Anthropology

How do shared rituals and traditions help hold a community together across generations? Why do certain customs seem 'natural' within one culture but unusual or strange to another? How do societies enforce social norms, and what happens when individuals resist them? What can the study of cultural norms teach us about our own hidden assumptions? Which cultural tradition have you encountered that changed how you think about daily life?

How do different societies define concepts like family, marriage, and responsibility? What role does kinship play in shaping identity and social stability? How do modern economic pressures influence family structures around the world? What can cross-cultural family systems teach us about cooperation and conflict? Has your understanding of family changed across your lifetime or across cultures?

Why do anthropologists treat language as a cultural tool rather than just a communication system? How do symbols—ritual objects, gestures, stories—shape beliefs and behaviors? In what ways does language influence how people think about time, emotion, or responsibility? What happens to a culture when its language fades or disappears? Can you recall a symbol or ritual that held deeper meaning than it first appeared?

Why do nearly all human societies create myths or spiritual explanations for the world? How do religious stories convey moral lessons or cultural values without formal instruction? What distinguishes myth from history, and how do cultures blend the two? How can studying other societies' beliefs help us reflect on our own? Which myth or origin story has shaped how you think about humanity?

What challenges do anthropologists face when observing cultures without influencing them? Why is long-term immersion important for understanding a community’s inner logic? How do researchers navigate ethical issues when studying vulnerable or marginalized groups? What strengths and limits does participant observation have compared to surveys or experiments? What real-life situation might benefit from an ethnographic approach to understanding it?

How has global mobility reshaped local identities, languages, and traditions? Why do some cultural practices adapt to modern pressures while others resist change? What responsibilities do powerful nations and corporations have in protecting cultural diversity? How does cultural exchange differ from cultural appropriation? What example of cultural blending have you seen in your own community?