Introduction to Anthropology
Introduction to Anthropology – ANTH 130-03
Fall Semester 2006
Class meets: Monday and Wednesdays, 2:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Science Building, Room 516
Professor Aldo Civico, civicoa@wpunj.edu, phone: 917-330-7785
Office Hours: ONLY by appointment
Course Description: This course explores the diversity of the human condition through an introduction to the basic ideas and concepts of anthropology and their application by anthropologists in different research sites around the globe. We will introduce basic aspects of the four sub-fields of anthropology: physical anthropology, archaeology, social and cultural anthropology, and linguistic anthropology. We will focus primarily on culture, difference and familiarity in the contemporary world. How do we understand, evaluate, and validate the experiences, histories, and values of people around the world? How do we understand and interpret difference at home and abroad? What can the study of a different culture or different way of being tell us about our own lives? We will explore these issues from an anthropological perspective and from the different vantage points of language, perception, recreation, worldview, social organization, power, survival, family and kinship systems, inequality, nationalism, localism and globalization.
Course Objectives: This course is designed for both majors and non-majors to learn to:
? Use anthropological concepts and ideas to think critically about the world in which we live;
? Use the basic practice of anthropology to assess human interactions and group behavior;
? Use anthropological concepts in class writing assignments and class discussions;
? Develop critical thinking skills;
? Improve the organization of ideas and the logic of arguments;
? Improve oral and written expression of ideas.
Course Structure:
• Lectures will be related to (but not a review of) assigned readings.
• Class discussion will focus on assigned reading, related topics, in-class film screenings, and two-page response papers to assignments.
• We will kick-off most Monday’s classes with a 10 minute quiz on reading assignments.
• This course has a web site that can be accessed through regular internet providers. Its address is http://bb.wpunj.edu To login enter your last name followed by your first name initial (e.g. "doej" for John Doe), and use your student ID as password. The names and e-mail addresses of classmates will be in the Communication section of this web-site. I will place copies of the syllabus, readings and assignments, as well as supplementary class materials in this site.
Course Requirements:
You are expected to:
? Attend class, arrive on time, and turn off your cell phone.
? Have assigned reading completed when you come to class.
? Participate in class discussion in a meaningful way (this means having reading notes and being prepared for class discussion).
? Submit written assignments on time at beginning of class – no late papers accepted. No papers accepted via email. No handwritten papers accepted.
? Submit your own original work. Plagiarism = F, really.
? Use quotation marks and proper bibliographic references when citing the work of others. Go to www.aaanet.org/pubs/style_guide.htm and download the Style Guide of the American Anthropological Association. All papers submitted should follow this style guide.
? Keep up with the class and class syllabus (if you miss a class, for whatever reason, it is your responsibility to contact a classmate to find out what happened in class, get lecture notes and also find out if any changes were made to the syllabus).
? Make an appointment with me if you need help or have more questions than can be answered during class.
? Notify me prior to class if you have a personal or family emergency, illness or other valid reason for missing class (and make arrangements for someone else to turn in your assignment, if one is due).
If you are a student with a documented disability on record and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, contact me immediately.
If you must miss a class for a religious holiday, please notify me, in writing, one week prior to the class you expect to miss in order to be excused (assignments due on a particular day must still be turned in on or before the due date).
Course Evaluation:
? You get three free absences (no questions asked), use them wisely.
? Quizzes are open notebook, but not open book (reading notes come in handy for quizzes).
? Habitual lateness will negatively affect your grade.
? More than three unexcused absences (beyond the three free absences) will drop your grade.
? No late papers accepted.
? All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date unless otherwise specified.
? Quizzes happen during the first 20 minutes of class. If you arrive 5 minutes late, you have 15 minutes to complete the quiz.
? And, one more time: Plagiarism = F (Seriously!!!!).
For Grading Purposes, coursework will be distributed as follows:
39 points - 13 One Page Response Papers
20 points - 10 Quizzes
15 points - Mid-Term Exam
20 points - Final Exam
06 points - Class Participation
Your final grade will be based on the following (standard) grade curve:
A (93-100), A- (90-92)
B+ (87-89), B (83-86), B- (80-82)
C+ (77-79), C (73-76), C- (70-72)
D+ (67-69), D (60-66), F (0-59)
Required Books (Available for purchase @ WPUNJ Bookstore and on reserve in the library):
Robbins, Richard H, 2006, Cultural Anthropology. A problem-based Approach, 4th Edition, Thomson.
