ANTA02 03/24

Exam Reminder:
- Date: April 20
- Time: 9 AM to 11 AM
- Location: Island Hall 170, Exam Center
- Note: Exam is not cumulative; it covers weeks 8 through 12 materials.
- Includes the whole of Gridiron Capital and assigned readings from the textbook "Sociocultural Anthropology: A Problem-Based Approach".
- Students should keep up with readings, available on Torcus or in the syllabus.
T Card:
- Important to have a T card for final exams.
- Students who have lost their T card should replace it before the exam period starts.
Class Schedule Update:
- The university will be closed on the last Friday of the term, which is also a holiday.
- Makeup tutorials for Friday classes will occur on Monday, April 6.
- Final tutorial session before the exam for students to discuss with TAs will be on this makeup Monday at the same time and place as regular Friday tutorials.
- Note: A specific makeup tutorial for a class led by Ness will be on Thursday, April 2, with the time and room to be announced.

The discussion will continue with different examples of scientific racism.
Expanding on different types of racism including internalized racism and institutionalized racism.

Definition:
- Acceptance of oppressive beliefs about one's own racial group.
- Involves an individual perpetuating these beliefs.
Psychological aspects:
- Connects to self-image and individual beliefs.

Definition:
- Existence of systematic policies or practices that provide unequal access based on race.
- Occurs at the institutional level rather than the individual level.
Examples:
- Targeted policing practices that disproportionately affect racialized communities.
- Over-disciplining of racialized children in schools in Canada.
- Disproportionate interactions of racialized communities with the child welfare system.
- The Indian Act in Canada as an example of institutionalized racism, governing relations between Indigenous people and the federal government.

Key takeaways:
- Race is not a biological category but holds significant social implications.
- Racial worldviews have historically perpetuated inequalities rather than simply reflecting them.
- Environmental racism shows how social contexts shape biological health outcomes among racialized communities.
Complexity in understanding the interplay between structure (institutional factors) and individual agency (personal actions and decisions).

Discussion on meritocracy in North America and its complexities in sports and society.
Connection between agency (individual choices) and structure (institutions that shape opportunities) is significant in anthropology.
Anthropological definition of agency:
- The power to make choices with intention.
- Requires availability of choices; if there are limited options, then true agency cannot occur.
Structure:
- Refers to overarching societal frameworks that individuals navigate.
- Examples: Legal systems, cultural beliefs, institutions.
The tension between agency and structure is critical in anthropology, especially when analyzing poverty and social stratification.
Debate within anthropology on whether to focus on individual agency or structural factors when analyzing social issues.

Focus on two extremes regarding the persistence of poverty:
- Emphasis on personal agency and choices leading to poverty, possibly leading to victim blaming.
- Emphasis on systemic structures creating insurmountable barriers to escaping poverty.

Coined by James Scott, this concept refers to small acts of resistance by marginalized individuals against structural oppression.
- Examples include noncompliance in low-paying customer service jobs.

The example of Polynesian NFL players raises questions about how these athletes navigate their identities, opportunities, and systemic constraints in their pursuit of success.
- Examination of how personal choices intertwine with broader social structures in the context of migration and youth sports.

What factors inform Samoan football players’ agency?
What do players consider important in their decision-making?
What structural factors limit or shape their agency?
Definition of Gridiron Capital:
- How does one accumulate Gridiron Capital as a football player?
How has American football become a Samoan game?

Frame study around structures and agency as discussed in the book.
Understand the title and what it represents in relation to the text.
Each chapter should be examined for its specific structures and how agency is exercised within them.
Remember key examples illustrating the tension between structure and agency in each chapter.

Opa Raisa's ambition to represent Samoan identity accurately in light of historical misrepresentations.
The importance of understanding the shifting landscape of Samoa, football, and representation through globalization, migration, and sports.

Matai: Titled chiefs within Samoan society.
Fa'amatai: Refers to the hierarchy of chiefly titles and traditional sociopolitical organization.
Tautua: Culturally appropriate service to family and community.
Tatu: Tattoo practice in Samoan culture.
Fa'a Samoa: Represents Samoan culture and practices.
Fa'amalosi: Encouragement to be brave and strong, particularly in sports contexts.
Toa: Represents courage and bravery, particularly in masculine contexts.

Gridiron Capital: Term derived from the shape of the football field, represents the capital invested in becoming a skilled player.
- Capital as distinct from just economic value; can include cultural and symbolic capital.
Understanding the different dimensions of capital in the context of Samoan football players:
- Economic Capital: Salaries, scholarships, endorsements.
- Cultural Capital: Prestige, educational credentials, expertise.
- Social Capital: Networks and community connections.

This week's lecture ties together elements of race, class, structure, agency, and identity within the context of Samoan participation in American football, aiming to prepare students for their upcoming exam and understanding of key concepts in anthropology.