Anthropology Past Papers Analysis

I. Anthropology

1. Critically analyze the role of human agency in shaping and sustaining ethnic identities in multicultural societies. How do individuals and groups negotiate and mobilize their ethnic boundaries in social, political, and economic contexts? (2026)

2. Outline and explain some of the major perspectives in globalization studies. In what ways has the globalization of media and culture impacted the Pakistani society? Critically analyze the pros and cons of such changes on indigenous culture. (2025)

3. Discuss the concept of culture as the “totality of human life”. How and why does culture matter in determining human attitude and life worlds? Cite examples from various cultures, including your own. (2024)

4. Discuss the subject matter of anthropology and how anthropology is related to other disciplines in social sciences. (2023)

5. What are the four fields of anthropology and how are they related to each other? (2021)

6. Discuss the fields and branches of anthropology. (2019)

7. Define anthropology. How is it different from other fields of social sciences in terms of approach and methodology? (2018)

8. How applied anthropology can be utilized to solve the problems faced by humanity in the contemporary world? (2017)

II. Social Anthropology

1. Anthropology focuses on every aspect of human beings through physical anthropology, archaeology, linguistic anthropology, and socio-cultural anthropology. Explain. (2022)

2. Define ethnocentrism and cultural relative. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of ethnocentrism and cultural relativism. (2022)

3. Define descent group. Briefly describe the different forms of descent groups. (2021)

4. Compare and contrast assimilation, integration, and marginalization with examples. (2021)

5. What is CRM stands for in anthropology? Justify, how far the cultural knowledge generated through the application of four branches of anthropology is important and contribute to the overall development of the country like Pakistan? (2020)

6. One of the dynamic aspects of the culture is "its Adaptive and Maladaptive nature" what it means? In the light of this context, critically discuss the cultural practices which are maladaptive, thus causing underdevelopment. (2020)

7. Culture develops in response to the basic needs of human beings. Explain. (2018)

8. Define culture and its major characteristics; also discuss how the discipline of anthropology is different from other social sciences? (2016)

III. Institution of Family and Marriage

1. Define social institutions. Discuss the manifest and latent functions of the family institutions. (2023)

2. Endogamy & exogamy (2017)

3. What is incest taboo? Explain different theories about incest taboo. (2017)

IV. Kinship and Social Organization

1. Discuss the concept of “fictive kinship” and its significance in contemporary societies. Provide examples of fictive kinship relationships from different cultures including Pakistan. (2025)

2. What is the configuration of kinship structure in Pakistan? How does the institution of kinship contribute to the thriving of socio-cultural life? Elaborate your answer using pertinent examples. (2024)

3. Discuss in detail family institutions and its various types on the basis of structure, blood relation, marriage, residence and succession. (2019)

4. Elaborate different types of kinship systems. Kinship affects political allegiances in Pakistan. Explain. (2018)

V. Economic Organization

1. Explain and critique the concept of "value" in economic anthropology. How do different cultures conceptualize and ascribe value to goods, services, and labor? Provide examples to support your answer. (2025)

2. The economic system refers to the means by which a society produces, distributes, and consumes resources. Discuss how anthropologists are different from other disciplines in the study of economic organization. (2023)

3. Distinguish among three major types of food production systems i.e. horticulture, intensive agriculture, and pastoralism. How agriculture can be developed to bring about economic prosperity in Pakistan? (2022)

4. Define primitive economic organization. Discuss the scope and relevance of economic organization with anthropology. (2019)

5. Economics systems evolved through reciprocity to redistribution and market system. Explain. (2017)

VI. Political Organization

1. Historically, writing has been a tool of political authority and control. How do contemporary media systems and the forces of globalization continue to shape power dynamics, influence public opinion and drive socio-cultural change across societies? Discuss in the context of power, ideology and global inequalities. (2026)

2. “Bands represent the simplest form of the political organization whereas the state is the enactment of the centralized political system”. Keeping in mind the aforementioned statement, critically analyze and development of the political system. (2024)

3. Explain internal and external conflict theories about the emergence of early state societies. Social stratification is one of the defining qualities of the state. Explain. (2022)

VII. Religion

1. All groups of people develop complexes of symbols, rituals, and beliefs that connect their own experiences to the essential nature of the universe. Explain the evolution and function of primitive religion as discussed by anthropologists. (2023)

2. Define religion. Discuss various anthropological approaches to the study of religion. (2023)

VIII. Contemporary Human Problems

1. From a feminist anthropological perspective, analyze how intersecting factors such as class, ethnicity, and religion influence women’s experiences of inequality and exclusion in Pakistan. How can these insights contribute to more effective women’s rights movements and policies? (2026)

2. Poverty and social inequality are complex global problems having serious social, economic and political consequences. Analyze these problems and their consequences in contemporary Pakistan using Dependency and Structuralism Theories. (2025)

