Anthropology 3100A
Anthropology of Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union
Spring Semester 2004
Instructor: Hülya Demirdirek
Class Times: MWF 12:00-12:50
Office: TH 216
Room: TH 103
Phone: 329 - 25 99
Mailing list: anth3100a@uleth.ca
E-mail: hulya.demirdirek@uleth.ca
Web page: http://classes.uleth.ca
Office hours: MW 1:15 - 3:15 or by appointment
Course description:
The aim of this course is to provide a selective exploration of the socialist experience and its
aftermath. We will study certain cultural and social trends which can be attributed to this part of
the world – in broader terms Eurasia – and develop an understanding of continuity and change
in the wake of the rapid transition experienced in this region known nowadays as the "postsocialist" or "post-communist" world. We will try to understand the historical processes that
shape this region as well as the academic and political processes that constitute this particular
geographical area as a "region". There will be six major axes through which we will explore the
region: everyday life under socialism, collectivization, history and memory, culture and meaning,
ethnicity and nationalism, and transition and change. We will read ethnographies so as to learn
about various socialist and postsocialist experiences while gaining insight into different
anthropological approaches. The course is a combination of lectures, films, in-class group
presentations, two in-class tests and one small written assignment.
Learning objectives:
You should develop critical thinking as well as discussion and writing skills with a focus on
regional ethnographies and scholarly debates.
In particular you should be familiar with

the political map of Europe and the territory of the former Soviet Union,

the major historical processes in the region,

the "gatekeeping" concepts used in anthropological debates,

and the empirical cases which we explore.
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Required texts:
Russian Talk: Culture and Conversation during Perestroika, Nancy Ries, Cornell University
Press: Ithaca and London, 1997.
Common Places. Mythologies of Everyday Life in Russia, Svetlana Boym, Cambridge, MA:
Harvard UP, 1994.
The books can be purchased at the bookstore.
Other texts are available on reserve in the library. The books for presentation can be either
borrowed from me or borrowed from the library. There is no course package in this course. Your
effort to access the reading material is part of the learning process.
Course requirements and expectations:
It is your responsibility to attend the classes. If you read the assigned articles before coming to
class you will be able to follow the course more actively. It is important to participate in the
discussions so that you get to see yourself in action in the class. This means that you can enjoy
stretching yourself and applying your knowledge during the semester without letting exam
pressures take away the pleasure of learning.
About electronic communication and access to information through the web:
E-mail: I will not be answering any e-mails unless it is an emergency. You are more than
welcome to meet me during my office hours for any concerns. Please contact the department
secretary for submission of sick notes, determining a date for a make-up exam etc.
Class web: In order to obtain access to the course outline, copies of the overheads which I use
during the classes or a guide for writing your essay etc., you should go to the
http://classes.uleth.ca web page, choose anthropology and anth3100 and click A. You will see
the folders and the files inside them. It seems it may not be possible to download these files on
the ordinary service computers dotted around the campus, but they can be downloaded from a
computer lab terminal. Home computers usually have no problem in downloading. In any case,
if you encounter any problems with downloading the material from the web please contact me, I
can always provide a copy for those who are in need. We will use WebCT for your group work
communication and posting of marks.
Evaluation will be based on two in-class tests, one essay, one group presentation and one set
of question production. There is no final test in this course.
In-class tests 1 and 2 (20% each) will cover the material from the lectures, films and your
readings. They will be comprised of short essay questions. In at least one section of the test
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there will be more questions than you need to answer, so you will have the chance to choose
from among several questions.
