ANTH 101 – Introduction to Cultural Anthropology

 

Professor: Valentina Pagliai

Oberlin College

 

MWF 1:30pm-2:20pm

 

Office: King 320a

Phone: (440) 775-8372 office

Office Hours: MWF 4:30-5:30pm

E-mail: valentina.pagliai@oberlin.edu

 

Course Description: This course introduces you to anthropology through the reading a series of ethnographic monographs. While presenting the diversity in the ways that humanity has organized its social institutions and cultural systems, the course will focus on ³writing² examining the approaches through which cultures can be understood.  The students will conduct their own fieldwork during the course, and they will themselves engage in ³writing culture.² At the same time, we explore topics related to the study of cultural anthropology, such as the relations between economic systems and political systems; the meanings of ³family ties;² and how individuals are both creatures of their culture and agents of their own lives.  It explores patterns of global inequality -- by class, ethnicity, race, gender, sexuality and nation.  As we read through the ethnographies, we will encounter examples from small-scale societies to the contemporary U.S. and covering most continents.  The class is discussion oriented, not lecture oriented.

 

Texts:

1) Landes, Ruth 1994 (1947).  The City of Women. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press.

2) Shipton, Parker 1989.  Bitter Money: Cultural Economy and Some African Meanings of Forbidden Commodities. Washington: American Anthropological Association.

3) Clastres, Pierre 1987 (1974).  Society Against the State. New York: Zone Books.

4) Patton, Sandra 2000.  Birthmarks: Transracial Adoption in Contemporary America. New York and London: New York University Press.

5) El Guindi, Fawda 1999.  Veil: Modesty, Privacy and Resistance. Oxford: Berg.

6) Price, Richard & Sally Price 1995.  Enigma Variations.  Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

7) A few additional readings are available on Blackboard.

 

Note: All Readings and Assignments are to be done by the date they are listed on the syllabus.  All videos listed will be shown in class. It is generally a good idea to start reading each book in advance of when it is due, to avoid having to read 100 pages at the last minute.

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WEEK 1

 

W 9/7  -- Introduction. How anthropologists think about society. Preview of the course: goals, readings, requirements, grading. 

 

F 9/9 – What is Ethnography? Theories and topics in anthropology.

Assignment (#1) Distributed

 

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WEEK 2

 

M 9/12  -- Ways of seeing. Ways of being seen (or being invisible). Arrivals

Readings: - Smadar Lavie pp. 3-26

- Dorinne Kondo pp. 3-26

- Ruth Landes ³The City of Women² pp. 1-39.

1st Summary Due on today¹s readings.

 

W 9/14 – Ways of seeing. Ways of being seen: Distant Mirrors

Video: "The Axe Fight" Tim Asch

1st part of Assignment #1 Due

Readings:

- Horace Miner ³Body Ritual Among the Nacirema.² P. 27-31

- Janusz Mucha ³An Outsider¹s View of American Culture.² P. 37-43.

 

F 9/16 – Ways of Seeing. Ways of Writing: The Cinematic Other

Video by Trinh Min Ha

Readings:

- Trinh Minh-ha ³Mechanical Eye, Electronic Ear, and the Lure of Authenticity² pp. 53-62. In When the Moon Waxes Red.

2nd Summary due on: Miner, Mucha & Trinh Minh-ha

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WEEK 3

 

M 9/19  – Ways of writing.

Readings: - Sally Cole ³Ruth Landes in Brazil² In Landes¹ book. Pp. vii-xxviii.

 

W 9/21 – Discussion: The City of Women – Studying race (or gender or religion)?

Readings: - Landes pp. 40- (about) 112.

3rd Summary due on Cole & Landes pp.40-112.

 

F 9/23 – Writing fieldnotes.

Assignment #1 Due

Assignment #2 Distributed

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WEEK 4

 

M 9/26 Discussion: The City of Women – Understanding religion (or race or gender)?

Readings: Landes pp. 112- (about) 192.

 

W 9/28 – Discussion: The City of Women – a travelogue?

Readings: - Landes pp. 192-248.

4th summary due on Landes (rest of the book)

 

F 9/30 – Economic systems, Colonialism and Globalization.

Video: Mayan Agricolture

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WEEK 5

 

M 10/3 Discussion: Bitter Money - Research at the crossroads of anthropology and economy.

Readings: - Shipton pp. 1-47.

 

W 10/5 – Discussion: Bitter Money – continued.

Readings: - Shipton pp. 48-83.

5th Summary due on Shipton pp. 1-83.

 

F 10/7 – Transnationalism.

Video: ³Transnational fiesta²

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WEEK 6

 

M 10/10 – Discussion: Globalization and transnationalism.

 

W 10/12 – Political systems and Power.

 

F 10/14 – Discussion: Society Against the State – What is power?

Deadline to select a topic for your final paper

Readings: - Clastres, pp.7-47 & 79-99.

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WEEK 7

 

M 10/17 – Discussion: Society Against the State – Marriage and the family across cultures

Readings: - Clastres, pp. 101-128

6th Summary due on Clastres pp. 7-47 & 79-128.

