COURSE OUTLINE Social and Cultural Anthropology
ANT 1101 Section B
Deborah Sick
Fall 2012
Class schedule: Mon 13:00-14:30
Wed 11:00-13:00
Office hours:
Mon 10:30-12:00
or by appointment
Office:
FSS 10021
Location: FSS 2005
E-mail: dsick@uottawa.ca
Tel.: (613) 562-5800 ext. 2522
Any questions sent by email should receive a response within two business days or during the following class if
taken place within the 48 hours following receipt of the email. Note that the professor reserves the right not to
answer an email if the level of language used is inadequate.
Course Website via Virtual Campus: A course website has been set up to provide up-to-date
information about the course, as well as copies of the syllabus, reading guides, other handouts, and
suggested readings and films. Course updates, essay topics, and other important notices will be posted
here, so please check the website frequently. Post questions concerning course material & readings on the
Discussion board here.
OFFICIAL COURSE DESCRIPTION Introduction to the scientific study of human ways of life. The historical context of the emergence of
social anthropology. Analysis of cultural and social systems, kinship, politics, economics and religion.
Cultural change.
GENERAL COURSE OBJECTIVES This course is an introduction to the anthropological approach to the study of societies and cultures
around the world. The basic aims of the course are to:
• provide students with a fundamental understanding of the historical development and contemporary
practices in the field of socio-cultural anthropology
1
•
•
provide students with a better understanding of the diversity of human behaviour and cultural systems
by examining human organization from a cross cultural perspective. Topics covered will include:
subsistence systems; economic, political and social organization; gender, kinship and household
organization; religion, socio-cultural change, and the application of anthropology to contemporary
problems.
develop listening, reading, writing, and analytical skills
TEACHING METHODS This is a lecture and film-based course. Lectures will draw from, and expand on material from the
Haviland et al. text and the required ethnography, The Dobe Ju/’hoansi. Not all required reading will be
covered in class – but you will still be expected to know the material, so be prepared to ask questions if
you do not understand a reading. Lectures and films will also provide examples not covered in the
textbook and, at times, provide differing perspectives to what you read. You will be expected to know
and understand the various perspectives provided on each topic in both the textbooks and the lectures.
ASSESSMENT METHODS •
•
•
•
2 Mid-term exams: combination of multiple-choice, matching and true-false type questions.
Final exam: approximately 80 % based on material covered in final section of the course and 20%
based on material from the entire course – this will take the form of 1-2 essay questions in which you
will be asked to synthesize material and reflect on general concepts from throughout the course and
the course ethnography. Note: Students MUST take the final exam on the university-scheduled
exam date.
Missed Exams: Students who miss a mid-term exam must present a valid written (e.g. medical)
excuse within 1 week of the missed exam (e.g. written medical excuse). Make-up mid-term exams
will be scheduled at the discretion of the instructor within 2 weeks of the missed exam. There is no
provision for taking missed make-up exams. Students who do not write a mid-term exam will receive
a 0 for that exam. Failure to take both mid-terms and the final exam will result in automatic failure
of the course.
Essays: Throughout the term I will be assigning 5 short essay assignments based on topics we have
been covering in class and/or material from additional readings/films. You are required to complete
2 of your choice. You may do 3 of the essays, of which the best 2 marks will be used. Format for
essays is as follows:
o Name, course title, and date at top of page – NO cover page.
o Typed, 1.5 line spacing, 1" margins; 11 point font
o 1-2 pages: 350- 600 words maximum
Essays will be marked according to how well you: address the question; demonstrate your
understanding of the topic/reading; incorporate anthropological concepts from the course; organize and
articulate your ideas; and, yes, grammar and spelling. While it is acceptable to ask someone to help
proofread for spelling errors etc, it is assumed that these essays will be your own, original work
(plagiarism, of course, results in failure, see below). Consult the Academic Writing Help Centre if you
need help with your writing (100 University or go to http://www.sass.utottawa.ca/writing). You will have
on average 1 week to complete each assignment.
Essays will be collected at the beginning of class on the due date. As you have ample opportunities
to write the required number of essays, late essays (including attempts to submit at the end of class)
will NOT be accepted. E-mailed essays will be accepted only in the case of a documented sudden illness
or unless previously agreed upon by me. If in doubt, e-mail submission before class and then come see
me with written excuse as soon as possible. I highly recommend that you do not leave doing your
2
essays until the end, as there is no opportunity to do extra work if you are ill or otherwise cannot
complete the last assignment on time.
Components of Final Mark
Evaluation format
Weight
Dates
2 Midterm exams
2 short essays
Final exam
50% (25 % each)
20 %
30 %
Oct 3; Nov 7
Various- see schedule
TBA
University Policy on language quality and late submissions
You will also be judged on your writing abilities. It is recommended to take the appropriate measures to
avoid mistakes. You will be penalized between 5% to 15%, at the professor’s discretion, for poor quality
written work.
Late submissions are not tolerated. Exceptions are made only for illness or other serious situations
deemed as such by the professor. University regulations require all absences from exams and all late
submissions due to illness to be supported by a medical certificate. The Faculty reserves the right to accept
or reject the reason put forth if it is not medical. Reasons such as travel, work and errors made while
reading the exam schedule are not usually accepted.
In the event of an illness or related complications, only the counseling service and the campus clinic
(located at 100 Marie-Curie) may issue valid certificates to justify a delay or absence.
In the case of e-mailed work, the time of receipt of the email by the recipient is guarantor of the time of
delivery.
We advise you to notify your professor as soon as possible if a religious holiday or event forces your
absence during an evaluation.
