline to the subject’. A part of one’s identity comes from the understanding of where they were born and the environment in which they were brought up. These factors provide us with the identity and status of the person. The kin group provides us with sustenance and with social status, which can in turn eventually lead you to a career or a life directionRead MoreThe Culture of Food in America Essay2672 Words   |  11 PagesCulture of Food in America ANT 101 Abstract Food is an essential part of any culture and it serves to show the diversity and unique aspects of different cultural beliefs. In the United States, there are people from diverse cultural groups and many different cultures. These groups possess unique culinary cultures, which add to diversity. This paper explores the different cultural groups present in the United States and their traditional foods. TheseRead More Man the Hunter Revisited1907 Words   |  8 Pagesa group of about fifty anthropologists met in Chicago for a conference that would later known as the â€Å"Man the Hunter† meeting. The meeting contrasted with earlier scholarship and presented a Hollywood approach to the topic of early man, one where our ancestors were strong, powerful, and in control of their environment. Anthropologists Sherwood L. Washburn and C.S. Lancaster (1968), both present at the conference claimed, â€Å"our intellect, interests, emotions, and basic social life—all are ev olutionaryRead MoreA German American Anthropologist, By Franz Boas2136 Words   |  9 Pageshuman behavior in a society was strictly dictated and identified by biological factors. However, a German-American anthropologist, Franz Boas, was one of the first anthropologist that familiarized culture as the prime concept for identifying behavior in a society. To belong to a society, one must be able to follow the rules of the culture in which they find themselves in. Culture in a social group dictates major parts of life, through traditional beliefs and concepts which have been passed down from previousRead MoreRemotely Global : Village West Africa By Charles Piot Essay1558 Words   |  7 Pagespeople as the author discusses a wide range of their culture and history that included houses and the structure of homestead, gender ideology, ritual like initiations, exchange system, and social relations (Piot 178). Piot discredits the Eurocentric analytical approaches that has been used by western anthropologist to analyze the culture of Kabre people. The reason Piot discredits the approach is that it is misleading. The author also provides a critical analysis of concept such as cosmopolitanism