ANTH 2
Cultural Anthropology – Hybrid
Saddleback College
Fall 2015
The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes. 
— Marcel Proust
Anthropology demands the open-mindedness with which one must look and listen, record in astonishment, and
wonder at that which one would not have been able to guess.
— Margaret Mead
Instructor Information
Instructor:
Office:
Telephone:
Email:
Website:
Office Hours:
Professor Claire Cesareo
BGS 305
(949) 582-4739
ccesareo@saddleback.edu
https://faculty.saddleback.edu/ccesareo
MW 8-9am (online only); MW 12-1:30pm; or by appointment
Course Information
Ticket #:
Meeting Times:
Meeting Location:
15220
M 9:00-10:15am and online
BGS 235
Course Description
Anthropology, broadly defined, is the study of human beings and human societies. Cultural anthropologists study
and record differences and similarities in the everyday behavior and beliefs of people living in a diverse array of
contexts. Perhaps the greatest aim of cultural anthropology is to make the exotic seem familiar and the familiar
seem exotic, thereby dissolving the superficial differences between peoples and cultures.
In this course, we will investigate the concepts, tools, and methods used by cultural anthropologists, and discuss
several key issues in the study of culture such as gender, religion, kinship, economics, politics, identity, and social
change.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of human cultural diversity.
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Discuss the benefits and limitations of the various methodologies used by cultural anthropologists,
especially fieldwork and participant-observation.
Explain the importance of cultural relativism in the analysis of global diversity, and discuss how this
perspective differs from ethnocentrism.
Define the concept of culture, and differentiate between cultural and individual perspectives of the world.
Demonstrate an understanding of holism, and the interrelationship between different aspects of a
culture.
Identify and outline the anthropological framework of kinship, political, social, economic, and religious
systems in a global context.
Critically analyze the process of globalization and its effects upon cultures around the world.
Articulate an anthropological perspective on current issues and concerns in the field of cultural
anthropology.
Required Texts
The following books are required and are available at the college bookstore or through online sources:
Lassiter, Luke Eric
th
2014 Invitation to Anthropology. 4 Edition. Rowman and Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc. ISBN: 9780759122543.
Holmes, Seth
2013 Fresh Fruit, Broken Bodies: Migrant Farmworkers in the United States. University of California Press.
ISBN: 978-0520275140.
Additional Readings:
There are also a number of other required readings that will be available on the Blackboard course site.
Course Requirements
I.
Attendance and Participation: Students are expected to keep up with the readings and online
materials/activities, attend class, and actively participate in classroom discussions and activities.
II.
Writing Assignments: There will be two short (4-5 page) writing assignments that require students to
apply the theories and concepts covered in the course. Specific instructions will be discussed in class.
III.
Midterm Exam: The midterm will consist of multiple choice, true-false, and essay questions. A study
guide will be distributed one week before the exam.
IV.
Final Exam: The final will be identical in form to the midterm.
Grading Criteria
I use percentages not points to calculate your grade. Your course grade will be calculated as follows:
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Attendance and Participation
Writing Assignments (2 x 15%)
Midterm Exam
Final Exam
30%
30%
20%
20%
All grades, including the course grade, will be based on the following standard grading scale:
Grade
A
B
C
D
F
Percentage
90-100%
80-89%
70-79%
60-69%
below 60%
Course Policies and Student Responsibilities
1.
Attendance Sheets: Students must sign-in on the Attendance Sheet each day using their full signature –
not initials. If you are late for class and miss the sign-in sheet, it is your responsibility to come up to my
desk and sign yourself in before you leave.
2. Lateness: Arriving late is disruptive to the entire class, so please make every effort to arrive on time. If
you must come into the classroom late (or leave early), do so quickly and quietly.
3. Class Dismissal: Please do not start to pack up your belongings until I excuse you for the day. It is
impossible for others to hear over the rustling of papers, etc.
4. Cell Phones: Turn off the ringer on your cell phone upon entering the classroom.
5. Late Work: Late work will only be accepted if you contact me on or before the due date. You need not
concoct an extravagant reason for needing an extension; all excuses are valid. Students will then be given
a revised due date, after which there will be no more extensions. Do not be afraid to contact me if you
are having any problems with the assignments, but please do so as early as possible.
6. Extra-Credit Policy: During the semester, there will be a number of opportunities to earn extra-credit
points. All extra-credit work must be submitted by the last day of class. You may earn a maximum of 15
extra credit points, and this will be calculated into your final exam score at the same percentage rate
(20%). This means that if you earn 15 extra credit points they will be multiplied by .20, thus adding 3
percentage points to your overall course grade.
7. Preparedness: Come to class prepared, having read the materials, and ready to engage in a discussion of
the topic at hand. It is everyone’s obligation to make this class fun and rewarding.
8. Student Demeanor: Please treat everyone with courtesy and respect. I encourage all students to
participate openly and freely in the course discussions, and I expect students to respect the opinions of
others. This does not mean you have to agree with everything I or another student says, but you must
disagree in a non-threatening and productive manner.
9. Quality of Work: This is a college course therefore I will expect college-level work. Your ability to clearly
express thoughts and ideas will be included in the grading of your papers.
10. Plagiarism: Plagiarism, the use of someone else’s published or unpublished work in whole or in part
without attribution, is a major infraction of Saddleback’s Academic Honor Code. Proven plagiarized work
will be given a 0/F. Please contact me if you need more information on how to correctly cite the work of
others in your papers.
11. Cheating: Students found cheating on an exam or assignment will receive a 0/F for that exam or
assignment.