Ferraro, Gary, 2004, Classic Readings in Cultural Anthropology, 1st Edition, Thomson.
Sawyer, Suzana, 2004, Crude Chronicles. Indigenous Politics, Multinational Oil, and Neoliberalism in Ecuador, Duke University Press
On Reserve
Reading Package: IMPORTANT. Follow the instructions bellow in order to access the reading package:
- From the Library homepage, www.wpunj.edu/library, click on the "Reserve Materials" link.
- Students accessing off-campus will be prompted for their WPUNJ email username and password at this point.
- At the Electronic Reserves Welcome Page, click the "Electronic Reserves & Reserves Pages" link.
- At the Main Course Index, students may select the Course Number (ANTH130), Course Name (Introduction to Anthropology), Department (Anthropology) or Instructor (Civico), and click the "Search" button.
- Click on the "ANTH130" link.
- You will then be asked for a password. The password for this course page is ANTH130.
- Once the copyright notice is accepted, you will see a list of the readings.
? Click on the link of the reading that you would like to see.
? Click on the file at the bottom of the screen.
Adobe Acrobat reader software is required to view and print these materials.
Conrad Philip Kottak, 2005, Anthropology . The Exploration of Human Diversity, 11th Edition, McGraw Hill
WEEK 1—Welcome to Anthropology
Wednesday September 6
First day of class. Introductions/Overview of course. Study group and Student Presentation sign-ups. Plan your Semester: Go to http://www.lib.umn.edu/help/calculator Assignment Calendar. Use the calendar to plan your studies for this semester for this class and your other classes. It is extremely helpful!!
WEEK 2—The Anthropological Perspective
Monday, September 11
Reading:
Boas: What is Anthropology? (Reading Package Online—please see instructions above)
Rosaldo: Introduction: grief and headhunter’s rage. (Reading Package Online)
Assignment #01-A Due:
a)Write a one-page response. All response papers must have one-inch margins and have 12 pt. font size.
b) Go online and read the following article: http://money.cnn.com/2000/11/17/career/q_degreeanthropology/ Go the class discussion board and post your thoughts on the article you chose.
Wednesday, September 13
Reading:
Bowen: Return to laughter (Reading Package Online—please see instructions above).
Manz: Reflections on an antropologia comprometida (Reading Package Online).
Assignment #01-B Due:
a) Write a one-page response. All response papers must have one-inch margins and have 12 pt. font size.
b) Go to http://anthropology.tamu.edu/news.htm Choose an article of interest. Go the class discussion board and post your thoughts on the article you chose.
WEEK 3—Culture and Meaning
Monday, September 18
Reading: Robbins: Introduction Chapter 1 (pp.1-4); Question 1.1 and 1.2
Quiz #01: On Week 2 and Robbins (pp.1-15)
Wednesday September 20
Reading: Robbins: Question 1.5
Assignment #02 Due:
a) Write a two-page response. All response papers must have one-inch margins and have 12 pt. font size.
b) After reading Question 1.5 go to the class discussion board and post your answers to one of the questions in Exercise 1.4 (Robbins, p.29).
WEEK 4—Doing Anthropology
Monday, September 25
Reading: Robbins: Question 1.3 and 1.4; Case Studies in Doing Anthropology #1 (pp.30-33),
Quiz #02: On Robbins (pp.15-33)
Wednesday, September 27
Reading:
Ferraro: Body Ritual among the Nacirema (p.1) and Queer Customs (p.6)
Assignment #03 Due:
a) Ethnography assignment (distributed today in class).
b) Go to http://www.aaanet.org/stmts/ethstmnt.htm . Read the 1971 AAA statement on Ethics. What are the responsibilities of an anthropologist? To whom is an anthropologist responsible? Go the class discussion board and post your thoughts on these questions.
WEEK 5—Physical Anthropology
Monday, October 2
Reading:
Darwin’s Influence on Modern Thought (distributed in class)
Why Should Student Learn Evolution? (distributed in class)
Quiz #03: On Ferraro’s readings for September 27, and on today’s readings.
Wednesday, October 4
Reading:
The Mind of the Chimpanzee (distributed in class)
Are we in Anthropodenial? (distributed in class)
Assignment #04 Due: Go to www.talkorigins.org/faqs/faq-misconceptions.html Read the article and write a two-page response, by answering these questions: What evidence does the page present that evolution has been observed? What role does chance play in evolution? In what way is evolution considered a “theory”?
