ANTH 114.002 -- Introduction to Cultural Anthropology – Fall 2013

Tuesdays: 4:30 – 7:10p.m.; Innovation Hall 204

Professor: David Haines

Office hours: Tuesdays3:30 – 4:30 p.m or by appointment

Office:Robinson B-322 (703-993-3600)

;gunston.gmu.edu/dhaines1

Course overview

This course provides an introduction to cultural and social anthropology, with an emphasis on basic human adaptations to the environment, core social institutions (economics, politics, kinship, religion), and the construction of meaning. The emphasis is on non-Western societies, although there will also be discussion of the contemporary United States for purposes of comparison.

Course requirements

  1. Exams: Three exams during the semester – non-cumulative. Exams will be multiple choice and essay. Make-up tests by prior arrangement only.
  2. Project: You be the anthropologist: Identity something worth studyinganthropologically, identify a setting (or settings) in which you can look at it, and figure out what it means. Project is due as a 15 page paper on the last day of class (December 3), with a 2 page project plan due on October 22.
  3. Class participation and weekly issues/questions to be handed in each Tuesday (except for exam days). No more than a page but legible.

Grading

20% for each of the three exams during the semester

25% for the anthropology project

15% for class participationand weekly issues/questions (must be handed in)

Texts

David Haines, Cultural Anthropology

Colin Turnbull, The Forest People

Pramoedya Ananta Toer, Girl from the Coast

Helie Lee, Still Life with Rice

Remember:Last day to drop with no tuition penalty is September 3

Selective withdrawal is fromSeptember 30 to October 25

Bookstore sends books back BEFORE the end of the semester

Civility rules: No computers or com devices in class; no churning.

DRC Note

If you are a student with a disability and you need academic accommodations, you should see me and also contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at 993-2474. All academic accommodations must be arranged through the DRC.

Schedule

Note that “Read” means read by that Tuesday; also, list of films is tentative.

1.August 27Course introduction; biology, culture, and environment;

theory and method

Read:n/a

Film:Margaret Mead (Strangers Abroad)

2.September 3Adaptation; hunting and gathering

Read:Turnbull: Chapters 1 through 4

Text: Chapters 1 through3

Film:The Hunters

3.September 10Horticulture and agriculture

Read:Turnbull: Chapters 5 through 10

Text: Chapters 45

Film:Harvest of Shame

4.September 17Pastoral nomadism; industrialism

Read:Turnbull: Chapters 11 through 15

Text: Chapters 6 & 7

Film:TBA

Also:Discussion of your projects

Sample exam questions

5. September 24First examination

6.October 1Kinship structures and terminology

Read:Text: Chapters 8 & 9

Toer: First third or so

Film:Trobriand Islanders (Disappearing World)

7.October 8Family and household

Read:Text: Chapter 10

Toer: Second third or so

8.October 15NO CLASS (Monday classes meet on Tuesday)

9.October 22Economics

Read:Text: Chapter 11

Film:Ongka’s Big Moka (The Kawelka)

Turn in prospectus for your project>

10.October 29Politics

Read:Text: Chapter 12

Toer: The remainder

Film:TBA

11.November 5Second examination>

12.November 12Religion

Read:Text: Chapter 13

Lee: “Rotten Fruit” to “Matron Bride”

Film:Kataragama

13.November 19Cognition and language

Read:Text: Chapters 14, 15, & 16

Lee: “Red Pepper” to “Chiryo”

Film:TBA

14.November 26Anthropology today; human migration

Read:Text: Chapters17 & 18

Lee: “Eight Years” to “Broken Heart”

Film:In Rwanda We Say . . .

15.December 3 Third examination (not cumulative)>

Read:Lee: “Boat” to “America”

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