INTRODUCTION TO CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
ANTH-053
University of the Pacific
Fall 2010
Professor Analiese Richard
(209) 946-2707
arichard@pacific.edu
Office Hours: 12:00-1:00 Tuesdays, 10:00-12:00 Wednesdays (and by appointment)
Class Meets: 8:00 am – 9:50am TR, GWH 100
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Anthropology is often considered a collection of curious facts, telling about the peculiar appearance of exotic
people and describing their strange customs and beliefs. It is looked upon as an entertaining diversion, apparently
without any bearing upon the conduct of life of civilized communities. This opinion is mistaken. More than that, I
hope to demonstrate that a clear understanding of the principles of anthropology illuminates the social processes
of our own times and may show us, if we are ready to listen to its teachings, what to do and what to avoid.
-Franz Boas, Anthropology and Modern Life, 1928
Cultural Anthropology is concerned with developing new ways of understanding the
different experiences, histories, values, and life-ways of people from all parts of the world.
Anthropologists study social organization and human action through the comparative
method, based on close observation and participation in people’s daily lives.
This course is intended to introduce students to the primary domains of cultural
anthropology: Culture; kinship and social organization; time and space; religion, belief and
rituals; gender and sexuality; symbolic communication; power and political relations; social
exchange and economics; work and provisioning; social control; hierarchy and inequality;
and the various forces and forms of change. The course will introduce students to some of
the key historical figures in 20th century anthropology as well as key concepts and
theoretical approaches. Finally, it will equip students to employ the “anthropological
perspective” to reframe issues of concern in their everyday lives.
ANTH 53 satisfies the requirements for GE I-C, University Diversity Requirement, Ethnic
Studies minor, Anthropology minor, and majors in the School of International Studies.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After taking this course, students will be able to:
 Understand patterns of diversity and similarity in human cultures.
 Grasp the role of culture in shaping the lives of societies and individuals.
 Critically evaluate and employ cultural relativism.
 Perform basic ethnographic fieldwork and analysis.
 Connect ethnographic fieldwork to anthropological theory.
 Use anthropological concepts and examples to reframe contemporary social issues.
 As this course satisfies the University Diversity Requirement, students will, more

specifically, be able to:
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
• Articulate, in both written and oral forms, how notions of difference work within
frameworks of
social hierarchy and the
similarities and differences between these frameworks cross-culturally.
 • Articulate their own developing understanding of social difference and its impact on
anthropology, their own personal life and society or societies as a whole.
 • Express, in both written and oral forms, their understanding of how ideas and beliefs
about diversity and difference in the United States have changed over time, identifying
relevant historical movements and players, and how anthropology, as a discipline has
both shaped and been shaped by these changes.
 • Demonstrate a satisfactory understanding of how social institutions and individuals
respond to issues of difference.
 • Apply their understanding of relevant theory and history of diversity to a specific
“societal problem” for the purpose of developing solutions.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Required Texts:
 David W. Haines, Cultural Anthropology: Adaptations, Structures, Meanings
 Elizabeth W. Fernea, Guests of the Sheik
 Roberto J. Gonzalez, Zapotec Science
 Additional readings will be posted on the course Sakai site. Please bring a copy of
your readings and/ or reading notes to class on the day they are assigned.
Exams:
There will be two written exams in this course, a midterm and a final. The midterm exam
(150 points) will cover the first half of the course material. The final exam (185 points) will
cover the remainder of the course. All exams must be completed on the day scheduled.
Should exceptional circumstances prevent this, it is YOUR responsibility to notify me IN
ADVANCE to make appropriate arrangements.
Mini-Ethnographies:
Two mini-ethnographies will be assigned during the course of the semester. For each of
these, students will perform fieldwork exercises and analyze their findings in a brief essay.
Specific instructions will be provided for each of these ethnographies (125 points #1, 150
points #2). No late assignments will be accepted without a valid physician’s note, obituary
notice, or official notification from the Athletic Department (or other campus office).
Film Responses:
We will watch several ethnographic films over the course of the semester. On the day of the
class meeting immediately following each film, a 1 page written response to the film will be
due ONLINE via Sakai (20 pts each). Film responses should summarize the main themes
addressed in the film and explain how they connect to course materials. No late assignments
will be accepted without a valid physician’s note, obituary notice, or official notification from
the Athletic Department (or other campus office).
