INTRODUCTION TO
ANTHROPOLOGY
Course No: ANTH-101-01
Fall Semester 2010
Classroom: LA 562
Class hrs: MWF 10:00-10:50 am
Email: rblanchette@massasoit.edu
Text:
Instructor:
Office no:
Office hrs:
Roland Blanchette
LA 450
MWF 9:00-10:00 am
TTh 10:00-11:00 am
Office phone: 508-588-9100 ext 1706
Haviland, W. A., Prins, H. E. L., Walrath, D., & McBride, B. (2010).
The essence of anthropology (2nd ed). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth
Cengage Learning. [ISBN-13: 978-0-495-599581-4]
Students may wish to purchase this textbook through an online bookseller
such as www.amazon.com. Amazon discounts the book to $85.92 new, $71.00
used. You can purchase new and used editions much cheaper on the web and
they will be sent to you fairly quickly. The ISBN number has been provided
for you.
Catalogue Description: A study of human life in different societies with different emphasis
upon the physical, social, cultural, and archaeological aspects. The concept of culture, with its
transmission and change, will be analyzed within societies and on a cross-cultural basis.
Prerequisite: Preparing for College Reading II (ENGL-092), Introductory Writing (ENGL-099),
and Fundamentals of Math (MATH-010), or waiver by placement testing results, or departmental
approval.
Course Information: This is a Social Science course. It will fulfill a Social Science elective, a
Liberal Arts elective, or a General elective here at Massasoit Community College. Check with
the receiving institution about transferability.
Course Objectives: This is an introductory course in general anthropology; by the end of the
semester the student will have examined: 1) the four subfields of anthropology, 2) the concept of
culture, 3) the anthropological perspective, and 4) many of the traditional topics of
anthropological interest. This is primarily a lecture course, but there will be opportunity for
questions and discussion. In addition, through the reading, writing, and critical thinking that are
part of the course, students should be better able to: 1) organize and connect ideas, 2) view
situations from different perspectives, and 3) differentiate between fact and fiction.
Disability Statement: Students with disabilities who believe that they may need
accommodations in the classroom are encouraged to contact a disability counselor as soon as
possible. Students at the Brockton Campus with learning disabilities should contact Andrea
Henry, at extension 1805. Students with physical disabilities at the Brockton Campus should
contact Mary Berg, at extension 1425. All students at the Canton Campus should contact Mary
Berg at extension 2132.
WORK FOR THE COURSE
Assignments: All students are responsible for three writing assignments. The exact nature of
these papers will be explained during the first week of class. Students are also required to read
the text assignments by the dates specified on the course outline.
Exams: There will be three in-class exams based on the text and the material discussed in class.
Everyone is required to take all exams on the assigned dates.
Teaching Procedures and Attendance: This is primarily a lecture course, but there will be
opportunity for questions and discussion. Students are expected to attend all regularly scheduled
classes. Do not come to class late; interrupting class by walking in late or getting up to leave
early is rude and will not be tolerated. Students caught cheating will receive an F for the course.
Please read the Attendance and Academic Integrity policies printed in the College catalogue.
Students are also strongly encouraged to actively participate in class discussions; part of the work
of this course is to show up ready, eager, and prepared for the class.
Grades: Evaluation and grading is based on the following distribution:
Examinations = 50%
Assignments = 50%
94 - 100 = A
90 - 93 = A87 - 89 = B+
83 - 86 = B
80 - 82 = B77 - 79 = C+
73 - 76 = C
70 - 72 = C-
67 - 69 = D+
60 - 66 = D
-59 = F
COURSE OUTLINE
Note: This is a tentative outline of the material that will be covered in this course. Dates may be
adjusted as the course progresses. You will be given ample time and notice to complete the
assignments and prepare for the exams.
Week 1 Sep 8-10
General anthropology and the subdisciplines. Anthropological concepts.
Readings: Haviland, Ch 1.
Week 2 Sep 13-17
Characteristics of Culture. Fieldwork.
Film : “How Cultures Are Studied.”
Readings: Haviland, Ch 8.
Week 3 Sep 20-24
Language. General features. Language, thought, and culture. Sociolinguistics.
Film: “Language and Communication.”
Readings: Haviland, Ch 9.
Week 4 Sep 27-Oct 1
Biological anthropology. Evolution. The Primates.
Film: “The Primates.”
Readings: Haviland, Ch 2, 3.
Week 5 Oct 4-8
The Hominids. The Geological Time Scale. Archaeological methods.
Readings: Haviland, Ch 1, 4.
Assignment #1 due.
Week 6 Oct 11-15
No classes Monday: Columbus Day
The Fossil Evidence for Human Evolution. Human Diversity.
Media Presentation: “Human Evolution.”
Readings: Haviland, Ch 4, 5.