12. Withdrawals: Students who do not log-in and/or complete work for 2 consecutive weeks may be
dropped from the course. However, do not expect to be automatically dropped if you stop attending. It
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is your responsibility to make sure that you are officially withdrawn by drop date or you may receive an F
for the course.
13. Repeats: By California law, students are now able to take a course only 3 times, inclusive of the times for
which they received a W or an F. If you are taking this course for the third time, be sure that you
complete the course with a passing grade!
Students with Disabilities
This course meets the requirements set forth in the accessibility checklist and universal design grid provided by
Special Services. The web pages, video presentations, textbooks, and class materials used in this course are
accessible to students with disabilities.
Other accommodations are available for students who have a documented disability. Documentation is done
through the Office of Special Services in the Student Services Center, Room 113; 582-4885. Please see me early in
the semester if you need to discuss any particular issues.
Blackboard Course Site
This course is a 50% hybrid course, so you will be expected to do 50% of the work in the online class site. In order
to take this course, therefore, you must have a computer with online capabilities. Your computer should have at
least 4GB of RAM and a broadband internet connection (cable or DSL). You can use a wireless connection for much
of the class but will need to use a wired connection for exams. If you do not have access to such a system, you can
use the computers in the Learning Resources Center or the BGS computer lab, but I strongly urge you to evaluate
the feasibility of taking an online course without regular computer access.
You access the course by typing in the following URL address: http://socccd.blackboard.com, or linking to it from
MySite or the college’s main web page. Your user name is the same as your Saddleback email address up to but
not including the @ sign (generally your first initial, last name, and one or two digits). Your password is the same
as your e-mail account, generally your pin number plus two zeros. If you have changed your email password, your
password for Blackboard will have also changed. If you have forgotten your password, you can log-on to MySite
and change it.
IMPORTANT: All communication will go out using your Saddleback email address, so you must utilize this account.
If you are not in the habit of checking your Saddleback account, please begin doing so. Students who have their
Saddleback email forwarded to their regular account sometimes do not receive group emails because of the
policies of your internet service provider.
Once you log-in, there will be a list of the courses in which you are currently enrolled. To access this course, just
click on the link to Anth 2 – Cultural Anthropology.
If you encounter any technical problems using Blackboard, please visit the Student Technical Support page at
http://www.saddleback.edu/de/student-technical-support/.
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Course Schedule
Week
TOPIC
ONLINE WORK/
READINGS/ASSIGNMENTS
Anthropological Understandings and Methods
1
Introduction to the Class – Culture Bingo
Class: 8/17
2
Class: 8/24
The Anthropological Perspective and the Concept of
Culture
3
Class: 8/31
Encountering the Other: Colonialism, Race, and the
Birth of Anthropology
4
No class on
9/7
5
Class: 9/14
Encountering the Other (continued)
Fieldwork and Ethnography
Belief Systems
6
Magic and Religion
Class: 9/21
7
Class: 9/28
Altered States of Consciousness/ Cultural
Understandings of Sickness, Health, and Healing
8
Class: 10/5
Midterm Exam
Cultural Persons
9
Men, Women and Beyond: The Cultural
Class: 10/12 Construction of Sex and Gender/Rites of Passage I:
Transitions to Adulthood
10
Class: 10/19
Body Modification in Rites of Passage
Class Debate – Female Circumcision
11
Class: 10/26
Rites of Passage II: Death Rituals
Constructing Relations
12
Kinship and Descent
Class: 11/2
Read Week 2 lectures online
Lassiter, Chapter 2
Articles – Miner and Geertz
Writing Assignment #1 distributed
Read Week 3 lecture online
Lassiter, Chapter 1
Article – Bodley
Watch Week 4 film online
Writing Assignment #1 due Friday,
9/11, at 11:59pm
Read Week 5 lecture online
Watch fieldwork slideshow online
Lassiter, Chapter 3
Article – Sterk
Read Week 6 lecture online
Lassiter, Chapter 7
Article – Gottlieb
Midterm Exam study guide
distributed
Read Week 7 lectures online
Watch Week 7 film online
Read Week 9 lectures online
Watch Week 9 film online
Lassiter, Chapter 5
Article – Herdt
Read Week 10 lecture online
Articles – Shweder and Kratz
Read Week 11 lecture online
Article – Conklin
Read Week 12 lecture online
Lassiter, Chapter 6
Writing Assignment #2 posted
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Week
TOPIC
13
Rites of Passage III: Marriage Practices
Class: 11/9
Film
(No Wed class
11/11)
Economics and Globalization
14
Making a Living: Production, Exchange, and
No Class on
Consumption
11/16
(No Wed class
on 11/18)
15
Economics Across Borders
Class: 11/23
Belonging and Exclusion
16
Equality, Inequality, and Social Control/Naturalizing
Class: 11/30 Social Inequality and Suffering
17
Class: 12/7
Conclusions: Applying Anthropology
Finals Week
Final Exam
Monday, 12/14, 10:15am-12:15pm
ONLINE WORK/
READINGS/ASSIGNMENTS
Read Week 13 lecture online
Read Week 14 lecture online
Writing Assignment #2 due on
Friday, 11/20, at 11:59pm
Watch Week 15 film online
Holmes, Forward and Chapters 1-3
Read Week 16 lectures online
Watch Week 16 film online
Holmes, Chapter 4 and 6
Final Exam study guide distributed
Holmes, Chapter 7
Last week to submit extra credit
Other Important Dates
Last Day to Drop without a “W”
9/8/2015
Last Day to Change Grading options (letter grade or P/NP)
9/22/2015
Last Day to Drop without a Letter Grade
11/2/2015
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