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Last modified August 28, 2009


Fall 2009

ANTH 2243: INTRODUCTION TO SOCIO-CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY

ANTH 5223: THEORIES OF CULTURE


Fall 2007


ANTH 3423: ANTHROPOLOGY OF RELIGION

Spring 2007

ANTH 1823-001: RELIGION IN EVERYDAY LIFE

ANTH 5273: THESIS/DISSERTATION WRITING
 

Spring 2006

ANTH 4113: CAPSTONE

ANTH 5273: THESIS/DISSERTATION WRITING
 

Fall 2004

ANTH 4633-001: CULTURES OF LATIN AMERICA
 


INTRODUCTION TO SOCIO-CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY

Anthropology is the study of what it means to be human. Although the discipline has traditionally taken small-scale, Third World societies as its unit of analysis, its conclusions are relevant for more than “exotic” cultures. In this introduction to the field, our goal will not be only to understand other peoples with customs very different to ours, but also to see how we are products of the historical, political, and social environment in which we live.

By the end of the course students will be able to:
•    Understand how anthropologists collect their data
•    Identify the key theoretical questions in socio-cultural anthropology
•    Recognize the interaction between global trends and local communities
•    Gain a stronger sense of the career options that anthropology prepares them for
•    Improve their written and oral communication skills

Assessment
Student objective: 100 points
In the first week, identify a learning objective for your participation in the course. Then design a means for testing if you achieve that goal. When you complete it, address a letter to the instructor describing how you met the objective and what you learned from the process. The letter may be turned in any time between weeks 3 and 16 of the semester.
In-class writing and editing: 100 points
Throughout the semester, you will perform in-class writing exercises and edit the writing of your peers. These will be ungraded, but I will evaluate your overall contribution to the classroom learning environment.
Blog: 300 points
Students will establish a blog on the Ning community and complete an assignment for 14 weeks of the course. Each assignment will be worth 25 points per week and must be posted by 5 p.m. on Monday of the week it is due. The explanatory text accompanying each post should be between 200 and 300 words. In addition, you must leave comments each week on at least two other student blogs. Students who complete all 14 blog posts are eligible for 50 extra credit points. Grading will be based on completeness, clarity, and creativity.
Learning measurements: 300 points
The course is divided into five modules, each with a learning objective and a corresponding measurement. You will draft a response to each one to discuss in class. Then, you will revise your response to turn in the last class day of each module. Grading will be based on completeness, clarity, and creativity. You may revise and resubmit any of the measurements for a new grade.
Final exam: 200 points
Two-hour cumulative exam with map, identifications, short answers, and long essays on Thursday, December 17 from 8 to 10 am
A = 900-1000 points,   B = 800-899,   C = 700-799,   D = 600-699,   F= 599 points and below

Required readings available at the OU bookstore and on reserve at Bizzell:
Fadiman, Anne (1998) The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Kotlowitz, Alex (1992) There Are No Children Here: The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in the Other America. New York: Vintage Anchor.
All other readings are available as PDF files to download on D2L.

Week 1: What is culture?
Blog: You will receive an invitation to join the class Ning community at http://anth2243.ning.com/. Log in and create a blog (for detailed instructions, see http://howtotechtips.blogspot.com/2008/07/ning-accepting-ningcom-invitation.html). Post a paragraph introducing yourself and explaining why you chose anthropology as a major. Describe an aspect of culture that has always fascinated you.

Readings:
•    “Shakespeare in the Bush” by Laura Bohannon in Natural History August-September 1966.
•    “Hamlet Meets Mao” by Peter Hessler in The New Yorker November 13, 2000.

Tues. 8/25    Introduction to the course
Thurs. 8/27    Draft of first measurement for discussion

Week 2: How can we study culture in an ethical way?
Blog: Visit the site for the journal Cultural Anthropology http://www.culanth.org/. Select one of the articles listed, skim the full text, and describe the methodology the researchers used to obtain their findings. Include a link to the article on your blog.

Readings:
•    “Welcome to AnyU” from My Freshman Year: What a Professor Learned by Becoming a Student by Rebekah Nathan Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2005.
•    “A Science is Born” from Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping by Paco Underhill. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2000.

