ANTH 02- INTRO TO CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY (sec 8010) - CAN ANTH 4FALL 2005 Instructor : Chris P. Gaugler

Class Meets: MTWTh  1:00-3:13,  IAC 110,  Jun 19 - July 27

Office & hours: arranged

e-mail: Voice mail : 669-1656

Required resources

Cultural Anthropology, edition 2, Miller, B. (M)

Conformity & Conflict (on reserve) (C)

Culture and Conduct (on reserve) (B)

Access to the inter-net

Catalog description

This course is an introduction to cultural anthropology which examines past and present cultures of the world including those of Africa, the Middle East, Australia, Asia, Polynesia, and Pre-Columbian America to provide the student with an understanding of the structure and dynamics of human culture.

Course description

The study of human culture, its development, its diversity, and a brief survey of the other fields of anthropology and their methods and goals. We will examine the elements of cultures, past and present, large and small, in an effort to understand what it means to be human.

Course objectives

-Become familiar with the scope of anthropology and the unique anthropological perspective.

-Appreciate the world’s diversity of economic, political, religious and family structures.

-Learn about research resources and develop skills needed to present ideas effectively.

-Increase your understanding of your own culture and others.

-Spark your interest in this broad and dynamic discipline.

 

 

By the end of this course you should be able to:

1. Discuss the areas of emphasis within anthropology.

2. Analyze how anthropology differs from other disciplines.

3. Explain and evaluate the anthropological meaning of the concept of culture.

4. Describe and illustrate methods employed by cultural anthropologists in

gathering and analyzing data including the approach of cultural relativism.

5. Assess the functional, ecological, and other theoretical approaches to the

analysis of cultural data.

6. Compare and contrast the hunting and gathering, horticultural, pastoral, and

intensive agricultural patterns of cultural adaption.

7. Discuss, analyze and evaluate cross-cultural adaptive strategies in the areas of

technology, economic organization, political organization, kinship, social

organization and supernaturalism.

8. Illustrate the above with specific examples from the assigned text materials and

the student’s own culture (or micro-culture).

9. Discuss and appraise the role of anthropology in the world today.

10. Discuss and apply the anthropological perspective in addressing multi-cultural

issues in contemporary American society.

11. Organize and conduct individual and/or group research utilizing the scientific

method and deductive logic.

12. Acquire the techniques of anthropological fieldwork and analysis.

13. Compare selected contemporary and aboriginal cultures through films, videos and slides.

Guidelines

How will you do well in this course?

-Approach this course as though it were important to you.

-Keep up with readings and other assignments.

-Pay attention and ask questions.

-Take useful notes.

-Find one or more study-buddies.

-PLEASE ask the instructor for help when you need it, not after a tragic exam!

    Believe it or not, your teacher wants for you to succeed.

-Missed assignments will cost you points (15% per week). Contact me with emergencies in advance to minimize 

Grades

Grades are assigned based upon total points in the class. Points are accumulated

    according to the following assignment schedule.

Four exams ~ 400 points total

Three  Analyses = 35 each                 Culture paper = 100                 Vocabulary list = 75

7-10 quizzes 10 pts each (A-B-C-D = 90-80-70-60%)

Running averages will be kept by the instructor and will be available regularly.note: no late work will be accepted after July 25

Writing assignments

1) A 5 or more page research paper on a non-western culture (get approval). You must

properly cite at least : 2 journal references, 2 web references, and 1 book reference. This paper will be a comprehensive ethnographic description concluding with your enlightened opinion on how the future looks for these people.2) A 2+ page analysis of a cultural issue that affects you personally.

3) A 2+ page analysis of a contemporary cultural problem in any other country.

4) A 2+ page analysis of a contemporary cultural problem in the U.S.

5) A vocabulary list, alphabetical and numbered, of 150 anthropology terms and definitions. These must be specifically anthropology terms, or be defined to show how anthropologists use them differently than do those in other disciplines.

Note: Each student must also give an oral presentation on either their personal analysis, foreign analysis, U.S. analysis, or culture paper. These will be short  (2 - 5 minute) presentations in class, open to questions, and will be assigned after that paper has been tentatively graded. Failure to present negates all points for lowest scored paper!!

Note: This instructor will be glad to review any papers turned in EARLY and return them for correction by the student. This is a rare opportunity for you to avoid a poor grade!

Extra credit   you can earn 5 points each for up to 5 web-site reports. For these points you need to produce a one page evaluation of a valid cultural anthropology web-site. List its 1) name, 2) URL, 3) describe it, and 4) discuss why you found the site interesting and useful.

