Cultural Anthropology
(Anthro G100)
Fall 2014
online course
Section CRN #54081
Instructor: Janaki Natalie Parikh
1st name pronounced (Jon-uh-key)
last name pronounced: (Puh-reekh)
Office hours: by appointment
e-mail: profjnp@gmail.com
This introductory course explores the nature of culture and how culture guides human
behavior. Topics include language, subsistence, economics, social and political
organization, marriage, kinship, religion, the arts, and culture change. This course is
intended for students who are interested in gaining a deeper
understanding of themselves and their fellow human beings.
Upon completion of the course the student will be able to:
 Define and apply basic anthropological concepts including
culture, cultural relativism, holism, ethnocentrism, world view, and
others.
 Outline the history and development of anthropology as a
discipline and assess the contributions of major figures and paradigms
 Distinguish ethnographic observations of human behavior from
other kinds of studies of humanity
 Define and describe the characteristics of human language, which
make it a unique system of communication.
 Assess the impacts of societal experience and cultural values
upon personality development.
 Compare and contrast the various subsistence patterns required
in various environments and by particular systems of political
organizations.
 Recognize other ways societies organize themselves (i.e. gender,
common-interest, age, etc.)
 Explain and analyze the structure of marriage and the motivation
for particular marriage rules in a variety of societies.
 Analyze and describe differences between kinship systems in
various societies.
 Recognize the universal functions played by religion in society.
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 Identify and describe the role of different art forms in
particular societies.
 Analyze the impact of globalization on culture change.
 Identify, describe and explain the interwoven nature of cultural
components
Student Learning Outcomes:
 Understanding of key principles and methods of cultural anthropology.
Demonstrate the ability to take these understandings and apply them to their everyday
lives and the world at large. Key concepts include; holism, cultural relativism,
ethnocentrism, comparative approach, emic/etic perspectives, culture concept,
self/other dynamic and participant-observation.
 Ability to recognize the significance of culture in shaping humans worldview and to
discern how culture impacts humans beliefs and actions. Understand their place in the
world in relationship to others place in the world and how culture impacts our
understanding of who and what we are.
 Knowledge of how culture shapes and impacts major human institutions including;
marriage, religion, economic, political, and educational.
 General understanding of the depth and breadth of the field of cultural
anthropology, anthropological theories, methods, history and applications to real world
problems.
Required Texts:
Culture. 2nd edition. Gezon, Lisa & Conrad Kottak. McGraw Hill, 2014.
ISBN: 9780078035043
(Abbrev: Text in reading guide)
**Annual Editions/Anthropology 14/15. Elvio Angeloni, editor. Guilford, CT:
Dushkin/McGraw-Hill. ISBN: 978-0078136184 (Abbrev: AE in reading guide)
Note: Use of prior edition (1 previous from current) is acceptable for either texts, though
please bear in mind that some assigned articles may be missing from the prior edition
**These articles are also available online if you would prefer not to purchase the Annual
Editions book, listing of the web links is located towards the end of the syllabus
Student Course Requirements:
Readings: It is recommended that you read the assigned text prior to viewing the lecture
slides. Lecture slides will not necessarily cover all of the material in your book, however,
you will be tested on assigned readings even if they are not covered in the slides.
Films: There are 2 films that you will be required to rent & view as part of the assigned
materials for this course. The first film is called Ma Vie En Rose (not to be confused with
another film of a similar title called La Vie En Rose) and can easily be rented from
Netflix &/or Amazon instant video. The dialogue of the film is in French, so be sure that
the version you rent includes English subtitles. This should be viewed prior to exam 2 as
the exam will include questions pertaining to the film. The second film is called My
Name Is Khan, it is in English, & should be viewed prior to exam 3.
Expert Group Study Sessions & Quizzes: Shortly after enrolling in the class, students
will be sorted into a small group that you will work with for the duration of the semester.
