The sociology department trains students to think critically about the social world, develop skills for
conducting social research, and explore the diversity of the human experience. The department encourages
students to apply these skills toward the pursuit of social justice as they live out their calling.
Cultural Anthropology: Fall 2012
Dr. Scott Monsma
Class meeting: M, W, F: 1:00 – 2:00 pm.
Office Hours (VPH 311, Phone 7088): M & W: 2:10 – 3:00 pm, or by appointmenti
The Big Picture: What is the point of taking this class?
Course description: This course is about learning a way of seeing and understanding other cultures and our
own culture(s) - introducing and drawing on ideas and insights from the field of Cultural Anthropology. In a
globalizing and increasingly interconnected world these ideas and insights can serve a critical need in helping us
understand and learn how to live in with cultural diversity and complexity. Thus the value of this course is in
learning a new way of seeing and understanding, a way that helps us think about what it means to be human, a
way that helps us understand and live with our neighbors – locally and globally.
Course questions & objectives: getting specific about the big picture:
This course focuses on a core set of questions. These questions serve as a starting point for engaged
conversation, dialogue, and reflection throughout the semester. The specific questions are:
1. What unique insights does Cultural Anthropology give us on human social existence? How do the differing
theoretical perspectives in Cultural Anthropology shape these insights? (What does it mean to be human?)
2. How do we negotiate the tension between ethnocentrism, cultural relativism, and “universal” human rights in
reference to our culture and the cultures of others? (Who are our neighbors and how do we love them?)
3. Upon reflection, will the familiar become strange and the strange become familiar?
4. How are the various dimensions of culture interconnected and what are the implications of the
interconnectedness of culture? (How is it that “We are how we eat?”)
5. How does anthropology (and this course) shape the understanding of our faith at the same time that faith
shapes our understanding of anthropology?
These questions are also linked to specific learning goals found in Northwestern College’s “Vision for
Learning”. These are:
A. Learning fundamental principles, generalizations, or theories
This course objective is part of the NWC Learning Goal: “Engage Ideas: Gaining a comprehensive understanding of
the theoretical foundations, methods, and products of the humanities, the social and natural sciences, and the fine arts”
B. Learning to apply course material
C. Learning to analyze and critically evaluate ideas, arguments, and points of view
Course objectives B and C are part of the NWC Learning Goal: “Engage Ideas: Pursuing truth faithfully in all aspects
of life; developing, articulating, and supporting their own beliefs; and seeking meaningful dialog with those holding
different convictions.”
D. Learning to understand and value human diversity
This course objective is part of the NWC Learning Goals: “Trust, Love & Worship God: Recognizing that to love God is
also to live joyfully as participants in a variety of communities, valuing the diversity of the human family and seeking
opportunities for learning, growth, and transformation through intercultural relationships.”
This course objective is also part of the NWC Learning Goal: “Respond to God’s Call: Regarding all persons as made
in the image of God and thus deserving of understanding, love, and justice.”
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What is going to make the big picture a reality?
Expectations for this class – who we are in the classroom:
What you can expect from the instructor:
Every day that I come to class I will have read over the material and thought carefully about what we are
trying to accomplish for the day and how this helps us make progress on achieving the goals of the class.
Class members should expect me to be fully present during class and to treat each person with respect,
grace, and integrity. Class members can also expect me to be available outside of class to reasonably
assist them to successfully complete the class. And finally, students should expect that certain forms of
humor may be all too frequently interjected into the classroom environment.
What I can expect from each class member:
Students who choose to enroll in the class agree to have the same expectations as the instructor. That is,
students who enroll in the course agree to have read all assigned material and thoughtfully prepared for
class. Students also agree to be fully present during the class and to treat other class members with
respect, grace, and integrity. Students who chose to enroll in the class also agree to thoughtfully and
reflectively dialogue about ideas and differences. Students are also free to roll their eyes or grimace at
the professor’s feeble attempts at humor.
What we can expect to happen in class:
The class meeting time is an opportunity for us to become a learning community. As such students are
required to become active participants in the class – asking questions, contributing their perspective in
class discussion, and learning to engage in critical thinking about the issues this class addresses.
