Cultural Anthropology ANTH 1220 Course Manual

Transcription

1 Cultural Anthropology ANTH 1220 Course Manual 2006 Printing

2 Copyright Revised 2001, All rights reserved. No part of the material protected by this copyright may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission from the copyright owner. University of Manitoba, Distance and Online Education

3 Acknowledgments Content specialist: Instructional designer: Desktop publisher: Editor: (2001) Brian Schwimmer, Ph.D. Department of Anthropology Faculty of Arts University of Manitoba Bonnie Luterbach, M.Ed. Distance and Online Education University of Manitoba Cheryl McLean, M.Ed., Ph.D. Distance and Online Education University of Manitoba Lorna Allard Distance and Online Education University of Manitoba James B. Hartman, Ph.D. Distance and Online Education University of Manitoba

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5 Table of Contents Introduction to the Course...1 Course description...1 Course goals...2 Course materials...2 Going online...3 Evaluation and grading...4 Course at a Glance...9 Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Introductory Overview: Concepts, Methods, and Theories...11 Language and Culture...37 Subsistence Systems...57 Unit 4 Kinship and Social Organization Unit 5 Social Divisions and Hierarchies Unit 6 Economy Unit 7 Unit 8 Politics Ritual and Religion Glossary Answers to Study Questions Assignment Title Sheets...268

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7 Introduction to the Course Course description The Undergraduate Calendar of The University of Manitoba describes ANTH 1220 as follows: The comparative study of human societies and cultures, including language, economic and political organization, family and kinship, ritual and belief systems, cultural stability and change. Students may not hold credit for ANTH 1220 (or ) and any of: ANTH 1221 (or ), ANTH 1520 (or ), or the former This course will provide you with a basic introduction to cultural anthropology and will broadly survey the central concepts, theories, and empirical findings of the subdiscipline. We will cover the major subfields of cultural anthropology with an emphasis on the comparative study of contemporary cultures. Over the next few months you will learn to understand and appreciate the wide array of cultural differences that have developed throughout the world and gain new insights into the patterns and dynamics of your own cultural traditions. Anthropology literally means the study or science of the human race and, accordingly, falls within the social sciences. It treats all aspects of human experience, thought, and behaviour in every part of the world from our origins to the present day. Thus our interests include and cut across those of economics, political science, psychology, sociology, and many of the humanities and natural sciences as well. The general breadth of subject matter encourages quite a diversity of research activities, but all anthropologists are united by a unique common framework of theory and method. We understand human behaviour, institutions, and beliefs from the perspective of the culture concept. (Culture is understood as the learned body of knowledge, belief, and custom that people use to organize their natural and social environments.) The diverse subject matter of anthropology is divided into four subdisciplines: physical anthropology, cultural anthropology, archaeology, and linguistics. Cultural anthropology deals with cultures of contemporary peoples and attempts to record and explain cross-cultural regularities and variations. Cultural anthropology is further subdivided by specialization and theoretical orientations that focus on specific institutional subsystems social organization, subsistence, economy, politics, and religion each of which will constitute a unit within this course. Cultural Anthropology ANTH

8 Subdisciplines and specialization within Anthropology Holistic Comparative Time Depth Scope Anthropology Central concept Culture Sub disciplines Physical anthropology Cultural anthropology Archaeology Linguistics Human evolution Human variation Primatology Cultural ecology Social anthropology Economic anthropology Political anthropology Anthropology of religion Prehistory Phonology Morphology Semantics Historical linguistics Sociolinguistics Course goals The instructional content, readings, and assignments for this course are designed to give you an overview of the whole subdiscipline of cultural anthropology and its specializations. You will be provided with the resources and skills to: define and describe the main principles of the anthropological description and analysis of human behaviour and culture including: - central concepts widely used in the discipline, - technical terms used for formal description of cultural institutions, - basic ethnological (theoretical) schools; apply anthropological concepts and theories to specific ethnographic (cultural) examples and case studies; evaluate competing theoretical positions; develop cultural sensitivity, a knowledge and appreciation for the complexities and values of cultural orientations other than your own; view and evaluate your own cultural background from a comparative perspective; and pursue more advanced and specialized courses in cultural anthropology. Course materials The following required materials are available for purchase from the University of Manitoba Book Store. Please order your materials immediately, if you have not already done so. See your Distance and Online Education Student Handbook for instructions on how to order your materials. 2

