2013

Anthropological Analysis of Puerto Rican Subjects Opinion Concerning Cultural Appreciation and Racism
Gabriela Goita Vazquez C.H.A.N.G.E Company
English and Sociology Integration Project

12/2/2013

Index

Abstract/Resumen. Introduction. Literary Review. Methods. Results. Discussion and Conclusion. Bibliography. Appendix.

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Abstract
The aim of this investigation was to gather and analyze the opinions of Puerto Rican educators on the presence of racism in Puerto Rican society from an anthropological point of view. The anthropological point of view was based on socio-anthropology, which studies groups within institutions in society-including schools. The problem of the investigation was how certain people (in these case, educators) propose to diminish racism and promote cultural appreciation in Puerto Rico. This investigation is important because the presence of racism in this current society is noticeably present and affects people of all backgrounds, and if it is not addressed, violence and cultural intolerance could prevail in our society. The methodology of the study consisted mainly of interviewing two current University Gardens High School instructors using five objective questions focused on particular sub themes, tallying their demographic information, and taking their opinions into account when formulating a conclusion. The most important conclusion for this investigation is that education is necessary in order to counter cultural intolerance.

Resumen
El propsito de esta investigacin fue obtener y analizar las opiniones de educadores puertorriqueos sobre la presencia del racismo en la sociedad puertorriquea desde una perspectiva antropolgica. Este punto de vista antropolgica se enfoca en la socio-antropologa, que estudia los grupos dentro de instituciones sociales-incluyendo escuelas. El problema de la investigacin fue como algunas personas (en este caso, educadores) proponen disminuir el racismo y promover la apreciacin cultural en Puerto Rico. Esta investigacin es importante porque la presencia del racismo en la sociedad actual es notable y afecta personas de todos trasfondos y si no se soluciona este problema, violencia e intolerancia cultural seguir presente en nuestra sociedad. La metodologa de este estudio consisti primordialmente en entrevistar dos profesores de la Escuela Superior University Gardens utilizando cinco preguntas objetivas enfocadas en cinco subtemas. La conclusin principal de esta investigacin fue que educacin es necesaria para combatir intolerancia cultural.

Introduction
The purpose for this investigation to be carried on is to gather opinions of common Puerto Ricans about the presence of racism in the island through an anthropological standpoint and how to diminish it. The problem the investigation focuses on is how Puerto Rican educators propose to diminish racism and promote cultural appreciation. This would give the tools needed to work for a more tolerant society, given the fact that the solutions are provided by society itself. Another aspect of this investigation is that it pursues to promote consciousness in the interviewees about the cultural appreciation needed in order to have this tolerant society we strive for. All of these purposes are summed up in only one premise: The purpose of this investigation is to create a better, more tolerant Puerto Rican society.

Literary Report
The scientific background for this investigation is based on several premises that depict the cause and effect relationship of racism. Firstly, it is important to comprehend that anthropology studies scientific racism, which basically means that it needs to be understood that racism is a social concept and not a biological concept. Secondly, it is essential to accept as a premise the presence of racism in Puerto Rican society, which historically speaking can be traced back to the origins of slavery and persist today in the discrimination against Afro-Puerto Ricans and foreigners. Racism can also be:

an added burden for nondominant populations. Individual and institutional discrimination, along with the stigma of inferiority, can adversely affect health by restricting socioeconomic opportunities and mobility. (Williams, D., 1999) Lastly, the severity of the implications of racism need to be fully understood both on the local and global scale. Locally, racism can be a direct cause for violence, which coincides with the current state of violence in Puerto Rican society, which includes domestic violence and bullying. Globally, racism directly affects interpersonal relationships between countries in an increasingly interconnected world. In other words, ways of managing cultural diversity need to be achieved in order to obtain a stable state of global cooperation.

