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Syllabus
SC2218: Anthropology and the Human Condition
Department of Sociology,
National University of Singapore
Semester 1, 2008/2009
Dr. Eric C. Thompson, Lecturer
Office: AS1 #04-31, Email: socect@nus.edu.sg
Consultation: By Appointment (email me to set up a time)
Lectures: Thursdays, 12 noon to 2 pm, LT10
Tutorial Instructors:
Audrey Verma, g0700790@nus.edu.sg
Seuty Sabur, g0501003@nus.edu.sg
Aims and Objectives
This course has three primary aims and objectives. The first is to provide students with an introduction to the discipline of anthropology as a study of human society and culture. Second, the course will introduce an anthropological perspective developed within this discipline from the late-19th century into the early 21st century. Third, students will acquire an idea of what this anthropological perspective can tell us about the human condition – in other words, the biological, social, and cultural conditions shaping our lives and how we act within those conditions.
Modes of Enquiry
In order for you to actively learn the material in this class, we encourage you to think of the course as an ongoing dialogue between yourself, the readings, films, lecture material, the instructors, and your classmates. In addition to the traditional platforms for interaction of lectures and discussion groups (tutorials), participants in the course will engage in collaborative construction of a Wiki on Anthropology and the Human Condition (http://sc2218.wetpaint.com/). The Wiki will include collaborative notes, queries, and commentary on the lecturers, readings and films recommended by the instructor for the course. It will also be a platform for students to move beyond the instructor’s recommendations and create their own content and recommendations for understanding anthropology and the human condition. The ideas and concepts in the class are to be discussed, debated, and thoughtfully considered – not just learned as a set of facts!
Requirements, Assignments, Assessment
Students should maintain regular attendance in lectures and tutorials. Students must come prepared for tutorials, which means reading relevant materials, viewing films and completing assigned Wiki contributions or other written work before each tutorial session (see details below). The assignments and course participation will count for 40% of the overall grade. The final exam will count for 60% of the overall grade. Assignments for the course will contribute the following percentages to the final grade:
Tutorial Exercises 10% (Kinship 5%, Exchange 5%)
Eropagnis Project 15%
Participation 15% (Wiki 10%, Tutorials 5%)
Final Exam 60%
Wiki Collaboration and Participation: In addition to lectures and discussion groups, the Anthropology and the Human Condition Wiki (http://sc2218.wetpaint.com/) will be a primary platform for participation and learning in this course. A Wiki is “a collection of web pages designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify content.” That is according to Wikipedia, by far the most well known Wiki on the Worldwide Web. You should register on the Wiki (create a profile) and explore the Wiki as early as possible in the semester. Each student will be assigned to a Wiki group in the IVLE system. As a member of that Wiki group, you are responsible for contributing to the pages for the readings and films assigned to your group. On the class schedule, the readings and films assigned to your group are the ones in the column to the right of your group’s number and the due date for those contributions. Wiki pages for readings and films should include two primary things: (1) summaries of the main points and content of the readings, (2) commentary on the readings. These are collaborative efforts, so communicate with your class and group members to make the pages as good as possible. Evaluation on Participation: Your participation will be evaluated on three things – quality, cooperation and quantity. We will be emphasizing the first two – are you making quality contributions and are you collaborating productively (trying to outperform others in negative ways will be penalized). Quantity – the number of contributions or time you spend – is much less important than the first two. Participation on the Wiki will count for 10% of your marks. You will receive credit for contributions to your group’s assigned materials as well as general participation (such as contributing to notes on the lectures). The assigned materials should be your first priority. At the mid-term, you will be given feedback on your participation up to that point, so you know if your contributions are excellent, good, adequate, or need improvement.
Exercises: There will be two exercises conducted in the context of the discussion group sessions. Completion of each exercise will count for 5% of your marks for the course (10% in all). Details of the exercises will be provide prior to or during the discussion sessions. It is very important you attend discussion sections; the exercises cannot be done outside of those sessions.
Eropagnis Project: You will work in groups, assigned by your tutorial instructor, to complete a project based on Horace Miner’s article “Bodily Rituals of the Nacirema” (found in your Course Pack). The project will be produced collaboratively by your group using the course Wiki as a platform. Details of the assignment will be distributed in the first half of the semester and discussed in tutorials.
Tutorial Preparation: Students are required to come prepared to discuss readings and films in tutorials in addition to the exercises. Participation in tutorials will count for 5% of your marks. The topics you need to prepare for are as follows:
Session 1: Origins of the Anthropology, Human Diversity, Concept of Culture (Wk 1-4 Material)
Session 2: Kinship (esp. Ju/hoansi kinship and marriage), Gender, Sexuality (Wk 5-6 Material)
Session 3: Economics & Exchange; Ethnicity, Nation, & Other Communities (Wk 7-8 Material)
Session 4: Eropagnis (presentation); Issues of Representation; Culture Change (Wk 9-10 Material)
Session 5: Poststructualism, Discourse, Anthropology in the 21st Century (Wk 11-12 Material)
Final Exam: The final exam will be an essay exam. You will be responsible for all material covered in the course, including materials in lectures, tutorials, readings, films and the Wiki.
