CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
ANTHROPOLOGY 2351
Summer 2012, M-Th 12:35-2:30, RGC6 A251
INSTRUCTOR:
David M. Hyde
Office: 250.1
Phone: 223-3403
Hours: M-Th 2:30-3:15pm
Email: botfly@utexas.edu
CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY introduces the student to a holistic study of culture.
The major elements of human social behavior, material culture, and cultural diversity are
studied as adaptations to social and environmental change--past and present.
TEXT:
Required:
Cultural Anthropology: The Human Challenge, 13th Edition, by W.
Haviland, H. Prins, D. Walrath, and B. McBride.
*Additional readings will be provided on Blackboard.
*Reading assignments and lectures topics are listed separately.
COURSE RATIONALE: This course is designed to introduce students to the field of
Anthropology and exposes students to both academic and practical aspects of the
discipline. Students are encouraged to develop critical thinking skills by gathering
information, comparing that information with other sources, & analyzing the results. In
doing so, students will be challenged to reach their own conclusions/understandings
concerning current anthropological issues.
This course will allow students to apply general anthropological knowledge and skills to
everyday life and their chosen careers, to apply the course towards an associate degree at
Austin Community College, and to prepare them for success in upper division courses in
Anthropology at other institutions.
EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOME: At the completion of the course, students are
expected to be able to:
 Understand the key concepts of anthropology
 Understand the concept of culture
 Understand how anthropologists perform field work and how they collect data
 Read and critically evaluate anthropological information in popular culture
 Be prepared to take other anthropology courses
INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGY: Students learn more about cultural
anthropology by engaging each other and the instructor in informed discussions than
through any other method. Therefore instruction will consist of:
 Lectures accompanied by PowerPoint presentations
 Videos as necessary
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

In-class group work designed to apply what was discussed in lecture to real life
situations
Discussions based upon the assigned readings and lecture topics
COURSE GRADING: Evaluation in this course will be through TWO exams, ONE
written assignment, PARTICIPATION in In-Class Exercises, PEER-REVIEW,
ATTENDANCE, and ONE TERM PROJECT. There is NO EXTRA CREDIT
offered in this course.
TESTS: The two tests are valued at 200 points each and please note that there are NO
MAKE-UPS except for special circumstances, in which case the "make up” test will be
evaluated with an automatic 10 point reduction. "Special circumstances" for a make-up
exam include illness, or some other unforeseen emergency. You must supply verification
such as a doctor’s note, accident report, etc. NO EXCEPTIONS. If you are going to
miss an exam for a prearranged school sponsored event you must let me know in advance
and provide the proper documentation. Missed exams without verification will not be
permitted to be made up.
The two tests consist of 100 questions valued at 2 points each for a total of 200 points.
Exam questions consist of multiple choice, matching, and possibly identification. The
tests are NOT cumulative; there is no “final exam” for this course. When tests are
returned, any questions or necessary modification to the evaluation must be done within
one week of the returned test. Test results will NOT be reevaluated at the end of the
semester.
On the day a test is given please be on time. No tests will be handed out after the first
person who has completed and turned in their test leaves the room. NO EXCEPTIONS.
You cannot leave the classroom after the tests have been handed out.
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT - THE PLANET OF THE APES: For this assignment you
will write a 3-page paper that analyzes the film, The Planet of the Apes, from the
perspective of the topics and ideas covered in class. This assignment is worth 30 points
and must be turned on the date due in class.
PARTICIPATION and PEER REVIEW: During the course of the semester there will
be SIX (6) In-Class Exercises. These exercises are designed to provide you with an
opportunity to think critically about some of the concepts you will learn in class lectures.
You will work in small groups and turn in handouts. You will be graded based on 1) you
actually participating and the quality of the work your groups turns in; AND 2) a peer
review by your group members. There are NO MAKE-UPS for these exercises.
ATTENDANCE: I take attendance and your grade will be affected by it. Poor attendance
will negatively impact your grade in the course, while excellent attendance will improve
it. There are 23 attendance days for this semester and for each day that you are present
you will receive 1 point. On attendance days you will be responsible for signing the
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attendance sign-in sheet. If you are more than 15 minutes late, or leave more than 15
minutes early you will not be receive your point.
TERM PROJECT: For this assignment you will choose some topic from Anthropology
to write a 5-page term paper and present to the class. Your topic should be narrowly
focused. This assignment will have multiple graded components such as choosing the
topic, gathering references, providing a thesis statement, etc. In the last week of class you
will give a 10 minute presentation to the class (accompanied by a PowerPoint). Overall,
this project is worth 200 points.
