Final answer:
Clifford Geertz is closely associated with Symbolic Anthropology, which studies how symbols shape social and cultural orders. Theoretical perspectives like functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism offer different lenses through which to analyze cultural phenomena.
Step-by-step explanation:
The sub-field of cultural anthropology with which Clifford Geertz is closely associated is C. Symbolic Anthropology. Geertz's work is marked by a focus on the symbolic dimensions of social life, how symbols shape public behavior, and the interpretation of cultures. Symbolic anthropology studies the role of symbols in constructing and maintaining social and cultural orders.
In terms of theoretical perspectives, functionalism views culture as a system that fulfills society's needs, while conflict theory sees culture as inherently unequal. Symbolic interactionism, on the other hand, is more focused on the daily interactions and symbols within a culture. It is this micro-level approach that symbolic interactionists would apply when studying religion's impact on individual well-being (B. symbolic interactionism), making them likely to use participant observation as a research technique.
Movements like Occupy Wall Street would be regarded skeptically from a functionalist perspective due to the disruptions they cause to social order. The idea that gender inequality arises from labor divisions aligns with functionalism, which also emphasizes the need to regulate sexual behavior for family stability. On the contrary, conflict theory would be applied to analyze how Hispanic American students are disadvantaged in the U.S. education system.