Tues. 9/1    
Thurs. 9/3    Turn in completed first measurement

Week 3: How are families formed?
Blog: Pretend that there is a magazine called “Kinship Weekly.” Pick a movie you have seen and write a review of it focusing on the family relationships of the characters.

Readings:
•    “When Brothers Share a Wife” by Melvyn C. Goldstein in Natural History March 1987.
•    “Who Needs Love! In Japan, Many Couples Don’t” by Nicholas D. Kristof in New York Times February 11, 1996, A1.
•    “Arranging a Marriage in India” by Serena Nanda in Stumbling Toward Truth: Anthropologists at Work edited by Philip R. Devita. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press, pp. 196-204, 2000.

Film: “The Wedding Banquet”

Tues. 9/8    
Thurs. 9/10    

Week 4: What is the difference between men and women?
Blog: Scan the questions under Guy Wisdom in Men’s Health magazine  http://search.menshealth.com/vignette/mh/advice.jsp?q=&mh_channel=guy_wisdom. Take a Cosmopolitan quiz http://www.cosmopolitan.com/archive/quizzes-games/online-quiz/  Summarize what you learned and write a paragraph explaining the gender norms assumed by the two magazines.

Readings:
•    “The Egg and the Sperm: How Science Has Constructed a Romance Based on Stereotypical Male-Female Roles” by Emily Martin in Signs 16(3): 1991.
•    “Getting Started” from Self-Made Man by Norah Vincent, New York: 2006.

Film: “Paris is Burning”

Tues. 9/15    
Thurs. 9/17    Draft of second measurement for discussion

Week 5: How do people build social ties?
Blog: How do you decide what to give for someone’s birthday? Design a flow chart to describe your decision making process. Write a paragraph to explain your thinking.

Readings:
•    “Too Many Bananas, Not Enough Pineapples, and No Watermelon at All” by David Counts in The Humbled Anthropologist edited by Philip DeVita. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1990.
•    “Strings Attached” by Lee Cronk in The Sciences 29(3), 1989.

Tues. 9/22    
Thurs. 9/24    Turn in completed second measurement

Week 6: Why don’t religions get along?
Blog: Take the Belief-o-matic quiz at http://www.beliefnet.com/Entertainment/Quizzes/BeliefOMatic.aspx.What is the result? Is this the religion you were raised in? What does this tell you about how religious beliefs get instilled in people?

Readings:
•    “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving?” by Lila Abu-Lughod in American Anthropologist 104(3): 783-790, 2002.
•    “Christian Violence” by Mark Juergensmeyer in Annals AAPPS, 558, 1998.

Tues. 9/29    
Thurs. 10/1    

Week 7: Can science and faith coexist?
Blog: Describe a time when you were sick. How did you decide what treatment to seek?

Reading: The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman, pp. 3-118.

Film: “Between Two Worlds: The Hmong Shaman in America”

Tues. 10/6    
Thurs. 10/8    

Week 8: What happens to culture when you migrate?
Blog: View the 50 paintings in the on-line gallery of Hmong migration at
http://www.chgs.umn.edu/museum/responses/hmongMigration/. How does the Hmong move to the United States fit into their history within Asia? Does this history match what the Lee family experienced?

Reading: The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman, pp. 119-224

Tues. 10/13    
Thurs. 10/15     Draft of third measurement for discussion

Week 9: Are there any more isolated cultures?
Blog: Log onto the Smithsonian Global Sound archive through the OU Libraries website. Browse by cultural group and listen to songs from five to ten cultural groups you have never heard of. What similarities and differences do you hear between them? Do the songs remind you of anything else you have heard?

Reading:
•    The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman, pp. 225-288
•    “The Truth about the Tasaday” by Carol Moloney in The Sciences 28, 1988.

Tues. 10/20    
Thurs. 10/22    Turn in completed third measurement
   
Week 10: How much does race determine performance?
Blog: Take the quiz “White Men Can’t Jump” at the Understanding Race website:
http://www.understandingrace.org/lived/sports/index.html. What was your score? What surprised you about the answers?

