Welcome to Paper 2 Section B: Arguing from an Area of Inquiry

Welcome! This chapter is all about one of the most exciting parts of your Social and Cultural Anthropology exam: Paper 2 Section B. This is your chance to show off the deep knowledge you have gained about specific cultures and societies through the "Areas of Inquiry" you studied in class. Whether you are an SL or HL student, this guide will help you navigate the requirements, avoid common traps, and build a high-scoring argument.

Don't worry if this seems a bit overwhelming at first! Think of Section B as a conversation where you use real-world stories (ethnographies) to answer big questions about how humans live.

1. Understanding the Paper 2 Structure

Paper 2 is divided into two sections. While Section A focuses on a compulsory question about a real-world issue, Section B gives you more freedom to choose what you write about.

The "Golden Rule" of Selection

There is one very important rule you must remember to avoid losing marks: You cannot use the same Area of Inquiry for both Section A and Section B.

  • SL Students: You must study 3 Areas of Inquiry. You will use one for Section A and choose a different one for Section B.
  • HL Students: You must study 4 Areas of Inquiry. You will use one for Section A and choose two different areas for Section B.

Quick Tip: If you "double-dip" (use the same area for both sections), your marks for Section B will be capped! Always have a clear plan of which area you will use for which section before you start writing.

2. What are the "Areas of Inquiry"?

The syllabus organizes anthropology into nine areas. You don't study all of them—your teacher chooses a selection from these three groups:

  • Group 1: Classifying the world; Health, illness and healing; The body.
  • Group 2: Belonging; Communication, expression and technology; Movement, time and space.
  • Group 3: Conflict; Development; Production, exchange and consumption.

Each area has its own inquiry-specific concepts. For example, if you studied Belonging, you must be ready to discuss concepts like ethnicity/race, kinship, and nation-state.

3. The Building Blocks of a Great Answer

To get the highest marks in Section B, your essay needs to balance four main elements. Think of these as the ingredients in a recipe:

A. Ethnographic Material

You must use the ethnographies (the books or studies of specific groups) you read in class. When you mention an ethnography, you must situate it. This means telling the examiner:

  • Who was the ethnographer? (e.g., Malinowski)
  • Where was the fieldwork location? (e.g., The Trobriand Islands)
  • What was the historical context or ethnographic present? (When was the study done?)

B. Anthropological Concepts

You need to use two types of concepts:

  1. Key Concepts: The nine big ideas from Part 1 (e.g., Belief and knowledge, Change, Culture, Identity, Materiality, Power, Social relations, Society, Symbolism).
  2. Inquiry-Specific Concepts: The terms specifically tied to the area you are writing about (e.g., liminality for Movement, time and space).

C. Anthropological Theory

Theory is how anthropologists explain the "why" behind what they see.
For SL students: You need to identify and explain theories relevant to your ethnography.
For HL students: You need to do more—you must compare, contrast, and evaluate different theories.

D. The Argument (Command Terms)

Pay close attention to the command term in the question. It tells you how to think:

  • Analyse: Break it down into parts to show how they work together.
  • Discuss: Look at different sides of an argument; provide a balanced review.
  • Evaluate: Weigh the strengths and limitations of an idea or theory.
  • To what extent: Explore how much a statement is true and where it might stop being true.

4. Step-by-Step: How to Write the Essay

Step 1: Choose your question carefully. Pick the one where you remember the inquiry-specific concepts and theory most clearly.

Step 2: The Introduction. Briefly define the main concepts in the question. State which ethnography you will use and mention the ethnographer and location.

Step 3: Body Paragraphs. Use a "Concept-Evidence-Explanation" approach:
- Point: Make a claim related to the question.
- Evidence: Describe a specific example from your ethnography.
- Explanation: Use a theory to explain why the people behave this way or how this relates to the concept.

Step 4: Evaluation (Especially for HL). Don't just describe! Ask yourself: Is this theory perfect? Does it miss anything? How has the culture changed since the ethnographer was there?

5. Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • The "Data Dump": Don't just tell the "story" of the people you studied. Always link the story back to the anthropological question and concepts.
  • Forgetting the Ethnographer: Anthropology is about how a particular person constructed a description. Always name the researcher!
  • Ignoring History: Remember that societies change. A study from the 1920s might not represent that society today. Mentioning this shows reflexivity and analysis.
  • Vague Definitions: Be precise. If you use the word Power, use the starting definition provided in the syllabus (the capacity to influence or control others).

Did you know? Anthropology is a "cycle." It starts with a question, involves ethical data collection, and ends with analysis and reflection. Showing you understand this process in your writing makes your answer much more "anthropological"!

Quick Review: Section B Checklist

- Did I pick a different area than Section A?
- Did I name the ethnographer and location?
- Did I use inquiry-specific concepts?
- Did I apply a theory (and evaluate it if I'm HL)?
- Did I answer the specific command term (e.g., "Discuss")?

Keep practicing with past paper questions! The more you connect your ethnographies to the nine key concepts, the easier Section B will become. You've got this!