IAS Mains Anthropology 2023 Expected Questions for 2023 Exam
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- Levirate and Sororate
- Hypergamy
- Marriage system in traditional Nayar society
- Endogamy VS Exogamy
- Ways of acquiring mates in tribal societies
- Discuss the various types of rules of descent, giving suitable examples.
- What are descent groups? Describe different forms of descent groups.
- Complementary Filiation
- Kinship Terminology – classification
- “It is the universality of Incest Taboo that gives rise to alliance systems” . Explain
- Types of Kinship Terminology systems.
- Nature of Kinship
- Bilateral Descent
- Unilineal Descent
- Relevance of economic anthropology
- Describe the debate between formalism and Substantivism
- What is the impact of globalization on indigenous economic systems
- Discuss the various systems of exchange
- Nature of simple economic systems
- Nature of production, distribution and exchange in societies subsisting on
- hunting and gathering.
- Describe the different types of political systems, giving examples. 40
- Nature of power, authority and legitimacy 30
- Nature, functions and types of social control. 30
- Nature of social control in modern societies 15
- Nature of law and justice in primitive societies 30
- Primitive Law Vs Modern Law 15
- “Monotheism and Polytheism are not distinct but a part of a larger continuum” . Explain 30
- Sacred VS Profane 30 Marks
- What is religion? Describe the various forms of religion found in tribal and peasant societies. 30
- What are myths? Discuss the functional significance of myths in religion. 30
- What are rituals? Discuss different types of rituals. What do you
- think is the relationship between myths and rituals? 40
- What are the differences in nature of religion and magic? 30
- Magic and Science 15
- Types of Magic 30
- Religion from a functional perspective 30
- Magic, witchcraft and sorcery 15
- Shaman and Priest in religion 15
- Religion as a psychological phenomenon 15
- Discuss the anthropological school of Classical Evolutionism. Add a note on its contributions to the general discipline of anthropology. 40
- What are the general provisions of anthropological school of Diffusionism? Describe the differences in various traditions of Diffusionism. 40
- What is Neo Evolutionism? In what way is this school of thought different from its Classical counterpart? 30
- Discuss the anthropological school of Cultural Materialism. 30
- Discuss the general postulates, methodology and contributions of Historical Particularism in anthropology. 40
- Discuss the contributions of various anthropologists to the culture and personality school.
- Post Modernism in Anthropology 15
- Cognitive Theories in Anthropology 30
- What is functionalism? In what way is this theory different from structural functionalism? 40
- Discuss the contributions of Claude Levi Strauss and Edmund Leach to school of Structuralism. 40
- Biological and Cultural Factors in Human Evolution – 30
- Describe the salient features of Lamarckism and Darwinism.In what way do you think these two approaches to evolution are different? 40
- Discuss the Modern Synthetic Theory of Evolution 30
- Parallelism and Convergence
- Doctrine of Irreversibility of Evolution
- Reproductive Isolation and Speciation
- Natural Selection
- Homology and Analogy
- Adaptive Radiation in Primates
- Describe the Primate Evolutionary Trends while highlighting their significance.
- Comparative Anatomy of Apes and Man.
- Critically evaluate the skeletal changes and other adaptations that have
- Describe the Primate Evolutionary Trends while highlighting their significance.
- Comparative Anatomy of Apes and Man.
- Critically evaluate the skeletal changes and other adaptations that have
- Primate Behavior
- Describe major primate taxa
- Discuss the distribution, general characteristics and phylogenetic status of Australopithecines
- Discuss the distribution, general characteristics and phylogenetic status of Neanderthals.
- Discuss the distribution, general characteristics and phylogenetic status of Homo erectus.
- Homo heidelbergensis.
- Australopithecus VS Paranthropus
- Java Man VS Peking Man
- Cro-Magnon Man
- Mitosis VS Meiosis
- DNA Replication
- Protein Synthesis
- Structure and Function of DNA
- Gene Mutation
- Chromosomes
- Describe the method of Pedigree Analysis and its significance.
- Discuss the Twin Method in human genetics. Add a note on the viability of this method and concerns therein.
- Cytogenetic Method in human genetics.
- Foster Child Method
- What is DNA technology? What are its various applications?
- Multifactor Hypothesis and Polygenetic Inheritance
- Lethal Gene Action
- What is Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium? What are the factors that affect this equilibrium?
- What is inbreeding? What do you think are the genetic consequences of inbreeding on human populations?
