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Spring 2016
ANT 201.01: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
Tuesday/Thursday 12:30- 1:45 pm
Cooper C003
Ms. Irene Ketonen
My office: Cooper M4 (2nd floor of Cooper Hall)
Email: ireneket@buffalo.edu (preferred), iketonen@brockport.edu
Phone: (585) 395-5142
Office hours: M 4:30-5:30/Th 3:00-4:00 pm, or by appt.
This syllabus is a guide only, and may be modified at any point. It is your responsibility to check your
Brockport email every day for any updates/announcements.
Description: Cultural Anthropology allows us to understand and explain why people with the same basic
needs meet them in such different ways. It is a holistic social science, which examines all aspects of
human behavior. To place cultural anthropology into a wider context, we will begin with a discussion of
the four-field approach of anthropology. This introductory course will then familiarize students with the
history, methods, and theories of cultural anthropology; while our main focus will be on the concept of
culture and the methods of ethnographic fieldwork. Students will be introduced to the founders of the
discipline, and their main theoretical concepts.
Utilizing examples from many parts of the world, we will investigate key topics, such as language,
religion, ritual, kinship, marriage, and making a living. In order to provide students with a fuller
understanding of these issues, we will read and discuss a short monograph, A Sinhalese Village in Sri
Lanka.
Lectures, readings, and films will be supplemented by the student’s own fieldwork project, in order to
allow the student to learn from doing as well as observing; and to provide a window to the challenges
and rewards of anthropology. This will consist of participant observation at one of the ethnic festivals
that occur March- April in Upstate New York.
Additionally, there will be a strong emphasis on applying anthropological perspectives to everyday
issues in order to understand the world better. Through increases in globalization, migration, study
abroad opportunities, the internet, and satellite television students are exposed to an increasingly wide
variety of cultures. Anthropology will give you an appreciation and critical understanding of human
difference, both abroad and in the communities of Upstate New York.
Required Books [both of these books are available in the Brockport Bookstore]
1) Baker, Victoria J.
2008[1998] A Sinhalese Village in Sri Lanka. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
2) Schultz, Emily A. and Robert H. Lavenda
2014 Cultural Anthropology: A Perspective on the Human Condition. Ninth Edition. New
York: Oxford University Press.
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Requirements:
 Quizzes
 Two exams
 Film journal
 Fieldwork and writing assignment
Grading Summary:
Exams (2@20% each)
Film Journal
Fieldwork Writing Assignment
Quizzes
Class Participation
Total:
Grading Scale:
94-100= A
87-89 = B+
90-93= A84-86 = B
80-83 = B-
40%
20%
20%
10%
10%
100%
77-79 = C+
74-76 = C
70-73 = C-
67-69 = D+
64-66 = D
60-63 = D-
≥ 59 = E
Goals Concerning Grades: If you know that you are required to achieve a specific grade in this class for
an important reason (for example, to keep a scholarship, to qualify for an internship or graduate school,
etc.) you MUST let me know about this as soon as possible. We will schedule a meeting outside of class
time, in order to formulate a plan to help you achieve this goal. GRADES WILL NOT BE CHANGED AFTER
THE FINAL EXAM- NO EXCEPTIONS.
Class Participation: Class participation includes attendance, groupwork, and participation during lecture.
Students who come to class on time, do not have an excessive number of unexcused absences, and
participate in groupwork will receive a “B.” In order to receive an “A,” you must also participate during
lecture. This refers to raising your hand to ask questions about, or to comment on, the material covered
during lecture. Students who arrive late, have many unexcused absences, or do not participate in
groupwork will receive a “C” or below.
Attendance Policy: Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each session. It is important that you
not be late for class. Students who have four unexcused absences will receive a lowered final grade
(e.g., A = A-). Each additional unexcused absence will receive one further lowered final grades (e.g., five
unexcused absences, A = B+; six unexcused absences, A = B; …14 unexcused absences, A = E). Absences
will be excused for: a) written documented illnesses of the student by a health professional (e-mailing
me, or telling me, is not sufficient; you must provide a medical note indicating the date(s) of the illness),
b) official representation of the College, c) death of a close relative, d) religious holiday, and e) other
circumstances truly and completely beyond the control of the student, as determined by me. You are
responsible for keeping track of your absences- there will be no “warning” for excessive absences.
Students who arrive late to class must inform me at the end of the class to make sure they are not
marked absent that day. Students who must leave early on a particular day need to notify me before
the class session begins, otherwise you will be marked absent for that day.
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Email Policy
1. If the information you require can be found in another source, such as this syllabus or on Blackboard,
it is your responsibility to find it yourself. Read the syllabus carefully.
2. If you want to discuss your assignments or any matters related to this course and cannot attend office
hours, you can request an alternative appointment by email. Please remember to leave sufficient time
to get a reply (do not, for example, expect a request emailed at midnight for an appointment the next
morning to be answered in time).
3. Please sign all emails using your full name (it is not automatically visible with Brockport email, and
many of you have the same initials). Please indicate why you are emailing in the subject line (for
example, “question about exam.”)
