Syllabus & Reading List

INTRODUCTION TO ANTHROPOLOGY                 Fall 2017  (yippee)

ANTH 1100                                                        
B125

T/Th 8:30-10:20                                          Laurie Greene

Office: C107; X4564

Office Hours: Tuesday/Thursday 10:30-12:20,  or by appointment

E-Mail: laurie.greene@stockton.edu (please put ANTH 1100 in subject line)

Texts/Materials:

Kenny, Michael G. & Kirsten Smillie. (2015) Stories of Culture & Place: An Introduction to Cultural Anthropology  (University of Toronto Press).

Boyd, Colleen & Luke Eric Lassiter, eds. (2011) Explorations in Cultural Anthropology: Readings 
            (AltaMira Press).
*Additional short readings posted on the blog/blackboard

Syllabus and Reading List:

Week 1: INTRODUCTION & THE NATURE OF CULTURE (9/5-9/7)

   Topics:          Course Requirements & Grading

                        What is Anthropology/Cultural Anthropology?
                        What is "Culture" and why do we study it?
                        How does one study culture? 
                                  The "comparative method"
                                  The importance of "meaning" & the difficulty of "interpretation"
                        Why anthropology matters: applying anthropology to todays problems

   Readings:       STORIES OF CULTURE & PLACE  Introduction (9/5)
                        EXPLORATIONS... Body Ritual Among the Nacirema (chapter 1) (9/7)

"Body Ritual Among the Nacirema."

PDF: http://www.sfu.ca/~palys/Miner-1956-BodyRitualAmongTheNacirema.pdf

HTML: http://www.ohio.edu/people/thompsoc/Body.html 

   Due:              Class Discussion: Whose Lives Matter? (9/5) My Exotic Life -(9/7)

Week 2: CULTURE SHOCK (9/12-9/14)

   Topics:          Ethnocentrism & Cultural Relativity

                        Methods of Direct Observation: Fieldwork & participant Observation
                        Human Nature: Unity (universals) & Diversity

   Readings:       STORIES OF CULTURE & PLACE  Chapter 1 -(9/12)
                        EXPLORATIONS... Crack in Spanish Harlem (chapter 2), Eating Christmas in  
                                       the Kalahari (chapter 4), Reflections of a Shy Ethnographer (chapter 5) 
                                       -(9/14)

   Due:              Class Discussion: How is the anthropological method and perspective unique? Why is the concept of culture important? 

Week 3: FIELDWORK STORIES (9/19-9/21)

   Topics:          Doing Fieldwork

                        British Social Anthropology: Functionalism & Beyond                        
                        American Anthropology: Boas to Structuralism
                        Applying Anthropology: Medical, International Development & Climate Change

   Readings:      STORIES OF CULTURE & PLACE  Chapter 3 (9/19)
                        EXPLORATIONS... Cultural Relativism & Human Rights (chapter 3) , 
                                  Doing Collaborative Ethnography (chapter 6) -(9/21)

   *Movie:         Paul Farmer and Medical Anthropology (9/21)

   Due:             Class Discussion: Pressing World Problems for Anthropologists (think tank)

                        

Week 4: HISTORY & ANTHROPOLOGICAL THOUGHT (9/26-9/28)

   Topics:         Cultural Evolution & Evolutionary Theory

                       The Myth of the "Noble Savage"

                       The Grand Diffusionists and the Notion of Racial Superiority

   Readings:      STORIES OF CULTURE & PLACE  Chapter 3 (9/26)
  *Movie:          Barbara Myerhoff:

   Due:             Class Discussion
                       Essay#1: Anthropology & Human Rights (9/28)

               

Week 5: KINSHIP: MARRIAGE, FAMILY & DESCENT (10/3-10/5)

   Topics:          The Role of Kinship Systems in Anthropology
                                  Social Organization
                                  Unilineal Descent: Matriliny & Patriliny
                                  Bilateral Descent
                        Marriage Systems
                                  Monogamy
                                            Serial Monogamy
                                  Polygamy
                                            Polygyny, Polyandry & Group Marriage
                        Marriage & Economic Exchange: Dowery, Bridewealth
                        Genetic Versus Social Kinship

   Readings:       STORIES OF CULTURE & PLACE  Chapter 4 (10/3)
                        EXPLORATIONS... Gay Marriage (chapter 23), When Brothers Share a Wife 
                                   (chapter 24), Caveat Emptor (chapter 25)- (10/5)     

