9318958 Rodriguez This project involves the dissertation research of a student in cultural anthropology from the University of New Mexico. The student will conduct ethnographic research on middle-class White "lifestyle migrants" living in Taos, NM, an Indian town. The research will see how these people define their lives in contrast and distinction to the dominant more commercially-oriented society. Using techniques of participant observation, survey interviews with individuals and with local institutions, the student will analyze this counter-current in contemporary US society. This research is important because it adds to the scientifically trained capacity of the nation, and will provide a case study of an alternative life-style. Understanding how this sector of society defines itself will provide a valuable comparative case to enrich our understanding of contemporary life in the US. ***
