Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (Anthropology 170)
Tues./Thurs. 12:30 pm-1:45 pm
Spring 2004
Tel: (860)832-2612
E-mail: gutierrezs@ccsu.edu
http://www.anthropology.ccsu.edu/gutierrez
Course Description:
Though there is no single definition of anthropology, it has often been described as the study of nature, human history and human society. It seeks to answer the questions who we are, where did we come from and where are we going? In its broadest sense anthropology is the study of what it means to be human. Anthropologists study the past as well as the present. An anthropologist’s mission may be strictly applied (that is to work on creating intentional change of individual or institutional behavior) or strictly theoretical (that is to explain or understand in broader terms). More than likely, the anthropologist will do both. This course is designed to: look at the world through the eyes of an anthropologist; to introduce students to the “anthropological perspective”; to look at the historical, political and economic roots of society and culture, including the U.S and by doing so, to challenge assumptions about ourselves and others. This course will combine lectures, discussions, videos, and if possible, guest speakers.
Objectives:
1. To give students the potential to examine and understand the human condition from an anthropological perspective.
2. To enable students to use the insights of anthropology to understand current, local and global problems and concerns by exploring the dynamic power relations and the historical cultural connections comprising the modern global economy.
3. To look critically and scholarly at our societies' and our own cultural constructions;
4. To gain a culturally relative understanding of people’s experiences in different societies;
5. Experience in participant observation; and
6. Experience in writing ethnography, or cultural descriptions.
Required Book:
Cultural Anthropology: A Contemporary Perspective, 3rd edition by Roger M. Keesing and Andrew J. Strathern. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth Learning, Inc. 1998
ISBN: 0-03-047582-1
(Listed in syllabus as ‘K/S’).
Reserve Readings: Reserve Readings are listed in the syllabus and are on electronic reserve through the CCSU library web site. In addition the library has a print hard copy of the articles on reserve.
The following is a list (in alphabetical order by author) of the readings on reserve.
Check syllabus for due dates.
Abu-Lughod, Lila 2002. “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving? Anthropological Reflections on Cultural Relativism and Its Others” American Anthropologist 104, no. 3:783-790. (Week 7)
Sociology of Religion 63, no. 4:403-426. (Week 14)
Daniel, E. Valentine 2002. “Chapter 14: The Refugee: A Discourse on Displacement” pp.270-276
in Exotic No More:Anthropology on the Front Lines, Jeremy MacClancy, Editor.
Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. ISBN: 0-226-50012-8. (Week 6)
Goodman, Alan H. 2001. “Chapter 3: Biological Diversity and Cultural Diversity: From Race to Radical
Bioculturalism” pp. 29-45 in Cultural Diversity in the United States, Ida Susser and Thomas C. Patterson,
editors. Malden, MA and Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers. ISBN: 0-631-22213-8. (Week 4)
Gottlieb, Alma 2002. “Chapter 9: Interpreting Gender and Sexuality: Approaches from Cultural Anthropology” pp. 167-189 in Exotic No More: Anthropology on the Front Lines, Jeremy MacClancy, editor. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. ISBN: 0-226-50012-8. (Week 7)
Harrison, Faye V. 2002. “Chapter 8: Unraveling “Race” for the Twenty-First Century” pp. 145-166 in Exotic No More: Anthropology on the Front Lines, Jeremy MacClancy, editor.
Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. ISBN: 0-226-50012-8. (Week 4)
Miner, Horace 2003. “Chapter 1: Body Ritual Among the Nacirema” pp. 5-8 in Applying Cultural Anthropology: An Introductory Reader, Aaron Podolefsky and Peter J. Brown, editors. New York, NY: McGraw Hill Publishers. ISBN: 0-07-256425-3. (Week 3)
Mamdani, Mahmood 2002. “Good Muslim, Bad Muslim”
American Anthropologist 104, no. 3:766-775. (Week 6)
Scott, Elizabeth M. 2001 “Chapter 10: The Roots of U.S. Inequality” pp. 155-172 in Cultural Diversity in the United States, Ida Susser and Thomas C. Patterson, editors. Malden, MA and Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers. ISBN: 0-631-22213-8. (Week 7)
Urciuoli, Bonnie “The Complex Diversity of Language in the United States” pp. 190-205 in Cultural Diversity in the United States, Ida Susser and Thomas C. Patterson, editors. Malden, MA and Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers. ISBN: 0-631-22213-8. (Week 6)
Evaluation and Grading:
Class participation = 10%
Class participation is essential. You must know the readings, and I advise you to read ahead.