Presentation (15%): There will be five groups, the size of which will depend on the size of the
class. This task will involve intensive library research. All the members of a group will read one
of the five books in its entirety and find reviews, other books or articles which refer to that book
at length as well as books and articles which are produced on the same topic. The aim is to
learn about the case study, examine the way in which the author presents and analyzes the
case, place the author within the theoretical map of schools of thought and explore the debate
generated by the book. An oral presentation will then be made to the rest of the class. You need
to make a division of labour: all members of the group must work on the presentation of an
aspect or section of the book; clearly, however, responsibility for the final oral presentation of
each aspect/section must be assigned to one person. Although there are of course several
aspects/sections to cover, it is possible that not all members of each group will have the
opportunity to take on the presenter's role owing to the number of persons in the group. The
task of the presenter is to introduce the key arguments and lead the discussion. Those of the
students who form the audience for each presentation are encouraged to find and read in
advance one book review only of the book in question. It is not mandatory for them to read the
book. The audience will be encouraged to challenge the presentation group in a constructive
manner, both in terms of what they covered and how they presented their arguments.
This group work does not require a great deal of work outside of the class time. We will
allocate one discussion room to each group on WebCT. In this way you will not need to struggle
to organize meetings. Marking will be on the basis of the collective outcome. Under normal
circumstances all group members will get the same grade. Please keep in mind that group work
facilitates learning and, furthermore, most of the world outside of university life involves some
form of group cooperation.
Individual paper (35%):
For your paper you are asked to read one monograph written about the socialist or postsocialist
world by an anthropologist and prepare a written presentation of it (if you are very motivated to
write a paper on a topic without following this format please contact me early on). I will provide
you with a list of suggestions as well as the format to be followed for the presentation of the
book. Your choice of book and topic has to be approved by me. You must write a one- or twoparagraph description of what you will be working on and submit this to me by 2 February and
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preferably discuss your topic with me during my office hours. Failure to submit a topic
description will result in a 10 % deduction from your paper.
The paper is due on 31 March. The minimum length of the paper is 3000 words (minus 10 % is
still acceptable) and the maximum length is 5000 words (plus 10 % is acceptable).
Question production (10%):
After each of the case study presentations you should prepare two discussion questions on
each case study (including your own). This means producing a total of ten discussion questions
for five studies. You will then submit these questions in one batch at the end of the presentation
phase, April 12, Monday.
Extensions for late submissions can only be given under extraordinary circumstances. Please
either contact the instructor in advance or provide documentation (medical or other). Essays
which are turned in late without prior approval will have five points deducted per day (here, a
day means 24 hours; if the submission deadline is March 27, 12:15, an essay which is
submitted after 12:25 on March 27 but before 12:15 March 28 will have five points deducted).
Essays which are submitted late are to be handed to the Anthropology Department Secretary
(TH 210).
Please note:
1. Papers and questions are to be submitted at the start of the class on the due day.
If you are unable to attend the class that day please make sure that you submit your
assignment either through a classmate or to the anthropology secretary. She has to confirm
your submission by noting the time and date on your assignment.
2. Papers/Questions which are pushed UNDER MY DOOR will NOT be ADMITTED unless
you speak to me in advance.
3. Uncollected exams or assignments can be picked up from the anthropology office.
4. Exams are not cumulative and each will cover only material presented since the last
test.
5. Academic dishonesty is considered a very serious offence (See pp.63-70 of the U of L
Calendar). The U of L subscribes to plagiarism software called Turnitin.com. Your
assignments may be reviewed using it to detect cyber-plagiarism.
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6. If you have any MEDICAL CONDITION which influences your learning please contact
me.
7. Please see page 69 in the U of L Calendar 2003-2004 for the rules about missed exams.
Dates and deadlines:
Test 1: 20 % February 9, Monday – Room TH 103
Presentation Questions: 10 % April 12, Monday (submission at the beginning of the class)
Paper: 35 % March 31, Wednesday (submission at the beginning of the class)
Presentation: 15 % Various dates – Room TH 103
Test 2: 20 % April 16, Friday – Room TH 103
Weighting:
Marking:
Tests (2 x 20 % each)
2 tests, each 20 points (Total 40 points)
Paper (35 %)
Paper 100 points (Total 100 points)
Group work (15 %)
Group presentation 15 points
Question production (10 %)
Question production 10 points
Grading:
A+ = 100 - 95 %
A = 94 - 90 %
A- = 89 - 85 %
B+ = 84 - 80 %
B = 79 - 75 %
B- = 74 - 70 %
C+ = 69 - 65 %
C = 64 - 60 %
C- = 59 - 55 %
D+ = 54 - 53 %
D = 52 - 50 %
F: 49 % and
below
*Tentative Schedule of Lectures, Films and Readings
(* Depending on the progress we make during the classes, we may spend more time on certain
topics than on others. This may alter the course schedule to some extent.)