   Due:              Class Discussion

                       

Week 6:   SUBSISTENCE & THE ENVIRONMENT (10/10-10/12)
                        Subsistence Patterns and the Concept of Adaptation
                        Food Collectors Versus Food Producers
                        The Impact of Domestication
                        The impact of Climate Change
   Readings:       Blackboard: 
   Due:               Class Discussion
                         Essay #2: Anthropology & The Future of Marriage (10/12)
   Film:              The Anthropologist (10/12)
  

Week 7: SYMBOL MYTH & MEANING (10/17-10/19)

   Topics:          The Concept of Meaning & Culture-Symbols
                        Benedict's Cultural Patterns
                        Cultural & Personality/Illness as non--Modal
                        Religion, Myth & Magic

   Readings:       STORIES OF CULTURE & PLACE  Chapter 5 (10/17)
                        EXPLORATIONS... - The Sacred Pipe (chapter 26), Oh Gods! (chapter 27), Folklore & 
                                     Medicine (chapter 28)(10/19)

   Due:              Class Discussion



Week 8: NO Class Preceptorial Advising Tuesday, October 24^th

**MID-TERM EXAM REVIEW, Thursday October 26th,WEEKS #1-6**

       **MID-TERM EXAM, Tuesday October 31st,WEEKS #1-6**

Week 9: LANGUAGE & RELIGION, SYMBOLIC SYSTEMS (10/31-11/2)

   Topics:           Habitus, Culture & Body Techniques
                         Language as a Symbolic System-Epistomology
                         Language & Cu;lture

   Readings:       EXPLORATIONS...  The Circle (chapter 8), Fighting For Our Lives (chapter 9), Body Art 
                                        (chapter 10)-(11/2)

   Due:              Class Discussion

                        Essay # 3: Anthropology & The Impact Climate Change (11/2)

Week 10: CONTEMPORARY ISSUES: POLITICAL SYSTEMS & THE POLITICS OF CULTURE (11/7-11/9)

   Topics:          Political Systems
                                   Bands, Tribes, Chiefdoms & States
                        Political Movements
                                    Cultural Nationalism & Revitalization Movements
                                    Nativistic Movements
                                    Cultural activism

   Readings:       STORIES OF CULTURE & PLACE  Chapter 6 (11/7)
                        EXPLORATIONS... One Hundred Percent American (chapter 11), A Tribal Chair's Perspective 
                                     (chapter 14), Melungeons & The Politics of Heritage (chapter 16)- (11/9)

   Due:              Class Discussion

Week 11: CONTEMPORARY ISSUES: GENDER (11/14-11/16)

   Topics:          Gender, Sex & Sexuality
                        Gender as a social construct
                        Feminism & Queer Theory
                        Sex Assignment & Sexual Identity

   Readings:       STORIES OF CULTURE & PLACE  Chapter 7 (11/14)
                        EXPLORATIONS... Different Words, Different Worlds (chapter 18), Ladies Behind Bars
                                      (chapter 19), The Sworn Virgins (chapter 20), Hijra & Sadhin (chapter 21)- (11/16)

   Due:              Class Discussion

       

Week 12: CONTEMPORARY ISSUES: RACE (11/21)

   Topics:           Diversity of the Human Race
                         Race a a Biological and Political (Social) Construct
                         Outlawing Race Mixing
                         The Causes of Genocide

   Readings:       STORIES OF CULTURE & PLACE  Chapter 8 (11/21)
                        EXPLORATIONS... Scientific & Folk Ideas (chapter 15), Inventing Hispanics (chapter 17)- 
                                       (11/21)

   Due:              Class Discussion
                        Essay #4: Anthropology & Trans-sexuality and the Future of Gender (11/21)

No Class November 23rd Thanksgiving Break

Week 13: CONTEMPORARY ISSUES: GLOBALIZATION (11/28-11/30)

   Topics:          Change, Progress & Modernization

                        Globalization & Migration
                        Cultural Imperialism
                        Culture & Place /Transnationalism

   Readings:       STORIES OF CULTURE & PLACE  Chapter 9 (11/28)
                        EXPLORATIONS... The Silk Road (chapter 12), The Globalization of Brazilian Fishing 
                                     (chapter 13), -(11/30)

   *Movie:        

   Due:              Class Discussion

Week 14: ANTHROPOLOGY & SOCIAL ACTIVISM & REVIEW (12/5-12/7)