3. How do anthropologists define a social problem? Discuss the cause and consequences of political instability in Pakistan. (2023)

4. Define social stratification. Differentiate between caste and class societies with references to examples from south Asia. (2022)

5. What are social stratifications? What are the different factors responsible for stratification in a society? Discuss with reference to Pakistan. (2021)

IX. Urban Anthropology

1. Discuss and analyze the socio-cultural, environmental, and economic impacts of massive urbanization and the growth of urban slums. Use anthropological theories or empirical evidence to explain how social inequality, marginalization, and informal economies change community life and everyday practices. (2026)

2. How commodities are produced and consumed culturally? Give specific examples elaborating how people attach distinct meaning and values to commodities. (2024)

X. Ethnicity and Race

1. Define and explain the anthropological concepts of ‘race’ and ‘ethnicity’. Critically examine the social and political implications of racial and ethnic categorizations, providing examples from historical and contemporary contexts. What are the implications of ethnic and racial discriminations in Pakistani society? (2025)

2. What is "ethnic homogenization"? Discuss its various mechanisms used today by the states. (2020)

XI. Anthropological Theories

1. Based on Malinowski’s analysis of the Kula ring, men maintain social influence through balanced reciprocity. Explain why the system would break down if participants began practicing negative reciprocity, considering its effects on trust, alliances, and social status. (2026)

2. Interpretivism has been applied in anthropological research historically. Provide specific examples of Anthropological studies that reflect Interpretivist approach to research. Critically evaluate the strengths and limitations of using interpretivism in anthropological research. (2025)

3. What is Clifford Geertz’s idea of "Thick Description"? How does it aid anthropologists in grasping a deeper and nuanced understanding of the meaning embedded in social behaviors? (2024)

4. Discuss the interplay between and cognition. How does Margaret Mead’s study of Samoa demonstrate the importance of the enculturation process in shaping one’s life experiences? (2024)

5. Explain the theory of Structural-Functionalism of Radcliffe-Brown in which aspects of culture are viewed in terms of the part they play in maintaining the social structure. (2022)

6. Keeping the Karl Marx (1818-1884) theory of conflict, justify how far the establishment of enormous, gigantic slums or squatter settlements in almost all metropolitan cities are natural or due to discriminatory economic management? Support your arguments with examples. (2020)

7. Highlight the major contributions of some of major anthropologists like, Edward Bernard Taylor, Bronislaw Malinowski, Margret Mead and Clifford Geertz. (2020)

8. Describe the theory of social evolution given by Lewis H. Morgan & E. B. Tylor. (2016)

XII. Anthropological Research Method

1. Fieldwork in anthropology is influenced by the researcher’s positionality, methodological choices and social context. Discuss how biases can arise at different stages of fieldwork. Explain how anthropologists can uphold objectivity and epistemic responsibility in producing reliable knowledge. (2026)

2. Write Brief Notes on the following: (i) Discuss the role of social networks and social capital in shaping urban experiences. (ii) What are some of the ethical considerations for feminist anthropologists conducting fieldwork? (2025)

3. Why do qualitative researchers believe that the empiricist philosophy is not appropriate for studying the social world? How do you compare both approaches – empiricism and interpretivism? (2024)

4. Discuss qualitative and quantitative research approaches appropriate for anthropological research. (2023)

5. Who proposed the idea of "thick description"? Discuss anthropological research as a thick description. Also, provide examples. (2021)

6. What methods of anthropological research make it distinct from research in other social sciences? (2021)

7. Differentiate between "etic" and "emic" approaches used in anthropological research. Highlight various ethnographic techniques used by ethnographers in conducting research in anthropology. (2020)

8. Discuss the issue of objectivity and subjectivity in the field of social research. Explain whether or not objective research is attainable in social anthropology. (2018)

9. What are the major Anthropological Research Techniques which are used to collect field data? Also discuss how Qualitative Research is different from Quantitative Research? (2016)

XIII. Short Notes

1. Rural-urban migration (2018)

2. Participant observation (2018)

3. Types of family (2018)

4. Main branches of anthropology (2018)

5. Cultural relativism (2018)

6. Applied anthropology and community development (2018)

7. Sororal Polygyny & Sororate (2017)

8. Uxorilocal Residence & Virilocal Residence (2017)

9. Phratry & Moiety (2017)

10. Research Tools & Research Method (2017)

11. Paleolithic Culture (2017)

12. Ethnography (2017)

13. Acculturation & Enculturation (2016)

14. Emic & Etic (2016)

15. Endogamy & Exogamy (2016)

16. Consanguine & Affine Relatives (2016)

17. Ethnocentrism (2016)

18. Neolithic Culture (2016)

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