10063 ANTH 210R (SSIII):
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOCULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY W’07
Office: 279 Center of Southwest
Studies--247-7438 (fine_k@fortlewis.edu)
Office hours:
Sociocultural anthropology, also known as ethnology, is the comparative study of
contemporary human societies in order to account for the similarities as well
as the great differences in what it means to be human. Ethnological understanding occurs at the
intersection of a great many types of inquiry: sociological, philosophical,
historical, psychological, political, economic, humanistic, spiritual,
biological, and systemic. What
distinguishes ethnology most clearly from other disciplines, however, is a) its
critical, holistic, and comparative approach to knowledge; and b) the emphasis
on long-term fieldwork as the major source of knowledge. In this course we therefore examine various
types of methods, theories, and ethical considerations that anthropologists
bring to bear when conducting anthropological research; some different ways of
writing about and otherwise communicating what is found; some vocational
directions one might take with an undergraduate background in anthropology; and
some of the applications of the findings of the field in addressing
contemporary social problems.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS This
is an intensive reading/discussion course.
You must keep up with the readings or you will find yourself quickly
lost. We will not be able to go
carefully over every reading unless you bring questions to class. BE
ORGANIZED. TAKE NOTES.
80% Four exams. These will be a combination of short
answer/short essay.
20% Final exam essay,
“Reviving Ophelia.” 5-6 pages,
double-spaced.
EXAM DATES ARE FIRM: 1. Friday,
Feb. 2 3. Monday, March 26
2.
Monday, Feb. 26 4. Tuesday, April 24,
REQUIRED TEXTS ü Note the ways each reflects a different type of anthropological
discourse.
1.
“CC”--CONFORMITY
AND CONFLICT:
·
Pay close
attention to the key terms at the beginning of book sections, and to the review
questions at the end of each article. By
the end of the semester you must be able to identify all glossary terms.
2. SOCIOCULTURAL THEORY IN ANTHROPOLOGY: A SHORT HISTORY. 1977.
Merwyn S. Garbarino.
3. WATERLILY. 1988. Ella Cara Deloria.
·
Read the
biographical sketch of the author by Agnes Picotte, the Afterword by Raymond J.
Demallie, and Sources, pp. 229-244 before reading the book.
4. THUNDER RIDES A BLACK HORSE: MESCALERO APACHES AND THE MYTHIC
PRESENT (2nd
edition). 1996. Claire R.
Farrer.
·
Consult
the glossary before you read the book (p. 111), and refer to Daniel Moerman’s study
guide as you read along in the text (115-124).
5. REVIVING OPHELIA: SAVING THE SELVES OF ADOLESCENT GIRLS. 1994. Mary Pipher.
·
Be
prepared to discuss/write about the ways this book might be used to increase
understanding of girls’ lives outside the academy
EIGHT EDUCATIONAL
GOALS FOR ANTHROPOLOGY MAJORS.
You are not expected to achieve ALL of these goals in just one course,
but this course will give you some important headway in achieving them:
1.
Critical Thinking: To develop
a greater degree of critical thinking, not just in anthropology, but in terms
of the world at large.
2.
Critical Multicultural Awareness: To use the processes of critical thinking to
develop a greater understanding of human diversity to highlight the
sociocultural and historical groundings of knowledge in a democracy that is
founded on tolerance for diversity and on healthy self-criticism. (CONTINUED
NEXT PAGE)
3.
Rhetorical Facility: To develop
the ability to articulate one’s position in defensible and well-argued
analytical and descriptive statements using both oral and written forms of
expression.
4.
Disciplinary Integration: To
develop the ability to integrate perspectives from the different subdisciplines
of anthropology (i.e., archaeology, biological anthropology, linguistic
anthropology, and sociocultural anthropology) into a unified whole, including
an examination of the historical constitution of the discipline.
5.
Methodological Familiarity: To develop an appreciation for and understanding
of the epistemological concerns of anthropology (as a science, social science,
and humanity) and an ability to apply
different methods to testing those concerns.
6.
