Cultural Anthropology
Introduction to Cultural Anthropology - Anthropology 310
Cultural anthropologists study the diversity of human societies around the world. Although we often study small-scale societies, frequently located in remote parts of the world, cultural anthropologists also conduct research in industrial societies. Today's anthropologists can be found studying such varied topics as high-tech workers in Bombay, Asian-American deejays and hip-hop in California, and anti-globalization activism in France. Regardless of where the research takes place, the purpose of much contemporary anthropology is to bring a comparative, cross-cultural approach
to understanding how human beings respond to the challenges of living in the modern world.
Cultural anthropologists take a holistic approach to the study of humankind. This means that we do not simply look at a single part of a society or problem in order to address a particular research question; instead, we examine the interrelationship among several areas of study. In this course we will address the following issues: the theoretical development of the field of cultural anthropology within the context of European and American colonial expansion; the debate between the view that anthropology is a (nearly) objective science versus the postmodern view that it is unalterably biased and interpretative; fieldwork methodology and issues; how anthropologists classify various types of subsistence patterns; religion and ritual; gender, class, race and ethnicity; identity and community issues; the problems of industrialization and globalization; and issues of representation in the mass media.
Through these issues we will examine some of the methods, theories, and debates in contemporary cultural anthropology. The goals of the course are as follows: 1) to give you a broad overview of what is anthropology and its place in the contemporary world 2) to reach a higher understanding of the world around us by appreciating differences (not deficiencies) in cultures world-wide.
In Anthropology 310 we will cover a variety of ethnographic case studies including groups such as the Yanomamo, the Teduray, the Kayapo, Native Californians, the Ju/oansi, and the Roma. Students will conduct ethnographic fieldwork such as participant observation, interviewing, and online research projects. Students will also complete in class exercises that explore important themes in anthropology such as food and culture, kinship, marriage, gender, ethics, and political expression.
This class is taught as both a face-to-face class that meets twice a week (but has some online components such as quizzes) and as a fully online class.
Possible Readings and Films
Readings
Ember, Carol and Melvin Ember (2008) Human Culture: Highlights of Cultural Anthropology. Pearson/Prentice Hall.
Schlegel, Stuart A. (1998) Wisdom from a Rainforest: The Spiritual Journey of an Anthropologist. U Georgia Press.
Golden-Peters, Holly (2011) Culture Sketches: Case Studies in Anthropology. McGraw Hill. 6th Edition
Films
How Cultures are Studied
Margaret Mead and Samoa
The Linguists
The Kayapo
Global Tourism
California's Lost Tribes
N!ai: Story of a !Kung Woman
The Black Indians of New Orleans