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Oberlin College Jack Glazier
Anthropology 101-01, 3hrs. Office:320B King
Fall '08 Hours: MW 3:30-5:00
F 3:30-4:00 and
By appt.
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 to expand consciousness about the complexity of human experience through time and space.
This course emphasizes engaged and active learning organized predominantly around lectures but also including class activities, A-V materials, and discussion. 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:
1.
to understand the basic concepts used in cultural anthropology
2.
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
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.
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 AN IMPACT ON YOUR FINAL GRADE.

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Honor Code: If you are new to Oberlin, please pay close attention to information about the 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. The application of the honor code to particular assignments will be discussed in class. If anything is unclear about expectations of the Honor Code, please ask. The following web address will provide official details student regulations, policies and procedures, including a link to the Honor Code and
Honor System: http://www.oberlin.edu/students/links-life/rules-regs.html#hono
Blackboard (designated as BB in the assignments) is an electronic bulletin board where you will find various postings for the course, including the syllabus and readings.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION
1 Three connection essays (3 pages maximum)
each essay 10%,x3 30%
Due dates: Sept 26, Oct 10, Oct 31, Nov 21, Dec 5. Only three essays are required. Further explanation in class.
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 November 12

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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 November 12
The paper will examine some aspect of the life history—childhood, marriage, occupation, military service, immigration, religion, political activity, etc of a selected informant. 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.
(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 , Tuesday, December 16, 9:00am-11:00am (25%)
(room to be announced)
Grading Expectations of papers:
Grade Connection papers Life History Genealogy/Kinship
A Excellent grasp Claims and Correct use of

B
C 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 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 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
D or F Little evidence of having done readings, attended lectures, etc.
Unacceptable level of achievement writing
Unacceptable level of achievement
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
SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER
26-C 10-C 14-K/LH 5-C
31-C 21-C
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REQUIRED TEXTS:
Lee, THE DOBE JU/’HOANSI (3 rd ed.)
Loewen, THE MISSISSIPPI CHINESE
Pascoe, DUDE, YOU’RE A FAG
Spradley and McCurdy, CONFORMITY AND CONFLICT (12th ed.)
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
Sept 3 Course Orientation
What is Anthropology?
Sept 5 Culture and Ethnography
Spradley and McCurdy, (Sp/Mc) CONFORMITY AND CONFLICT
pp. 1-5, Ch 1
Lee, THE DOBE JU/’HOANSI, Preface and Ch 1
Study key terms at the end of each Section in Spradley and
McCurdy. For this week, see page 5. 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 9/8-9/12
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)

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Sp/Mc, Ch 23
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)
BB:
Linton, “One Hundred Per Cent American”
F Taking Sides: Issue 16
“Should Anthropologists Work to Eliminate the
Practice of Female Circumcision?” BB
WEEK 3 9/15-9/19
Language, Culture, cont’d; the Wellsprings
Of Humanity; Humans and Animals: Are the Differences
Qualitative or Quantitative?
M Sp/Mc, pp. 59-62, Ch 8
BB: de Saussure “Nature of the Linguistic Sign”
W Sp/Mc, Ch 6
F Sp/Mc, Ch 9
WEEK 4 9/22-9/26
Studying Culture in the Field: Doing Ethnography;
Culture and the Individual
M Sp/Mc, Ch 3,5
W Sp/Mc, Ch 4
F “The Last Yahi” in-class video
WEEK 5 9/29-10/3
Cultural Ecology, Environment and the Material Basis of
Social, Economic, and Political Life: Local and Global

M Sp/Mc, pp. 103-106, Ch 11, 12
W Sp/Mc, Ch 14
F Sp/Mc, Ch 26
BB:
Harner, “The Enigma of Aztec Sacrifice
*Harris, "People Eating"
WEEK 6 10/6-10/10
Cont’d
M Sp/Mc, pp. 159-162 Ch 15
W Sp/Mc, pp. 340-43, Ch 32
F Sp/Mc, Ch 33, 34
WEEK 7 10/13-10/17
Kinship, Marriage, Family, Social Organization
M Sp/Mc, 178-81
BB:
Cohen, “The Disappearance of the Incest Taboo”
Grady, “Few Risks Seen to the Children of
First Cousins”
W Sp/Mc, Ch 16, 17
F Sp/Mc, Ch 18,19
October 18-26
FALL BREAK
WEEK 8 10/27-10/31
Kinship, Marriage, Family, Social Organization
(Cont’d)
M Sp/Mc, Ch 20
W Sp/Mc, Ch 21,22
F Taking Sides: Issue 12,
“Is It Natural for Adopted Children
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to Want to Find out About Their
Birth Parents?” BB
WEEK 9 11/3-11/7
Sex and Gender, US and Cross-Culturally
M
W
F
Pascoe, DUDE, YOU’RE A FAG,
Pascoe, Ch 3
Pascoe, Ch 4
WEEK 10 11/10-11/14
Cont’d
M Pascoe, Ch 5
W Pascoe Ch 6
Ch 1,2
F Pascoe Afterword
WEEK 11 11/17-11/21
Ethnicity, Immigration, and Race
M Loewen , THE MISSISSIPPI CHINESE,
Introduction, Ch 1
W Loewen, Ch 2,3
F Continue reading Loewen, Ch 4
Instructor out of town, but there will be
An in-class video on the Chinese in America
WEEK 12 11/24-11/28
Ethnicity (cont’d)
M
W
Loewen , Ch 5,6
Loewen, Ch 7, Afterword
F No Class-Thanksgiving Break
WEEK 13 12/1-12/5
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Religion and Revitalization Movements in Native
M
W
North America
Sp/Mc, pp. 294-298
Sp/Mc, Ch 30
DeMallie, “The Lakota Ghost Dance” BB
F The Lakota Ghost Dance (cont’d)
No additional reading
WEEK 14 12/8-12/12
M The Lakota Ghost Dance (cont’d)
No additional reading
W Anthropology: Appplication and Practice
Sp/Mc, pp. 388-390, Ch *25
F Sp/Mc, Ch *35 ,* 36
SUMMATION
READING PERIOD
SATURDAY DEC 13-MONDAY DEC 15
FINAL EXAMINATION
TUESDAY, DEC 16, 9:00am-11:00am
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.