Reading Comprehension

PT102 · S1 · P3 · Q21 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.

21.

In the passage, the author is primarily concerned with doing which one of the following?

identifying an assumption common to
Too Narrow
This answer only relates to a discussion in the 3rd paragraph. The author mentions, offhand, that an assumption held by Pan-Indian proponents is also held by various assimilationist theories, but she doesn't criticize these other theories. Even if she did, this answer would be too locked into the purpose of the 3rd paragraph, but not the entire passage. The passage overall is about saying, "The rise of intertribalism does not signal the forthcoming death of specific tribal identities". The objection in the 3rd paragraph is just saying, "Minority cultures do not immediately succumb to majority cultures upon cultural contact with them".
15% picked this
arguing that the recent revival
Wrong Objection
The first half of this answer is great, but the second half misses the mark. It should read, "the recent revival of tribal stuff shows they're wrong in believing that intertribalism is a signal that tribes are losing their specific identities and traditions and assimilating into Euroamerican society." The author agrees that intertribalism is a potent force (the last sentence of the passage explains why it is). She's not trying to deny that idea.
11% picked this
Correct
questioning the belief that native
Why this is right
We know that the author's primary concern is to Challenge the Position of the "many sociologists" in the first paragraph, who "suggest that an intertribal movement is now in ascension and claim the inevitable outcome of this tendency is the eventual dissolution of tribes and the complete assimilation of native Americans into Euroamerican society". So our author is definitely questioning the belief that 'native American societies will eventually be assimilated into Euroamerican society'. Does the author do so by arguing that intertribalism helps strengthen native American identity? Sigh, yes, in part. This is definitely not a perfect answer. The author basically says a couple things 1. there is concurrently an uptick in traditions that are specific to individual tribes (so tribes are not dissolving as a result of intertribalism) 2. there is also an uptick in intertribalism, but native Americans make a conscious distinction between that and tribalism. They are using the former to reinforce native Americanism vs. Euroamericanism. This answer annoyingly only deals with that 2nd point, but it's still the best available answer.
Skill tested: Primary Purpose · how this choice captures the passage's function is the move to repeat next time.
70% picked this
showing how the recent resurgence
Out of Scope
Out of Scope: deliberate attempt Unsupported Causal Relationship This answer makes it seem like the reason that tribal activities are having a concurrent revitalization is to offset the growing influence of intertribalism, but the author never draws a causal connection like that. The author brings up the resurgence of tribal activities for the sake of Challenging the Position of sociologists who think that "a rise in intertribalism will mean a decline in tribalism". The author is just saying, "Nuh-uh. Look, they're both rising concurrently. A more complex societal shift is taking place than what Pan-Indianism theorists are selling."
2% picked this
proposing an explanation of why
Opposite
The sociologists believe that the ascent of intertribalism could result in the eventual dissolution of tribes, but the author is writing this passage to disagree with that prognosis (not to "explain why it's happening", as this answer says).
2% picked this

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