Midterm Preparation Guide

Midterm Preparation

ANTH 3311 -- In-class midterm exam -- 13 June 2008

INSTRUCTIONS:

Be prepared to answer two of the following four questions, three of which will be provided to you at class on Friday. Be sure to make use of the assigned (and recommended) readings, lectures, Internet resources, and video presentations in your answers. You should spend about 10 minutes assessing the resources and planning their placement within your presentation; then write for about 40-45 minutes per answer.

QUESTION 1

"The Indian is the product of the establishment of the colonial order" (Bonfil Batalla 1996:76). Evaluate this proposition in the light of Bonfil’s arguments and the other readings, lectures, videos, etc. considered in the course to date. Be sure to consider the different ways in which Indians were situated in Mexican society during the colonial period and how this has changed during the post-colonial period since 1821.

QUESTION 2

Mexican historian Luis González y González offers a framework for understanding Mexican history. His framework, which focuses on the development of identity and national character, includes "the military," "the church," "the Crown," "the entrepreneurs," "the Indians/Mestizos," and "the African-Mexicans." Discuss this framework in terms of its adequacy for dealing with the transformation of Mexican life from the 1500s to the present.

QUESTION 3

Migration and urbanization have been significant elements in the transformation of Mexican society during the past 500 years. Discuss this statement and provide appropriate examples of their impact on Mexican life, especially for the development of Mexico City.

QUESTION 4

Some communities in Mexico have persisted for centuries, while others are just being created. What are the challenges for residents in long-established communities versus those being faced by residents in new communities? Discuss their similarities and differences in the context of contemporary economic and political developments in Mexico.