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In this group, you will participate in the expert group study sessions, which involve
submitting posts to a discussion forum geared towards discussing the assigned Annual
Editions articles and reviewing to prepare for the article quizzes. As per the course
schedule, the study sessions will open at midnight on Mondays and students will have
until the end of the day Wednesday to submit their original thread. After that, students
will have until end of the day Friday to respond/reply to the posts from others in their
group. Each student is expected to submit a minimum of 1 original thread per article & 2
replies per article. These posts will be graded & make up a part of your final grade. In
general, I offer bonus points to students for participating beyond the minimum
requirements (for example, submitting 1 original thread & 4 replies instead of the 2 that
are required.)
Great Debates Project: As per the info above, in your semester groups, each group will
be assigned to research and prepare a slideshow presentation about a specific topic and
stance. As a group, you will produce a slide show (using Powerpoint or Prezi) to
persuade the audience of why they should be in favor of, or opposed to the topic in
question. Since this is an online course, we do not have any actual class meetings,
however, please be advised, that you will need to schedule “meetings” with your group
members to complete your project, though many of these meetings can be coordinated
through skype & email communications, etc. Please see the Great Debates Assignment
sheet for full details on project guidelines & rubric.
Exams: There will be 3 exams, consisting of multiple choice, fill-ins, true/false, and short
answer/essay questions. Exam questions will be based on assigned readings (text and
handouts), films, lecture and discussions, most exam material will not be cumulative.
Exam (& quizzes) will be administered in a timed format, the allotted time is not
intended to be enough for you to scour through the book/slides for each answer as you go
along, studying ahead of time & preparing a reference/“cheat” sheet(s) is advised.
Students are expected to take the exam during the scheduled window, make-up
exams will not be given.
Students who would like to request a detailed review of exam/quiz results should contact
the instructor to schedule an appointment for this purpose. Due to the sheer size of the
enrollment caps for online courses, the instructor cannot offer detailed review of
exam/quiz results via email.
Student Services: Golden West College offers a variety of services to aid students in
being successful. These services include: learning skills center, tutoring, and technology
access & assistance. If you are struggling with the material, it is recommended that you
seek out and utilize these support services. You may also visit the Learning Resource
Center website: http://www.goldenwestcollege.edu/lrc/
Academic Honesty Policy: The college standards of academic honesty will be applied
in this class. Students are expected to abide by ethical standards in preparing &
presenting material which demonstrates their level of understanding & which is used to
determine course grades. The instructor reserves the right to submit student assignments
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to www.turnitin.com to check for textural similarities between those assignments,
Internet sources and the Turnitin.com assignment database. Students will be required to
electronically submit their written work for plagiarism checking. Assignments submitted
to Turnitin.com will become part of their database and will be used only for plagiarism
prevention and detection.
Any student who has been cited for an alleged act of academic dishonesty will be
automatically disqualified from any bonus/extra credit points earned up to that
point in the course & may be ineligible for further extra credit participation.
Accessibility Services: A student who feels he or she may need an accommodation based
on the impact of a disability should contact Accessibility Center for Education at (714)
895-8721, or TDD: (714)-895-8350, or visit the ACE office for further information. For
students who have already been determined eligible for ACE services please provide the
instructor with the proper form from ACE in a timely manner, at the beginning of the
semester and at least one week prior to the verified and identified need. Please note:
once an ACE accommodation has been arranged for you, ACE students should not
take both the regular exam version as well as the ACE version. ACE identified
students should ONLY take the ACE accommodation version.
Dropping the class: If you choose to drop the course, it is your responsibility to
officially drop the course via admissions & records, and to do so by the campus deadline
for course withdrawal. If you simply stop participating, an “F” grade will be submitted
by the instructor. Refer to the Golden West College Catalog as the official publication
addressing and guiding academic and student services policies.