4. Emails sent Friday evening or over the weekend may not be answered before Monday morning.
Quizzes: On some days, you will be given a question about one of the readings due for that day. You will
have 5 minutes to answer, and are expected to write a few short sentences. The grades will be a 2
(complete, correct answer), a 1 (incomplete answer) or a 0 (no answer, or incorrect). If you think you
have been graded unfairly, you can bring me a typed copy of the passage from the book where you
found your answer by the NEXT class session, and I will change your grade if you are correct. Your lowest
quiz grade will be dropped.
Film Journal: In addition to “Festa” we will watch 5 other films. You need to choose 3 of these other films
to write journal entries on. You CANNOT do a journal on “Festa” because we are going to discuss it
together in class. I recommend taking notes while watching the film (so you remember what happened
in it), and then later writing 2 pages describing how what you saw in the film relates to themes discussed
in class and in your readings. You will receive a separate directions sheet for this assignment.
Fieldwork Assignment: You will be expected to do a short fieldwork exercise by attending one of the many
ethnic festivals held in the Rochester region during this course; and then writing a 5 page analytical paper.
I will give you more detailed directions on Feb. 9th. The festivals that I am aware of are the Irish St. Patrick’s
Day Parades in Rochester (Mar. 12th) and Buffalo (Mar. 20th), Polish Dyngus Day in Buffalo (Mar. 28th), and
Scottish Tartan Day in Rochester (Apr. 9th). If you know of another local festival or are willing to drive a bit
farther, you are welcome to attend another one. Please ask me ahead of time (via email only), and I will
let you know if what you have in mind is appropriate for the assignment.
Academic Dishonesty: 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. Please familiarize yourself with the
college policies on academic dishonesty.
Students with Disabilities: Students with disabilities may be entitled to specific accommodations. SUNY
Brockport’s Office for Students with Disabilities makes this determination. Please contact the OSD at
(585) 395-5409 or osdoffice@brockport.edu to inquire about obtaining an official letter to the course
instructor detailing any approved accommodations (including the use of laptops). The student is
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responsible for providing the instructor with an official letter.
Gender Discrimination: Gender discrimination and sexual harassment are prohibited in class. Title IX
legislation requires the College to provide gender equity in all areas of campus life. If you or someone
you know has experienced gender discrimination, sexual harassment, or sexual assault, we encourage
you to seek assistance and to report the incident through resources available at
www.brockport.edu/titleix/index.html. Confidential assistance is available at Hazen Center for Integrated
Care. For these and other regulations governing campus life, please see all of our Student Polices at
www.brockport.edu/policies/index.php.
Class Schedule
Jan. 26th Tuesday
Syllabus and Introductions
Jan. 28th Thursday
S&L Chapter 1: What is the Anthropological
Perspective? S&L Chapter 2: Why is the Concept
of Culture Important?
Feb. 2nd Tuesday
S&L Chapter 3: What is Ethnographic Fieldwork?
Feb. 4th Thursday
Baker: Fieldwork on the Sinhalese Frontier
Feb. 9th Tuesday
Film: “Festa”; Directions for fieldwork
assignment; Blackboard Reading 1: Civic
Engagements
Feb. 11th Thursday
Baker: The Village Setting and Background
Feb. 16th Tuesday
S&L Chapter 7: What Can Anthropology Tell Us
about Religion and Worldview?
Feb. 18th Thursday
Baker: Belief in the Supernatural
Feb. 23rd Tuesday
Films: “Faith Healing: Twist of Faith”; “Essentials
of Faith: Paganism”
Feb. 25th Thursday
S&L Chapter 9: How Do People Make a Living?
Mar. 1st Tuesday
Baker: Living Standards and Daily Subsistence
Mar. 3rd Thursday
Film: Cappuccino Trail: The Global Economy in a
Cup
Mar. 8th Tuesday
S&L Chapter 13: How Is Anthropology Applied in
the Field of Medicine?
Mar. 10th Thursday
MIDTERM EXAM
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Mar. 15th Tuesday
SPRING BREAK
Mar. 17th Thursday
SPRING BREAK
Mar. 22nd Tuesday
Baker: Healing and Health
Mar. 24th Thursday
S&L Chapter 10: Where Do Our Relatives Come
from and Why Do They Matter?; Chapter 11:
Why Do People Get Married and Have Families?
Mar. 29th Tuesday
Baker: Kinship and the Family
Mar. 31st Thursday
Film: “Mending Ways: The Canela Indians of
Brazil”
Apr. 5th Tuesday
Blackboard Reading 2: Culture and Individuals
Apr. 7th Thursday
Baker: Childhood and Socialization; Baker:
Formal Education
Apr. 12th Tuesday
Film: “Last Call Indian: Searching for Mohawk
Identity”
Apr. 14th Thursday
Baker: Girls and Women
Apr. 19th Tuesday
S&L Chapter 8: How Are Culture and Power
Connected?
Apr. 21st Thursday
Baker: Polity, Factionalism, and Social Control
Apr. 26th Tuesday
S&L Chapter 12: What Can Anthropology Tell Us
about Social Inequality?
Apr. 28th Thursday
Film: “The Troubles in Northern Ireland”
May 3rd Tuesday
S&L Chapter 6: How Do We Make Meaning?
May 5th Thursday
Baker: The Nation, the Village, and the Future;
FILM JOURNALS DUE
May 12th Thursday
FINAL EXAM 12:40 to 2:40 pm, Cooper C3