Introduction to Cultural Anthropology ANT 101 Web 3 — Spring 2010

Professor Risa Cromer risacromer@gmail.com

“Office” Hours: Email me to schedule appt. by phone

A. Course Description Cultural anthropology is the study of human beings within social and cultural context. As a discipline it examines the broad array of human behaviors, beliefs, and conditions, as well as the ideologies and power-structures that inform people’s lives across cultures and societies. This course is designed to explore several key issues that are at the heart of this vast and broad endeavor we call cultural anthropology, from kinship to consumption, religion to war. In many ways anthropology is best understood as an approach to looking at the world and studying the great diversity of people in the world. As such, this class explores both how anthropologists look at the world and frame their questions as well as the methods anthropologists use to examine and address these questions. At the core of anthropology is ethnographic fieldwork, a type of long-term qualitative research. During fieldwork anthropologists take time to look, listen and experience first- hand the subject matter they are studying, allowing them to gain a richer and more in-depth understanding. Cross-cultural comparisons of such ethnographic experiences help us to see beyond our own narrow lens of personal experience. They bring into question ethnocentric view points and commonly held misconceptions, or myths, about the human experience. Through regular online discussion, film, and an ethnographic interview, students will learns ways to think “anthropologically” about the world, and perhaps come to see it from new perspectives. Careful reading, clear writing, and thoughtful, respectful participation are the most important skills that we will develop. B. Required Readings Text/Software: The following textbook is required. It is available for purchase at the York College Bookstore or can be

ordered online at www.mypearsonstore.com. Barbara Miller (2009). Cultural Anthropology, 5th edition. Prentice Hall (ISBN-10: 0205683290;

ISBN-13: 9780205683291) **MyAnthroLab package is optional (not required)** Articles: Readings are listed in the Course Schedule below for each week. You will access the required articles by

downloading and printing them from the Blackboard course website in the “Course Documents” tab; they are organized by week. Note: all readings on Blackboard are in .pdf format. Visit www.adobe.com to download the free software for opening .pdf files in you do not have this software already.

C. Course Expectations Blackboard Blackboard is an essential feature of this course. You are responsible for activating your York email account and checking it regularly. For any technical assistance, contact York College’s Educational Technology Center (Phone: 718-262-5300; Email: helpdesk@york.cuny.edu; Website: http://www.york.cuny.edu/it/acet/blackboard). Class Announcements Please check the Announcements page on Blackboard often as this is the way I will communicate with you and give you my feedback. All the changes and updates will be posted in this section of the course website.

Lectures Listen to and review the weekly lectures posted in “Lectures.” Academic Integrity Academic Dishonesty is prohibited in The City University of New York and is punishable by failing grades, suspension, or expulsion. Academic Dishonesty includes plagiarism. Plagiarism is the act of presenting another person’s ideas, research or writings as your own. Plagiarism includes paraphrasing or copying information without citing the source, and “cutting & pasting” from various sources without proper attribution. Student’s found plagiarizing will receive a failing grade. Visit these websites to familiarize yourself with plagiarism so you can avoid doing it unwittingly: https://www11.georgetown.edu/programs/gervase/hc/plagiarism.html and http://www.northwestern.edu/uacc/plagiar.html. Standard Paper Format The midterm and final projects should be typed using standard format: 1x1.25 in margins, 12 pt Times New Roman font, double-spaced, and edited for grammar and spelling mistakes. D. Course Requirements Reading Responses – 150pts A central part of this course will be participation on the Discussion Board. These weekly discussions are designed to help you synthesize the reading material, to learn from your peers’ insights, and to foster critical thinking. See the Reading Tips section below for questions that will help you craft your responses.

Ø Reading Responses (10pts possible each week): Due Thursdays by 11:55pm, labeled as follows: Response to “Title of articles/chapters.” Everyone will post ONE reading response to the course materials in the appropriate Discussion Board forum each week.

o Weeks with Prompts: For some weeks, students will be prompted with questions posed by the instructor. For each question, students should provide one thoughtful paragraph answer that contains references to the readings as well as your own arguments.

o Weeks with NO Prompts: For weeks with no question prompts, students will post an open-ended reading response consisting of two substantial paragraphs (total of 500 words, or 1pg double-spaced in MS Word). The first paragraph will respond to the Miller textbook chapter, and the second paragraph will respond to the accompanying ethnographic article. Reading responses ought to relate primarily to the reading materials and, while not summarizing the reading, should react to concepts, themes, issues, case studies and arguments presented.

Participation – 150pts Participation is defined as responding in a thoughtful manner to two of your classmates’ Reading Responses each week. It is up to you to select the posts that you wish to comment on, but you are expected to read all the posts.

Ø Comments (5pts each, or 10pts possible each week): Due Sundays by 11:55pm, labeled as follows: Comment to “Name of Student.” Everyone will post TWO comments each week. Comments should be at least five sentences in length (200-300 words) and should respond thoughtfully to the points made in the original post. This includes being respectful of each other’s opinions, and having read the material before making comments.

Midterm: Film Review – 100pts On the Course Schedule, Weeks 4-7 suggest films that correspond with the course materials. Depending on the title, these films can be found on Netflix, at your local movie rental store, or through your campus library (including ILL). Plan in advance to ensure you have enough time to select, receive, view and draft a 4-page essay answering the following questions. Papers should follow Standard Paper Format (see above) and be submitted into “Assignments” by March 28 by 11:55pm.