9 Required texts Bates, Daniel G., and Fratkin, Elliot M. (2003). Cultural anthropology (3d ed.). Allyn and Bacon. Heider, Karl. (1997). The Grand Valley Dani: Peaceful Warriors (3d ed.). Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publishers. The Bates and Fratkin text is devoted to a full survey of the concepts, subfields, and comparative findings of cultural anthropology. The Heider text is an ethnographic case study, which is to be read in conjunction with the general text to give detailed empirical illustration of the main points and concepts. The Distance and Online Education Student Handbook The Distance and Online Education Student Handbook is located online in each course site and on the Distance and Online Education website. You can bookmark the site for easy access at your convenience. If you need to order a printed copy, please consult your Distance and Online Education Guide staff directory for the general inquiries contact information. Accessing both the Handbook and the DE Guide throughout the year provides you with detailed information regarding the management/administrative aspects of this distance education course. The Handbook tells you how to access the following: Your instructor; Writing your final exam at a location other than the University of Manitoba campus; Distance and Online Education Student Services; Using technology (online access, communication tools); The University of Manitoba Libraries; Information on ordering your course materials through the University of Manitoba Book Store; and Information on accessing your grades and submitting assignments online. Going online Interacting with other students Take advantage of communication tools in the course website. The tools include , discussion, and chat. Post your questions or comments in the discussion area. Activities such as these provide other students with an opportunity to interact with you. Consider creating online study groups. Interacting with your instructor Questions? Concerns? Discussion? Your instructor is prepared to assist you. Do not hesitate to address any concerns regarding the course and assignments Cultural Anthropology ANTH

10 directly with your instructor. Check your instructor s contact information to determine how best to communicate not all instructors communicate online. Using the Libraries Additional readings enrich your learning experience and your understanding of your course topics. Textbooks and course materials often contain suggested reading lists, and you can search any library, using online library search tools, to find these and other related materials. Evaluation and grading You should acquaint yourself with the University s policy on plagiarism, cheating, and examination impersonation as detailed in the General Academic Regulations and Policy section of the University of Manitoba Undergraduate Calendar. Note: These policies are also located in your Distance and Online Education Student Handbook or you may refer to Student Affairs at Assignments You will be required to submit five short assignments for this course; they offer the advantage of ensuring that you do not let too much of a workload accumulate and that you receive frequent feedback about your progress. There are seven possible choices listed below, of which you are to choose five. Please submit your assignments by the due dates listed below. Each assignment should be approximately 500 words, or two double-spaced, typewritten pages in length. Assignment topics Assignment 1 Unit 1 Introduction, Section 2.2: Research Methods Consider Heider s entry into Dani culture and his other fieldwork experiences as examples of ethnographic data-gathering methods in anthropology. Describe and evaluate his ethnographic approach in light of the techniques, issues, and problems of fieldwork discussed in readings and lectures. The relevant passages are to be found on pp of The Grand Valley Dani. You should be particularly concerned with the sources of bias that may have affected the objectivity and accuracy of his reporting as discussed in section 2.2 of this unit. Assignment 2 Unit 2 Language and culture What particular insights into Dani culture can you gain from a knowledge and analysis of their language? Be sure to identify the aspect of language that is appropriate to your illustration (morphology, semantics, or sociolinguistics) and to discuss your observations in respect to the theories of language and culture that we have been considering. 4

11 Assignment 3 Unit 3 Subsistence systems Dani subsistence is based upon a system of cultivation that depends upon irrigation, a form of agricultural intensification. 1. What social institutions are usually correlated with this subsistence base? (See Intensive agriculture: Sociocultural correlates.) 2. Does Dani culture incorporate these institutions as anticipated? Are there other aspects of Dani culture and society that can be explained by their subsistence patterns? Assignment 4 Unit 4 Kinship and social organization Identify the main kinship groups (other than the household) that are important for the Dani and describe the social, economic, political, and religious functions that they organize. (Clue: In carrying out this assignment you should consider that there may be other principles of social organization other than kinship that may be significant in structuring Dani life. In assessing kinship, keep in mind the possible importance of these non-kinship structures and the range of functions they assume.) Assignment 5 Unit 6 Economy We have identified a number of exchange categories in the Dani economy, including trade, prestige, warfare, and marriage payment. 1. Attempt to classify each specific exchange in terms of the basic forms (generalized reciprocity, balanced reciprocity, negative reciprocity, redistribution, and market exchange). 2. Associate these processes with the basic order of Dani society according to the following table: Can you make the same kind of correspondence between forms of exchange and social distance that we have applied to the Yanomamö situation? Form of exchange Social group involved Principle of exchange Marriage transfers?? Prestige exchanges?? Trade?? Ritual warfare?? Secular warfare?? Assignment 6 Unit 7 Politics Identify and describe the different forms of Dani warfare. Discuss different theories that may account for each or both forms according to the various Cultural Anthropology ANTH

