FOOTHILL COLLEGE
Business and Social Science
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL/CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
Anthropology 2A, Section 2Fall 2003
Instructor: Daniel G. CearleyOffice: Room 3007
Office Hours: Tuesday 12-2pm or by appointment (simply call or e-mail to set up a time)
E-mail: (please put FOOTHILL in the header)
Home Phone: (408) 439-5533. . . please no calls after 10pm or before 8am
Mailbox: BSS Division and Administration Office (Listed by last name)
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Welcome to Introduction to Social/Cultural Anthropology. Cultural anthropologists study particular cultures, subcultures and make cross-cultural comparisons to understand similarities and differences within our global society. This course will encompass the development of culture from a historical perspective, including an emphasis on the increasingly complex nature of civilizations throughout the world. The course will explore the common threads of the human experience, the diversity of cultural systems, as well as, problems facing the contemporary world. A wide range of topics will be surveyed, both of interest to you and to cultural anthropologists: family and marriage, sexuality, personality, health, cultural identity and diversity, gender, culture change, wealth and power, war and conflict, social stratification, communication, belief systems, and religion. These topics will be discussed as they are shaped by the experiences of education, history, and migration through which people in past and contemporary societies have defined themselves in relation to others. Through a combination of lectures, films, and readings in case studies, the principles of cultural processes will be illustrated.
This class is research oriented, thus students will develop basic skills in ethnographic research methods, both quantitative and qualitative. Students will define a research problem,, interview people related to your topic throughout the course and develop skills for analyzing and presenting your findings in the form of a “mini-ethnography. The goal of the course is to avoid passive participation, instead you will be encouraged to be proactive in an area that interests you by applying anthropological knowledge and skills in contemporary settings, i.e. your neighborhood, workplace, family, and/or your community.
REQUIRED TEXTS
Mirror for Humanity: A Concise Introduction to Cultural Anthropology by Conrad Kottak (3rd ed. 2003)
Conformity and Conflict; by James Spradley and David w. McCurdy (11th ed. 2003)
Ties That Bind: Youth & Drugs in a Black Community by Kojo A. Dei (2002)
Merriam-Webster’s Notebook Atlas (2000)
GRADING POLICY AND EVALUATION
Your final semester grade will be based upon the following:
Geo Quizzes (3)5%
Quiz (3)10%100-90 % = A
Midterm Exam25%80-89 % = B
Final Exam25%70-79 %= C
Fieldnotes & Draft5%60-69 %= D
Project Proposal5%under 60% = F
Student Project25%
Extra Credit5% (maximum)
QUIZZES & EXAMS
There will be three quizzes, one prior the midterm and two before the final exam. These will be take-home short answer quizzes based upon both assigned readings and lecture. The final exam and mid-term will consist of multiple choice, true/false answer, definitions, matching and a brief essay.
GEOGRAPHY QUIZZES
Given that the course explores anthropologists’ work throughout various areas of the globe and unfortunately American students are known to have poor geography skills, there will be 3 short in-class geography quizzes in the first section of the course. You will be asked to identify the countries in three regions of the world, Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Most student initially balk at being tested on geography, yet many students have reflected after taking the course that the geography quizzes actually were one of the most helpful aspects. These Quizzes will account for only 5% of your total grade.
STUDENT PROJECT & PROPOSAL
After orientation and overview of the class is completed the students will begin to develop ideas for a research project. The project will allow each student the opportunity to explore one of the many topics in the course in further depth. Students are encouraged to seek a project that is both compelling and one which is of personal interest. The format and scope is variable, yet will be ethnographically oriented. Students will be encouraged to define an area of research that is locally accessible and to a scale that can be completed within the scope of the course. The student will then utilize fundamental ethnographic methods - interviews, observation, and participation – to represent their experiences. Presentation of the material can include photos, sound, video or any other form of multi-media. The final project will be no less than 12 pages in length. Alternative formats will be discussed on a case-by-case basis, yet multi-media generally will necessitate presentation to the class as a whole. At the conclusion of the third week, a brief one-page proposal will be submitted outlining the topic, scope and outline. In the second half of the course you will be asked to bring in your field notes and/or working draft of your project as a means to receive critical peer feedback necessary for a successful project. Final projects will be due the week before final exams.
EXTRA CREDIT
There will be a possibility for extra-credit to a maximum of 5% of your grade total by writing a one-page summary on any of the following activities: museum exhibits, cultural events, films, or lecture series. All extra-credit will be due the week before final exams and must be approved be the instructor.