1. What are the main points of the film in relation to the week’s theme? (1 page - briefly summarize key points as they relate to the appropriate theme. E.g., for Week 7, highlight the kinship and family dimensions of the film)

2. How does this film relate to the issues and material presented in this specific week, and possibly the course in general? (2 pages - analyze the film using the concepts presented in the course materials. NOTE: cal thinking to this answer and make references to specific sections of the readings)

3. What struck you about the film, and what did it make you think about/reflect on, and why? (1 page - briefly reflect on how this film impacted you, and what you found meaningful or illuminating about it)

Final: Interview Project –200pts This project offers students the chance to extend course lessons by conducting an ethnographic interview with a specific individual. A fuller description of the assignment is posted in “Course Information.” A proposal including details about your interviewee, interview topic, and a list of 10-15 interview questions is due February 28th (30pts) posted in the appropriate “Discussion Board” forum. Feedback on each others’ proposals is due March 7th (30pts) within the same “Discussion Board” forum. The complete project materials are due May 17th when you will submit to the instructor (140pts) via “Assignments” the following:

1) your preparatory and follow-up notes from the interviews, 2) a 5-page paper reflecting on your interviewee’s experiences.

You will need to choose an informant who is willing – and who has time – to work with you, and with whom you feel comfortable talking. Plan ahead, and do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about this project. E. Reading Tips Here are some questions to keep in mind that will help you prepare your Discussion Board postings:

• What is the main message or argument the author is trying to convey? Does her/his evidence support it? • How does the text relate to other ideas and issues we’ve read about and discussed in class? • What concepts are in the text that we’ve encountered in other course materials? How do they relate? • What questions are you left with after reading this piece? • Are there parts of the reading that you find intriguing, troubling, insightful, or informative? Why? • Do you dis/agree with any points the author made and why? • How does the reading relate to your own life and experience?

F. Grading Distribution Thus, your final grade will be determined by the following: Reading Responses 150pts (25%) Participation 150pts (25%) Midterm 100pts (17%) Final 200pts (33%) TOTAL 600pts (100%) G. Course Schedule Note: This is a tentative schedule. It is intended to provide the student with the specific topics covered. The instructor has the discretion to adjust this calendar to fit instructional needs and concerns.

LEARNING UNIT Readings Assignments Due WEEK 1 1/28-1/31

Introduction & Overview of Cultural Anthropology

Miller Ch 1: Anthropology and the Study of Culture

Discussion Board (Special schedule: Response due 1/30, Comments due 1/31 by 11:55pm).

WEEK 2 2/1-2/7

Researching Culture

Miller Ch 3: Researching Culture Claire Sterk, “Fieldwork on Prostitution in the Era of AIDS”

Discussion Board

WEEK 3 Miller Ch 4: Making a Living Discussion Board

2/8-2/14

Economic Organization & Making a Living

Jack Weatherford, “Cocaine and the Economic Deterioration of Bolivia”

WEEK 4 2/15-2/21

Consumption &

Exchange in a Global Context

Miller Ch 5: Consumption and Exchange Denise Brennan, “Globalization, Women’s Labor and Men’s Pleasure” Film: Life & Debt

Discussion Board

WEEK 5 2/22-2/28

Gender, Reproduction &

Human Development

Miller Ch 6: Reproduction and Human Development Nancy Scheper-Hughes, “Lifeboat Ethics: Death Without Weeping” Film: A Walk to Beautiful (2007) or Business of Being Born (2008)

Discussion Board Interview Project Proposal with 10-15 Questions DUE 2/28 by 11:55pm

WEEK 6 3/1-3/7

Health, Illness & Healing

Miller Ch 7: Health, Illness and Healing Paul Farmer, “Suffering and Structural Violence” Visit: http://www.unnaturalcauses.org/ Film: Unnatural Causes (PBS)

Discussion Board Peer feedback on Interview Project Proposals DUE 3/7 by 11:55pm

WEEK 7 3/8-3/14

Kinship, Family &

Households

Miller Ch 8: Kinship and Domestic Life Kath Weston, “Exiles from Kinship” Film: Southern Comfort (2001)

Discussion Board

WEEK 8 3/15-3/21

Social Groups,

Stratification, and Inequalities

Miller Ch 9: Social Groups and Social Stratification Karen Brodkin, “How Jews Became White Folks” Visit: http://www.understandingrace.org

Discussion Board

WEEK 9 3/22-3/28

Politics & Leadership

Miller Ch 10: Politics and Leadership Jack Weatherford, “The Founding Indian Fathers”

Discussion Board Midterm – Film Review DUE 3/28 by 11:55pm

SPRING BREAK 3/29-4/5 SPRING BREAK SPRING BREAK WEEK 10 4/6-4/11

Social Control & Social

Conflict

Miller Ch 11: Social Control and Social Conflict Anne Sutherland, “Cross-Cultural Law: The Case of the Gypsy Offender”

Discussion Board

WEEK 11 4/12-4/18

Communication

Miller Ch 12: Communication Jane Hill, “Language, Race and White Public Space” Visit: http://www.pbs.org/speak/

Discussion Board

WEEK 12 4/19-4/25

Faith, Belief, and Religion

Miller Ch 13: Religion Barbara Myerhoff, “Jewish Comes Up in You from the Roots”

Discussion Board

Visit: http://jwa.org/exhibits/wov/myerhoff/

WEEK 13 4/26-5/2

Expressive Culture

Miller Ch 14: Expressive Culture Ian Condry, “Japanese Hip-Hop and the Globalization of Popular Culture”

Discussion Board

WEEK 14 5/3-5/9

People on the Move

Miller Ch 15: People on the Move Barbara Ehrenreich & Arlie Hochschild, “Global Women in the New Economy”

Discussion Board

WEEK 15 5/10-5/16

Power, Resistance, and

People Defining Development

Miller Ch 16: People Defining Development Terrence Turner, “The Kayapo Resistance”

Discussion Board

WEEK 16 5/17-5/24 FINALS WEEK Interview Project Due 5/17 by

11:55pm