Methodology
The methodology of this investigation consisted of various steps. Firstly, two instructors from University Gardens High School were identified. These were Professor Yara Suarez, who works as an English Professor, and Professor Pablo Hernandez, who works as a Biology Professor. These professors were chosen based on their demographic differences, in order to achieve varied responses. Secondly, these educators were interviewed. The interview consisted of five objective questions focused on specific themes within the area of racism and cultural intolerance. These themes were: cultural appreciation, presence of cultural appreciation in Puerto Rico, racism, factors that cause racism, and solutions for racism in certain sectors of work. The interviewees answers were then taken into consideration to formulate the conclusions of the investigation.

Results
The results of the investigation demonstrated a correlation between education and cultural intolerance. When asked to define cultural acceptance, both educators indicated that the term is used as a characteristic to describe a person who surrounds him elf or herself around and respects the customs of others. When asked if cultural acceptance was present in Puerto Rican society, Professor Suarez responded that it is, but she wouldnt dare say a hundred percent not in and Professor Hernandez concurred saying that cultural intolerance could depend on education. Professor Suarez stated that racism is when one race believed itself to be superior to another and Professor Hernandez described discrimination as the exclusion of a certain person or group based on a certain characteristic-in this case, ethnicity. Professor Hernandez indicated that ...there can be labor jealousy, there can be a diversity of factors...many times certain groups induce [discrimination] culturally without it having any kind of validation or sustainability... and Professor Suarez stated ...I believe is these incorrect ideas transmitted through generations. I believe that sometimes as adults and older generations, we continue increasing that anger and that belief that one is better than others. when they were asked what factors determined racism. The most important result of the investigation was that both Professors indicated that education is a factor in terms of how to reduce racism and promote cultural acceptance.

Discussion and Conclusion

This investigation has several anthropological implications for Puerto Rican society and the CHANGE company. Firstly, we can conclude that cultural intolerance is often present in Puerto Rican. Secondly, we can conclude that this cultural intolerance can be caused by blah and blah. Thirdly, and most importantly, both educators led us to conclude that education plays a prominent role when reducing racism and increasing cultural acceptance. The implication that this has for the CHANGE company is that we can conclude that we are on the right path when combating cultural intolerance, because the first solution we give to this problem is to inform the public about different cultures. Other interesting notes to take into consideration when evaluating the investigations could be found in the statements from the interviews. Professor Hernandezs indication that there can be labor jealousy brings us to consider discrimination based on competition for similar jobs. In addition, Professor Suarezs following statement: I strongly believe we are doing what we can as educators but this is not only an education issue in which only education in schools can be solved we can provide that information for students, but if parents at home increase this idea of you are better than that person because he is black and so forth, I believe we are not helping education reach its full goals, makes us focus on the role of the family when developing cultural intolerance. This comment could serve as a future investigation for the CHANGE Company. Another one of her statements: We dont have a vast mix of culture sin our society, also begs the question of the reasons behind the current homogeneous culture in Puerto Rico.

Bibliography
Benitez Nazario , J., & Colon Viera, A. (2005). El estudio de la violencia en puerto rico . Retrieved from http://graduados.uprrp.edu/pdf/investigacion/estudio_violecia_pr.pdf Cox, T., & Blake, S. (1991). Managing cultural diversity: Implications for organizational competitiveness.Academy of Management, 5(3), 45-56. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/4165021 Minority Rights Group International. (n.d.). Afro-puerto ricans. Retrieved from http://www.minorityrights.org/?lid=5254&tmpl=printpage Robbins, R. (n.d.). Anthropology and race 1: The rise and persistence of scientific racism. Retrieved from http://faculty.plattsburgh.edu/richard.robbins/legacy/editors_choice/scientific_racism.html Williams , D. (1999). Race, socioeconomic status, and health the added effects of racism and discrimination. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 896, 173-188. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.17496632.1999.tb08114.x/abstract;jsessionid=3EE17A167CB792EB0F031099FC737A7C.f03t03?de niedAccessCustomisedMessage=&userIsAuthenticated=false

Appendix
A. Proof of Letter