Readings:
“The Minority Quarterback” by Ira Berkow in The New York Times July 2, 2000.
“The Sports Taboo” by Malcolm Gladwell in The New Yorker May 19, 1997.

Tues. 10/27    
Thurs. 10/29    

Week 11: What causes inequality in urban settings?
Blog: Use Google maps to identify segregation in a city by comparing the locations of two kinds of institutions, say pawn shops vs. yoga studios or dry cleaners vs. dollar stores. What can you guess about residential patterns in the city from the two maps?  

Reading: There Are No Children Here by Alex Kotlowitz, pp. 1-105.

Tues. 11/3    
Thurs. 11/5    

Week 12: Is class mobility possible in the United States?
Blog: Consult the job listings for Chicago at http://jobsearch.monster.com Which ones would Lafayette and Pharoah be prepared for? What sort of career path could they expect?

Reading: There Are No Children Here by Alex Kotlowitz, pp. 106-210.

Film: “Hoop Dreams”

Tues. 11/10    
Thurs. 11/12    Draft of fourth measurement for discussion

Week 13: Should the government regulate the private lives of its citizens?
Blog: Visit the websites of the Democratic and Republican candidates for Oklahoma governor (http://www.jariaskins.com/, http://edmondson2010.com/, http://www.randybrogdon.com/,
http://www.maryfallin.org/). Identify any positions they take that would affect the lives of the residents of Sooner Haven. What impact do government policies have on local communities?

Readings:
•    There Are No Children Here by Alex Kotlowitz, pp. 211-305.
•    “The Marriage Cure” by Katherine Boo in The New Yorker August 18, 2003.

Film: “Let’s Get Married”

Tues. 11/17    
Thurs. 11/19    Turn in completed fourth measurement

Week 14:    Break
Tues. 11/24    NO CLASS
Thurs. 11/26    NO CLASS


Week 15: Will globalization make all cultures one?
Blog: Go through your wardrobe and note where the articles of clothing are made. Make a chart showing their countries of origin. In a paragraph describe any patterns you see. How do you explain them?

Readings:
•    “Grand Opening” by Jake Silverstein in Harper’s January 2005.
•    “McDonald’s in Hong Kong” by James L. Watson in Golden Arches East. Stanford University Press, 1997.

Tues. 12/1    
Thurs. 12/3    Draft of fifth measurement for discussion
    
Week 16: Are humans heading for self-destruction?
Blog: Post your completed fifth measurement.  

Readings:
•    “Lessons from Environmental Collapses of Past Societies” by Jared Diamond at the National Conference on Science, Policy, and the Environment 2004.
•    “Earth Without People” by Alan Weisman in Discover February 2005.

Tues. 12/8    
Thurs. 12/10    Review for final exam

Final exam:    Thursday, December 17 from 8 to 10 a.m.



ANTHROPOLOGY OF RELIGION
 Anthropology takes a non-judgmental and cross-cultural view of religion. It does not seek to question or refute the validity of any religion and accepts that for those who participate in a given belief system, its beliefs are self-evident truths. Since the birth of the discipline, anthropologists have taken divergent approaches to explaining the role religion plays in human life and how it changes over time.

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
•    Identify the main theoretical frameworks for interpreting religion
•    Contextualize inter-religious conflict
•    Analyze how religious beliefs shape human lives
•    Predict what directions religious expression will take in a globalized world

Course requirements:

  • Attendance and participation: 100 points. Students should attend regularly, practice academic honesty, complete readings by the Monday of the week they are assigned, and contribute to classroom discussion.
  • In-class exercises: 200 points. Perform the exercise listed for each week and write a short paragraph (no more than 250 words) answering the prompt. Come prepared to class on Mondays to discuss and share your reflections. I will collect the paragraphs and grade them for completion, clarity, and creativity. There are 13 exercises, and each is worth 20 points, so you can miss three without penalty or earn extra credit.
  • Five-minute essays: 200 points. In the last five minutes of class for the week, students will write an essay explaining the theoretical approach to religion represented by the readings and their reaction to it. I will collect and evaluate these short essays based on demonstrated understanding of the readings and original insight. We will do this for 13 of the 16 weeks. Each essay is worth 20 points, so you can miss three without penalty or earn extra credit.
  • Mid-term exam: 100 points. In-class exam on Friday, September 28, consisting of identifications, short answers and essays.
  • Learning portfolio: 200 points. Take six of the in-class exercises and rewrite them to incorporate class discussion and new reflections. Collect them into a packet and include a short (one paragraph) introduction describing why you chose those and what they reveal about the anthropological study of religion. I will evaluate these on analytical depth, creativity, and legibility. Due at the beginning of class Friday, November 30.
  • Final exam: 200 points. Two-hour cumulative exam with identifications, short answers, and long essays on Thursday, December 13 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.