Reading Quizzes:
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Each week we will have one unannounced in-class reading quiz (15 points each) which will
cover only the readings assigned for that day. The format of the quiz may include short
answer, identification, fill in the blank, or matching questions. It will test basic
comprehension necessary for participation in the day’s learning activities. At the end of the
semester each student’s lowest quiz grade will be dropped. No make-up quizzes will be
allowed without a valid physician’s note, obituary notice, or official notification from the
Athletic Department (or other campus office).
Attendance and Participation:
Attendance and participation are mandatory as students tend to learn best in this class
when they are actively engaged with the materials and with one another. Participation
includes active involvement in class activities and discussions as well as coming to class
thoroughly prepared. Unexcused absences, late arrivals, and early departures will result in a
reduction of the final course grade. In-class work cannot be made up. Class participation will
count for 10 % of the total course grade and will be assessed in terms of the following
criteria:
a) the student attends the entirety of each and every class;
b) the student verbally contributes to general class discussions and activities;
c) the student is an active participant in small group discussions and activities;
d) the student contributes thoughtful comments that are relevant to the topics being addressed;
e) the student’s participation indicates that they have read and thought about the assigned readings;
f) all electronic devices are turned off and stowed away during class time. (No laptops. No texting.
No kidding. If you are rude enough to use these in class, you will be asked to leave.)
Method of Evaluation:
Participation
Exam #1
Exam #2
Mini-Ethnography #1
Mini-Ethnography #2
Film Responses
Reading Quizzes
1000-990 A+
989-935 A
934-900 A-
100 pts
150 pts
185 pts
125 pts
150 pts
4@ 20 pts
14@15 pts
899-880 B+
879-835 B
834-800 B-
799-780 C+
779-735 C
734-700 C-
699-680 D+
679-735 D
634-600 D-
(I reserve the right to make changes to these assignments and their weights based on your pedagogical needs.)
Honor Code:
The Pacific policy on academic honesty is detailed in Tiger Lore. Cheating and plagiarism
are, of course, academically dishonest. Please be advised that the university gives
professors discretion to punish academic dishonesty as we see fit. SIS has a zero-tolerance
policy toward academic dishonesty. This means that we will automatically fail you for the
assignment and/or entire the course if we have evidence that you have cheated. We will also
report you to the Director of Judicial Affairs in the Office of Student Life for whatever
additional punishment they choose to mete out. See Tiger Lore for details about the
university’s proceedings and punishments.
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You are encouraged to discuss your ideas with each other, but do your own work; turning in
identical or nearly identical assignments is a violation of the Honor Code.
It is plagiarism when:
1.
You use more than four words in a row that are taken directly from another
text of any sort without citing it as a direct quote. As a rule, direct quotes
themselves should only be used sparingly; papers full of properly cited quotes
are entirely honest, but bad writing.
2.
You very closely paraphrase the work of others. Paraphrasing is NOT the
same as using your own words.
3.
You fail to properly cite the source of any idea you’ve gotten from another
text or website. You must cite any idea, not just direct quotes, from other
sources.
The easiest way to avoid all potential problems is to read the material, think about it, then
close all of your books and write. Keep track of where ideas are from by jotting notes to
yourself (“I want to talk about Smith’s idea that…”). Then go back and cite everything
properly: great idea you’ve just talked about (Smith 2002: 45). To do this properly, you have
to think about time management. Read a couple of days before you have to write (so you
have time to think). Write notes to yourself about what you think is important (or, if you are
inclined, a real outline) and where you got the ideas. Often cheating takes place because
someone doesn’t organize their time properly, feels up against a deadline, and makes a bad
decision. It is easy to understand how this can happen, but I do not consider it an excuse. If
you have any questions about what to do or not do, just ask.
Resources for Students
If you are entitled to learning accommodations, please see Daniel Nuss, Coordinator of the
Office of Services for Students with Disabilities, in 101 Bannister Hall to obtain an
Accommodations Request Letter. Once you have obtained that letter, we can work together
to make appropriate arrangements. Please see your professor after class or in office hours.