Exam #1.
Week 7 Oct 18-22
Subsistence Strategies and Social Organization.
Film: “Patterns of Subsistence: Food Foragers and Pastoralists.”
Readings: Haviland, Ch 11.
Week 8 Oct 25-29
Subsistence Strategies and Social Organization.
Film: “Patterns of Subsistence: The Food Producers.”
Readings: Haviland, Ch 6, 11.
Week 9 Nov 1-5
The Neolithic Revolution. The Rise of Cities.
Economics: Distribution and Exchange Systems.
Readings: Haviland, Ch 5, 11
Week 10 Nov 8-12
No classes Thursday: Veterans Day
The Family. Patterns of Marriage and Family.
Film: “Sex and Marriage.”
Readings: Haviland, Ch 12.
Assignment #2 due.
Week 11 Nov 15-19
No classes Wednesday: Registration Day
Kinship and descent.
Film: “Kinship and Descent Part II.”
Readings: Haviland, Ch 13.
Exam #2
Week 12 Nov 22-26
No classes Thursday and Friday: Thanksgiving Recess
Marriage and Alliance.
Readings: Haviland, Ch 12, 13.
Week 13 Nov 29-Dec 3
Social Stratification. Social Ranking. Sex and Gender.
Readings: Haviland, Ch 13.
Week 14 Dec 6-10
Religion: Belief and Ritual Systems.
Film: “Religion and Magic.”
Readings: Haviland, Ch 15.
Assignment #3 due.
Week 15 Dec 13-16
Last Day of Classes: Thursday
Applied anthropology. Culture change.
Film: “Cricket: The Trobriand Island Way.”
Readings: Haviland, Ch 16.
Week 16 Dec 17
Final Exam: Friday, 10:30-12:30
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
The assignments must be typed or printed, 12 pt. type, double-spaced, and fastened with one
staple in the left-hand corner (no covers). The assignments are due on the dates noted in the
schedule below. Late assignments will be penalized. If there are any questions or problems do
not hesitate to contact me and I will be glad to help you.
Assignment #1
LIBRARY ASSIGNMENT
Due: Oct 8
Anthropology has an extensive catalogue of events, theories, concepts, and ethnographers that are
well known to most people in the field. The topic you have received is such an example. For
this assignment, I want you to do the following:
1. Find your topic in the literature. You should begin with your textbook and use the
information found there to continue your research in the library.
2. Write a brief description of your topic. What is it? Who is associated with it? Why is
it important? I expect a minimum of one page of text (250 words).
3. Cite the source of your information. Do not cite Wikipedia or your textbook. Be sure
your citation is written in APA style. Consult your English handbook.
Your paper will be graded according to: 1) care and thoroughness given to your research, 2)
good English writing, and 3) accurate use of a proper style.
Assignment #2
ETHNOGRAPHY OF SPEAKING
Due: Nov 12
One of the moving forces behind sociolinguistics has been Dell Hymes. Hymes has concluded
that little "on the ground" description of how people talk in social situations has really been done.
To counteract this, he has spent considerable energy studying speech in cultural contexts. One of
his ideas was to use the word SPEAKING to stand for an acronym which would point to aspects
of speech acts to study. In Hymes conception of "S·P·E·A·K·I·N·G," each letter stands for an
aspect to be investigated:
S = Setting
P = Participants
E = Ends
A = Act Sequence
K = Key
I = Instruments
N = Norms
G = Genre
Choose a speech act to examine, preferably one that is of relatively short duration, no more than
a minute or two. Examples might be greetings, sermons, conversations, jokes, etc. Analyze the
event using the scheme proposed by Hymes.
The paper will be graded according to: 1) the care and thoroughness of ethnographic description
and 2) the quality of the analysis, and 3) good English writing.
Assignment #3
KINSHIP
Due: Dec 10
Kinship is an essential part of anthropology. In most non-Western societies, kinship is the
crucial form of social organization; how a group reckons who their relatives are creates their
social world. Relatives are often allies who provide economic, emotional, and social support and
protection.
Kinship calculation is the system by which people reckon their kin relations. It is cultural rather
than biological and requires the ethnographer to concentrate on individuals, asking informants
questions such as, "Who are your relatives?"
Interview someone from another culture about their kinship network. Construct a kinship
diagram with your informant's help. Be thorough but don't get carried away, illustrate a couple of
dozen kin at most. Do try to include anything unusual. If you have any questions, see your
instructor. Be sure to label ”kin types” as well as ”kin terms.” Include a brief essay describing
your experience as well as the diagram you have constructed.
The paper will be graded according to: 1) the quality and organization of the kinship chart and 2)
the thoroughness of your analysis of the kinship network.
ALL PAPERS MUST BE
CAREFULLY PROOFREAD AND PRINTED