Week 1 January 7, Wednesday
Overview of the course and introduction
January 9, Friday
Old empires, new countries.
Week 2 January 12, Monday
What was socialism?
Reading: What was socialism, and
why did it fall?, Verdery.
January 14, Wednesday
Film:TBA
Film: TBA
January 16, Friday
Postsocialism: Geographical and academic
boundaries
Week 3 January 19, Monday
EVERYDAY LIFE IN SOCIALISM
Reading: Russian Talk, ch.1
5
January 21, Wednesday
Reading: Russian Talk, ch. 2-3
January 23, Friday
Reading: Russian Talk, ch. 4-5
Week 4 January 26, Monday
Reading: Russian Talk
January 28, Wednesday
Reading: Common Places ch.1
January 30, Friday
Reading: Common Places ch. 2-3
Week 5 February 2, Monday
** Deadline for topic approval**
Reading: Common Places ch. 4
February 4, Wednesday
Reading: Common Places
February 6, Friday
Review
Week 6 February 9, Monday
TEST 1
February 11, Wednesday
Postsocialism as a topic of anthropological
investigation
February 13, Friday
Film: TBA
Reading: Russian Talk, Common Places
Reading: Introduction, Hann, Humphrey, Verdery.
Week 7 Reading week, no classes
Week 8 February 23, Monday
COLLECTIVIZATION
Presentation: Marx went away, Humphrey
February 25, Wednesday
Presentation: Marx went away, Humphrey
February 27, Friday
Presentation: Marx went away, Humphrey
Week 9 March 1, Monday
Collectivization and its discontent
Reading: The advantages of being collectivized,
Lampland.
March 3, Wednesday
HISTORY AND MEMORY
Presentation: Tundra Passages, Rethman
March 5, Friday
Presentation: Tundra Passages, Rethman
Week 10 March 8, Monday
Presentation: Tundra Passages, Rethman
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March 10, Wednesday
Social memory
March 12, Friday
Gender and the double burden
Reading: From Parent-State to Family Patriarchs:
Gender and Nation in Contemporary Eastern
Europe, Verdery.
Week 11 March 15, Monday
CULTURE AND MEANING
Presentation: Russia and soul, Pesmen
March 17, Wednesday
Presentation: Russia and soul, Pesmen
NB! Last day for withdrawal from individual courses,
or complete withdrawal, for the Spring 2004
Semester.
March 19, Friday
Presentation: Russia and soul, Pesmen
Week 12 March 22, Monday
ETHNICITY AND NATIONALISM
Film: We are all neighbours
March 24, Wednesday
Presentation: Being Muslim the Bosnian Way,
Bringa.
March 26, Friday
Presentation: Being Muslim …
Week 13 March 29, Monday
Presentation: Being Muslim…
March 31, Wednesday
Reading: Nationalism and national sentiment in
States, nations and minorities
postsocialist Romania, Verdery.
April 2, Friday
Presentation: The political lives of dead bodies
Week 14 April 5, Monday
TRANSITION AND CHANGE
Presentation: The political lives of dead bodies,
Verdery
April 7, Wednesday
Presentation: The political lives of dead bodies,
April 9, Friday
No class, holiday
Week 15 April 12, Monday
No class, holiday
April 14, Wednesday
Review
**Deadline: Presentation questions!**
April 16, Friday
Have a nice summer!
TEST 2
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