Class Schedule:
*Schedule may be altered by instructor if necessary. Changes will be announced on
blackboard. All closing dates/due dates are by 11:59 pm unless otherwise specified
Textbook Readings:
Annual Editions Readings:
Lecture Topics:
Study Session by Thursday:
Due by Sunday:
WEEK 1: 8/24- 8/31
Chapters 1 & 2
Intro, Subfields and Dimensions
Icebreaker Discussion
WEEK 2: 9/1-9/7
Mon 9/1: Labor Day Holiday, campus is closed
Chapters 1 & 2
Textbook Readings:
Body Ritual Among the Nacirema
Annual Editions Readings:
Culture, Cultural Change
Lecture Topics:
Study Session by Thursday:
Syllabus Scavenger Hunt
Due by Sunday:
Textbook Readings:
WEEK 3: 9/8 - 9/14
Class Groups Assigned
Chapter 3
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Annual Editions Readings:
Lecture Topics:
Study Session by Thursday:
Due by Sunday:
Tricking and Tripping: Fieldwork on Prostitution
Methods & Ethics
Body Ritual Among the Nacirema
-
Textbook Readings:
Annual Editions Readings:
Lecture Topics:
Study Session by Thursday:
Due by Sunday:
WEEK 4: 9/15-9/21
Chapter 11
The Americanization of Mental Illness
Race: A Product of Culture
Tricking and Tripping: Fieldwork on Prostitution
Article Quiz 1 (Body Ritual…/Tricking and Tripping…)
Study Session by Thursday:
Due by Sunday:
WEEK 5: 9/22-9/28
(no new readings; study previous)
Being Indigenous in the 21st Century
View Film: Ma Vie En Rose
(no new topics; study previous)
The Americanization of Mental Illness
Exam 1 (Lectures/Textbook Readings Week 1-4)
Textbook Readings:
Annual Editions Readings:
Lecture Topics:
Study Session by Thursday:
Due by Sunday:
WEEK 6: 9/29 -10/5
Chapter 4
How Language Shapes Thought
Language & Communication
Being Indigenous in the 21st Century
Article Quiz 2 (Americanization…/Being Indigenous…)
Textbook Readings:
Annual Editions Readings:
Lecture Topics:
Study Session by Thursday:
Due by Sunday:
WEEK 7: 10/6-10/12
Chapter 5
Fighting For Our Lives
Subsistence: Making a Living
How Language Shapes Thought
-
Textbook Readings:
Annual Editions Readings:
Lecture Topics:
Study Session by Thursday:
Due by Sunday:
WEEK 8: 10/13-10/19
Chapter 6
When Brothers Share a Wife
Economic Anthropology
Fighting For Our Lives
Article Quiz 3 (How Language…/Fighting for…)
Textbook Readings:
Annual Editions Readings:
Lecture Topics:
Study Session by Thursday:
Due by Sunday:
WEEK 9: 10/20-10/26
Chapter 7
Rising Number of Dowry Deaths
Families & Kinship
When Brothers Share a Wife
-
Textbook Readings:
Annual Editions Readings:
Lecture Topics:
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Textbook Readings:
Annual Editions Readings:
Lecture Topics:
Study Session by Thursday:
Due by Sunday:
Textbook Readings:
Annual Editions Readings:
Lecture Topics:
Study Session by Thursday:
Due by Sunday:
WEEK 10: 10/27-11/2
Chapter 8
The Berdache Tradition
Gender & Sexuality
Rising Number of Dowry Deaths
Article Quiz 4 (When Brothers…/Rising Number…)
WEEK 11: 11/3-11/9
(no new readings; study previous)
Understanding Islam
View Film: My Name is Khan
(no new topics; study previous)
The Berdache Tradition
Exam 2 (Lectures/Textbook Readings Week 6-10)
WEEK 12: 11/10 -11/16
Tues 11/11: Veteran’s Day Holiday, campus is closed
Chapter 9
Textbook Readings:
The Arrow of Disease
Annual Editions Readings:
Religion, Magic & Witchcraft
Lecture Topics:
Understanding Islam
Study Session by Thursday:
Article Quiz 5 (The Berdache…/Understanding…)
Due by Sunday:
Textbook Readings:
Annual Editions Readings:
Lecture Topics:
Study Session by Thursday:
Due by Sunday:
WEEK 13: 11/17-11/23
Chapter 10
Why Can’t People Feed Themselves
Industrialization & Colonialism
