Anthropology 13

Cultural Anthropology

Course summary: This course aims to increase your understanding of cultural diversity globally by exciting your natural curiosity about other ways of life, by building on your existing experience of life in human society and directing you to new resources that can help you learn more. The primary resource we will rely on is you and your desire to learn. We will also consult the acquired insights of many cultural anthropologists to explore the ethnographic record and what we have discovered about human behavior. The primary subject matter of the course is the varieties of human experience and culture globally. Along the way, we will explore what cultural anthropology has to say about topics such as: human cultural diversity and cultural pluralism.... the existence and perpetuation of inequality in human societies . .. the variable roles of women and men in society... human interaction with the environment.... and race, ethnicity nationalism and globalization.

This course focuses on cultural anthropology as a way of understanding human behavior, and the ethnographic record built up by cultural anthropologists over the years: the record of global cultural diversity.

Resources: The main resource is your desire to learn. Don't leave home without it! To guide our learning, we will use a textbook: Peoples and Bailey, Humanity, 3rd ed., supplemental readings drawn from a variety of sources and we will read an ethnography, Vogt's Zinacantecos of Mexico to get an in-depth view of one particular culture, the Highland Maya of SE Mexico. We will also see numerous videos to complement class readings and lectures. In no way are you limited to these sources. In fact, I expect you will do additional readings and research on your own. (See Evaluation)

The course will be divided into four parts, as follows:

PART ONE (Weeks 1-4) We will discuss and read about what cultural anthropology is, including a general discussion of the breadth of anthropology as a discipline, cultural anthropology's methods, the essentials of language and the concepts of culture, society and ethnicity. The discussions and readings will serve as resources to test your own ideas about these topics.

Readings:	Week 1:	Peoples & Bailey: Ch 1-2 Haviland & Gordon: "The Nature of Anthropology" Miner, "Body ritual among the Nacerima"
	Week 2:	Peoples & Bailey: Ch 5, Ch 3 Bourgois: "Crack in Spanish Harlem" Chagnon: "Fieldwork among the Yanamamo" Film: A Man Called Bee
	Week 3:	Peoples & Bailey: Ch 18 Maltz & Borker: "Male-Female Miscommunication" Clay: "What's a Nation?" Diamond: "In Black and White" Film: Ishi: the last Yahi
	Week 4:	EXAM 1:100 points, 13-04 9/16, 13-03 9/17

PART TWO (Weeks 4-7) At least part of culture and human behavior is devoted to basic necessities: extracting energy from the environment, transforming Nature into "natural resources" and goods for human use and distributing those goods in different ways. Another important realm is finding a mate (or mates) founding families and ensuring the biological and social reproduction of society. We will discuss different forms of human adaptation to the environment and how ecological relationships shape economic, political and social relationships.

Readings:	Week 4:	Peoples & Bailey: Ch 7-8 Lee: "Eating Christmas in the Kalahari" Redford: "The Ecologically Noble Savage" Film: N!ai: the life of a !Kung woman, Pt 1
	Week 5-6:	Peoples & Bailey: Ch 9, Ch 13-14 Harris: "Life without Chiefs" Film: The Goddess and the Computer
	Week 7:	Peoples & Bailey: Ch 10-11 Goldstein: "When Brothers Share a Wife" Nanda: "Arranging a Marriage" Collier: "Is there a family?"
	Week 8:	EXAM 2: 100 points, 13-04 10/14, 13-03 10/15

PART THREE (Weeks 8-10) We will take an in-depth look at one particular culture: the Highland Maya of southern Mexico and Guatemala, as well as anthropological approaches to the study of religion. Studying the Highland Maya will also serve to discuss the impacts of colonialism and the struggle for cultural survival in the modern world.

Readings:	Week 8:	Peoples & Bailey: Ch 6 Vogt: Zinacantecos Introduction-Ch 4
	Week 9:	Vogt: Zinacantecos Ch 6-9 Film: Todos Santos, Pt 1
	Week 10:	Peoples & Bailey: Ch 15 Wasserstrom: "Rural labor in Chiapas" Film: Todos Santos, Pt 2
	Week 10:	EXAM 3: 100 points, 13-04 11/4, 13-03 11/5

PART FOUR (Weeks 11 - 15) We will examine several contemporary issues from an anthropological perspective: gender roles and the differential balance of power between men and women in various societies; global economic and political inequality; globalization and cultural rights and survival.