12 positions presented by Heider and by Bates. Which theory do you prefer and why? Assignment 7 Unit 8 Ritual and religion Identify and describe the basic characteristics of Dani religious belief and practice, and explain them in terms of two separate theories of religion that we have been considering. Assignment title sheets are located at the back of the manual. Please note that the title sheets included are pre-numbered from one to five for each assignment submission. Fill in the number of your assignment choice in the space provided. Final exam The final examination will consist of 100 multiple-choice questions and will be two hours in length. It will cover all the course material and will count for 50 percent of your final grade. The examination date will be set by the Registrar s Office. General guidelines for assignment and exam preparation A word of caution about the assignments and the final examination Some students find that they do very well on the assignments, but they do not do nearly as well on the final examination. While your grades on the assignments will give you some idea of how well you are mastering the material, they may not indicate how well you will do on the examination, because the examination is written under very different circumstances. Because the assignments are open book, they do not require the amount of memorization that a closed-book examination requires nor are they limited to a specific time period. Some students have told us that, based on the high marks they received on the assignments, they were overconfident and underestimated the time and effort needed to prepare for the final examination. Please keep all this in mind as you prepare for the examination. If your course has a sample exam or practice questions, use them to practice for the examination by setting a time limit and not having any books available. Pay careful attention to the description of the type of questions that will be on your final examination. Preparing for multiple choice questions involves a different type of studying than preparing for essay questions. Do not underestimate the stress involved in writing a time-limited examination. 6

13 Assignment due dates and distribution of marks Item Value Sept. - Dec. Jan. - Apr. May - Aug. Assignment 1 10% Sept. 19 Jan. 15 May 14 Assignment 2 10% Oct. 3 Jan. 29 May 28 Assignment 3 10% Oct. 17 Feb.12 June 11 Assignment 4 10% Oct. 29 Feb. 26 June 22 Assignment 5 10% Nov. 12 Mar. 9 July 6 Assignment 6 10% Nov. 21 Mar. 21 July 16 Assignment 7 10% Nov. 30 Mar. 30 July 26 Note: only five of the above seven assignments are to be submitted. Toward the end of the course the time between assignment due dates is much shorter. Final exam 50% Total 100% If you need to write the final exam at a location other than the University of Manitoba main campus, you must complete an application. Please consult your Distance and Online Education Student Handbook for directions. Note: If the assignment due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or statutory holiday, it will be due on the next working day. If the assignment due date falls during the Mid-term Break in February, it will be due on the Monday following the Midterm Break. If you are unable to submit an assignment on time, contact your instructor well in advance of the due date, for we cannot guarantee that the instructor will accept late assignments. Review the guidelines on assignment due dates in the Student Handbook. Grading scale Letter grade Percentage A A B B C C D F 49 and lower Please note: All final grades are subject to departmental review. Cultural Anthropology ANTH

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15 Course at a Glance Week Unit Topics Readings Assignments 1 1. Introduction 1. The culture concept Bates & Fratkin, Chapters 1 and 2. Heider, pp Method and theory in cultural anthropology Assignment 1 due 3 2. Language and culture 1. Characteristics of human languages 2. Phonology the sounds of language 3. Grammar Bates & Fratkin, pp Heider, pp Semantics 5. Sociolinguistics 6. Historical linguistics Assignment 2 due Cultural Anthropology ANTH Subsistence systems 1. Environment, technology, and culture: Analytical perspectives 2. Foraging 3. Pastoralism 6 4. Horticulture 5. Intensive agriculture 6. Industrial society 7 4. Kinship and social organization 1. Introduction to kinship and social organization 2. Kinship systems overview 3. Kinship fundamentals 4. Kinship descent systems Bates & Fratkin, pp Bates & Fratkin, pp Heider, pp Assignment 3 due

16 10 Your course at a glance, cont d. Week Unit Topics Readings Assignments 8 5. Kinship terminology 6. Marriage systems Bates & Fratkin, pp Heider, pp Kinship residence rules 8. Nonkinship-based modes of organization Assignment 4 due Social Distinction and Hierarchy 1. Gender 2. Age 3. Wealth Bates & Fratkin, pp Economy 1. Introduction: Basic units and processes 2. Theories of economic behaviour 3. Systems of exchange 4. Spheres of the economy Dani economic organization Politics 1. Principles of political analysis 2. Political structures Ritual and religion 1. Defining religion 2. Forms of religion 3. Theories of religion Bates & Fratkin, pp Bates & Fratkin, pp Heider, pp Bates & Fratkin, pp Heider, pp Assignment 5 due Assignment 6 due Assignment 7 due