Reading Comprehension

PT102 · S1 · P3 · Q19 Intertribalism's Effects

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Even in the midst of its resurgence as a vital tradition, many sociologists have viewed the current form of the powwow, a ceremonial gathering of native Americans, as a sign that tribal culture is in decline.

Topic

The current state of powwows and tribal/intertribal identity among Native Americans, challenging the "Pan-Indian" theory.

Framework

Challenge Position

Main Point

Many sociologists claim that increased intertribal activities like shared powwow traditions signal the decline and eventual assimilation of Native American tribal cultures ("Pan-Indianism"). However, the author argues this view is too simplistic and ignores simultaneous revivals of individual tribal traditions—both tribalism and intertribalism are thriving in distinct ways. *The Most Valuable Sentence:* (End of paragraph 2)

P1: Introduction of the Pan-Indian Theory / Conventional View

Many sociologists argue that powwows are evidence of a decline in distinct tribal cultures and the rise of a unifying, assimilating "Pan-Indian" identity, fueled by increased intertribal contact, urbanization, and politicization.

P2: Evidence Against Pan-Indianism's Simplicity

Yes, intertribal traditions are spreading quickly, but the theory ignores the revitalization of specific, unique tribal traditions (like the Sun Dance among the Lakota and traditional societies among Kiowa and Ponca). The real changes are more complex than simple assimilation.

P3: Critiquing Pan-Indian Theory's Assumptions

The Pan-Indian perspective is based on the questionable assumption that contact always leads to total assimilation. Native Americans themselves resist being lumped together, and there's no evidence for total assimilation as the outcome.

19.

With which one of the following statements would the author of the passage be most likely to agree?

The resurgence of the powwow
Out of Scope: influencing Euroamerican
The author never argues that the powwow is a sign that Native Americans are influencing Euroamerican society. The author is only arguing that the powwow is not a sign that Native Americans are fully succumbing to Euroamerican society.
1% picked this
Although native Americans draw conscious
Too Strong: no difference Contradicted
Sameness is a very extreme idea. This answer is saying that tribal and intertribal activities function identically within the context of native American society. Not only is that too strong to support, it also seems contradicted by the final paragraph, which explains how tribal activities have a difference function than intertribal activities do.
7% picked this
Correct
Without intertribal activities, it would
Why this is right
This style of correct answer we sometimes call "Flip the Causal Difference-Maker". If we are told in a passage that "using flashcards really helped Timmy get better at conditional logic", then a Most Supported correct answer will say, "Without flashcards, Timmy would be less adept at conditional logic". We can support this answer choice with the final sentence of the passage. That sentence indicates that "intertribal activities reinforce native American identity along a broader front, where this identity is directly threatened by outside influences", and we know from context that the outside influences being referred to is the pressure to assimilate into Euroamerican society. The final paragraph is saying that native Americans use tribal activities to differentiate Tribe A from Tribe B, but they use intertribal activities to differentiate native American culture from Euroamerican culture. Since the author has identified that native Americans use intertribal activities to achieve X, we can support the idea that "Without intertribal activities, it would be more difficult for native Americans to achieve X".
Skill tested: Author Opinion · how this choice captures the passage's function is the move to repeat next time.
53% picked this
The powwow was recently revived,
Unsupported Causal Relationship
We were never told by the author any specific causal reason why the powwow was revived. The author does tell us that intertribal activities (of which the powwow is one example) help native Americans affirm their collective identity, where that identity is threatened by outside influences like Euroamerican culture. But the last paragraph doesn't specifically discuss the powwow, so we'd just be doing too much speculating to say that the reason the powwow was recently revived was in order to strengthen native Americans' ethnic identity.
11% picked this
The degree of urbanization, intertribal
Wrong Objection
The author thinks that proponents of Pan-Indianism are exaggerating the sense in which a rise in intertribal activities signals a decline in specific tribal identities. But the author acknowledges there is a shift going on, so she would potentially agree with proponents of Pan Indianism that there is more urbanization, more intertribal communication, and more politicization. These ideas are brought up in the final sentence of the 1st paragraph, and the author concedes that they are true by starting the 2nd paragraph with "Indeed", before pivoting into her objection. She is saying, "yes all that stuff is true, but another thing is also true (an increase in unique tribal traditions), so you're exaggerating the extent to which specific tribal cultures are in decline."
28% picked this

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