A = 900-1000 points,   B = 800-899,   C = 700-799,   D = 600-699,   F= 599 points and below

There are no make-ups for in-class tests. Late assignments receive a 1/3 letter grade penalty per day.
Required readings available at the OU bookstore and on reserve at Bizzell:
Bloom, Stephen G. (2000) Postville: A Clash of Cultures in Heartland America. San Diego: Harcourt, Inc.
Brown, Karen McCarthy (2001) Mama Lola: A Vodou Priestess in Brooklyn. Updated ed. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Warms, Richard, ed. (2003) Sacred Realms: Essays in Religion, Belief, and Society. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Week 1:    Definitions of religion
Mon. 8/20    
Wed. 8/22    Warms: “Introduction” (x-xvi)
Fri. 8/24
Exercise: Take the Belief-o-Matic quiz at http://www.beliefnet.com/story/76/story_7665_1.html
Do the results surprise you?

Week 2:     Tylor
Mon. 8/27    Warms: McClenon “How Religion Began” (3-10); Graber “Ritual” (11-15)
Wed. 8/29        
Fri. 8/31
Exercise: Ask an older relative for an “origin story” of your family. How is this history relevant for you today?

Week 3:    Freud
Mon. 9/3    NO CLASS
Wed. 9/5    Warms: Wallace “Revitalization” (364-372); Tobin & Friedman “Hmong” (341-346)
Fri. 9/7        NO CLASS
Exercise: Find a religious joke. What makes it funny?

Week 4:    Durkheim
Mon. 9/10    Bloom (ix-114)
Wed. 9/12    Film: “Yidl in the Middle”
Fri. 9/14
Exercise: Interview a non-Christian in Oklahoma. What challenges does he or she face?

Week 5:    Durkheim II
Mon. 9/17    Bloom (115-213)
Wed. 9/19
Fri. 9/21
Exercise: Write a slogan to support either the Iowans or the Lubavitchers in the annexation vote. Which side do you favor?

Week 6:    Durkheim III
Mon. 9/24    Bloom (214-336)
Wed. 9/26    
Fri. 9/28    MIDTERM EXAM—IN CLASS
Exercise: Bring any questions you have about the material for the midterm

Week 7:    Evans-Pritchard
Mon. 10/1    Warms: Malinowski “Rational Mastery” (16-20); Gmelch “Baseball” (203-209)
Wed. 10/3    Film: “Witchcraft among the Azande”
Fri. 10/5    NO CLASS
Exercise: Canvass your friends for superstitions. When do they observe them?

Week 8:    Marx
Mon. 10/8    Warms: Lansing “Water Temples” (58-67); Harris “Mother Cow” (68-73)
Wed. 10/10    
Fri. 10/12
Exercise: Use Google Map to locate churches in different U.S. cities. Which part of the country has the most?

Week 9:     Turner
Mon. 10/15    Warms: Stevens “Liminality” (185-195); Leonard “Circumcision” (196-202)
Wed. 10/17    
Fri. 10/19
Exercise: Observe a ritual, whether in a movie, a book, or in person. How do the participants change their status?

Week 10    Eliade
Mon. 10/22    Warms: Davis “Hallucinogenic” (214-216); Baker “Old Woman” (217-226)
Wed. 10/24    Film: “Black Orpheus”
Fri. 10/26
Exercise: Go a day without caffeine, tobacco, nonessential medicines, chocolate, and alcohol. Was it difficult?

