10055 Anth 395 History
of Anthropological Thought W'07
My office:
279 CSWS, 247-7438 fine_k@fortlewis.edu
You cannot know where you are going if you have no
idea where you've been. By reviewing
some basic historical paths taken by social theorists you will be able to not
only see more clearly where you are headed, but you will be able to step into
the conversation this community of scholars and practitioners has been
conducting for well over 200 years. This
course is required for a degree in anthropology. It will perhaps be one of the only courses
that puts you on common intellectual ground with all other anthropology majors. We will not even begin to cover all the
“schools” of thought, but will instead concentrate on what has been “good to
read” for the past several decades.
Enjoy the journey.
Texts
AT = Anthropological Theory, 2004. R.
Jon McGee & Richard L. Warms,
eds.
Third edn. McGraw-Hill.
BT = Bruce Trigger.
1989. A History of Archaeological Thought. 1st edn.
SAHLINS 1999: On
electronic reserve:
Marshall Sahlins, “What is
Anthropological Enlightenment?”
Recommended text: The Dictionary
of Anthropology (not required, but helpful)
Course
expectations: (Preparation, Seriousness of Purpose, An Open
Mind...)
* 60%. Three essays (6-7 pages each, double-spaced). You must use
proper citation in your essays! (Separate authors listed separately, even if
they do all come from AT.)
* 10%.
Lead discussion over one essay/chapter early in the term (shared
assignment).
* 20%. Lecture and 4-5 – page essay You will give a more extensive,
powerpoint-based lecture over another one of our readings (you must be
VERY organized--guidelines will be distributed early in the term and a schedule
of presentations set up.)
* 10%. Participation. Daily participation will be noted (are you
prepared to discuss the readings and films?
Do you have good questions? Can you answer questions that I ask?
8 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
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 tweaking!)
|
Week |
Topic |
|
Due dates & films |
|
1.
Jan
8, 10, 12 |
Introduction
to course |
AT
"Intro" 1-4 BT
"Preface" xiii-xv BT
Ch. 1, 1-26 AT pp. 5-10 |
Review
“Dictionary of Anthropology” |
|
2.
Jan
15, 17, 19 |
18th-19th
century evolutionism |
AT
#1 Darwin & Wallace (SKIM) 11-24 AT
#2 Spencer, 24-40 AT #3 Tylor, 41-55 AT
#4 Morgan, 56-67 |
Film(s) --
“Race: The Story We Tell” |
|
3.
Jan 22, 24 (No class Jan 26) |
19th
c. cont. Hegel
& Marx |
AT
#5 Marx & Engels, 67-81 BT
ch. 4, 110-147 |
|
|
4.
Jan
29, 31, Feb
2 |
19th
century sociological thought |
AT
82-84, "Sociological Foundations" AT
#6 Durkheim 85-91 AT
#8 Mauss 102-114 AT #9 Weber 115-27 |
|
|
5.
Feb
5, 7, 9 |
20th
century cultural anthropology |
AT
128-132 "Historical Particularism" AT
#10 Boas 132-139 AT #11 Radin 147-152 BT
ch 5 148-206 |
Film:
"Franz Boas" Skim
over AT Kroeber |
|
6.
Feb
12, 14, 16 |
U.S.
Culture & Personality; British psych functionalism |
AT
216-220 "Culture & Personality" AT
#17 Benedict 220-230 AT
153-156 "Functionalism" AT
#13 Malinowski, 157-172 |
Film:
"Malinowski: Off the Veranda"
Essay #1 DUE Feb. 16 |
|
7.
Feb
19, 21, 23 |
British
structural functionalism |
AT
#15, Evans-Pritchard 184-202 AT#16,
Gluckman 202-215 BT
ch. 7, 244-288 |
Film:
"Strange Beliefs" Skim
over AT Radcliffe-Brown |
|
8.
Feb 26, 28 Mar 2 |
Cultural
ecology, materialist functionalism, |
AT
237-240 "Cultural Ecology" AT
284-288 "Neomaterialism" #19
Steward 240-255 #23 Harris 302-316 #24
Rappaport 316-328 |
|
|
9.
|
|
SPRING
BREAK |
|
|
10.
Mar
12, 14, 16 |
Materialism,
continued Sociobiology |
BT
ch. 8, 289-328 AT
431-433 "Sociobiology..." AT
Barkow “The Elastic of Genes…” AT
Skim E.O. Wilson |
Film:
“Patty Jo Watson” |
|
11.
Mar
19, 21, 23 |
French
Structuralism & Cognitive Anth |
AT
345-346 "Structuralism" AT
#27 Lévi-Strauss 362-370 AT
385-388 "Ethnoscience..." AT
#30 AT
#31 Strauss 409-430 |
Essay #2 due March 23 |
|
12.
Mar
26, 28, 30 |
Symbolic
Anth |
AT
#28 Ortner 371-384 AT
#38 AT
#40 Geertz 553-574 |
Skim AT Victor Turner |
|
13.
Apr
2, 4, 6 |
Feminist
Anth |
AT
473-475 "...The Feminist Critique" AT
#18 Mead 230-236 AT
#36 Leacock, 485-500 AT
#37 Stoler 508-523 |
Film: "Margaret
Mead: Taking Note" Look
at E.O. Wilson |
|
14.
Apr
9, 11, 13 |
Postmodernism
& Its Critics |
AT
575-578 AT
#41 Rosaldo, 579-593 AT
#43 d'Andrade, 609-626 |
YOUR PRESENTATION ESSAY
NEEDS TO BE IN BY THE END OF THIS WEEK |
|
15.
Apr
16, 18, 20 |
Radical
modernism & critical anth |
Marshall Sahlins AT
#25 Bourgois 329-344 BT
ch 10, 370-411 |
Film:
"Anthropology on Trial" |
|
16.
Final
exam week |
|
|
Essay #3 due |