anth 380: study abroad in anthropology mediterranean …anth 380: study abroad in anthropology:...

Anth 380: Study Abroad in Anthropology: Mediterranean Journey, Syllabus pg. 1

Anth 380: Study Abroad in Anthropology : Mediterranean Journey Summer 2012, 3 credits Instructor/Director: Dr. Susan M. Ford [email protected] 618-536-6651, 618-453-5011 (office) Objectives: Students will: (1) learn about participant-observation and methods of ethnography, through recording and analyzing observations of people in various cities; and (2) gain an understanding of anthropological perspectives on “space” vs. “place,” through how peoples define “place” and ascribe cultural meaning to “place,”, and how “places” help define peoples’ relationships to one another. The role of food/cuisine in providing a sense of “place” and meaning will be explored as well. This will be accomplished through a comparison of two cultures bordering the Mediterranean. Course Description: Travel is always exciting. The joy of discovering new places, meeting new people, and experiencing new sights, sounds, tastes, and smells not only provides delight in the moment, but these experiences can transform the rest of your life if you are open to embracing and learning from your experiences. It is easy to simply let things you see “wash over you” without engaging deeply in a place, people, or culture. But if one really tries to experience aspects of a culture from the perspective of the people themselves, you gain a new and deeper understanding of our fellow humans. Having a focal interest and theme behind your travel will enrich the experience. Through travel to the Mediterranean, you will learn something about the ways that anthropologists observe and collect information about people, and how anthropologists think about culture and meaning when they observe people. We call this ethnographic study, or ethnography: the study and systematic recording of human culture and descriptive writing about human cultures. Your first two readings introduce the most classic method of ethnographic study, participant observation, and also provide a short ethnography. These readings are (they will be provided in pdf form):

Spradley, James P. 1980. Participant Observation. Chapt. 1: Ethnography and Culture. Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, Inc. pp. 18-25. Miner, Horace. 1956. Body ritual among the Nacirema. American Anthropologist, Jun 1956, pp. 503-507. (reprinted, pp. 173-175.).

Other readings will be assigned, with specific assignments.


There are many things that can be studied about people and their cultures. On this trip, we are going to focus on the ways that people ascribe cultural meaning to the spaces they inhabit, turning “space” into a meaningful “place.” While the physical dimensions and details of spaces are obvious components that may give them meaning, aspects of space that trigger other senses can also be important elements: scents, sounds, textures, colors, etc.

Course Grading: 55% General participation in activities 15% Readings reports 5% Group discussions 10% Journal 15% Final powerpoint presentation or paper 100% Course Assignments:

General Participation (55%): You will be expected to participate in all planned activities of the group during the tour, unless you are ill (hangovers do not count). This includes being on time and being enthusiastic and open to new experiences, foods, sights, and people.

This is a class, so practice professional classroom etiquette while we are on tour. Again, attendance at all scheduled activities is mandatory, and you should be on time, all the time. Treat the faculty, tour director, your fellow students, bus drivers, and local guides with respect – even when you are tired and we have spent many hours and days together. Remember that everywhere we go, you are seen as an ambassador and representative of the United States and of Southern Illinois University Carbondale; reflect that with pride.

Violations will result in deductions from your “participation” grade: each time you are late for a departure, you will lose 5 pts (out of a total 100 pts) from your participation grade. Should you miss a required activity without approval, you will lose 10 pts.

Group Discussion (5%): We will hold group discussions, before and during the trip. These

are “seminar-format,” where you will each be expected to share your observations and thoughts, and to comment constructively on the observations of others. At all times, I expect you to be courteous and respectful of the views of others in the group. Each student will present at least three short (5 minute) presentations on their findings up to that point.

Readings reports (15%): You will be assigned a number of readings before we leave for

Europe. For each of these, you will be required to turn in a written response, usually brief, including your response to the reading or questions raised by that reading.


Journal (10%): During the trip, you must keep a daily journal of what you see and

experience and your responses to those experiences. Some guidelines are given at the end of this syllabus. In the back or in a separate journal, you must record observations made in one locality in each place we visit for at least a full day – I encourage you to compare similar places (a plaza, a restaurant, a city center square, a street side shop or market, a bar, a church). These entries will form the basis of your final report. Photos will be helpful, but these only capture a small portion of the sensory experience of a space. You should describe the physical dimensions and characteristics of the place, smells, sounds, colors, etc., as well as who comes there (tourists or locals, old, young, children, couples, same-sex groups, etc.), what they are doing. Listen in on some conversations or try to guess what they are communicating about – what is discussed there? What types of interactions? What do you think draws them to that place, and its meaning to them?

