ANT 2000: Cultural Anthropology
Fall 2012
Prof. Laura Ogden
Office: SIPA 313
Phone: 305.348.6663
Course Description:
In this introduction to Cultural Anthropology, we explore a variety of concepts and theories that help us to
understand the similarities, differences, connections and disconnections that shape world communities
(including our own). We also learn about the field of Anthropology, including the type of research
anthropologists conduct, as well as the methods and ethics of their research.
Course Objectives:
* Provide basic understanding of key concepts in anthropology, including: culture, cultural relativism, and
ethnographic research. Identify major findings of cultural anthropology.
*Introduce students to the research on gender, race, ethnicity, environment, political organization, kinship,
religion, and globalization in a variety of socio-cultural contexts.
*Refine critical thinking skills.
Textbooks:
(available at FIU bookstore, as well as on Amazon)
Gezon, Lisa and Conrad Kottak. 2011. Culture. New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN: 978-0-07-803502-9
Angeloni, Elvio (editor). Annual Editions: Anthropology 12/13. McGraw-Hill. ISBN: 9780078051012.
Course Requirements
The requirements for the course are as follows.
 Lectures: Class participation is required. Your exams will include material from the lectures. Taped
lectures will be posted for each week.
 Blog: Students are required to participate in online discussions that reflect course content. We will post
a discussion question that stems from the week’s reading or topic. The objective of these discussions is
to provide you with the opportunity to discuss material that might be novel and surprising. Discussion
topics will be posted on Monday and available for one week (Sunday 5pm. The e-space of the discussions
may NOT be used for the transmission of personal message from a student to another, or from a student
to the professor. For the latter, the course's e-mail and message posting systems must be used.
Discussion entries will be evaluated for thoughtfulness and evidence that you are engaging the course
materials. Discussion entries are worth (maximum).
 Quizzes: Quizzes will cover material from the week’s course materials (lectures, readings, other web
materials) in which it is assigned. Quizzes will have 20 questions and will be made available between
Tuesday at 8am and Sunday at 5pm. Students will have ½ hour to complete the quiz.
 Examinations: There will be two multiple-choice exams. The first exam (midterm) will cover 1/2 of
the course; the final exam will be cumulative, though the majority of material will come from the second
half of the class. Exams include all texts, lectures, web materials and films. Make-up exams will be given
only to those students who present a written certificate from a physician, the infirmary, or comparable
legitimate reason. Incompletes will be given only under exceptional circumstances. Make-up exams will
be in essay form, arranged by Dr. Ogden.
1

Missed Assignments: Everyone gets sick, has computer problems, and experiences other life events
that make completing assignments on time difficult. Because of this, I will drop your lowest quiz grade
and lowest blog grade. Other than the two dropped grades, there will be no make-ups in this class unless
you have a demonstrated (and grave) problem.
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Quizzes (11 total, 40 points each)
440
Blog (12 total, 5 points each)
60
Midterm
200
Final exam
300
Total
1000
Course Grades:
Letter Grade
A
AB+
B
Range
above 940
939-900
899-860
859-840
Letter Grade
BC+
C
C-
Range
839-800
799-760
759-740
739-700
Letter Grade
D+
D
DF
Range
699-660
659-640
639-600
< 600
Policy on Plagiarism. As a reminder, plagiarism is cheating. Plagiarism includes not only directly copying
someone else’s words, but also using their ideas and insights without citing their work. The disciplinary
action that will be taken in the case of plagiarism is explained in the section on “Academic Misconduct” in the
Student Handbook.
Course Communication. If you have problems or questions, please email me via the blackboard system.
We will respond to your email within 24 hours.
2
DATE
TOPIC/Objectives
Week 1
Aug. 20 - 24
Course Introduction:
What is Anthropology?
 Distinguish
Anthropology from
other fields
 Consider the concept
of race
 Learn about
Anthropology’s 4
fields
Week 2
Aug. 27 - 31
Culture & Ethnography
 Define culture
 Understand relation
of culture to
individual
 Learn how cultures
change
Culture: Chapter 2
Quiz
AE: 1, 2
Blog
Ethics & Methods
 Describe where and
how anthropologists
do fieldwork
 Discuss ethical issues
related to research
Culture: Chapter 3
Quiz
AE: 3
Blog
Applying Anthropology
 Examine how
Anthropology can be
applied to education,
medicine, and
business
 Learn about careers
in Anthropology
Culture: Chapter 4
Language & Communication
 Discuss how
language unique as a
form of
communication
 Study how languages
change
Culture: Chapter 5
Quiz
AE: 5, 6, 7
Blog
Making a Living
 Learn about adaptive
strategies in nonindustrialized
societies
 Understand
Culture: Chapter 6
Quiz
AE: 9, 11
Blog
Week 3
Sept. 3 - 7
Week 4
Sept. 10 - 14
Week 5
Sept. 17 - 21
Week 6
Sept. 24 - 28
READING
(Culture = textbook by
Gezon & Kottack; AE=
Annual Editions)
Culture: Chapter 1
OTHER
Assignments
(Due at 5pm on
Sunday)
GET BOOKS!
Watch video “This is
Anthropology”
Quiz
Blog
3
principles of
exchange in different
societies
Week 7
Oct. 1 - 5
Political Systems
 Examine the
different types of
political systems
 Link political systems
to adaptive strategies
 Understand how
status relates to
political systems
Culture: Chapter 7
AE: 12, 13
Blog
Families, Kinship, & Marriage
 Learn what kinship is
 Understand how
families and descent
groups differ
 Examine how
marriage is defined
and regulated in
different societies
Culture: Chapter 8
Midterm
Exam
Gender & Sexuality
 Distinguish between
biological sex and
gender
 Learn about sexual
orientation and
sexual norms in
different societies
Culture: Chapter 9
Quiz
AE: 18, 19, 20
Blog
Week 10
Oct. 22 - 26
Gender & Status
 Examine the
relationship between
gender roles and
social systems
AE: 21, 22, 23, 24, 25,
26
Quiz
Week 11
Oct. 29 –
Nov. 2
Religion
 Define religion,
ritual, and magic
 Understand role of
religion in society
Culture: Chapter 10
Quiz
AE: 27, 30, 31, 32
Blog
Week 12
Nov. 5 - 9
The World System &
Colonialism
 Understand the
“world system” and
how it originated
 Learn about
Culture: Chapter 11
Quiz
AE: 33, 34
Blog
Week 8
Oct. 8 - 12
Week 9
Oct. 15 - 19
AE: 15, 16, 17
4
Review Guide Posted
Quiz
Blog
colonialism and its
legacies
Week 13
Ethnicity & Race
 Learn how race and
ethnicity are socially
constructed
 Examine the
different ways
contemporary
societies employ
racial classifications
 Consider the lived
experience of race &
ethnicity in the
United States
Culture: Chapter 12
Anthropology’s Role in a
Globalizing World
 Learn about
contemporary issues
in Anthropology
related to
globalization and the
environment
 Discuss the concept
of “cultural
imperialism”
Culture: Chapter 13
Quiz
AE: 35
Blog
Week 15
Nov. 26 - 30
Indigenous People Today
 Examine multiple
perspectives about
indigenous people in
the world today.
AE: 36, 37, 38, 39, 40
Week 16
Dec 3 – Dec 8
FINAL EXAM, TBA
Nov. 12 - 16
Week 14
Nov. 19 - 23
AE: 4
5
http://www.understa
ndingrace.org/lived/
index.html
Review Guide
Posted
Quiz
Blog
Blog