Appearing in class and sitting in the back of the room without ever contributing is NOT participation. Active participation in class discussions will enhance your grade. Not participating will lower your grade. Participation includes group discussions, weekly discussions of readings, and sharing relevant articles that you read elsewhere. To ensure that you are doing the readings I will give at least one pop quiz during the semester.
In addition, regular and prompt attendance is required and will be counted in your grade. This will be monitored by the signing of an attendance sheet every class session. More than four (4) unexcused absences will result in a significant reduction in your grade and more than ten (10) will most likely mean failure.
Midterm (20%).
Final (20%).
There will be no make-up exams for the midterm or the final!
Two Papers (Essay #1=10%; Essay #2=20%).
Write-up of Alternative Assignment (2 0%)
There will be three (3) projects during the course of the semester that will constitute part of your grade. The due dates for each are listed below. Late papers will result in a lower grade for the project. Each project description is written up more fully in an attachment to this syllabus, but in brief, the first is a short essay based on an observational exercise that you will do, the second, which is the larger project, is based on an observation that you will do of a group ritual, and the third is a write-up of an alternative assignment.
Incomplete Grades:
I allow incomplete grades for students who have passed the first half of the course, have an excellent attendance record, have a legitimate reason for not completing the semester's work and speak with me before the final class.
Reading Suggestions: The course material is rich, and challenges our world view. The reading is heavy, some weeks more than others so I advise you to read ahead.
1. For a FIRST reading of an assignment, get the MAIN IDEAS. Don't get stuck in details; these
will be helpful in your later readings. Pay attention to the reading focus questions I give.
2. After your first reading and BEFORE class, try to sum up the main focus in ONE WORD
or PHRASE.
3. Next, sum up the reading in one phrase, such as "This article is about___________" This
is a topic sentence.
4. Then try one sentence: "This article's main point is _______." This is a thesis sentence.
5. I (and the rest of the class) will always find interesting the connections and consequences
that you worked out in the assignment's first readings. Bring those also!
Grading Systems: A Prose description of my grading:
A: Achievement that goes well above and beyond, or is truly exemplary, of the assignment.
B: Achievement that goes significantly above the level necessary to meet the assignment
requirements.
C: Achievement that meets the assignment in every respect.
D: Achievement that deserves some credit due, even though it does not fulfill the assignment.
F: Assignment either was not completed, or was not completed in a manner that earned enough credit.
A Numerical description of my grading:
A: 100-94.6% C: 76.9-74%
A-: 94.5-90% C-: 73.9-70%
B+: 89.9-87% D+: 69.9-67%
B: 86.9-84% D: 66.9-64%
B-: 83.9-80% D-: 63.9-60%
C+: 79.9-77% Fail: 59.9% and lower
Important: Academic Dishonesty: Academic dishonesty includes cheating on assignments, papers or exams, plagiarizing (misrepresenting as your own work any work written by another person), and submitting the same paper or substantially similar paper used to meet the requirements of another course, without arriving at an agreement with all of the professors concerned. Any evidence of academic dishonesty are grounds for failure in this course.
Accommodation and Alternative Formats: Students with disabilities who require accommodations in meeting this course's requirements should meet with me as early as possible in the semester, in order to work out best options. I would be happy to develop these accommodations with you. It is your responsibility to contact me and provide me with formal documentation BEFORE assignments are due.
Students Whose First Language is Not English: Please feel free to talk with me early in the semester about any extra assistance that would be helpful in meeting this course's requirements. I am fluent in Spanish.
KEY DATES:
Fieldwork Essay - Feb. 24
No Class - March 11
Alternative Assignment - March 16
Midterm Exam - March 18
Spring Break - March 22 - March 26
Ritual Essay - April 27
Final Exam - May 20
All Readings Due On The Date Listed by Tuesday of that Week!
Part 1 - Introduction
Weeks 1 and 2 (1/27-2/5) What is anthropology, its core concepts of society and culture. Challenging assumptions. The classic anthropological research method of fieldwork and ethnography.
Week 1 - No Readings
What is culture; Interaction between and among people
Culture is shared, learned –manipulated --understanding the meaning of lives constructed
Cognitive dissonance
Week 2 - Readings: K/S Chapters 2 and 4 pp. 14-25 and pp. 44-65.