WEEK 6--Archeology
Monday, October 9
Reading:
Bushmen (distributed in class)
Reading the Bones of La Florida (distributed in class)
Wednesday, October 11
Reading:
Prehistory of Warfare (distributed in class)
The Slow Birth of Agriculture (distributed in class)
Assignment #05 Due: Read about the discovery of stone in the Gona River area of Ethiopia: www.archaeology.org/9703/newsbriefs/tools.html. Write a one page response, answering these questions: what important discovery was made in the Gona River area of Ethiopia? Why are the tools so significant?
WEEK 7—MIDTERM EXAM
Monday, October 16
Reading:
Geertz, Deep Play (Reading package online)
Wednesday, October 18
MIDTERM EXAM
WEEK 8—The Meaning of Progress
Monday, October 23
Reading: Robbins: Introduction Chapter 2 (pp.39-43); Question 2.1 and 2.2
Quiz #04: On Robbins (pp.39-58)
Wednesday, October 25
Reading: Robbins: Questions 2.3, 2.4 and 2.5
Crude Chronicles: Introduction
Assignment #06 Due: Write a two-page response about the Introduction to Crude Chronicles.
WEEK 9—The Construction of the Nation-State
Monday, October 30
Reading: Robbins: Introduction Chapter 3(pp.82-3); Question 3.1, 3.3 and 3.4
Quiz #05: On Robbins (pp.58-104)
Wednesday, November 1
Reading: Ferraro: The Kpelle Moot (p.65)
Crude Chronicles: Chapter 1
Assignment #07 Due: Write a two-pages response about today’s readings.
WEEK 10—The Social and Cultural Construction of Reality
Monday, November 6
Reading: Robbins: Introduction Chapter 4, Question 4.1, 4.3, 4.4,
Quiz #06: On Robbins (pp.114-142) and on Crude Chronicles (Introduction and Chapter 1)
Wednesday, November 8
Reading:
Ferraro: Rapport-talk and Report-talk (p. 13)
Crude Chronicles: Chapter 2
Assignment #08 Due: Write a two-pages response about today’s readings.
WEEK 11-Patterns of Family Relations
Monday, November 13
Reading: Robbins: Introduction Chapter 5 (pp.158-160); Question 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4
Quiz #7: On Robbins (pp.158-183) and Crude Chronicles (chapter 2).
Wednesday, November 15
Reading: Ferraro: When Brothers Share a Wife (p.34)
Crude Chronicles: Chapter 3
Assignment #09 Due: Write a two-pages response about today’s readings.
WEEK 12—The Cultural Construction of Identity
Monday, November 20
Reading: Robbins: Introduction Chapter 6 (pp.196-197); Question 6.1, 6.2, 6.3
Quiz #8: On Robbins (pp.196-211) and Crude Chronicles (chapter 3).
Wednesday, November 22
Reading: Robbins: Question 6.4 and 6.5
Crude Chronicles: Chapter 4
Assignment #10 Due: Write a two-pages response about today’s readings.
WEEK 13—The Cultural Construction of Social Hierarchy
Monday, November 27
Reading: Robbins: Introduction Chapter 7 (pp.234-38); Question 7.1,7.2, 7.3,
Quiz #9: On Robbins (pp.211-255) and Crude Chronicles (chapter 4).
Wednesday, November 29
Reading: Robbins 7.4, 7.5, and Case Studies in Doing Anthropology #7 (pp.265-274)
Crude Chronicles: Chapter 5
Assignment #11 Due: write a two-page response about today’s readings.
WEEK 14—The Cultural Construction of Violent Conflict
Monday, December 4
Reading: Robbins: Introduction Chapter 8 (pp.278-9); Question 8.1, 8.2, 8.3
Quiz #10: On Robbins (pp.255-295)
Wednesday, December 6
Reading: Robbins: Question 8.4, 8.5, and Case Studies in Doing Anthropology #8
Crude Chronicles: Chapter 6
Assignment #12 Due: Write a two-page response about today’s readings.
WEEK 15—Final Discussion
Monday, December 11
Reading: Ferraro: Death without Weeping (p.40); Baseball Magic (p.93); and The Potlach (p.24).
Wednesday, December 13
Reading:
Crude Chronicles: Closing
Assignment #13: Write a two-page overall response about the book Crude Chronicles.
December 15-22 – Final Exams
FINAL EXAM:
Happy Holidays!!!!