What we can expect in regards to electronic devices:
All cell phones and other electronic devices are to be turned off during class and laptop use will not be
allowed without special permission. Laptop use is banned as experience shows it is rare for students to
restrict the use of their laptops to note taking. Such use creates a zone of distraction which affects other
students and the learning community we are trying to create in the classroom. Additionally, preliminary
research indicates that students who use laptops to take notes perform less well on exams than students
who use pen and paper to take notes. Certainly this is a general trend and individual students may vary
and the performance issue may be related to the temptation to use the laptop for more than taking notes.
Note: using unauthorized electronics in the classroom may result in a reduction in the student’s
participation grade.
The texts that will assist our learning:
The following texts are required for this course:
 Podolefsky, Aaron, Peter J. Brown and Scott M. Lacy. 2008. 8th edition. Applying Cultural Anthropology:
An Introductory Reader. McGraw Hill. ISBN-13: 978-0073405339
 Schlosser, Eric. 2002. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. New York, New York,
Harper Collins Publishers ISBN-13: 978-0060838584
 Students may buy and read one of the following two texts instead of reading Fast Food Nation.
 Kirby, David. 2010. Animal Factory: The looming threat of industrial pig, dairy and poultry farms to
humans and the environment. New York, St. Martins Press. ISBN-13: 978-0312380588
 Pollan, Michael. 2006. The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals . New York,
Penguin Books ISBN-13: 978-0143038580
 Additional assignments on the world-wide-web or on reserve as appropriate.
Soc 290 2012 Fall Cultural Anthropology Syllabus.docx: page 2 of 6
Overview/summary of the evaluation of learning / course grade:
The final course grade will be determined as follows:
Attendance
07.5%: Class participation
07.5%: Focused Reading groups
10%: Journals
25%: Text Reflection Paper
50%: Three exams
What each aspect of this process entails:
Attendance in the class is required. More than three absences during the semester will lower the student's final
grade by one-third of a letter grade (for example, a B will become a B-). If a student comes to class after
attendance is taken or leaves class early the student may be counted absent (unless prior arrangements are made).
While attendance alone does not guarantee learning, we cannot create a learning community if members are
absent on a regular basis.
Class Participation: The classroom is one setting where we have the opportunity to learn from each other’s
insights, perspectives, and questions. Through the process of dialogue and discussion we have the opportunity to
gain a deeper and richer understanding of the issues in the class, in spite of whether we all agree or disagree. The
participation grade will reflect a willingness to pose questions, share perspectives, and/or engage in critical
thinking about the issues under consideration.
o Focused Reading groups: See the reading group and related journal guidelines which discuss how
we will utilize focused reading groups for small group discussion.
o Whole class discussion: Over the course of the semester, a student who participates at least ten times
during the whole class discussions will earn full credit for the participation grade. A student’s
participation grade may be substantially reduced if they repeatedly engage in actions which detract
from the classroom learning community. Coming to class prepared to ask a question or two about the
reading is one valuable way a student can contribute to the class discussion.
Journals: See the relevant assignment document for the requirements for journals. Note that there will be two
different types of journal and journals are due by 11:00 a.m. the day of class. Late journals will not be accepted.
Text Reflection Paper: See the relevant assignment document for the requirements for this paper.
Exams: Socrates has claimed that “the unexamined life is not worth living.” In order to makes student’s lives
more meaningful there will be three exams given during the semesterii. These exams will be based on the material
covered in the lectures, readings, and discussion. Note that we may not discuss in class every key point from the
assigned readings, but students are still expected to carefully read assigned material – the exams are based on this
expectation. Any material covered in the syllabus, lectures, discussions, or the assigned readings is fair game for
an exam questioniii.
Grading Scale: Grades will be determined as follows:
Excellent
Above Average
Average
94%
B+
88%
C+
78%
A
90%
B
84%
C
74%
AB80%
C70%
Below Average
D+
68%
D
64%
D60%
F
Failing
59%
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Additional items essential to this course:
Late work: All course work must be submitted by the assignment deadlines. The student is responsible
for contacting the instructor if significant extenuating circumstances may prevent them from completing
an assignment by the deadline. In general, late work will not be accepted.
Academic Integrity: Dishonesty in the form of cheating, plagiarism, lack of originality, or misrepresentation of
data or sources will not be tolerated. Such offenses will be dealt with according to the Northwestern College
Academic Integrity policy, and will at a minimum result in a failing grade for the relevant assignment. Please
review the section in the student handbook that provides examples and a discussion of academic integrity.
During the exam the use of any electronic device, such as a cell phone, IPod, Laptop, or direct neural implant, is
prohibited (unless prior arrangements are made with the professor). The use of any electronic device during an
exam is grounds for assigning a failing grade on that exam.