Readings:	Week 11:	Peoples & Bailey: Ch 12 Friedl: "Society and sex roles" van Willigen and Chanda: "...Crimes against women"
	Week 12:	Peoples & Bailey: Ch 17 Kohier: "Global apartheid" Films: Links: Tradition and the 20h Century, Isle of Flowers
	Week 13-14:	Peoples & Bailey: Ch 19 Various authors: "The dark side of globalization" Film: Yanomami Homecoming
	Week 15:	Peoples & Bailey: Epilogue Film: N!ai: biography of a !Kung woman, Pt 2
	Finals	EXAM 4: 100 points, Final Exam Week

Course Requirements: The required books for this course are: Peoples and Bailey, Humanity, 3rd edition, Evon Z. Vogt, Zincantecos of Mexico, 2nd edition. There are also a series of required readings on Reserve in the library and will be made available in a packet for photocopying.

In addition, there is a required book review of a cultural anthropology text of the student's choice. A list of acceptable titles is available on reserve at the library, and available from the instructor. Or students may choose other books provided they are approved by the instructor (to ensure they are cultural anthropology books). The book review will be 6-10 double-spaced type-written pages, or approximately 2,000 words. The book review is graded on an Honors, Credit, No Credit basis, based on the following criteria: (1) a clear, well-organized, concise summary of the main points of the book; (2) a discussion of issues raised in the book that we have discussed in class; (3) a personal critique of the book by the student, and; (4) clear, correct writing (grammar, spelling, clarity, organization).

An outstanding book review earns an "Honors" grade, and it raises the student's final grade one fill letter grade. A "Credit" grade (a good to average review) maintains the student's grade at the level determined by exam scores. A "No Credit" grade drops the student's grade one full letter grade. The book review is due 12/5 or 12/6. Late papers will not be accepted

Students are expected to read the assigned material and come to class prepared. Class time will be used to discuss the assigned readings. You can't discuss 'em if you haven't read 'em! Lectures will not duplicate the material found in the readings, so class attendance is essential. The schedule of exams given in the syllabus is approximate. I will announce the scheduling of tests at least one week in advance. No make-up exams will be given without a valid medical excuse or for valid school activities (bring a note from the instructor/sponsor/coach involved).

Evaluation: As an instructor, I need some way to assess the knowledge you have gained from this course. There are two options students may choose for evaluation purposes.

Option 1: Students may take the exam, write the book review and do all the other required activities outlined in the syllabus. Students will be evaluated based on test scores, the book review and class attendance/participation. There are four exams covering each part of the course worth a total of 400 points. The grading scale is as follows:

> 90% (>360 points) = A

80-90% (320-359 points) = B

70-80% (280-319 points) C

60-70% (240-279 points) = D

<60% (<239 points) = F

Grades will be adjusted up or down to reflect the book review and class attendance/participation.

Option 2: Students may choose to create student portfolios demonstrating the work they have done and the knowledge they have gained. Students who choose this option will submit a separate portfolio for each section of the course on the day of the exam for that part. A portfolio will typically consist of written reactions to the readings (analysis, personal reflections), a short paper (2-6 pages) on some topic discussed in that section of the course, written reactions to the films viewed, and a review of at least one outside reading (book, book chapter, journal article) relevant to that section of the course. Each student's portfolio will receive a numerical grade on a 100 point scale, just like an exam. The student's final grade will be based on their total score, just like the exams. I would urge any student contemplating a portfolio to see me for suggested readings or topics. Students may do portfolios for any or all of the parts of the class. Anyone who creates a portfolio is exempt from the exam for that part of the course. More information will be provided in class.

SEVEN GOALS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY AT CSU, CHICO

1. An understanding of the phenomenon of culture as that which differentiates human life from other life forms; an understanding of the roles of human biology and cultural processes in human behavior and human evolution.
   
2. A positive appreciation of the diversity of contemporary and past human cultures and an awareness of the value of anthropological perspectives and knowledge in contemporary society.
   
3. A knowledge of the substantive data pertinent to the several sub-disciplines of anthropology and familiarity with the major issues relevant to each.
   
4. Familiarity with the forms of anthropological literature and basic data sources and knowledge of how to access such information.
   
5. Knowledge of the methodology appropriate to the sub-disciplines of anthropology and the capacity to apply appropriate methods when conducting anthropological research.
   
6. The ability to present and communicate in anthropologically appropriate ways anthropological knowledge and the results of anthropological research.
   
7. Knowledge of the history of anthropological thought.
   

Statement on Academic Honesty: Academic misconduct (as defined in the Chico State catalog) will not be tolerated. I encourage students to discuss course materials inside and outside the classroom. But all written material submitted by students must be their own work exclusively. In writing your book review, or preplanning your portfolio, be sure to cite sources appropriately, use quotes where required, and indicate the source of the ideas expressed. Use parenthetical referencing, following the format in your text books. When in doubt, cite! To do otherwise is plagiarism. The highest standards of honesty are expected when taking exams. No sneaking, no peeking, no cheat sheeting! If you have any questions about what constitutes academic dishonesty, or the consequences of academic misconduct, consult the university's catalogue, or ask me.