Week 11:    Geertz
Mon. 10/29    Brown: Mama Lola (1-139)
Wed. 10/31    Film: “Divine Horsemen”
Fri. 11/2
Exercise: List ten different problems—physical, emotional, or financial—you’ve had at some point in your life. For which ones do you seek religious solutions?

Week 12:    Geertz II
Mon. 11/5    Brown: Mama Lola (141-257)
Wed. 11/7    
Fri. 11/9
Exercise: Survey three men and three women about their image of God. Do you notice any gender differences?

Week 13:    Geertz III
Mon. 11/12    Brown: Mama Lola (259-401)
Wed. 11/14
Fri. 11/16    NO CLASS
Exercise: Look at photos of Oklahoma churches at http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=oklahoma+church Do you see any signs of mixture?

Week 14:    Weber
Mon. 11/19    NO CLASS
Wed. 11/21    NO CLASS
Fri. 11/23    NO CLASS

Week 15:    Weber
Mon. 11/26    Warms: Ong “Possession” (33-44); Kendall “Korean Shamans” (142-153)
Wed. 11/28    
Fri. 11/30    LEARNING PORTFOLIO DUE
    
Week 16:    Marty
Mon. 12/3    Warms: Juergensmeyer “Christian Violence” (379-386)
Wed. 12/5    Film: “Inherit the Wind”
Fri. 12/7
Exercise: Write the professor a letter evaluating your participation in the class this semester.

Final exam:    Thursday, December 13 from 4:30 to 6:30 pm
 

ANTHROPOLOGY 1823-001: RELIGION IN EVERYDAY LIFE
Anthropology takes a non-judgmental and cross-cultural view of religion. It does not seek to question or refute the validity of any religion and accepts that for those who participate in a given belief system, its beliefs are self-evident truths. Anthropologists are interested in broad questions about the role religion plays in human life and how it influences interactions between groups. 

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
o Identify what religions have in common
o Explain why all cultures profess religious ideas
o Analyze how religious beliefs become visible in ritual
o Contextualize inter-religious conflict
o Predict what directions religious expression will take in a globalized world

Course requirements: 
Attendance and participation: 50 points
Students should attend regularly, practice academic honesty, complete readings by the Monday of the week they are assigned, and contribute to classroom discussion. 

Religious joke: 50 points
At the beginning of each class, up to four students will tell a religious-themed joke. They will also turn in a typed version that includes a brief explanation of what the humor reveals. Evaluations will be based on insight of the written analysis and audience laughter.

This I Believe essay: 100 points
State a belief that rules your thoughts and actions. Describe an event that inspired this belief or a person who inspired it in a first-person essay between 350 and 500 words. For full credit, you must submit your essay to the This I Believe project. You will be evaluated on clarity of ideas, originality, and adherence to contest rules. Due 3 p.m. on Wed., January 31.

Mid-term exam: 200 points
In-class exam on Wednesday, February 21, consisting of identifications, short answers and essays.

Ethnography of Ritual: 300 points
Identify and observe a ritual, in a church or secular setting. Describe your experiences, the testimony of participants, and any relevant theoretical approaches from course readings in a 750 word essay. You will be evaluated on:
o clearly articulated thesis statement (50 points)
o coherent presentation of supporting evidence (150)
o legibility and ease of reading (50)
o timely selection of topic and completion of draft (50)
You must choose the ritual to observe by February 21. A draft is due April 4 and the final version is due at the beginning of class on Wednesday, April 18. 

Final exam: 300 points
Two-hour cumulative exam with identifications, short answers, and long essays on Tuesday, May 8 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

There are no make-ups for in-class tests. Late assignments receive a 1/3 letter grade penalty per day.