Students with special needs: In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the
Americans with Disabilities Act, NWC will provide, on a flexible and individualized basis, reasonable
accommodations to students who have a documented disability that may affect their ability to participate in course
activities or to meet course requirements. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact both their instructor
and the college disability service provider to discuss their individual needs and accommodations.
Schedule of important dates:iv
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August 22: Class Begins
September 26: Exam 1
October 15: Fall Break
October 31: Exam 2
November 16: Text Reflection Papers due
November 21-24: Fowl Break
December 7: Last regular class meeting
December 11: 8:00 am – 10:00 am: Final Exam
Schedule of topics:
Focused reading groups discussions and related journals are marked (FRG), all other readings require
standard journals. For focused reading groups, refer role assignment schedule to ensure you complete the
correct role requirements.
Topic 1: Course Introduction
A standard screwy introduction?
Course introduction
Topic 2: Anthropology and Anthropologists
Readings:
Body ritual among the Nacirema
Topic 3: Ethnocentrism, Cultural Relativism, and Universalism
Readings:
(FRG) Circumcision, Pluralism, and Dilemmas of Cultural Relativism
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Topic 4: Culture
Readings:
Slumber’s Unexplored Landscape
(FRG) Crack in Spanish Harlem In Reserves
(FRG) Cell Phones, Sharing, and Social Status in an African Society
Topic 5: Culture and language
Readings:
Shakespeare in the Bush
(FRG) Suite for Ebony and Phonics In Reserves
To Give Up on Words: Silence in Western Apache Culture
Topic 6: Race
Readings:
Race without Color
(FRG) White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack
Topic 7: Studying Culture
Readings:
(FRG) Tricking and Tripping: Fieldwork on Prostitution in the Era of AIDS
Coming of Age in Palo Alto
Amy Enlists Anthropology in War Zones
Topic 8: Adaptation: Environment and Culture
Readings:
The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race
(FRG)The Price of Progress; The Viral Superhighway
Topic 9: Exchange and Economic Systems
Readings:
Eating Christmas in the Kalahari
The Search for Sustainable Markets: the promise and failure of fair trade
Topic 10: Domestic Life
Readings:
Gay Marriage and Anthropology
When Brothers Share a Wife
(FRG)How Many Fathers Are Best for a Child?
Real Audio files from National Public Radio on the internet:
http://www.npr.org/ramfiles/me/19990810.me.06.ram
Topic 11: Kinship
Topic 12: Gender
Readings:
(FRG) “Strange Country This” An Introduction to North American Gender Diversity.
Society and Sex Roles In Reserves
Law, Custom, and Crimes Against Women, The Problem of Dowry Death in India
Soc 290 2012 Fall Cultural Anthropology Syllabus.docx: page 5 of 6
A Cultural Approach to Male-Female Miscommunication
New Women of the Ice Age In Reserves
Topic 13: Politics and Social Inequality
Readings:
The Kpelle Moot
Contemporary Warfare in the New Guinea Highlands
Topic 14: Religion and the Supernatural
Readings:
A Heavenly Enterprise. In Reserves
The Second Coming. In Reserves
(FRG) It’s about Faith in the Future: Star Trek Fandom as Cultural Religion. In Reserves
The Adaptive Value of Religious Ritual
Topic 15: Putting it all together:
Summary discussion
Free Lunch or Coffee Coupon
Your chance to get free food or coffee - and have a chance to have a conversation with the
professor about class, the meaning of life, or just about any topic of your choice. This offer
is open to any student enrolled in the class during the semester. Redeem this coupon by
simply arranging a time and location with the professor.
Limit one per student per semester. Subject to availability of mutually convenient time.
i
Students are also free to stop by and chat anytime my office door is open. Students are not required to provide gifts of chocolate or
coffee to gain admittance.
ii
I do give exams only to help you have a meaningful life. It is simply not true that I give exams only to pass on the painful traditions
of education which I endured as a student. Anyone who tells you differently is a deluded cynic who needs to enter a euphoric state of
consciousness through drinking a lot more coffee.
iii
Any material covered in class is potentially fair game for a test question. This means if I happen to discuss the average air velocity
of an unladen swallow this might show up on the exam.
iv
Note that this refers to calendar dates. You should not look to me for assistance with scheduling relationship building events with
any potential or current significant others.
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