1
Oberlin College
Anthropology 101-01, 3hrs.
Spring, 2009
Jack Glazier
Office:320B King
Hours: MW 3:30-4:30
Th 3:00-4:00
F 3:30-4:00
INTRODUCTION TO CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
(Anthropology 101)
MWF 11:00-11:50
This course aims to introduce students to the unity and diversity
of human thought and action in a broad ethnographic spectrum of
human communities, ranging from small scale hunting gathering
societies in Africa, to native farmers of South America, to U.S.
minorities, to postindustrial sociopolitical orders.
Anthropology 101 is a vital part of the liberal arts
curriculum, serving as it does to examine the very wellsprings of
what it means to be human and to expand consciousness about the
complexity of human experience through time and space.
This course emphasizes involved and active learning organized
predominantly around lectures but also including class activities such
as small group and class-wide discussions, and ethnographic videos.
In lectures, there will be ample opportunity for questions raised both
by the instructor and students. It’s very important to be current with
the readings in order to participate in discussions and to answer
questions the instructor may address directly to students. This will
enable you effectively and consistently to engage course materials.
Course objectives:
to understand the basic concepts used in cultural anthropology
to explore the results of anthropological fieldwork presented
in a number of ethnographic case studies
3. to understand the nature of culture as it shapes human thought
and action
4. to “practice” anthropology through class projects in data
collection
1.
2.
Please read the syllabus carefully, which will answer many of your
questions, such as when the instructor holds office hours or when
particular assignments are due. Let’s not waste time with questions
that are easily answered on these pages.
CLASS BEGINS AT 11:00. VOTE FOR CIVILITY BY ARRIVING ON TIME.
TARDINESS INTERFERES WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE CLASS AND IS
DISRUPTIVE AND RUDE TO OTHER STUDENTS AND TO THE INSTRUCTOR. LIKEWISE,
GETTING UP IN THE MIDDLE OF CLASS TO LEAVE THE ROOM AND THEN RETURNING
IS BOORISH. THESE ACTIONS WILL HAVE A DECIDED IMPACT ON YOUR FINAL
GRADE.
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Honor Code:
Suspected violations of the Honor Code will be
referred to the student-run Honor Code Committee as stipulated by
the rules of the College. A student found by the Committee to be
in violation of the Honor Code will be subject to the Committee’s
sanctions. The instructor will also give an automatic F for the
course to violators.
If anything is unclear about expectations
of the Honor Code, please ask. The following web address will
provide official details about
the Honor Code and Honor System:
http://oncampus.oberlin.edu/@@BB40F2725B2328DB25B2032EC4F253B1/co
urses/1/SL-dean/content/_195488_1/Revised Honor Code and Honor
System.pdf
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION
1 Two connection essays (4 pages maximum)
each essay 15%,x2
30%
Due dates: On or Before Mar 16. Everyone is required to hand
in a connection paper ON THIS DATE OR BEFORE.
The second connection paper may be handed in at any
time before May 1
Late papers are not acceptable, nor are electronic submissions for
this or any other written assignment.
Active and engaged learning requires that papers are fully proofread and carefully prepared. The kind of grade you would like can
only be forthcoming if the paper is well-organized, clearly
written, and error-free.
2.
Choice of one of two “hands on”
projects
25%
A. Kinship and Genealogy Paper due April 9
For this exercise students will pair up to prepare and compare
personal genealogies and to interview each other toward the end of
writing an essay that compares family and kinship in these two cases
and draws on pertinent readings. Each student may submit either an
individual paper based on the genealogy and interviews or a
collaborative paper written in cooperation with his or her partner.
Paper length, 5-6 pages. (Further guidance to be provided in class.)
OR
B. Life history Paper due April 9
The paper will examine some aspect of the life history—childhood,
marriage, occupation, military service, immigration, religion,
political activity, etc of a selected informant well known to you.
The paper will comprise both verbatim transcriptions of the tape
recorded autobiography and your analysis from an anthropological
perspective. Paper length, 5-6 pages, excluding transcript.
3
Collecting the life history must be face to face; no phone
interviews or other electronically mediated procedure. (Further
guidance to be provided in class.)
3.
Class Commitment
Attendance
(Pass/Fail)
(20%)
Twenty percent of success in this class is just showing up. Don’t
dismiss this segment of the grade just because it is pass/fail.