BIBLIOGRAPHY Required (Available at UO bookstore as a discounted package)
• Cultural Anthropology, 4th Canadian ed. William Haviland et al. Toronto: Pearson.
• Fetal/Fatal Knowledge: New Reproductive Technologies and Family-Building Strategies in India.
Sunnil Khanna. (2009). Wadsworth Pubs.
3
Projected Topic & Reading Schedule
DATE
Sept. 5
TOPIC
Introduction to Course & Anthropology
What Anthropologists Do
READINGS
• Hav. Ch. 1
10
Fieldwork & the Ethnographic Method
The Nature of Culture
• Khanna Ch. 1
• Hav. Ch. 2
12
Language & Culture
•
Hav. Ch. 4 (pp tba)
17
Patterns of Subsistence: Foraging
•
Hav. Ch. 5 (foraging)
1924
Food Production: Pastoralism
Horticulture & Agriculture
•
Hav. Ch. 5 (food prod.)
Essay #1 due
Economic Systems
•
•
Hav. Ch. 6
Khanna Ch. 2
Essay #2
26Oct. 1
3
8
ASSIGNMENTS
Essay #1
Mid-Term Exam
Thanksgiving Holiday – No Class
•
•
•
•
Hav. Ch. 7
Khanna Ch. 3
Hav. Ch. 8
Khanna Ch. 4
Essay #2 due
Kinship & Descent
•
Hav. Ch. 9 (pp tba)
Essay #3 due
Social Stratification & Social
Groupings
Mid-Term Exam #2
•
Hav. Ch. 10
1214
Political Org. & Social Control
•
Hav. Ch. 11
19
Religion & the Supernatural
•
Hav. Ch. 12
21
26
28
Cultural Change, Development, &
Globalization
•
•
Hav. Ch. 15
Khanna Ch 5-6
10
Sex & Marriage
1517
Family and Household
21-27
STUDY WEEK – No Class
29
Oct. 31Nov. 5
7
Dec. 35
Essay #3
Essay #4
Essay #4 due
Essay #5
Anthropology at Work
Summary; Discussion Groups &
Review for Exam
•
•
Hav. Ch. 14
Khann Ch. 7-8
Essay #5 due
4
Resources for you Mentoring Centre ‐ http://www.sciencessociales.uottawa.ca/mentor/fra/ The goal of the Mentoring Centre is to help students with their academic and social well being during their time at the University of Ottawa. Regardless of where a student stands academically, or how far along they are in completing their degree, the mentoring centre is there to help students continue on their path to success. A student may choose to visit the mentoring centre for very different reasons. Younger students may wish to talk to their older peers to gain insight into programs and services offered by the University, while older student may simply want to brush up on study and time management skills or learn about programs and services for students nearing the end of their degree. In all, the Mentoring Centre offers a place for students to talk about concerns and problems that they might have in any facet of their lives. While students are able to voice their concerns and problems without fear of judgment, mentors can garner further insight in issues unique to students and find a more practical solution to better improve the services that the Faculty of Social Sciences offers, as well as the services offered by the University of Ottawa. Academic Writing Help Centre ‐ http://www.sass.uottawa.ca/writing/ At the AWHC you will learn how to identify, correct and ultimately avoid errors in your writing and become an autonomous writer. In working with our Writing Advisors, you will be able to acquire the abilities, strategies and writing tools that will enable you to: • Master the written language of your choice • Expand your critical thinking abilities • Develop your argumentation skills • Learn what the expectations are for academic writing Career Services ‐ http://www.sass.uottawa.ca/careers/ Career Services offers various services and a career development program to enable you to recognize and enhance the employability skills you need in today's world of work. Counselling Service‐ http://www.sass.uottawa.ca/personal/ There are many reasons to take advantage of the Counselling Service. We offer: • Personal counselling • Career counselling • Study skills counselling Access Service ‐ http://www.sass.uottawa.ca/acces/ The Access Service contributes to the creation of an inclusive environment by developing strategies and implementing measures that aim to reduce the barriers to learning for students who have learning disabilities, health, psychiatric or physical conditions. Student Resources Centres ‐ http://www.communitylife.uottawa.ca/en/resources.php The Student Resources Centres aim to fulfill all sorts of students needs. 5
Beware of Academic Fraud! Academic fraud is an act committed by a student to distort the marking of assignments, tests, examinations, and other forms of academic evaluation. Academic fraud is neither accepted nor tolerated by the University. Anyone found guilty of academic fraud is liable to severe academic sanctions. Here are a few examples of academic fraud: • engaging in any form of plagiarism or cheating; • presenting falsified research data; • handing in an assignment that was not authored, in whole or in part, by the student; • submitting the same assignment in more than one course, without the written consent of the professors concerned. In recent years, the development of the Internet has made it much easier to identify academic plagiarism. The tools available to your professors allow them to trace the exact origin of a text on the Web, using just a few words. In cases where students are unsure whether they are at fault, it is their responsibility to consult the University’s Web site at the following address: http://www.socialsciences.uottawa.ca/eng/writing_tools.asp « Tools for Writing Papers and Assignments ». Persons who have committed or attempted to commit (or have been accomplices to) academic fraud will be penalized. Here are some examples of the academic sanctions, which can be imposed: • a grade of « F » for the assignment or course in question; • an additional program requirement of between 3 and 30 credits; • suspension or expulsion from the Faculty. Last session, most of the students found guilty of fraud were given an « F » for the course and had between three and twelve credits added to their program requirement. For more information, refer to: http://www.uottawa.ca/academic/info/newsletter/fraud_e.html 6