Syllabus

Course Meeting Times

1 meeting / week, 2 hours / meeting

Course Description

This advanced course in anthropology engages closely with discussions and debates about ethnographic research, ethics, and representation.

Requirements

Students are required to give two seminar presentations, in which they offer a critical evaluation of positions represented in readings for their chosen days. Written documentation of those presentations will be due the week following the presentation. A final research paper of 15-20 pages will be due on Ses #12. Prospectus for this paper due on Ses #5.

Grading

Grading will be based on:

ACTIVITIES PERCENTAGES
Class participation 50%
Final paper 50%

 

Required Books

Please see the readings page for a schedule and list of readings. Look for used or new copies online or in local bookstores.

Calendar

SES # TOPICS
0 Meeting to construct syllabus
1 Ethnographic method and writing
2 Ethics and engagement
3 Anthropological controversies: military uses of anthropology
4 Anthropological controversies: the truth of other worlds, from Mead to Menchú
5 Nationalism and indigeneity
6 Activist anthropology / double presentation day
7 Comparison / double presentation day
8 Mobility and/or nomadism / double presentation day
9 Global environments
10 Engineering culture
11 Class presentations
12 Final paper