 

W 10/19 – Discussion: Society Against the State – Globalization and Indigenous cultures

Video: Blowpipes and Bulldozers.

Readings: - Clastres, pp. 151-175.

 

F 10/21 – Discussion: Society Against the State – ³other² philosophies: words and power

Readings: - Clastres, pp. 177-218.

7th Summary due on Clastres on pp. 151-218.

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WEEK 8

- FALL BREAK

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WEEK 9

 

M 10/31 – Discussion: Society Against the State. Society without state? What can difference reveal us?

Assignment #2 Due

 

W 11/2 – Race as Social Construct

Video Excerpts from: Race: The Power of an Illusion

 

F 11/4 – Racism and its social effects

Video Excerpts from: Race: The Power of an Illusion

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WEEK 10

 

M 11/7 – Racism and its social effects, continued

Readings: - Patton, pp. 1-27

 

W 11/9 – The Meaning of Family. Discussion: Birthmarks.

Readings: - Patton, pp. 27-61

8th Summary due on Patton, pp. 1-61.

 

F 11/11 – Self, Personhood and Identity.

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WEEK 11

 

M 11/14 – Discussion: Birthmarks - Kinship & identity

Readings: - Patton, pp. 62-98

 

W 11/16 – Discussion: Birthmarks

Readings: - Patton, pp. 99-129

9th Summary due on Patton, p. 62 to 129

 

F 11/18 – Discussion: Birthmarks

Readings: - Patton, pp. 130-167

Distribute Assignment #3

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WEEK 12

 

M 11/21 – Gender and Sexual Identities

Readings: - El Guindi, pp. 1-22.

Video: ³Honored by the Moon²

 

W 11/23 – Discussion: Gender and Colonialism

Readings: - El Guindi, pp. 37-46

10th Summary due on Patton pp. 130-167 and El Guindi pp. 1-22 and 37-46.

 

F 11/25 – THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

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WEEK 13

 

M 11/28 -- Discussion: Veil – Status and Gender

Readings: - El Guindi, pp. 97-128

 

W 11/30 – Religion. Discussion: Veil

Readings: - El Guindi, pp. 129-145.

11th Summary due on El Guindi pp. 97 to 145

Distribute Guidelines for final paper

 

F 12/2 – – Discussion: Veil -- Resistance

Readings: - El Guindi, pp. 161-185.

Assignment #3 Due.

Video: Paris is Burning

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WEEK 14

 

M 12/5 – The meaning of art.

 

W 12/7 – Discussion: Art

Readings: - Price pp. 1-51

12th Summary due on El Guindi pp. 161-185 & Price pp. 1-51.

 

F 12/9 – Discussion: Art.

Readings: - Price pp. 51-108

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WEEK 15

 

M 12/12 – Discussion: Art and Authenticity.

Readings: - Price pp. 108-155.

13th Summary due on Price, pp. 51 to end.

 

W 12/14 -- Final discussion: writing, meaning making, and anthropological responsibility.

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FINALS' WEEK

 

Final Paper Due: Thursday May 19th at 7pm

Course Policies:

 

Code of honor

The Oberlin College Students' Code of Honor applies to the course, please familiarize yourself with it: http://www.oberlin.edu/students/student_pages/honor_code.html

 

Readings should be completed by the day they are listed on the syllabus; this will help you follow lectures and prepare for lectures and section.

 

Summaries are due at the beginning of the class session.  They must be typed, about 500 words long. Summaries and other assignments must be turned in on time at the beginning of class.  They will be graded down 1 point for each day that they are late. Each summary is graded on a scale of 1 to 10 and it is worth 1.78% of the final grade.

 

Participation to class Discussions is fundamental. Everybody is expected to participate actively to class discussion every time the class meets and as time allows. ³Active participation,² means speaking during discussions (at least most of the time), having questions prepared for potential discussion for every class, and getting to know your fellow classmates by name, major, etc. Merely attending class does not constitute active in class participation.

 

Presence in class is expected, and I will take the roll at the beginning of each class. Students present at the roll will receive 1 point.  Students who are late may not be recorded.

 

Grades:

Assignment #1 (exchange of perspectives)                                          5 % of final grade

Assignment #2 (First draft)                                                                  5 %

Assignment #3 (Second draft)                                                              10 %

Final Paper                                                                                           25 %

Summaries                                                                                           26 %

Class presentations                                                                               5 %

Participation (discussions and presence in class)                                               24 %

                                                                                                            _________

                                                                                                            100 %

 

A+ = 96% of grade; A = 93%; A- = 90%, B+ = 86%; B = 82%; B- = 78%; C+ = 74%; C = 70%; C- = 60%; NE = Less than 60%; D = 55%; F = Less than 55%.

 

Final Note: Although the syllabus will be followed as much as possible, it is intended as a guideline and circumstances may require a change to the schedule.  Students are responsible for any changes announced in class.

 

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