Graded work is calculated according to the percentages for each
segment of the course. If the average is “A” for all written work and
the final but a person receives “F” for class commitment, he or she
will have work averaging out to 3.2, a high B. That will be the course
grade. That person will need a “pass” on commitment in order to
receive an “A” for the course.
Using a sign-in sheet attendance will
be taken on at least ten random days during the semester. Eighty
percent attendance is necessary for a student to receive a "Pass."
Please note that this portion of the course constitutes 20% of the
final grade and is therefore consequential. Asking another student to
sign you in is cheating and therefore a violation of the honor code.
4.
Final Exam, Thursday, May 14, 7:00pm – 9:00pm
(room to be announced)
(25%)
Grading Expectations of papers:
Grade
A
B
C
Connection papers
Excellent grasp
of subject
matter;
effective,
coherent writing;
explains concepts
clearly; provides
relevant details
and examples;
draws connections
Good grasp of
subject matter,
with relevant
details and
examples
Limited grasp of
subject matter;
Connections
minimal or
missing
D or F Little evidence
of having done
readings,
attended
lectures, etc.
Life History
Claims and
interpretations
supported by
evidence of a
well-collected
text; coherent
and wellorganized; very
clearly written
Limited support
for
interpretations;
good writing and
organization
Adequate skills
of collection,
interpretation,
writing and
organization
Unacceptable
level of
achievement
Genealogy/Kinship
Correct use of
kinship terms and
symbols; neat,
attractive
design; effective
comparison of the
two genealogies/
kinship patterns;
very clearly
written
Good command of
some elements,
others need
work;good writing
and organization
Adequate skills
of presentation,
analysis;
minimally
acceptable
writing
Unacceptable
level of
achievement
4
The course requires approximately 15 pages of writing from each
student. If you need writing assistance, Oberlin has excellent
resources. Please consult the Writing Associates Program:
http://www.oberlin.edu/ptp/
DUE DATES AT A GLANCE
C=Connection papers
K/LH=Kinship or Life History Paper
MARCH
APRIL
16-C
9-K/LH
MAY
1-C
REQUIRED TEXTS:
DeVita and Armstrong, DISTANT MIRRORS: AMERICA AS A
FOREIGN CULTURE (3RD ed.)
Kehoe, THE GHOST DANCE: ETHNOHISTORY AND REVITALIZATION
(2nd ed.)
rd
Lee,
THE DOBE JU/’HOANSI (3 ed.)
Pascoe, DUDE, YOU’RE A FAG
Spradley and McCurdy, CONFORMITY AND CONFLICT (13th ed.)
All texts on Reserve, excepting Pascoe, which is available
electronically. It can be accessed through OBIS.
SCHEDULE OF TOPICS AND READINGS
Assignments are made on a daily basis. It’s crucial to stay abreast of
readings in order to maximize what you learn from lectures, class
discussions, and activities.
*Indicates recommended reading
All Reserve Readings are available on
Blackboard, indicated below as BB
Feb 2
Course Orientation
What is Anthropology? The Four Sub-Fields
Feb 4
Culture and Ethnography; What Anthropologists Do
Spradley and McCurdy, (Sp/Mc) CONFORMITY AND CONFLICT
pp. 1-5, Ch 1, 39
Lee, THE DOBE JU/’HOANSI, Preface and Ch 1
5
Feb 6
Sp/Mc, Ch 2,3
In-class video, “First Contact”
Study key terms at the end of each Section
in Spradley and
McCurdy. For this week, see page 6. Each chapter concludes with Review
Questions, which you should also answer as part of your study of
CONFORMITY AND CONFLICT.(This is not a writing assignment.)
Work on building a vocabulary of anthropological concepts as we
progress. Develop connections between our various reading
assignments in CONFORMITY and in all our other sources, including
lectures. This is part of the aim of the connection papers.
WEEK 2
2/9-2/13
Race, biology, culture, language; the
problem of cultural relativism; ethnocentrism
M
Lee, THE DOBE JU/’HOANSI, Ch 2
(continue reading Lee,at least one chapter per week
until completed)
Sp/Mc, Ch 25, Fish, “Mixed Blood”
Da/A, Ch 13,
BB:
"AAA
Statement on Race"(American Anthropological
Assn.)
"AAPA Statement on Race" (American Association of
Physical Anthropologists)
W
Sp/Mc,
Ch 2 (Reprint of Appendix in Lee text)
DaVita and Armstrong (De/A)
Ch 1, Linton, “One Hundred Per Cent American”
2, Holmes and Holmes, “The American Cultural
Configuration”
3, Miner, “Body Ritual . . .”
