Article Response #5 - ai huynh

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Anthropology

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Feb 20, 2024

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Article #1 1. Name of the Reading: Bourgois, Philippe selections from “Workaday World” from 2012 Conformity and Conflict, Readings in Cultural Anthropology . Pearson, New York. 2. What is the article about? The article "Workaday World—Crack Economy" by Philippe Bourgois dive into the shadow economy in inner-city New York, focusing on the lives of Latino/a African Americans engaged in the informal market system. It explores the allure of the shadow economy, the structural challenges that perpetuate its reliance, and the experiences, motivations, and aspirations of individuals like Primo and Caesar. The text sheds light on the prevalence of illegal income-generating strategies, such as drug sales and unlicensed construction work, and the cultural clashes and sense of humiliation experienced by individuals attempting to enter the legal labor market. Additionally, it highlights the complex dynamics within the shadow economy, the inferior working conditions, and the desire of individuals to transition back to the legal economy. Bourgois effectively provides a thought-provoking analysis of the intersection between the formal and informal economies in inner-city New York. 3. Interesting Elements: An interesting element in the article "Workaday World—Crack Economy" by Philippe Bourgois is the exploration of the cultural clashes and sense of humiliation experienced by individuals attempting to enter the legal labor market. The article provides evidence of this through the experiences of individuals like Primo and Caesar, who faced deep humiliation and insecurity in their attempts to penetrate the foreign, hostile world of highrise office corridors. The text describes how these individuals appeared inarticulate to their professional supervisors, struggled with unfamiliar office norms, and felt like idiotic buffoons to the individuals for whom they worked. This highlights the clash between street culture's definitions of personal dignity and the norms of the highrise office culture, creating a thought-provoking analysis of the challenges faced by individuals from the shadow economy when attempting to transition to the legal economy. The article effectively sheds light on the complexities and cultural dislocations experienced by individuals navigating the formal and informal economies, offering a comprehensive understanding of the structural challenges and cultural clashes within the labor market. 4. Thoughts, Feelings, Persuasion: While reading this article, I felt a range of emotions and thoughts. The personal stories of individuals like Primo and Caesar working in the underground economy stirred my empathy and compassion for the difficulties they face. Their experiences of humiliation, insecurity, and cultural clashes when trying to find legal employment left me feeling

frustrated and indignant about the obstacles they encounter. Comparing the working conditions and motivations in the informal economy to those in the formal economy made me reflect on the complexities of economic survival and maintaining personal dignity. The article also made me keenly aware of the need to address systemic issues that perpetuate reliance on the informal economy and to create fairer opportunities in the legal job market. In summary, the article triggered a mix of empathy, frustration, and a desire for social and economic reform. Article #2 1. Name of the Reading: Polekha-Toe, Sametra and Valerie A. Middleton. 2018. “Ethnic Beauty in a Western Society” in Explorations in Diversity 3rd Edition Edited by Sharon K. Anderson and Valerie A. Middleton. Oxford University Press, New York. 2. What is the article about? The article discusses the impact of skin tone and beauty standards on African American females, particularly in the context of identity formation and counseling. It addresses the challenges faced by Black women due to societal beauty standards and emphasizes the importance of strengths-based counseling to combat oppressive beauty ideals. The document also goes into the significance of racial and cultural identity development, the connections between sexism, privilege, and oppressive beauty standards, and the impact of historical trauma on perceptions of race, identity, and culture. Additionally, it provides strategies for counselors working with African American adolescent girls and recommends introducing them to civic and social organizations reinforcing Black culture and instilling confidence. The article also highlights the role of strengths-based counseling in addressing societal biases and promoting self-acceptance, focusing on clients' strengths rather than perceived weaknesses. 3. Interesting Elements: An interesting element in the article is the emphasis on the strengths-based counseling approach to address societal biases and promote self-acceptance among African American adolescent girls. This approach focuses on the client's strengths rather than perceived weaknesses, deficits, and problems imposed by society. It acknowledges the existence of problems such as discrimination, sexism, and oppressive beauty standards but encourages individuals to use their strengths to cope with these challenges. The document highlights that strengths-based counseling is particularly relevant for African American girls, as it does not deny the existence of societal problems but rather empowers individuals to navigate and cope with them. This approach has been informed by the efforts of cross-cultural counseling psychologists who recognized the inherent biases in dominant cultural approaches and the need to consider cultural strengths that are often overlooked. The article provides evidence from the literature, citing the work of scholars such as Ponterotto & Casas (1991) and Smith (1977, 1989), who have

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