ANTH 3311

Sim-tzuntzan Exercise #2 -- “Here We Are All Equal (Or Not?)

Instructions: This exercise involves looking at the characteristics of households in the community of Tzintzuntzan. You will discuss households on four levels and make comparisons across these levels with the goal of assessing the traditional Tzintzuntzan saying, “Here we are all equal.”

STEP 1 – Household Selection and Data

First, after looking at the maps (see map of the entire town, the map of Block 20 with all houses, and the map of Block 20 with occupied houses), the aerial photos (see aerial photo for the entire town, the aerial photo for Block 20 and the surrounding eight blocks, and the aerial photo of Block 20 alone), and the façade pictures (see the Block 20 façades list, and then follow the links to see each house in turn), select ONE household from block 20. Note: not all houses in Block 20 are currently occupied. So, be sure that the one you select has a corresponding row in the household data sheet.

Next, look at the Guide to the household data spreadsheet. This Guide provides the name and column location of each variable and how it is coded (i.e., the values taken by the variable). You may want to print out this guide in order to see all of the variables and their values together.

Then, you should look at the Block 20 household data spreadsheet and find the rows corresponding to this household. Note: all of the rows for households in Block 20 are shown in bold.

Then, print out (or write down) the data in the rows for the selected household.

Pick TWO variables plus the LEVEL OF LIVING SCORE for your selected household. Print out (or write down) these data.

STEP 2 – Data for Block 20

Find these same three variables (i.e., the two selected variables and the LL-Score) for all occupied households in Block 20 taken together. Refer to the Block 20 household data spreadsheet.

If the selected variable(s) are coded as “0” or “1” (meaning “absent” or “present”), calculate the PERCENTAGE of the households in Block 20 that have the two selected variables.

If the variable(s) have a distribution other than “0” and “1, then calculate the mean, the median, the mode, the minimum, and the maximum. For example, the variable “No. of rooms” has a range from 1-15 and the LL-Score has a distribution range of 0-50. (Good news: the Excel spreadsheet has all of these “functions” built-in).

STEP 3 – Data for a Section (Barrio) of Tzintzuntzan

Get the same three variables for all of the households in ONE of the sections (known as barrios) of the community. Select from the five sections (barrios): El Rincón (farthest to the west end of town, corresponding to Blocks 00-17), El Centro (around the main street and the plazas, corresponding to Blocks18-21, 25-28, 30-36, and 39-42), Pueblo Nuevo (to the south end of town, corresponding to Blocks 22-24, 29, 37, and 44), El Llanito (a new section to the east, below the yácatas, corresponding to Block 43 in all of its several parts), and Yahuaro (an old area to the northeast, corresponding to Block 38 and Blocks 45-57). For orientation, you can look again at the aerial photo of the town.

If the selected variable(s) are coded as “0” or “1” (meaning “absent” or “present”), calculate the PERCENTAGE of the households in the selected section (barrio) that have the two selected variables.

STEP 4 – Data for the Entire Core Community

Get the same three variables for all of the households in the entire core community (corresponding to Block 00 through Block 57). See the Community Data Sheet.

Note: I have excluded data on households located in the peripheral colonias of Lázaro Cárdenas (Block 61L), Tzintzuntzita (Block 70), and San Juan (Block 80), as well as the house caretakers who work for the owners of the weekend homes located along the lake shore (Block 60V).

SUMMARY – Data Analysis and Write-up

At this point, you have three pieces of data (the two selected characteristics plus the LL-Score) on a selected house in block 20, and you have the equivalent aggregate data (calculated as percentages or as means, medians, modes, minimums, and maximums) for all of Block 20, for a section (barrio) of town, and for the entire core community.

Study the data you have gathered. Look for patterns of similarities and differences.You may want to place the data into one or more Tables (if you do, place the Table(s) into an Appendix at the back of your report).

Be sure to describe your findings in terms of how “typical” (or “atypical”) the selected house is in the light of the Block 20 data. Then, discuss how “typical” the particular house and all of Block 20 are when compared to the selected section (barrio) of town. Repeat the analysis for the house, the block, and the section (barrio) vis-à-vis the entire core community. The Conclusion of the report should deal with the general question of “typicality” or “representativeness” at the four levels of the community. In effect, you should be able to assess the traditional Tzintzuntzan saying, “Here we are all equal” (or not?).

You should be able to present the results of your analysis in 3-4 pages (750 to 1,000 words) -- plus an appendix with Table(s) of relevant data and statistics. Remember that you may do this exercise individually or in a team (no more than four persons to a team).