Department of Sociology,
National University of Singapore
Semester 1, 2008/2009
Dr. Eric C. Thompson, Lecturer
Office: AS1 #04-31, Email: socect@nus.edu.sg
Consultation: By Appointment (email me to set up a time)
Lectures: Thursdays, 12 noon to 2 pm, LT10
Tutorial Instructors:
Audrey Verma, g0700790@nus.edu.sg
Seuty Sabur, g0501003@nus.edu.sg
Aims and Objectives
This course has three primary aims and objectives. The first is to provide students with an introduction to the discipline of anthropology as a study of human society and culture. Second, the course will introduce an anthropological perspective developed within this discipline from the late-19th century into the early 21st century. Third, students will acquire an idea of what this anthropological perspective can tell us about the human condition – in other words, the biological, social, and cultural conditions shaping our lives and how we act within those conditions.
Modes of Enquiry
In order for you to actively learn the material in this class, we encourage you to think of the course as an ongoing dialogue between yourself, the readings, films, lecture material, the instructors, and your classmates. In addition to the traditional platforms for interaction of lectures and discussion groups (tutorials), participants in the course will engage in collaborative construction of a Wiki on Anthropology and the Human Condition (http://sc2218.wetpaint.com/). The Wiki will include collaborative notes, queries, and commentary on the lecturers, readings and films recommended by the instructor for the course. It will also be a platform for students to move beyond the instructor’s recommendations and create their own content and recommendations for understanding anthropology and the human condition. The ideas and concepts in the class are to be discussed, debated, and thoughtfully considered – not just learned as a set of facts!
Requirements, Assignments, Assessment
Students should maintain regular attendance in lectures and tutorials. Students must come prepared for tutorials, which means reading relevant materials, viewing films and completing assigned Wiki contributions or other written work before each tutorial session (see details below). The assignments and course participation will count for 40% of the overall grade. The final exam will count for 60% of the overall grade. Assignments for the course will contribute the following percentages to the final grade:
Tutorial Exercises 10% (Kinship 5%, Exchange 5%)
Eropagnis Project 15%
Participation 15% (Wiki 10%, Tutorials 5%)
Final Exam 60%
Wiki Collaboration and Participation: In addition to lectures and discussion groups, the Anthropology and the Human Condition Wiki (http://sc2218.wetpaint.com/) will be a primary platform for participation and learning in this course. A Wiki is “a collection of web pages designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify content.” That is according to Wikipedia, by far the most well known Wiki on the Worldwide Web. You should register on the Wiki (create a profile) and explore the Wiki as early as possible in the semester. Each student will be assigned to a Wiki group in the IVLE system. As a member of that Wiki group, you are responsible for contributing to the pages for the readings and films assigned to your group. On the class schedule, the readings and films assigned to your group are the ones in the column to the right of your group’s number and the due date for those contributions. Wiki pages for readings and films should include two primary things: (1) summaries of the main points and content of the readings, (2) commentary on the readings. These are collaborative efforts, so communicate with your class and group members to make the pages as good as possible. Evaluation on Participation: Your participation will be evaluated on three things – quality, cooperation and quantity. We will be emphasizing the first two – are you making quality contributions and are you collaborating productively (trying to outperform others in negative ways will be penalized). Quantity – the number of contributions or time you spend – is much less important than the first two. Participation on the Wiki will count for 10% of your marks. You will receive credit for contributions to your group’s assigned materials as well as general participation (such as contributing to notes on the lectures). The assigned materials should be your first priority. At the mid-term, you will be given feedback on your participation up to that point, so you know if your contributions are excellent, good, adequate, or need improvement.
Exercises: There will be two exercises conducted in the context of the discussion group sessions. Completion of each exercise will count for 5% of your marks for the course (10% in all). Details of the exercises will be provide prior to or during the discussion sessions. It is very important you attend discussion sections; the exercises cannot be done outside of those sessions.
Eropagnis Project: You will work in groups, assigned by your tutorial instructor, to complete a project based on Horace Miner’s article “Bodily Rituals of the Nacirema” (found in your Course Pack). The project will be produced collaboratively by your group using the course Wiki as a platform. Details of the assignment will be distributed in the first half of the semester and discussed in tutorials.
Tutorial Preparation: Students are required to come prepared to discuss readings and films in tutorials in addition to the exercises. Participation in tutorials will count for 5% of your marks. The topics you need to prepare for are as follows:
Session 1: Origins of the Anthropology, Human Diversity, Concept of Culture (Wk 1-4 Material)
Session 2: Kinship (esp. Ju/hoansi kinship and marriage), Gender, Sexuality (Wk 5-6 Material)
Session 3: Economics & Exchange; Ethnicity, Nation, & Other Communities (Wk 7-8 Material)
Session 4: Eropagnis (presentation); Issues of Representation; Culture Change (Wk 9-10 Material)
Session 5: Poststructualism, Discourse, Anthropology in the 21st Century (Wk 11-12 Material)
Final Exam: The final exam will be an essay exam. You will be responsible for all material covered in the course, including materials in lectures, tutorials, readings, films and the Wiki.
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