Writing Requirements for this Class

Writing for college (and the professions) entails a number of important factors. You must write to the level of your target audience, you must write coherently and with a clear purpose, you must write in an organized and consistent manner, and you must avoid errors in such things as spelling, sentence and paragraph structure, factual data, and avoid substituting opinions for hard evidence. This does not mean you can not say how you feel about your subject, only that you distinguish between feelings and facts.

You will be given a grade for papers you write in this class and others. In real life you will be judged on your communication competence. How well you write will determine whether you one day at work say, "Thank you all for being here this evening for my presentation on this critical issue", or ,"Would you like fries with that order?".

For your analysis papers, pick your cultural issues soon. You can find them in the newspaper and on television every day (e.g. Bolivia, Palestine, Somalia, Pakistan, bi-lingual education, abortion clinic bombings, urban sprawl, school suicides, etc.). Define and discuss the cultural problem, how it arose, where it stands now, and how it was or is going to be resolved (or not). Identify the micro-cultural classification and the elements that are in conflict.

For the culture paper, you will need to create a suitable (for college) ethnographic study of your selected culture. You will include pertinent elements, such as: religious beliefs, kinship structure, mode of subsistence, political organization, material culture, symbolism, art, rites of passage, marriage and family patterns, language, etc.. You will learn more about these categories as we go. For this paper you must cite at least  two web sites and two journal articles.

The culture paper must follow the AAA Style Guide (on reserve). This includes proper citing in text and a bibliography.

Grading criteria: T (0-10), RT (0-10), R (0-20), W (0-10), C (0-50).

For all writing assignments, missing elements = missing points.

All papers should be typed using a standard 12 point type face, double spaced, and with one inch margins all around. Most word processors do this for you automatically. note: unbound and stapled in the upper left corner.

Don’t feel that this is something you cannot do. Remember, you can bring me rough drafts or idea sheets any time for comment and guidance. Use the writing center. Get feedback from your friends. Don’t delay getting started on this paper. The sooner you start, the more chances you will have to get it right. Most of your future teachers will not look at rough drafts. They will expect a completed paper turned in on time. Take advantage of this opportunity to develop your research and writing skills.

PLAGIARISM: Merced College has adopted new policies to deal with this problem. Plagiarism is essentially copying, or claiming another person’s work as your own. I will clarify this, but be sure that you do understand, and that you don’t do it. The least that can happen to you is a zero grade on your paper. Don’t gamble on this, as I will know if you plagiarize.

Withdrawal & credit/no-credit:

It is your responsibility to officially withdraw from courses before the withdrawal deadline. If you do not do this you may receive an ‘F’ for those courses. There is also a deadline to opt for the credit/no-credit option. Deadlines are printed in the semester bulletin.

All regular Merced College rules are in effect for this course. Copies of student guidelines are available in the administration office. I welcome interaction, but not distraction.

 

 

COURSE SCHEDULE

DATE          LECTURE TOPICS                               READINGS                                ASSIGNMENT

Jun 19-22  Course discussion                                  Nacirema                          Find a link to the WWW

    What is anthropology?   Fields of anthropology         M 1,2, B 1,2,3

    Cultural universals    Methods in anthropology           C 2,5

    The web and other resources

Jun 26-29                                                                    C 3, 8, 11                             Research culture?

    Genetics & evolution   Humans & language            M 13                                               

    Subsistence patterns                                                 M3

EXAM 1

Jul 03-06 Exchange                                                    C 15,20,22

    Kinship                                                                    M 4,9,10                              Personal analysis DUE

   Kinship and domestic groups                                M5+6

   Marriage & reproduction               

   Childhood & growth      Aging & rites of passage

July 10   EXAM 2

July 11-13

    Social order    Political                                M 11,12,10

    Stratification    Gender                                 C 10,17,24,25,31,33

July 17-20  Psychological                                M14+15, B6                                           U.S. analysis DUE

    Cosmology  and material culture               

    EXAM 3                                                                           

July 24-26

    Culture change                                     M16, B5,  C4,14,28,36                                     Vocabularies DUE

    Development & fourth world                                                                                       Culture paper DUE

July 25  Medical and applied anthropology               M7                                          Last day for extra credit or late work

July 27     FINAL EXAM                                                                                     FINAL EXAM

 

STUDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL MATERIAL PRESENTED, INCLUDING LECTURES, FILMS, READINGS, WEB ASSIGNMENTS AND PERSONAL WRITING ASSIGNMENTS. THE INSTRUCTOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO ALTER TOPICS AND ASSIGNMENTS AS HE DEEMS NECESSARY. I SINCERELY HOPE THAT EVERY ONE OF YOU BENEFITS FROM THIS COURSE EXPERIENCE. I WILL DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO ASSIST YOU. DON’T HESITATE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU ARE HAVING PROBLEMS. THAT’S WHY I AM HERE. CHRIS