Organic Intellectualism: To
develop an understanding of the ways anthropological knowledge and practice can
be used in the amelioration of human problems, and to be able to communicate
this understanding by word and deed.
7.
Ethical Positioning: To be able
to arrive at a considered and defensible personal position regarding the
ethical implications of anthropological knowledge, practice, and research; and
to be able to communicate this position cogently to others.
8.
Career Preparation: To acquire
the tools necessary, including familiarity with specific area studies, to
pursue a career in anthropology or in a related professional field.
COURSE, COLLEGE POLICIES,
AND OTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS… ü
·
Chronic tardiness and
disruptive, disrespectful behavior (towards me, others, or the course material)
will not be tolerated. I reserve the right
to ask you to leave class or to drop you from the class if you are disruptive.
·
If you plagiarize any work or
cheat on an exam, you will be given a grade of “F” for the course and a report
of the incident will be filed in the Office of the Vice President for Academic
Affairs. The action could result in your
expulsion from the college.
·
If you do not show up for an
exam you will receive an “F” for the entire course. If an emergency prevents you from coming to
class the day of an exam, please leave A message on my voice mail (247-7438) as
soon as possible to explain your absence.
I may require further documentation to allow you to make up the exam.
·
If you miss class the day a
film is shown, you will have to get the notes from someone who is willing to
share them with you. If the film is one
owned by the college, you may view it in the library or check it out, but
I do not loan out Department of Anthropology films.
You must be earning a passing grade to withdraw
from this class and receive a “W,” otherwise you will receive a grade of
“F.” Exceptions will be made only under
extreme circumstances. If you find that
you are struggling, it is in your best interest to stay in the course and try
to bring up your grade. I encourage anyone who is having trouble to come see me
during office hours or to make an appointment to come talk to me.
Incomplete grades
A grade of “I” is given
only in cases where a student is currently passing the class and is unable to
complete the final work for the course due to some sort of emergency
situation. An “I” is a student-
initiated grade that must be approved by the instructor.
The structure, schedule,
and goals of this course are clearly spelled out in this syllabus. Because the
course guidelines are very clear, no extra credit will be given in this
class.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Students with disabilities
have equal access and equal opportunity in this course. If you require reasonable accommodations to fully
participate in course activities or meet course requirements, you must register
with Disability Services, 280 Noble Hall, 247-7459. If you qualify
for services, bring your letter of accommodation to me as soon as possible.
Statement on Cheating & Plagiarism
Cheating
in any form will result in an “F” for
the class and a file established in your name in the Office of the Vice
President for Academic Affairs. More
than one entry in the file may result in your dismissal from the college.
Drug and
Alcohol Policy
Use
of drugs or alcohol by students on campus or in college sanctioned off-campus
activities is strictly against FLC policy and will not be tolerated in this
class. If I find a student in violation of this policy he or she will be asked
to leave the classroom and may be faced with sanctions as specified in the
student handbook (www.fortlewis.edu/administrative_services/flc_policies/04_human_resources/4-14.asp).