If you are feeling overwhelmed by your academic coursework, please see your professor in
office hours for help with this course. Another important resource at your disposal is the
Educational Resources Center in Bannister Hall, which provides tutoring services in a variety
of subjects. You can contact them at 946-3218. If you’re having difficulty transitioning to
college-level writing standards or styles, please visit the Student Writing Center located on
the second floor of the Library. These tutors are specially trained to help you improve your
performance and efficiency at just about any kind of writing task a Pacific professor can
throw at you! Email them at erctutorial@pacific.edu or call 946-2437 to set up a private
appointment.
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If you are stressed out or experiencing personal problems, you should get in touch with the
Counseling Center, located in Cowell Wellness Center. Call them at 946-2225 for practical
help with stress management, personal relationships, and emotional health.
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COURSE OUTLINE
TOPICS
DATES
Week 1:
The
Anthropological
Perspective
Tuesday
8/24
Thursday
8/26
READINGS & ASSIGNMENTS DUE
No assignments due
Read: Haines Ch.1
*Boas
ADAPTATIONS
Week 2:
Foraging
Societies
Week 3:
Pastoralist
Societies
Week 4:
Horticultural and
Agricultural
Societies
Week 5:
Industrial and
Post-Industrial
Societies
Tuesday
8/31
Thursday
9/02
Tuesday
9/07
Thursday
9/09
Tuesday
9/14
Thursday
9/16
Tuesday
9/21
Thursday
9/23
Read: Haines Ch. 2 and 3
Film: !Nai
Read: *Lee, *Sahlins
Due on Sakai: Film Response #1
Read: Haines Ch. 6
Film Clip: The Nuer
Reading: *Evans-Pritchard
Read: Haines Ch. 4 and 5
Read: Gonzalez Ch. 1 excerpts (1-4, 13-31) and Ch. 2
Due in Class: Mini-Ethnography #1
Read: Gonzalez Ch. 4 and 5 (excerpts)
Read: Haines, Ch. 7
Film: The Story of Stuff
STRUCTURES
Week 6:
Social
Organization
Tuesday
9/28
Thursday
9/30
Week 7:
Kinship:
Households
Week 8:
Kinship: Alliance
and Descent
Tuesday
10/05
Thursday
10/07
Tuesday
10/12
Thursday
10/14
Due on Sakai: Film Response #2
Read: Gonzalez Ch. 8
Midterm Study Guide Available on Sakai
Read: Haines Ch. 8
Guest Speaker: Ms. Joy Neas, Program Director
University Neighborhood Renaissance
Committee
Research Team Meeting, Mini-Ethnography #2
Reading: Haines Ch. 9
Fernea, Introduction and Part 1 (Ch. 1-8)
Exam #1
Read: Haines Ch. 10
Fernea, Part II (Ch. 9-14)
Read: Fernea, Part III (Ch. 15-18) and Part IV (Ch. 15-20)
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Week 9:
Religion
and Ritual
Week 10:
Economic
Systems
Week 11:
Culture and
Politics
Week 12:
Meaning and
Place
Week 13:
Language and
Culture
Week 14:
Interpreting
Cultural
Meaning
Week 15:
Anthropology in
Action
Tuesday
10/19
Thursday
10/21
Tuesday
10/26
Thursday
10/28
Tuesday
11/02
Thursday
11/04
Tuesday
11/09
Thursday
11/11
Tuesday
11/16
Thursday
11/18
Tuesday
11/22
Thursday
11/24
Tuesday
11/30
Thursday
12/02
Read: Fernea, Part V (Ch. 15-20) and Postscript
*Fernea and Fernea
Read: Haines Ch. 13
Film: El Sebou’
Read: Haines Ch. 11
Read: *Pun
Film: China Blue
Due on Sakai: Film Response #3
Read: Haines Ch. 12
Read: *Gibbs
Research Workshop
Read: Haines Ch. 14 and 15
*Hall
Read: *Deener
Research Workshop
Read: Haines Ch. 16
Film: The Language You Cry In
Due on Sakai: Film Response #4
Read: *Tannen
Read: Haines, Ch. 17
Research Workshop
THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
Read: Haines Ch. 18
*Bagish
*Rosaldo
Due in class: Mini-Ethnography #2
Research Conference
FINAL EXAM: Thursday Dec. 9, 8:00-11:00 am
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