Week 3 (2/10-2/12) The Anthropological Approach and the Four Fields of Anthropology
Readings:
K/S Chapter 1 - pp. 2-11
Miner, Horace “Body Ritual Among the Nacirema” pp. 5-8 (On Reserve)
Week 4 (2/17-2/19) The History of Anthropology. The Concept of Race. Scientific Racism.
Readings:
K/S pp.351-356 (Excluding section 47 “CONCEPTUALIZING RADICAL CHANGE”)
and pp. 466-469 (Excluding section 59 “APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY, DEVELOPMENT
STUDIES, AND NEOCOLONIALISM”)
Goodman, Alan H. “Biological Diversity and Cultural Diversity: From Race to Radical Bioculturalism” pp. 29-45 (On Reserve)
Harrison, Faye V. 2002. “Chapter 8: Unraveling “Race” for the Twenty-First Century”
pp. 145-166 (On Reserve)
Weeks 5 and 6 (2/24-3/4) Language and Anthropology: Discourse, Identity and Representation Portrayals of the “Other”. Films –PBS Film on Race
FIELDWORK ESSAY DUE FEB. 24.
Week 5 Readings - K/S Chapter 3 pp. 26-43.
Week 6 Readings
Urciuoli, Bonnie “The Complex Diversity of Language in the United States” pp. 190-205.
(On Reserve)
Daniel, E. Valentine “Chapter 14: The Refugee: A Discourse on Displacement” pp.270-276
(On Reserve)
Mamdani, Mahmood “Good Muslim, Bad Muslim” pp. 766-775. (On Reserve)
Part 2 - Inequality, Gender, and Economic and Political Foundations
Week 7 (3/9-3/11) Inequality. Gender.
Readings
K/S Chapters 12 and 13 pp. 270-287.
Scott, Elizabeth M. “The Roots of U.S. Inequality” pp. 155-172 (On Reserve)
Gottlieb, Alma 2002. “Chapter 9: Interpreting Gender and Sexuality: Approaches from Cultural Anthropology” pp. 167-189 (On Reserve)
Abu-Lughod, Lila 2002. “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving? Anthropological Reflections on Cultural Relativism and Its Others” pp. 783-790 (On Reserve)
March 11- No Class. Alternative Assignment - Write-up of reading assignment Scott, Elizabeth M. “The Roots of U.S. Inequality”
Week 8 (3/16-3/18) Economics and Globalization—historical and current
Readings:
K/S Part 3, Chapter 8 pp. 137-173.
Hand in written assignment of previous week.
MIDTERM EXAM - THURS. MARCH, 18. There will be no make-up of midterm exam. If you fail to come on the 18th you will receive a grade of 0 for the midterm.
Week 9 (3/23-3/25) - Spring Break - No Classes.
Week 10 (3/30-4/1) Power and Politics. Law and Social Control
Readings
K/S Chapters 11 and 14 pp. 248-269 and pp. 288-301.
Part 3 – Social Connections, Ritual, Religion and World View
Week 11(4/6-4/8) Kinship, Descent, and Social Structure
Readings
K/S Chapter 9 pp. 174-215.
Week 12 (4/13-4/15) Marriage, Family, and Community
Readings
K/S Chapter 10 pp. 216-247
Week 13 (4/20-4/22) Religion, Ritual and World View
Readings
K/S Chapter 15 pp. 302-321 and pp. 368-396 (starting with section “SYNCRETISM and CULTURAL SYNTHESIS”)
Week 14 (4/27-4/29) Religion in History and Politics
Readings
Coles, Roberta L. 2002. “Manifest Destiny for 1990s War Discourse: Mission and Destiny Intertwined”
pp. 403-426 (On Reserve)
RITUAL ESSAY DUE 4/27
Part 4 – Anthropology and the Modern World
Week 15 (5/4-5/6) The Development of Underdevelopment
Readings
K/S pp. 358-368 and Chapter 19, pp. 422-449.
Week 16 (5/11) Urban and Applied Anthropology and Human Futures
Readings
K/S Chapter 20, pp. 450-465; Chapter 21, sections 59-63, pp. 469-487; and Chapter 22, pp. 488-495
Last Class May 11
Grading Criteria for Written Assignments: I grade the written assignments as follows:
a) The exercise is handed in on time: in class and on due date.
b) The exercise demonstrates clarity of communication: correct grammar, punctuation,
spelling and sentence structure. Assignment has been proofread and corrected for typos.
c) The writing is responsive to the assignment: instructions and format were followed.
d) The level of thinking demonstrates an understanding of course concepts.
