Anthropology 1000B
Introduction to Social/Cultural Anthropology
Fall 2003, Instructor: Alberto Guevara
MWF 11:00-11:50 am Room L1060
Office: Turcotte Hall 204, Tel number: 3292521
Office Hours: 12-1, MWF or by appointment alberto.guevara@uleth.ca
Objectives of the course:
This course, a general introduction to social and cultural anthropology, will look
into the ways anthropologists go about understanding and studying cultures. How do
people make sense of their environment? How do symbols and language shape our
perception of the world? What kinds of power relations exist between peoples of the
world?
The course will provide students with an overview of the basic analytical tools and
theoretical approaches utilized in the discipline of anthropology and introduce them to a
variety of social and cultural institutions that we, as humans, have constructed and
continue to construct as active participants in a changing world. The goal of the course is
to familiarize students with the development of modern anthropology and at the same
time to critically look at the role anthropology plays in the study of the modern world.
Texts required:
These will be available at the bookstore and on reserve at the library and the
anthropology department office.
1: Cultural Anthropology, Canadian Edition, Barbara D. Miller 2004
2: Annual Editions/Anthropology 03/04
Methodology and evaluation:
The course will be based on assigned readings, lectures, films, class discussions
and examinations. These will be facilitated by group deliberations of relevant issues (to
that week’s readings), and sometimes reported in the mass media. Students are expected
to attend classes having read all assigned course materials in advance. This point is very
important because it will facilitate us in having a dynamic and interesting course.
There will be four in-class examinations. The exams will not be cumulative,
and will cover only the material from lectures, readings and films since the last exam. In
addition each student will write a short (essay type) film review of no more than five
pages. The student should use the concepts, terms and the anthropological perspectives
learned in our class discussions and the textbooks to critically assess the film. Before you
choose one of the films shown in class, please consult with me about a possible topic. See
handout.
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Policies
All students should be aware of the definition and consequences of plagiarism as
set by U of L policy (p. 63 in the calendar). This policy will be systematically enforced.
The final grade will be calculated as follows:
First exam
Second exam
Third exam
Fourth exam
Film review paper
20%
20%
20%
20% (December 3)
20%
Official evaluation scheme
A+ 95-100
B+ 80-84
C+ 65-69
D 50-54
A 90-94
A- 85-89
B 75-79
B- 70-74
C 60-64
C- 55-59
F 49 and below
PART ONE: ANTHROPOLOGY AND THE STUDY OF CULTURE
Sept. 3: Introduction and overview of the course
Readings: none
Sept. 5, 8, 10: Key anthropological concepts and practices
Readings: Miller et al.: Chapter 1, Annual Editions: Napoleon A. Chagnon and Richard
B. Lee
Film TBA
Sept. 12, 15, 17: Methods in Cultural Anthropology: fieldwork, cultural shock and ethical
issues
Readings: Miller et al.: Chapter 2, Annual Editions: Richard Kurin and Bohannan
Sept. 19: FIRST EXAM
PART TWO: SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS AND CULTURE
Sept. 22, 24, 26: Culture and personality
Readings: Miller et al.: Chapter 6, Annual Editions: Scheper-Hughes, Meredith F.
Small (# 17), and Ann M. Simmons
Sept. 29, Oct. 1, 3 Kinship dynamics
Readings: Miller et al.: Chapter 8, Annual Editions: Ernestine Friedl, Clifford Geertz
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Film “Margaret Mead and Samoa”
Oct. 6, 8, 10: Marriage and family: domestic Groups
Readings: Miller et al.: Chapter 9, Annual Editions: Melvyn C. Goldstein, Serena Nanda,
and Nicholas D. Kristof
Film: “When Strangers Reunite”
Oct. 15, 17: Social groups and social stratification
Readings: Miller et al.: Chapter 10
Oct. 17: Review
Oct. 20: SECOND EXAM
PART THREE: FORMS OF ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS
Oct. 22, 24, 27: Politics, conflict, and social order
Readings: Miller et al.: Chapter 11, Annual Editions: Ettagale Blauer, David Counts, and
Lappe and Collins
Film “Delta Force”
Oct. 29, 31 and Nov. 3: Cultural anthropology and economic systems
Readings: Miller et al.: chapter 3, Annual Editions: John Bodley, Jared Diamond
Nov. 5, 7, 10: Culture and consumption
Readings: Miller et al.: Chapter 4, Annual Editions: Ron Suskind
Film “The Trobrianders of Papua New Guinea”
Nov. 12: THIRD EXAM
PART FOUR: SYMBOLIC SYSTEMS
Nov. 14, 17, 19: Communications: language, thought and society
Readings: Miller et al.: Chapter 13, Annual Editions: William D. Lutz, Deborah Tannen
Nov. 21, 24, 26: People on the move: anthropology and migration
Readings: Miller et al.: Chapter 15
Film TBA
Nov. 28, 1: Expressive culture, art, play and symbolism
Readings: Miller et al.: Chapter 14, Annual Editions: George Gmelch
Dec. 1: Review
Dec. 3: FOURTH EXAM
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