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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "SOSC 221"
COURSE NAME: "Introduction to Cultural Anthropology"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2015
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Francesca Conti
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: TTH 4:30PM-5:45PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course introduces students to the analysis and interpretation of cultures in a comparative perspective. The main topics of the course include the temporal and spatial forms of society; the social organization of symbols; the family as a symbolic structure; religion, sacrifice and myth; the anthropology of the city; the interplay between nature and culture, gender and sexuality in different cultures; the concepts of ethnicity; and regional, religious and linguistic subcultures.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

Through the comparative study of human nature and the social reproduction  of culture worldwide, anthropology explores fundamental questions about what it means to be human. Cultural anthropology seeks to understand how culture shapes societies and viceversa.

Having taken this course, students will be familiar with a range of debates from the beginning of anthropology to the contemporary and will be able to assess these debates critically and to place them in their socio-historical context.

The topics of the course include the social organization of symbols and culture; the idea of progress and evolution, the organization of society in cultural terms, family, religion and myth as symbolic structures; the interplay between nature and culture, gender and sexuality in different cultures; the concepts of ethnicity; of subcultures and the anthropology of the city and places. 
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Having taken this course, students will be able to:

- describe, explain and apply anthropological concepts and approaches to the study of both culture and society

- exemplify main anthropological concepts and methods such as fieldwork, participant observation and ethnography

- reflect in a theorethical and informed way on the notion of culture and human nature

-discuss anthropology's role in the study of modern and contemporary societies and culture
TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
Small places, large issues : an introduction to social and cultural anthropologyThomas Hylland EriksenPluto Press9781849641180 1849641188 0585426252  This book is available as ebook in the library catalogue http://jculibrary.worldcat.org/title/small-places-large-issues-an-introduction-to-social-and-cultural-anthropology/oclc/50811102&referer=brief_results    
social and cultural anthropology, a very short introductionMonagham, J., Just, P.oxford university press9780191540165 available online as e bookthe book is available online as ebook   
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
term paper 25
mid term exam 20
quiz  10
final exam 25
presentation 15
class participation 5

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY

You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until ____________
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE

Introduction to cultural anthropology

COURSE SCHEDULE

Week

Topic

Reading

Week 1

 

Tuesday  1st

 September

 

Thursday 3 September

 

 

Introduction to the course

 

 

Human nature and anthropology

T. Eriksen

Small places, large issues – introduction

 

Comparison and context- chapt. 1

Week 2

Tuesday 8

 

Thursday 10

 

A brief history of anthropology

 

 

B. Malinowski

Fieldwork and participant observation

T. Eriksen

Small places, large issues –

Ch. 2 and 3

Week 3

 

Tue  15

 

Thu 17

The social character of humanity

 

 

Writing cultures- Cliffort Geertz

T. Eriksen

Small places, large issues

Ch.4

Week 4

 

Tue 22

 

 

Thu 24

 

Frid 25

 

 

 Local communities and organizations

Norms and social control –

The Azande and Evans- Pritchards

 

Margaret Mead "Coming of age in Samoa"

Make up class for Thanksgiving Nov 26

T. Eriksen

Small places, large issues

Ch. 5 + handouts

 

 

Week 5

Tue 29

 

Thu 1st

 October

 

Quiz

Social structure

 

Claude- Levi-Strauss

"Sad Tropics"

 

T. Eriksen

Small places, large issues

Chpt.6

Week 6

 

Tuesday 6

 

Thu 8

 

Family, marraige and kinship systems

T. Eriksen

Small places, large issues

Chp. 7 and 8

Week 7

Tuesday 13

 

 

Thursday 15

Gender and women

 

 

 

MID-TERM exam

 

T. Eriksen

Small places, large issues

Chapt. 9

Week 8

 

Tues 20 Oct

 

Thu 22 Oct

 

Social stratifications and systems

 

 

Politics and power

T. Eriksen

Small places, large issues

Chapt. 10 and 11

Week 9

 

Tue 27 Oct.

 

Thur

29 Oct.

         

 

The gift – Marcel Mauss

 

Exchange and the economy

T. Eriksen

Small places, large issues

Chapt. 12

Week 10

 

Tuesday

3 Nov.

 

Thu

5 Nov

 

 

 

The environment

The non-places – Marc Augè

 

Production and technology

T. Eriksen

Small places, large issues

Chapt. 13

+ handouts

Week 11

Tuesday

10 Nov

 

 

Thursday 12 Nov

Religion and rituals (Geerts)

 

 

Myths and Sad Tropics- C. Levi-Strauss

T. Eriksen

Small places, large issues

Cha[pt 14

Week 12

 

Tue 17

 

Thu 19

 

The primitive mentality – Levi- Bruhl

 

Evans-Pritchard - Witchcraft among the Azande

T. Eriksen

Small places, large issues

Chapt. 15

Week 13

 

Tue

24 Nov

 

Thu

26 Nov.

 

Complex ethnicities and the politics of identities

 

 

 

Thanksgiving holiday- no class

 

T. Eriksen

Small places, large issues

Chapt. 17 and 18

Week 14

 

Tues

Dec 1st

 

Wed. 3 Dec

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The future of anthropology and final recap      

 

Chapt. 19 and epilogue

 

 

The local, the global and the glocal