Final Report (15%): By mid summer (Thursday, July 12), you should plan to be on campus

is possible for a final meeting. You must turn in a final powerpoint presentation (and present to the group) or written report, presenting and analyzing your observations and findings about the ways Europeans in different Mediterranean countries / communities define and ascribe meaning as “place” to both formal and informal spaces in their cities. You can punctuate your final report with photos if you wish. This can take the form of a 15-minute powerpoint presentation, or a 10 page written paper (double spaced, 12 pt. font, one inch margins, plus any photos). If you cannot attend the meeting July 12, you may have to get creative and provide an audio-tape to accompany the powerpoint slides.

JOURNAL OBSERVATION GUIDELINES

Your journal should be thoughtful, reasonably well-written for a daily notebook, and reflexive. You should both describe the places and people you see, and also your own responses to the experiences you have. Journals should be organized chronologically, and you should strive for daily entries. Feel free to be creative, to add pictures or memorabilia to the final version, etc., and have fun with the journal. In years to come, this will be your primary “memory bank” for this trip, so make sure the entries will recall the excitement and flavor of the trip, your personality and perspectives.

Try to add richness to your descriptions by providing detail. For example, rather than just commenting about whether you like or don’t like the food, you could describe the food – its colors, textures, tastes and smells, and what utensils they use for eating or preparing food. Do they eat quickly and silently, or do they linger over meals with lots of talking and laughing? Is alcohol common or rare at meals? In this way, years from now, your description would evoke more vivid memories of the meals. If you notice that people around you are “dressed differently,” describe in what ways - are their clothes all black, or various colors? Do women wear clothing that is similar to yours in appearance, or not? Does it cover their arms and legs or were these left bare? Do they wear head coverings? Do women all wear pants, or none of them? Do men dress in similar ways, or do men dress in more or less western-style clothing than


women? Can you tell if there are differences in what married and unmarried people wear or how they behave, or children versus adults? If you visit a market area, how do the people interact? How do they reach an agreement on cost – is there a sign, or do they discuss it, do they barter, are they friendly and joking in their interactions or serious and formal? Simple additional details such as these allow you to recall your experiences more fully, and also to think with greater depth about ways life for these people might be like, or unlike, your own.

RULES OF CONDUCT

• Use of substances illegal in each country is forbidden. Abuse of alcohol that interferes

with full participation in group activities is also not allowed. Violation may result in your being sent home, at your/your parents’ expense.

• If you are repeatedly uncooperative with the instructor(s) or tour guide or bring discredit on the university, you may be sent home, at your/your parents’ expense or reported to the Student Judicial Affairs upon our return.

• PLEASE remember that we are travelling outside the United States, and we will be subject to the laws of customs of various countries. Infractions of those laws might result in serious repercussions by law enforcement in those countries, over which the instructors and SIUC have no control. Behave with care.

• There will be many occasions when you are not under the direct supervision of the instructor(s), during free time activities, nights, etc. Neither the instructor(s) nor Southern Illinois University Carbondale can assume responsibility for your safety or property. I will make every effort to assure a fun, safe, and interesting trip, and the risks associated with traveling and studying abroad in Europe through this program are very small, but those risks must be accepted by the individual student.

• Please note that the Americans with Disabilities Act is NOT applicable outside of the United States.

Statement on Disabilities

Many European accommodations and buildings do not meet ADA standards and could prohibit participation by some prospective students. If you require special academic accommodations for your work, you must be registered with the DSS office and provide documentation of the accommodations required.

Academic Honesty I welcome you to this course with the assumption that the work you do will be your own. However, distinguishing your work from the work of another can be tricky at times, for both you and your instructor. Presenting another’s work as your own, even if by accident, is a serious violation of the Student Conduct Code. The Student Conduct Code identifies the following as acts of academic dishonesty: Plagiarism, or representing the work of another as one’s own work; preparing work for another that is to be used as that person’s own work; cheating by any method


or means; and soliciting, aiding, abetting, concealing, or attempting conduct in violation of this code (p. 18). Suspected cases of plagiarism will be investigated following Article V of the Student Conduct Code. If plagiarism is substantiated, the perpetrator may face failing the assignment, failing the course, disciplinary censure, and/or suspension from the university, depending on the details of the case (see Article III of the Student Conduct Code).

anth 380: study abroad in anthropology mediterranean …anth 380: study abroad in anthropology:...

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