The total number of points available for the semester is 573:
Points
Exams: 2 at 100 points each 200
Planet of the Apes Assignment 50
Participation 50
Peer-Review 50
Attendance Days: 23 x 1 point each 23
Term Project 200
TOTAL
573
Percentage
35%
8.5%
8.5%
8.5%
5%
35%
100%
Grading scale:
A
AB+
B
69-67%
66-63%
62-60%
≤59%
100-95%
94-90%
89-87%
86-83%
BC+
C
C-
83-80%
79-77%
76-73%
72-70%
D+
D
DF
INCOMPLETE POLICY: An Incomplete will not be used to shelter a student from a
potentially low grade in this class. A student may qualify for an “I” (Incomplete) at the
end of the semester only if ALL of the following conditions are satisfied:
1. The student is unable to complete the course during the semester due to
documented extenuating circumstances.
2. The student has completed ¾ of class assignments, have earned at least a C,
and has not missed more than 4 classes during the semester.
3. The request for the Incomplete must be made in person at my office and
necessary documents completed.
4. To remove an Incomplete, the student must complete the stipulations of the
Incomplete contract signed with the instructor no later than two weeks prior to
the end of the next semester. Failure to do so will result in the grade
automatically reverting to an “F”.
SPECIAL NEEDS: Each ACC campus offers support services for students with
documented physical or psychological disabilities. Students with disabilities must request
reasonable accommodations through the Office for Students with Disabilities on the
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campus where they expect to take the majority of their classes. Students are encouraged
to do this three weeks before the start of the semester.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: Acts prohibited by the college for which discipline may be
administered include scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating on an
exam or quiz, plagiarizing, and unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing
outside work. Academic work submitted by students shall be the result of their own
thought, research or self-expression. Academic work is defined as, but not limited to tests
and quizzes, whether taken electronically or on paper; projects, either individual or
group; classroom presentations; and homework.
ACADEMIC FREEDOM: Each student is strongly encouraged to participate in class
discussions. In each classroom situation that includes discussion and critical thinking,
there are bound to be many differing viewpoints. Students may not only disagree with
each other at times, but you may have disparate views from the professor on sensitive and
volatile topics. It is my hope that these differences will enhance class discussion and
create an atmosphere where students and instructor alike will be encouraged to think and
learn. Therefore, be assured that your grades will not be adversely affected by any
beliefs or ideas expressed in class or in assignments. Rather, we will all respect the views
of others when expressed in classroom discussions.
CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR: You are all here for the same purpose, to learn and
experience. Therefore, all members of the class are expected to behave with courtesy and
respect towards others. Disrespecting others’ rights to speak and formulate their own
ideas and opinions DOES NOT promote a “healthy” learning environment and will not
be tolerated. Challenging IDEAS is encouraged; challenging PEOPLE or
PERSONALITIES is NOT. I have few rules, but I am adamant about them:
1. You must respect the classroom space and the instructor by focusing your
attention on the course during our class meetings. Speaking out of turn or carrying
on secondary discussion will not be tolerated.
2. Class is not a place for catching up on missed meals or missed sleep.
3. Laptops can be both a benefit and a distraction in a classroom. While many
students benefit from taking notes using a laptop, or having access to outside
class-related resources during class, other students cannot resist the temptation of
checking e-mail, chatting, or even playing games during class time. This class has
a strict “no non-class related use” rule for laptops — if you are found violating
this policy, then your in-class laptop privileges will be taken away.
4. Cellphones are a distraction for everyone, and should be turned off before
entering the classroom. You are not permitted to take calls or text messages while
in the classroom.
FINAL COMMENTS: You are adults and, presumably, attending college because you
want to be here. It is your responsibility to keep up with the readings, your homework,
and attend class. If you fail to do so, the consequences are your own. As previously stated
there is NO EXTRA CREDIT in this class. This syllabus, and the associated class
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schedule, has all the deadlines and due dates for all assignments, and it is your
responsibility to aware of them. If you are having trouble with the class and keeping up
with the material, come to my office hours and talk to me. DO NOT wait until you are
too far behind to come see me.
I will know if you are not coming to class, that is the primary reason I take attendance,
and I will know if you are not completing your assignments. Since you are adults, I will
NOT email you to remind you of missed assignments or to check on you if you are
missing classes.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE:
EXAM 1 TOPICS
EXAM 2 TOPICS
What is Anthropology?
Class and Ideology
Characteristics of Culture
In class exercise - National Space Settlement Agency
Anthropology Field Methods
In class exercise - Fieldwork, Ethics, and Cultural Relativity
In class exercise - Agree or Disagree
Language and the Construction of Reality
Race and Racism
FILM: Race: Power of an Illusion: Episode 3
Economic & Political Systems
In class exercise - Gulliver's island of Laputa
Evolution: The Theory
In class exercise - Race
Sex and Gender
FILM: Metal: A Headbanger's Journey (Segment)
Evolution: The Evidence
FILM: What Darwin Never Knew (pt. 1)
Human Evolution
FILM: What Darwin Never Knew (pt. 2)
Rethinking the Notion of Progress and Development
Representations of "Others"
Reading National Geographic
FILM: Planet of the Apes
FILM: Race: Power of an Illusion: Episode 1
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