The Arrow of Disease
-
WEEK 14: 11/24-11/30
Thurs 11/27- 11/30: Thanksgiving Holiday, campus is closed
Chapter 12
Textbook Readings:
Annual Editions Readings:
Modern World System
Lecture Topics:
Why Can’t People Feed Themselves
Study Session by Thursday:
Great Debates Presentation Projects
Due by WEDNESDAY:
Textbook Readings:
Annual Editions Readings:
Lecture Topics:
Due by SATURDAY:
Due by Sunday:
WEEK 15: 12/1-12/7
Chapter 13
Participation in the Great Debates Forum
Article Quiz 6 (The Arrow…/Why Can’t People…)
Due by Wednesday:
Due by Sunday:
WEEK 16: 12/8-12/14
Extra Credit Write-Ups
Exam 3 (Lectures/Textbook Readings Week 12-15)
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Course grading & Grading Scale:
Syllabus Scavenger Hunt: 4.5% (45pts, 3pts per question)
Intro/Icebreaker Participation: 2.5% (25pts: 10 pts for quality post (2 minimum required) & 5
pts for a quality reply to another post)
Article Quizzes: 3% each for a total of 18% (30 pts per quiz, 15pts per article)
Article Study Session Participation: 12% (120 pts total, 10 pts per article)
Great Debates Group Presentation Project: 8% (80pts total)
Great Debates Forum Participation: 5% (50pts: 12 pts per quality post (3 minimum required,
must be from topics other than one’s own) & 7 pts per quality reply (can be from any topic)
Exam 1: 15%, Exam 2: 20%, Exam 3: 15% for a total of 50%
Final Grades will be determined utilizing the following scale, our campus does not
issue “+” or “-“ grades
(900 pts) 90% & above: “A” grade
(800-899 pts) 80-89%: “B” grade
(700- 799 pts) 70-79%: “C” grade
(600-699 pts) 60-69%: “D” grade
(Below 600 pts) Below 60%= “F” grade
It is your responsibility to keep track of your prospective grade. If you need help
calculating your prospective grade, contact me and I will gladly assist you in doing so.
Extra credit: Students will have the option of turning in one extra credit assignment,
which will be worth approx. 5% of the course grade. Students may either read one of
the Annual Editions articles other than the articles assigned for the class, or attend a
museum, or view a film pertaining to cultural anthropology; a critical response paper
(not a film review) must be submitted for any of the options above. The format for
the paper is as follows: 1) describe what you saw, 2) incorporate at least 3 concepts
or terms learned in class, 3) provide personal analysis of your reaction to the
experience. Papers should be typed, 3pgs. long, & double spaced, using 11 or 12 pt.
font & standard, reasonable margins, if the paper does not meet this criteria, it will
not receive extra credit. The paper should be in your own words, direct
paraphrasing from other sources will result in a loss of credit.
If you wish to choose a film or location that is not on the preapproved list, please
obtain prior approval of the instructor. Book papers will be graded out of 55 points,
location visits & article papers out of 50 pts, while film papers will be graded out of
30 pts. Other opportunities to earn bonus points will be announced throughout the
term & are considered separate of this extra credit assignment. Extra credit is due by
the due date indicated on our class schedule. No late extra credit submissions will be
accepted.
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Recommended Locations for Museum option: (Please retain ticket stub or receipt to
submit w/ write-up for full credit)
Bowers Museum (Santa Ana)
California African American Museum (L.A.)
Dia De Los Muertos Celebration (fall semester)
Gene Autry Museum of Western Heritage
Museum of Latin American Art (Long Beach)
Museum of Tolerance (L.A.)