- How do you situate Anthropology in Social Sciences? (10Marks 2013)
- Linguistic Anthropology (10Marks 2013)
- Carbon-14 method of dating (10Marks 2013)
- Role of Primatology in Anthropological studies. (10 Marks 2013)
- Give a broad outline of Patheolithic culture emphasizing upon its tool technology (20 Marks 2013)
- Discuss how Neo-Darwinism integrated the fields of Genetics and Evolution (20 Marks 2013)
- How natural selection acts on variation (200 Words)
- Adaptive radiation in context of evolution (200 Words)
- Compare and contrast the skull of Gorilla and man (400 Words)
- Discuss the typology and distribution of upper Paleolithic culture in India (20Marks 2012)
- Comment briefly on the phylogenetic position of Australopithecines (10Marks 2012)
- Synthetic theory (15 Marks – 2011)
- Write Short Notes – 200 Words
- Neanderthal Man (15 Marks – 2011)
- Importance of chronology in prehistory (15 Marks – 2010)
- Man is a Primate. Discuss (30 Marks – 2011)
- Describe major skeletal similarities & differences between Home Erectus & Homo Sapiens 30 Marks – 2011
- What are the major craniofacial changes that occurred during Hominid evolution? Discuss. (30 Marks – 2010)
- Critically examine the synthetic theory of human evolution (30 Marks – 2010)
- Distinguish between major categories of Australopithecines. How are Australopithecines different from Apes? (30 Marks – 2009)
- The upper Paleolithic period provides evidence of their co-existence with modern man. Discuss. (30 Marks – 2008)
- Discuss the modem theory of evolution with special reference to the concepts of gradualism and punctuationalism. (400 Words)
- Write Short Notes (200 Words) :
- Rhodesia Man
- Lower Paleolithic Culture
- Protein Synthesis
- Describe the range of locomotive behavior of contemporary non-human primates and state how does this help in understanding the Structural – functional correlations of their limb structure.
- Discuss the relationship of Anthropology with psychology and medicine.
- Describe any chalcolithic site in India with particular reference to industry and town planning (200 Words)
- ‘Neolithic is a self – sufficient food producing economy’ critically examine this expression. (200 Words)
- ‘Man can stand erect while anthropoid apes cannot’ . Discuss the anatomical changes that occurred in Man due to erect posture. (250 Words)
- ‘Man can stand erect while anthropoid apes cannot’ . Discuss the anatomical changes that occurred in Man due to erect posture. (250 Words)
- Discuss the geographic distribution and taxonomic issues concerning early hominids. Elucidate evidence in support of alternative positions. (250 Words)
- Discuss primate locomotion with special reference to adaptation to arboreal life. (250 Words)
- Discuss the single source Vs multiple sources of the origin of Homo sapiens. Which one of the two hypotheses do you think is more tenable? Give reasons in support of your answer. (250 Words)
- Why is the Neolithic phase of culture in Europe called revolution? Describe its distinctive features. (250 Words)
- What is Synthetic Theory of Evolution? Discuss how this theory helps us in understanding the evolutionary mechanism. How Darwinism differs from the synthetic theory of organic evolution? (400 Words)
- Discuss the similarities and differences between Chimpanzee & Man in salient physical and anatomical characteristics. (250 Words)
- How do you situate Anthropology in Social Sciences?
- Various types of descent
- Totemism
- Linguistic Anthropology
- Carbon-14 method of dating.
- In what ways is Functionalism different from Structural Functionalism? (350 words, 20 marks)
- Bring out the contribution of Turner and Geertz in symbolic and interpretive theories in Anthropology. (250 words, 15 works)
- Point out the differences in the concepts of classical evolution and neo-evolutionism in socio-cultural anthropology. Which stage of Prehistoric culture is known as Cultural Revolution and why? 30 marks
- Discuss the relation between culture and personality. 30 marks
- Why has the concept of Cultural Relativism been so dear to anthropologists? 250 words
- Bring out the distinguishing features of Culture and Civilization. 250 words
- What are the bases of social stratification? Discuss with examples. 250 words
- Explain the concept of “Status” and “Role” in anthropology. 250 words
- Where do you situate the “live-in” relationship within the institution of marriage? (250 words)
- Discuss the impact of urbanization and feminist movement on family. 250 words
- Do you agree with the view that family is a “universal association” . Critically examine. (250 words)
- Critically comment on the forces and factors that have brought about changes in the family structure in recent times. 250 words
- Describe the types of kinship groups formed on the basis of different principles. 250 words
- What factors are responsible for bringing about variation in residence of different societies? Explain how kinship influences man՚s social life. 250 words
- Write a note on forms of descent groups. 200 words
- Discuss the distinguishing features of Unilineal, bilineal and bilateral kin groups with suitable examples. 300 words
- Differentiate economics and economic anthropology. 150 words
- Critically examine the debate between formalists and substantivists. 300 words
- Discuss the impact of globalization on tribal economy. 350 words
- How does taboo serve as a means of social control? 250 words
- “Primitive society is governed by traditional customary law” . Do you agree with this statement? Explain 350 words
- Write a short note on following in 200 words each:
- Ways of acquiring spouse in simpler societies
- Bands and tribal societies
- Chiefdom in tribal society
- Distinguish between Religion, Magic and Science. 350 words
- Critically examine the historical particularistic approach of Franz Boas to study of culture. 350 words
- Define “culture area” . How did it help the American diffusionists to understand diffusion of culture? 250 words
- Write a note in 200 words on following
- Witchcraft and sorcery.
- Post modernism in anthropology
- etic and emic approach
- State the theories regarding the origin of spoken languages both from biological and cultural view. 350 words
- What are the tools of data collection? Discuss about the types of tolls of collection. 350 words
- Explain various anthropological approaches to study religion. 250 words
- Write a note on following in 200 words each:
- Cultural materialism
- Major criticism of the theory of “structuralism” by Claude Levi-Strauss
- Fieldwork tradition in anthropology
- Systemic, stratified and multistage sampling