Sunday, February 23, 2020

Marxism in Anthropology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marxism in Anthropology - Essay Example Definitely, the purpose of Marxist anthropology must be the clarification of class struggle. On the contrary, it "has recently become for anthropologists a new source of obscurity as a result of recent work which is difficult and barbarously phrased' (Bloch, 1983, p. v). The problem is that such terminology does not free the social reality form its bourgeois mystifications or wrappings. Ethnographies are widely used in modern anthropology to analyse the complexities of labour and societal development. The ethnographic relativism of the real world which is fragmented into nations and regional societies could only be adequately explained through a theoretically rigorous anthropological paradigm. Marxist anthropology could be used effectively in order to analyse the way people and societies are alienated in contemporary world. Many a Marxists, who were variously influenced by structuralism and the interpretations of Althusser and Balibar, tried conspicuously to invent structure in pre-capitalist societies believing that that's what Marx did for capitalist societies. What they forgot to see is the fact that alienation and labour are the central categories through which Marx delineated his critique of the social structure of bourgeois society. It is labour theory of value as theoretical tool enables an anthropologist to shed light processes and patterns related to social formation, forces of production and mode of production, relations of production and exploitation. It does not mean that the Marxian labour theory of value could directly be applied to pre-capitalist societies as Marx developed it in order to deal with societies where modern market structures are prevalent. Maurice Godelier, who was influenced by Lvi-Strauss, has a prominent role in developing the Marxist anthropology. Godelier endeavoured t o apply the critical Marxist insights on the relationships between infrastructure and superstructure, and alienation and labour, especially to non-western societies. He conducted extensive researches among the Baruya of Papua New Guinea in the period of 1966 to 1969. Among the ethnographies in anthropology, Godeliers' 'The Making of Great Men' has a unique place. Godelier defines commodities as 'objects which are detachable from persons or groups which circulate in impersonal relations between persons or groups' (1978, p.66). For the purpose, the Marxian labour theory of value could be generalised as an analytical category for all types of societies. It means that commodities need to be excluded from the social reality of its production. Godelier asserts that 'the mainstream of capitalism is the desire to make money with money--money is transformed into capital which is then invested in the production and circulation of commodities' (1978, p.63). Without analysing a social formation from the point of view of labour time, the hidden social relationships of actual production cannot be revealed in. Therefore, the capitalist fetishism of commodities 'appear as an independent beings endowed with life, and entering into relation both with one another and with the human race' (Marx, 1965, p.72). What is necessary is to reveal the social relations associated to the embedded amount of labour time in specific commodities, be it of prehistoric or post-modern societies. It is still true that '[a]s

Friday, February 7, 2020

( Construction field ) differences between iron and steel Research Paper

( Construction field ) differences between iron and steel - Research Paper Example In the absence of steel and iron, the manufacturing of automobiles and skyscrapers like the Burj Dubai (later named as Burj Khalifa) in Dubai was possible. Many people have the false belief that steel and iron are one and the same material. However steel and iron have lot of differences. This paper analyses the major differences between steel and iron in general and answers specifically the questions like how the various steel blocks are formed, how structural shapes are produced, how are the weights and thicknesses of a structural shape changed and the contrast the production of iron shapes and forms as well as the production of light-gauge members. The basic difference between steel and iron is the fact that iron is an element whereas steel is an alloy. To be more precise, steel is an alloy of carbon and iron even though iron is the major constituent of steel. The basic form of steel contains only carbon and iron; however, we can make the properties of steel different by adding oth er elements such as chromium, silicon, manganese etc. Stainless steel is produced by adding chromium to the ordinary steel in a particular ratio. The second difference between iron and steel lies in strength. ... Roll forming, stretch forming, drawing, stamping, etc are some of the popular methods of sheet metal forming in steel industry. I-beam, Z-shape, HSS-shape, Angle (L-shape), Channel, Tee, etc are some of the major structural shapes produced out of steel which are used in the construction industry. The three most common types of structural members are the W-shape (wide flange), the S-shape (American Standard I-beam), and the C-shape (American Standard channel). These three types are identified by the nominal depth, in inches, along the web and the weight per foot of length, in pounds. W-shapes are used as beams, columns, truss members, and in other load-bearing applications. S-shapes are used less frequently than W-shapes since the S-shapes possess less strength and are less adaptable than W-shapes. The C-shape is not very efficient for a beam or column when used alone. However, efficient built-up members may be constructed of channels assembled together with other structural shapes an d connected by rivets or welds (Structural Steel Construction Methods And Terms) Each shape has its own advantages in construction industry. It is impossible to use only a particular shape of structural steel in construction industry because of the diversified necessities. For example, the steel structure suitable for the foundation works may not be suitable for other works. For foundation works heavy weight steel structures are necessary whereas for other works, light weight steel structures are preferred based on the characteristics of a particular construction. Apart from steel, cast iron and wrought iron are the major industrial iron types.