Cultural Anthropology Extra Credit Film List:
Ali
Not Without My Daughter
Avatar
Philadelphia
Amistad
Rabbit Proof Fence
After Stonewall
Radio
Akeelah & the Bee
Ray
A Time to Kill
Rendition
Avatar
Remember the Titans
Blood Diamond
Salaam Bombay
Brokeback Mountain
Schindler’s List
City of Joy
Sicko
Coach Carter
Sound & Fury
Crash
Slumdog Millionaire
Dark Days
The Pelican Brief
Devil's Playground
The Pursuit of Happyness
Erin Brokovich
The Great Debaters
Farenheit 9/11
The Secret Life of Bees
Freedom Writers
Transamerica
Fire Eyes
What the Bleep Do We Know?
Fog of War
Forrest Gump
Gandhi
Glory Road
Gran Torino
In America
Invictus
Kinsey
Life is Beautiful
Malcolm X
Medicine Man
Million Dollar Baby
Miracle
Mississippi Masala
Moolaade
My Flesh & Blood
My Name is Khan
Books: (Please check blackboard for a more complete list of recommended books
for e.c.) (Syllabus continues)
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Websites for full text of AE articles:
Body Ritual Among the Nacirema: http://www.ohio.edu/people/thompsoc/Body.html
Tricking & Tripping, Fieldwork on Prostitution…: (link has been disabled, I will post the
pdf)
Being Indigenous in the 21st century:
http://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/none/beingindigenous-21st-century
The Americanization of Mental Illness:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/magazine/10psyche-t.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
How Language Shapes Thought: http://psych.stanford.edu/~lera/papers/sci-am-2011.pdf
Fighting for our Lives: http://engl102buscemi.wikispaces.umb.edu/file/view/Tannen+Reading.PDF
When Brothers Share a Wife:
http://anthropologyman.com/files/15_When_Brothers_Share_a_Wife.pdf
Rising Number of Dowry Deaths: http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2001/07/ind-j04.html
The Berdache Tradition:
http://crl.ucsd.edu/~elman/Courses/HDP1/2000/LectureNotes/williams.pdf
Understanding Islam: http://www.islamicpluralism.org/documents/685.pdf
Why Can’t People Feed Themselves?:
http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~jdowd/lappe%20and%20collins%20%20why%20cant%20poor%20people%20feed%20%20themselves.pdf
The Arrow of Disease:
http://discovermagazine.com/1992/oct/thearrowofdiseas137#.UhdITZK1HUU
(Syllabus continues)
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Below is a sample rubric that I will be using to grade discussion board posts. You may
wish to consider these criteria when formulating posts in order to earn full credit for
participation. While I will be considering the length of the post, I will be weighing more
heavily in favor of the quality of the post as per the following areas:
Criteria
A (90- 100)
Outstanding
B (80-89)
Proficient
C (70-79)
Basic
D (60-69)
Below
Expectations
Critical
Thinking
• Rich in content
• Full of thought,
insight, and
analysis
• Substantial
information
• Thought,
insight,
and analysis has
taken place
• Generally
competent
• Information is
thin
and
commonplace
Rudimentary and
superficial
• No analysis or
insight is
displayed
Connections
Clear
connections
To previous or
Current material
&/or to real life
situations
• New ideas or
connections
• Lack depth
and/or
detail
• Limited, if any
connections
• Vague
generalities
• No connections
are made
• Off topic
Uniqueness
• New ideas
• New
connections
• Made with
depth
and detail
• New ideas or
connections
Lack depth
and/or
detail
Timeliness
All required
postings
• Early in
discussion
• Throughout the
discussion
All required
postings
• Some not in
time
for others to read
and respond
• Few, if any new Rehash or
ideas
summarize
or connections
other postings
• No new ideas
• “I agree
with…”
Statement
All required
Some, or all,
postings
required postings
• Most at the last missing
minute without
allowing for
response time
Stylistics
• Few
grammatical or
stylistic errors
Several
grammatical or
stylistic errors
10
Obvious
grammatical
or stylistic errors
• Errors interfere
with
content
Obvious
grammatical or
stylistic errors
• Makes
understanding
impossible
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