MABM105 Съвременна американска антропология
Анотация:
The course is an introduction to the main theoretical topics, intellectual trends and methods of American anthropology. One of its main aims is to present the historical development of American cultural anthropology and some of its major figures. Their main ideas and methods will be presented and analyzed in the context of the development of the discipline as a whole. The appearance and development of anthropology in the US as a system consisting of four elements : physical anthropology, cultural anthropology, archaeology and linguistics will be presented and interpreted in comparison with the development of the discipline in other parts of the world. The main accent will be put on American cultural anthropology with its’ main trends: American historical tradition, culture and personality studies, cultural relativism, neo-evolutionism, cognitive anthropology, cultural ecology, interpretative anthropology. Some classical texts such as “Patterns of Culture” (R. Benedict), “Science of Culture: A Study of Man and Civilization” (L. White), “Ritual Process” (V. Turner) and “Writing Culture” (Clifford, Marcus) will be object of discussion. Key issues of American cultural anthropology as concepts of culture, personality, relativism, symbolism will be interpreted. Students will be given individual tasks to be acquainted in detail with classical anthropological texts and to present them in front of their colleagues for discussion.
Course aims:
* to provide students with empirical and theoretical knowledge of main ideas and trends of American anthropology; about the historical and cultural reasons for the original development of the discipline in America as well, thus widening their outlook of USA as a whole
Преподавател(и):
доц. Евгения Благоева д-р
Описание на курса:
Компетенции:
At the end of the course students
• will know and will be able to use anthropological ideas and methods
• will be acquainted with main theoretical achievements of American cultural anthropology
• will be acquainted in details with specific features of certain foreign culture according to their individual interest. This will broaden their cultural competences as a whole.
• be able to read, analyze and use an anthropological text
• be able to present an essay based on an anthropological text
Предварителни изисквания:
Форми на провеждане:
Редовен
Учебни форми:
Лекция
Език, на който се води курса:
Английски
Теми, които се разглеждат в курса:
- Cultural anthropology as a discipline - main principles and methods
- The rise of anthropology in America – cultural evolutionism.
- Diffusionism
- American historical tradition
- culture and personality trend
- anthropology of religion
- Marxism
- Ecological Anthropology
- Urban Anthropology
- Gender studies
- Interpretative Anthropology
- “Writing Culture” Criticism and the changes in contemporary American anthropology.
- Presenting students essays
- Written exam
Литература по темите:
Main literature:
Harris, M. The rise of anthropological theory: A history of theories of culture. New York.
A. James, J. Hockey, and A. Dawson, eds. After Writing Culture: Epistemology and Praxis in Contemporary Anthropology. London&New York, 1997
Additional literature:
Benedict, R. Patterns of Culture. Boston, 1934.
Boas, F. The Mind of Primitive Man. New York, 1911
Boas, F. Anthropology in Modern Life. New York, 1928
Boas, F. Race, Language and Culture, New York, 1940
Clifford, J. and G. Marcus, eds. Writing Culture: The Poetics and Politics of Ethnography. Berkeley, 1986
Geertz, C. Works and Lives: The Anthropologist as Author. Cambridge, 1996
Geertz, C. Local Knowledge. New York, 1983
Geertz, C. The interpretation of cultures.New York, 1973
Hammond, P., ed. Cultural and Social Anthropology. Selected readings. New York – London, 1964
1968.
Harris, M. Cultural materialism. New York, 1979
Herskovits, M. J. Man and his Works. New York, 1941
Herskovits, M. J. The New World Negro. Indiana, 1966
Kardiner, A. Culture and Personality. New York, 1945
Kroeber, A.L. Configurations of Culture Growth. Berkeley, 1944
Mead, M. Coming of Age in Samoa. New York, 1928
Mead, M. Culture and Commitment. New York, 1970
Morgan, L.H. Systems of Consanguinity and Affinity. Washington, DC, 1870
Morgan, L.H. Ancient Society. New York, 1877.
Spradley, J. F. Participant observation. New York, 1980.
Steward, J.H. Theory of Cultural Change. Urbana, 1955.
Turner,V.W. The Ritual Process. 1969
Tyler, S. Cognitive anthropology. New York, 1969
Wallace, A.F.C. Religion: an Anthropological View.1967
White, L. The Science of Culture: A Study of Man and Civilization. New York,1949.
Средства за оценяване:
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