   Topics:          Activist Anthropology

                       Applying Anthropology   
                       Exam Review (12/7)

   Readings:      EXPLORATIONS... Reflections on Collaboration (chapter 29), -(12/5)
                       Blackboard

   Due:             Class Discussion
                       Essay #5: Anthropology & The Changing Face of Racism (12/7)

   

Week 15:  FINAL EXAM 8:30, Tuesday, December12^th

Requirements and Evaluation:

            This is an introductory level course in anthropology, but that does NOT mean that it will be any of the following ("Top 10 List" of things NOT to expect):

            (1) So easy that you will brag to your friends about your astute course selection skills.

            (2) Requiring no reading, riveting discussion, or deep, soul searching thinking (I have torturous ways to make your talk, exposing even the most personal of your desires and heinous of your opinions).

            (3) A boring overview of the textual material by a professor who has absolutely NO CLUE that you are reading romance novels and doing your "Greek" bulk mailings in the back of the room. (I will be aware of this activity).

            (4) The same course that has been taught for the past 15 years, so that you can get a preview copy of the exams and pre-written paper assignments from your friends. (too bad).

            (5) A touchy-feely, left-wing, liberal discussion of political correctness and cultural sensitivity by a professor that is so far to the left that she can't see around the corner. (I have good eyesight).

            (6) A writing intensive (W1) course...surprisingly, I expect you to be able to write.

            (7) A course comprised of testing based on multiple choice exams, whose questions are taken directly from a study guide that will be distributed on the first day of class.

(8) A course unconcerned with the due dates of assignments since after all, this is not your major, and therefore, understandably, unimportant.

            (9) A course where you are required to buy a textbook as a reference, but are not expected to actually READ it. (How redundant).

            (10) A break in your schedule, a convenient time to take a short but rejuvenating nap, chow down on junk food with noisy wrappers (without offering some to your professor), and then take a trip to the powder room to freshen up.

                    NOT!!!

                       

       This class WILL be evaluated on the following criteria:

            (1) Essays (5, ~3 page length)………………………….50%

            (2) Midterm………………………………………………………20%

            (3) Final……………………………………………………………20%

            (4) Class Discussion/Attendance…………………….10% (really)…I better know your name!

            The material discussed in this class will be thought provoking, often "bizarre", and sometimes controversial. It is essential that you participate in class, and attempt to contribute to class discussion. This should be fun. Class participation will be a factor in determining the outcome of your grades at the end of the semester. There will be NO "extra credit" work in this class. So, participate; it makes this class much more interesting. Although I do encourage all discussion, I will also insist that certain rules of conversation and debate be followed in class. This means that all argumentation must be presented in a polite and respectful manner. I will not tolerate any disrespect for your classmates.

            As a second component of class you will be required to write essays on the articles from Conformity & Conflict reader every other week. These essays will be an evaluation of your ability to apply the theoretical information presented in class to analize practical sitations in which the anthropological analysis may be applied.  These will make up 50% (half) of your grade.

YOUR OWN DEATH will be one of the few excuses that I will accept for late papers. Please have your dog muzzled, make sure that your car is tuned up and your tires are rotated, check on the health of your close relatives, service your computer and printer and visit a relationship counselor atleast four days prior to each due date. If you are having any serious problems you must see/talk to me BEFORE the day that the paper is due.

           

The exams will NOT be inclusive. The midterm will cover everything through chapter 8 (week #6) in your text (Social Organization) and any essays that have been done up to that point, along with films and other topics discussed in class. The final exam will cover weeks #7-15. Do Not Be Afraid !

            Ethnographic films will be shown periodically throughout the semester. Documentary is an important illustrative tool in anthropology and the materials covered in these films will be included on your exams. You will be given a viewing guide to accompany each film. These guides will contain questions which are meant to direct your observations and class discussion of the film. These do not have to be handed in, but should be completed and saved for your own benefit. The films for this semester are listed on your syllabus, but I reserve the right to alter this film list if necessary. You are responsible for viewing any films that you may miss. All films are owned by the media service in the lower library level.

            FINALLY, all the requirements listed above are to be completed to receive credit for the course. I reserve the right to deny any student a passing grade who has NOT completed ANY of the requirements outlined above. But for sure…Failure to turn in one essay will result in no higher than a “B” grade for the term, reguardless of your average---two papers (“C”), three papers (“D”).