Essay Writing Suggestions: The following pointers are guides for writing a successful essay for my class, as for any class. The first two points apply to the alternative assignment write-up due 11/25
1) Voice: Demonstrate your competence with the reading's issues.
2) Use the class material (the readings, films, class discussion and lecture).
Do not regurgitate detail to "prove" you've kept up; DO present the issues of the materials in
your own words. Lengthy quotes are not needed; they use space without demonstrating much.
3) Writing: Good writing means good sentence and paragraph structure, clear typing and accurate spelling. Success in this area goes a long way with me. A first draft seldom demonstrates all of the above.
4) If the essay length is a minimum of four pages, write four full pages, normal formatting, not
3.75. A good idea is to write 4.25 pages. You should have plenty to say, and I will be happy to
suggest points to expand.
Essay 1: Observation. Due Feb. 24. 3-5 pages long, double-spaced, 12 font, standard margins of nor greater than one inch. Include a cover sheet with your name, the title, the course number and title, and the date of submission. Make sure to number all pages together in the top, left corner. Do NOT put into any sort of binder, folder, or clipboard.
You will need to visit a typical setting of American culture, such as a particular fast food restaurant. Plan on 2 or 3 visits to the same place, perhaps at different times of day, over a period of several days. Your mission: interpreting ‘American’ culture, in other words, the symbols and power relationships exhibited by all the agents in a typical setting.
You will need to
1) observe and make notes on, the symbols around you, both in the restaurant and on the people there, and interpret their meanings.
What images or representations do the people suggest? Why? How? What symbols indicate this?
You will also need to
2) observe spatial relationships, and temporal relationships of people, places and events.
3) What are the contrasts between people and types of people? Who is doing what?
And
4) what are the behaviors and interactions between people?
Finally
5) what does all of this say about United States culture in this particular setting?
Your paper will be divided into two sections. The first is methodology and data collected, the second is analysis. Methodology is what you did, when and where and how. Describe the setting, and give its address. State the times and days you were there, how long you stayed at each visit, what you did, what you drank or ate, if anything, how you collected your data, and so on. Then include the data collected, what the symbols were and how they were used, what the power relationships were and how they were indicated, what speech, behavior, objects tell you about meaning assigned to various aspects of different peoples and so on. The second section analyzes what your data tells you, in other words, what all of this means, how you interpret it as an anthropologist. So you create a narrative based on your data that explains what you observed. Use class material (the readings, films, class discussion and lecture).
Essay 2: Ritual Observation. Due April 27. 5-8 pages long, same parameters as above.
A ritual is “A repetitive social practice composed of a sequence of symbolic activities in the form of dance, song, speech, gestures, or the manipulation of objects, adhering to a culturally defined ritual schema, and closely related to a specific set of ideas that are often encoded in myth”(2001 Schultz and Lavenda “Cultural Anthropology: A Perspective on the Human Condition). What this all means will be clarified in class.
We have rituals as part of our daily lives, some filled with more meaning than others, some more formalized than others. For instance, you may have a particular ritual that you do before you take a test, such as rubbing your Beanie Baby doll’s head three times in a specific rotation and chanting “I will not fail this test”. Then there are more formalized rituals, such as those that take place during wedding ceremonies, religious ceremonies, inaugurations, and so on. These last are what you will need to consider for this project. Your mission is to attend a ritual as a participant-observer and collect data on the following.
-Describe the activity
-How long is it?
-What roles are there and who plays them?
-How many participants are there? Are they all active?
-What are the symbols used? How are they used?
-What is the language of the ritual?
-Is the ritual a part of a larger ceremony?
-How does this ritual fit into the larger cultural context? What myths of culture are invoked?
Please note that you are to write about a particular ritual, not a ceremony. For instance, in a wedding ceremony there is a ritual of the rite of marriage, usually conducted by a religious leader, though it could be a secular wedding as well. In that ritual, there may be the kissing of the bride and groom, the stomping on a glass (Jewish), the jumping of the broom (certain African practices), and so on. Later, there may be the ritual of the cutting of the cake and the feeding of the bride and groom. But these are separate rituals encompassed within the entire event that we know as a wedding. So, chose the ritual and write in depth about that, not about the whole wedding or whatever it is you are observing. Use class material (the readings, films, class discussion and lecture).