Erica Nicolay - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Drafts by Erica Nicolay

In this paper the author will analyze why and how genocide and ethnic cleansing occurs in the mod... more In this paper the author will analyze why and how genocide and ethnic cleansing occurs in the modern world by adopting a Marxist framework to look at the social and political structures where genocide has occurred. It is clear that class struggles, ideology, and cultural hegemony all play a distinct role in the creation of an environment where genocide can occur.

Conflict is an ever-present aspect of human societies and a topic that has been extensively studi... more Conflict is an ever-present aspect of human societies and a topic that has been extensively studied in the field of archaeology. In particular, the historical archaeology of capitalism as articulated by Mark Leone and his colleagues, offers a useful way to understand conflict within modern, post-industrial societies. Approaches to intra-societal conflict in such contexts can take advantage of " landscapes of conflict " typical to circumstances such as collective labor struggles, mass protests, gentrification, and class warfare. This paper will analyze work on events of this type and magnitude in the United States, including the Ludlow Massacre in Colorado, Gentrification in Houston and Baltimore, and the struggles of Chinese immigrants in California, and will look closely at why these events occurred, the social stressors that precipitated them, and the ways these communities responded and continue to respond. These events however cannot be studied or conceptualized as singular actions within these communities; instead they must be analyzed and understood in the broader capitalist framework that makes up modern American society. In this paper special attention will be paid to the role capitalism and the political hegemony has in facilitating, perpetuating, and condoning societal conflict. By looking at the factors that contribute to conflict and the methods used by societies to confront conflict the author will show how archaeology can be used to actively understand and approach current conflicts playing out in the world.

The goal of this paper will be to analyze the study of Native American mortuary and funeral pract... more The goal of this paper will be to analyze the study of Native American mortuary and funeral practices and to demonstrate how archaeologists who adhere to different theoretical perspectives, in this case Marxism and processualism, develop different explanations for the same problem. The study of human burials has been of constant interest to archaeologists. There is much to be gained from the study of not only the human remains but also the way in which the body was interred and the objects, or lack thereof, which accompany burials. The study of these burial processes allows archaeologists to gain a more complete understanding of not only how societies dealt with their dead but how these societies were structured in life. Before going on to the subject of mortuary analysis it is necessary to look at the historical background of both Marxism and processualism in archaeology.

This work attempts to analyze the complexities brought to anthropology in a globalized world by i... more This work attempts to analyze the complexities brought to anthropology in a globalized world by immigrant populations. By discussing two groups, the immigrant groups of the Colorado Coalfield in the early 20th century and Chinese communities in the United States during the 20th century, the author will prove using archaeological evidence that culture is not dependent on spatially constructed zones. Through the use of archaeology the complexities of the relationship between culture and space and the value of a postmodern approach in anthropology to this study becomes clear.

ARCHAEOLOGY Boomtown Saloons by Kelly J. Dixon provides the reader with an interesting investigat... more ARCHAEOLOGY Boomtown Saloons by Kelly J. Dixon provides the reader with an interesting investigation into the life of Virginia City saloon owners and saloon frequenters and attempts to overthrow the false image that Hollywood and sensationalized history has attached to the " wild west. " In her work Dixon focuses on interpreting data from four excavations that took place in Virginia City, all at the sites of former saloons. These saloons are diverse in terms of ethnicity and socioeconomic status of patrons and owners, and perceived respectability. The Boston Saloon was owned by William G. Brown, an African-American man from Massachusetts, and was likely frequented by African-American citizens of different economic status. These patrons all enjoyed having a place of their own in which to relax. Piper's Old Corner Bar was owned by a German immigrant and was connected to an Opera House. This locale probably attracted a richer and whiter clientele than any of the other saloons studied in this work. O'Brien and Costello's Saloon and Shooting Gallery was located in a part of the city called the Barbary Coast, known for its brothels, rowdiness, and danger. This saloon was owned and operated by two Irishmen and was frequented by a clientele with little socioeconomic power. The last locale studied was the Hibernia Brewery located right outside of the Barbary Coast and operated around 1800. This saloon was owned by two Irishmen and probably had a mostly poor Irish clientele (Dixon 2005: 27-32). The topics Dixon focuses on in her work are ones that are commonly touched upon by historical archaeologists. Her discussion on race and ethnicity in a western boom-town recall