Editorial Voice

The Culture, Society, and Praxis Journal is back for another exciting number! Our main theme in this issue is the human experience. Students, scholars, and anyone who cares about promoting change, and participating in the effort to define and create the change, have the ability to do so in our journal. The theory of Praxis has led our writers and creators in this issue to focus on different experiences that we, as humans, go through in our everyday lives. Writers and artists from various backgrounds submitting their ideas in this issue, remind us of the variety of social, economic and cultural issues that we are confronted with, or of the steps and decisions that we have made as members of this collective that we call humanity and that need to be brought to light. We hope that the articles in this issue inspire our readers to recognize and embrace changes that will benefit the world as a singular and compact whole. The human experience is not just about one individual’s life; the experience is about touching everyone’s life around you. Author Samuel Peterson analyzes the current education status of African Americans in California, specifically Sacramento County. Samuel Peterson looks closely at the economic struggles that African Americans face in their personal and public lives. These struggles have lead to the lack of opportunity for a higher education in many African American homes in Sacramento County. Samuel Peterson offers positive methods and routes for African Americans in the Sacramento County to take in order to have easier access to possibilities for a higher education. Ashlee Bailey contributes her article to the CS&P Journal with her review on materials containing characters called, “Monsters”. Childhood films and popular stories have created this so called “Monster” character that is used to evoke certain forms of emotion to the human spirit. The various classifications of monsters, for example their size, and the tactics they employ to scare, harm, or frighten humans is manipulated by the author or creator, yet Ashlee Bailey proposes the idea of monster characteristics living in all of us, perhaps we as humans…have thoughts that a monster would have, are we monsters ourselves? Juan J. Gutierrez has contributed a guest article in Spanish talking about the great challenges confronting cultural anthropologists in this new century. Anthropology continues today as one of the most fascinating and engaged disciplines of the wide arena of scientific knowledge. Moving beyond the periods of contact and domination of the 15th through 20th Centuries, the world observed by anthropologists has moved into a new phase of interdependency and communications that must be addressed as a theme of central interest to the discipline. It is in this context that migration is without a doubt the main issue of our days as it unfolds in the context of all other remarkable events and concerns such as development and the environment, religious violence, and cultural imperialism and resistance. No less important as a specific concern for the urban anthropologist, the author calls attention to the emergence and consolidation of a transnational culture of consumption crystallizing in the age of massive migrations. The Neanderthal debate is a fresh off the press issue that current scholars and scientist are arguing today. Author Emeri Eide offers her conclusion to the contentious question: Did Neanderthals and Homo sapiens interbreed? Emeri Eide explores the evidence found by Paleoanthropologists, such evidence has lead to various theories that scholars have used to conclude their own thoughts on the Neanderthal and Homo sapien debate; Edie also explores these theories as well. CSUMB Alumni Bronwynn Lloyd also brings forth another current scholarly debate regarding the late Roman-Anglo Saxon transition. Bronwynn Lloyd provides historical background on the Roman occupation and a forceful takeover by Germanic tribes. The author analyzes researchers interpretations of the settlement layout and building construction offered for the military settlements of Catterick, York, and Birdoswald, to suggest the development of a distinct Romano-British population that emerged during the period of post-Roman rule. Bronwynn looks at this debate from an archaeological perspective, offering archaeological finds that would suggest other thoughts that have been ignored by past researchers. The current American economy is experiencing upcoming Presidential election festivities. Author Sven Brendel offers his thoughts on supply-side tactics that the American government has historically practiced. Such tactics include government incentives that the public should be aware of, the public\u27s faith in the government just might change after the author argues against these incentives. These practices could sway a reader’s opinion or two considering future government practices might repeat historical practices, thus not only Americans, but international countries as well, will be feeling the outcomes of these future decisions