F
WEEK 3
Taking Sides: Issue 16
“Should Anthropologists Work to Eliminate the
Practice of Female Circumcision?” BB
2/16-2/20
Language, Culture, cont’d; the Wellsprings
Of Humanity; Humans and Animals: Are the Differences
Qualitative or Quantitative?
M
Sp/Mc, pp. 52-55, Ch 6
BB:
de Saussure “Nature of the Linguistic Sign”
W
Sp/Mc, Ch 8,9
F
Sp/Mc,
Ch 7
6
WEEK 4
2/23-2/27
Studying Culture in the Field: Doing Ethnography;
Culture and the Individual
M
Sp/Mc, Ch 4,5; Da/A, Ch 6,14
W
Da/A, Ch 8,9,17
F
In-Class video, “The Last Yahi”
WEEK 5
3/2-3/6
Cultural Ecology, Environment and the Material Basis of
Social, Economic, and Political Life: Local and Global
M
Sp/Mc, pp. 84-87, Ch 11, 13
W
Sp/Mc, Ch 12
F
Sp/Mc,
Ch 27
BB:
Harner, “The Enigma of Aztec Sacrifice
*Harris, "People Eating"
WEEK 6
WEEK 7
3/9-3/13
Cont’d
M
Sp/Mc, pp. 136-138, Ch 13,14
W
Sp/Mc, pp. 341-43, Ch 35,36
F
Sp/Mc,
Ch 15,16,23
3/16-3/20
Kinship, Marriage, Family, Social Organization
M
W
F
Sp/Mc, 178-81
BB:
Cohen, “The Disappearance of the Incest Taboo”
Grady, “Few Risks Seen to the Children of
First Cousins”
Sp/Mc, Ch 18, 19
Sp/Mc, Ch 20,21;
Geertz, “Life Without Fathers or Husbands” (BB)
In-class video “Life Without Husbands . .”
7
SPRING BREAK
WEEK 8
WEEK 9
WEEK 10
WEEK 11
3/30-4/3
Kinship, Marriage, Family, Social Organization
(Cont’d)
M
Sp/Mc, Ch 24; In-class video, “Nisa”
W
Friedl, “Society and Sex Roles (BB)
F
Sp/Mc, Ch 21,22
4/6-4/10
Sex and Gender, US and Cross-Culturally
M
Pascoe, DUDE, YOU’RE A FAG, Ch 1,2
W
Pascoe, Ch 3
F
Pascoe, Ch 4
4/13-4/17
Cont’d
M
Pascoe, Ch 5
W
Pascoe
Ch 6
F
Pascoe
Afterword
4/20-4/24
American Cultural Patterns, Ethnicity and Race
WEEK 12
M
Da/A, Ch 5,7,9 16
W
Da/A, Ch 10, 12, 15
F
Da/A 18, 19
4/27-5/1
Religion; Revitalization Movements,
Emphasizing Native North America
M
Sp/Mc, pp. 299-302, Ch 30,31, 32
W
Kehoe, Preface, Ch 1,2,3
F
Kehoe, Ch 4,5,6
8
WEEK 13
5/4-5/8
M
Kehoe, Ch 7,8,9
W
Kehoe, 10, 11, Postscript
DeMallie, “The Lakota Ghost Dance” BB
F
Anthropology in the 21st Century
Course Summation
READING PERIOD
SUNDAY MAY 10-TUESDAY MAY 12
FINAL EXAMINATION
THURSDAY, MAY 14, 7:00PM-9:00PM
Room to be Announced
PLEASE DO NOT ASK FOR SPECIAL PRIVILEGES REGARDING THE SCHEDULED
TIME FOR THE FINAL EXAM. COLLEGE RULES ARE STRICT ON THIS MATTER. AS
YOU PLAN TO LEAVE CAMPUS FOR THE ONE WEEK BREAK AND AT THE END OF THE
TERM, BE AWARE OF PRIOR EXAM COMMITMENTS IN THIS CLASS! REQUESTS FOR
SPECIAL PRIVILEGES ARE NOT
FAIR
TO
OTHER STUDENTS OR TO THE
INSTRUCTOR. ACTS OF GOD OR ILLNESSES CERTIFIED IN WRITING BY A
PHYSICIAN EXCEPTED.