University Of Lethbridge
Anthropology 1000 Y
The Anthropological Perspective
Spring 2006
Instructor: Dr. Chris Holdsworth
Location: N709
Time: Tuesdays 6:00 p.m. - 8:50 p.m.
E-Mail: christopher.holdswor@uleth.ca or chrishol@telusplanet.net
Office Hours: before or after class or by appointment
Class Web Page: http://classes.uleth.ca/200601/anth1000y/
REQUIRED TEXT:
Ferraro, Gary. 2004. Cultural Anthropology: An Applied Perspective. (5th Edition),
Toronto: Thomson Wadsworth.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
1. To provide a basic understanding of the concepts, theories, methods and central issues
of cultural anthropology.
2. To apply anthropological principles, methods, and concepts to engender a critical
thinking about Western culture and society
3. To develop an appreciation of social and cultural diversity resulting from the variety
of ways people have organised their lives and given meaning to their experiences.
4. To demonstrate the links between the individual, their social world, and global
processes.
COURSE CONTENT:
The course takes a comparative approach to the ways people order their lives, and
structure and give meaning to their experiences through gender, class, race, ethnicity,
kinship, religion, language and symbolism. It looks at how all human experience,
including our own, is embedded within particular historical and cultural processes.
COURSE FORMAT
The course will follow an interactive lecture-discussion format supplemented with
periodic video presentations. Classes will not repeat or cover all the material in the text
but will elaborate on selected topics to provide a deeper understanding of the material.
Assigned textbook readings may be augmented with suggested additional readings and
handouts.
ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION
Although attendance and participation are not considered in the grade for this course
students are expected to attend all classes and to contribute to class discussions based on
the assigned readings and films. Students will be unable to make valuable contributions
to the discussion, or benefit from the contributions of others, if the readings have not
been done beforehand. As students are required to demonstrate a working knowledge of
all course materials in exams, grades will suffer if more than two classes are missed.
ASSESSMENT
Assessment for this course will be based on the following components:
1. Mid term exam:
The Mid-term exam will be open book and consist of a choice of essay-style questions.
Date: Feb 28
Weight 25% of final grade.
2. A 2000-3000-word term paper:
Date due: Apr. 11
Weight 40% of final grade.
3. Final Exam:
The Final exam will be open-book and will also consist of a choice of essay-style
questions. It will be non-cumulative although students will be required to have mastered
the basic concepts covered prior to the mid-term.
Date: Apr. 18
Weight 35% of final grade.
Additional information about the essay assignment and exams will be provided during the
first class.
DEFERRALS AND MISSED EXAMINATIONS
Exams must be taken at the scheduled times and the assignment handed in on the date
specified. Essays submitted late will lose 10% of the mark per day that they are late.
Students may be granted an extension on the essay or deferral from writing the mid-term
exam only due to illness or other extenuating circumstances beyond their control, and
with the presentation of a valid written explanation from the appropriate authority, e.g. a
physician or employer. Alternative arrangements may be made at the discretion of the
instructor. Students who miss the final exam must apply to the Dean for deferral.
PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism: “to steal and pass off the ideas or words of another as one’s own”
(Webster’s). Plagiarism will not be tolerated and will automatically result in a zero grade
for the submission. Any student caught plagiarizing may also be subject to additional
University sanctions. The University’s policies and procedures on academic offences can
be found at the following website: http://www.uleth.ca/reg/calendar/part04.pdf The
University of Lethbridge subscribes to a plagiarism detection service. Students may be
required to submit their written work in electronic form for plagiarism checking.
GRADING SYSTEM:
Each item of course work will be weighted as above and a final mark out of 100
calculated. This will then be converted to a letter grade as follows:
A+ =
A=
A- =
B+ =
B=
B- =
95-100%
90-94.9%
86-89.9%
82-85.9
78-81.9
74-77.9
C+ = 70-73.9
C = 66-69.9
C- = 62-65.9
D+ = 58-61.9
D = 50-57.9
F = 0-49
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF LECTURES AND READINGS
Jan 10: Introduction: The Nature and Scope of Anthropology (Ferraro Ch 1)
Jan 17: Core Concepts and Anthropological Methods (Ferraro Chs.2, 3 & 5)
Jan: 24: A Brief History of Anthropological Thought. (Ferraro Ch 4)
Jan 31: Language and Communication (Ferraro Ch. 6)
Feb 7: Production and Consumption (Ferraro Ch 7)
Feb 14: Economics and Exchange (Ferraro Ch 8)
Feb 21: No class - Reading Week
Feb 28: Midterm Exam
Mar 7 Kinship Fundamentals and Marriage (Ferraro Ch. 9 and 10)
Mar 14 Social Inequality: Sex and Gender (Ferraro Ch 11)
Mar 21: Social Inequality: Class, Race, Caste (Ferraro Ch. 13)
Mar 28: Politics and Social Control (Ferraro Ch. 12)
Apr 4: Religion (Ferraro Ch. 14), The Anthropology of Art (Ferraro Ch. 15)
Apr.11 Culture Change, Globalization, Conflict (Ferraro Ch.16) Term Paper due.
Apr: 18 Final exam (6:00 pm N709)