COURSE SCHEDULE (subject to change, especially regarding
films):
|
Week |
Topic |
|
Notes: |
|
1. Jan 8, 10, 12 |
Introduction to course – The
culture concept |
CC 1-5 “Culture & Ethnography”
CC 7-14 Spradley “Ethnography
& Culture” CC 46-57 Gmelch “Lessons from the
Field” CC 436-446 Omohundro “Career
Advice…” “AAA Code of Ethics” www.aaanet.org/committees/ethics/ ethcode.htm |
Look over all the course texts
carefully, especially the glossaries. Start taking notes on readings. |
|
2. Jan 15, 17, 19 |
Language, Culture, &
Communication |
CC 59-62 “Language &
Communication” CC 85-92 Schildkrout “Body Art as
Visual Language” CC 63-75 Thomson “The Sapir-Whorf
Hypothesis” CC 76-84 Spradley & Mann “How
to Ask for a Drink” CC 93-101 Tannen “….Talking on the
Job” |
Film: “The Story of English: The
Empire Strikes Back” (AKA “Another Year’s Words” PE1075.S8
|
|
3. Jan 22, 24 NO CLASS Friday Jan 26 |
Ecology & Subsistence |
Garbarino vi-viii, 1-7 (ch. 1),
9-24 (ch. 2) CC 102-106 “Ecology &
Subsistence” CC 122-131 Diamond “Adaptive
Failure: Easter’s End” CC 132-141 Reed “ |
Film: “The Kayapó” |
|
4. Jan 29, 31, Feb 2 |
Economic Systems EXAM 1 |
Garbarino 25-42 (ch. 3 – The
Beginnings) CC 142-145 “Economic Systems” CC 165-177 Bourgois “Office Work
and … Crack…” CC 284-293 Harris “Life Without
Chiefs EXAM 1: FRIDAY, FEB. 2 |
EXAM 1 |
|
5. Feb 5, 7, 9 |
Kinship & Family |
CC 178-181 “Kinship & Family” CC 183-192 Scheper-Hughes “…Death
w/o Weeping” CC 201-209 Geertz “Life w/o
Fathers or Husbands” CC 210-217 Wolf “Uterine Families
& Women…” |
Film:
“Small Happiness” HQ1770.L66 .S53 |
|
6. Feb 12, 14, 16 |
Identity, Roles, & Groups |
Garbarino 43-62 (ch. 4 – The Early
20th Century) CC 218-222 “Identity, Roles, &
Groups” CC 231-239 Friedl “Society &
Sex Roles” CC 240-248 Small “A Woman’s
Curse?” |
|
|
7. Feb 19, 21, 23 |
Law & Politics |
Garbarino 63-80 (ch. 5,
Anthropology mid-century) CC 249-259 Fish “Mixed Blood” CC 260-263 “Law & Politics” CC 274-283 Joans “Notes from an
Expert Witness” |
|
|
8. Feb 26, 28 Mar 2 |
EXAM 2 Religion, Magic & Worldview |
EXAM #2 MONDAY, February 26 CC 295-298 “Religion, Magic, &
Worldview” CC 299-305 Freed & Freed
“Taraka’s Ghost” CC 316-329 Dubisch “Run for the
Wall…” CC 330-339 Leavitt “Cargo
Beliefs…” |
EXAM #2 Film:
“Jon Frum” |
|
9. |
|
SPRING BREAK |
Start thinking about final essay! |
|
10. Mar 12, 14, 16 |
Globalization |
Garbarino 81-100 (ch. 6-7 Current
anth & the future) CC 341-343 “Globalization” CC 355-369 Brennan “…Tourism for
Sex” CC 370-385 Condry “Japanese
Hip-Hop…” |
Film: “Life & Debt” |
|
11. Mar 19, 21, 23 |
Culture Change |
CC 386-390 “Culture Change &
Applied Anthropology” CC 391-409 Turner “The Kayapó
Resistance” CC 410-421 Patten “…Improving
Nutrition in CC 422-435 McCurdy “Using
Anthropology” |
Film: “Kayapó: Out of the |
|
12. Mar 26, 28, 30 |
EXAM 3 DAKOTA GIRLS’ CULTURE |
EXAM #3, MONDAY, MARCH 26 Discuss Deloria, Waterlily |
EXAM
3 Work
on final essay! |
|
13. Apr 2, 4, 6 |
APACHE GIRLS’ CULTURE |
Discuss Farrer, Thunder Rides a
Black Horse |
Film:
“The Apache |
|
14. Apr 9, 11, 13 |
|
Discuss Pipher, Reviving
Ophelia |
Film: “Reviving Ophelia” |
|
15. Apr 16, 18, 20 |
PULL IT ALL TOGETHER |
REVIEW FOR FINAL EXAM |
|
|
16. Final exam week |
EXAM 4 + FINAL ESSAY |
EXAM
#4 – TUESDAY, APRIL 24 TURN IN “REVIVING
OPHELIA” ESSAY at |
EXAM 4 + FINAL ESSAY |