A = 900-1000 points,   B = 800-899,   C = 700-799,   D = 600-699,   F= 599 points and below

Required readings available at the OU bookstore and on reserve at Bizzell:
Bloom, Stephen G. (2000) Postville: A Clash of Cultures in Heartland America. San Diego: Harcourt, Inc.
Fadiman, Anne (1997) The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Warms, Richard, ed. (2003) Sacred Realms: Essays in Religion, Belief, and Society. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Religions are composed of stories
Week 1: What is so funny about religion?
Wed. 1/17 Miner “Body Ritual among the Nacirema” (209-210)

Week 2:  What is the origin of religion?
Mon. 1/22 Warms: McClenon “How Religion Began” (3-10); Graber “Ritual” (11-15)
Wed. 1/24  

Religions posit the existence of nonempirical beings, powers, states, places, and qualities
Week 3: How do beliefs build communities?
Mon. 1/29 Fadiman (1-92)
Wed. 1/31 THIS I BELIEVE ESSAY DUE

Week 4: How is religion used to heal? 
Mon. 2/5 Fadiman (93-180)
Wed. 2/7 Film: “Between Two Worlds: The Hmong Shaman in America”

Religions include rituals
Week 5: What makes a ritual work?
Mon. 2/12 Fadiman: (181-288) 
Wed. 2/14

Religions have clerics
Week 6: Who are the religious specialists? 
Mon. 2/19 Warms: Kendall “Korean Shamans” (142-153)
Wed. 2/21 MIDTERM-IN CLASS (SELECTION FOR RITUAL DUE)

Religions make common use of symbols and symbolism
Week 7: How do myths convey religious beliefs?
Mon. 2/26 Warms: Bapat “Jatipurana” (93-101)
Wed. 2/28 Film: “John Frum”
 

Week 8: What is magic?
Mon. 3/5 Warms: Malinowski “Rational Mastery” (16-20); Gmelch “Baseball” (203-209)
Wed. 3/7 Film: “Witchcraft among the Azande”

Religions frequently make use of altered states of consciousness
Week 9:  How do drugs induce religious states?
Mon. 3/12 Warms: Davis “Hallucinogenic” (214-216); Baker “The Old Woman” (217-227)
Wed. 3/14 Film: “The Peyote Road”

Week 10 Spring Break 
Mon. 3/19 NO CLASS
Wed. 3/21 NO CLASS

The practice of religion changes over time
Week 11: How do religions change when moved to new locations?
Mon. 3/26 Bloom (ix-114) 
Wed. 3/28 Film: “Yidl in the Middle”

Week 12: Why do religions focus on gender and the family?
Mon. 4/2 Bloom (115-213)
Wed. 4/4 DRAFT OF ETHNOGRAPHY OF RITUAL DUE

Week 13: Why do people join new religious movements?
Mon. 4/9 Bloom (214-336)
Wed. 4/11 

Week 14: How does religion respond to socioeconomic change?
Mon. 4/16 Warms: Ong “Possession” (33-44); Wallace “Revitalization” (364-372)
Wed. 4/18 ETHNOGRAPHY OF RITUAL DUE

Week 15: Why is fundamentalism on the rise?
Mon. 4/23 Warms: Juergensmeyer “Christian Violence” (379-386)
Wed. 4/25 Guest lecture: Allen Hertzke
 
Week 16: What is the future of religion?
Mon. 4/30 Warms: Frow “Elvis” (133-139)
Wed. 5/2
 
Final exam: Tuesday, May 8 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ANTHROPOLOGY 4113: CAPSTONE

This is the capstone course for undergraduate majors in anthropology. A primary focus of the class is on the development of research skills. Through readings, discussion, and independent research, students who successfully complete the course will:
* become familiar with major conceptual debates in the major subfields
* identify a research question of theoretical significance
* improve proficiency with on-line and physical library resources that enable academic research
* analyze data to generate an argument
* marshal evidence to support the argument in a clearly written and logically constructed research paper

A second focus of the class is on post-graduate employment. Through presentations by guest lecturers and a series of exercises, students will:
* produce a curriculum vitae or resume of professional accomplishments and cover letter
* gain awareness of possible career paths

Final grades for the course will be based on a total of 1000 possible points, earned through:
* Attendance (50 points): Students should attend class regularly. Students with two or fewer absences will receive the full 50 points; those who have missed (for any reason) more than two but fewer than six classes will receive 20 points. Students with six or more absences will not receive any points for attendance. 
* Participation (100 points): This is a seminar-style class that requires intellectual collaboration from all members. Students should complete readings before the class when they will be discussed and are expected to ask questions of guest speakers, comment on the work of their peers, and contribute viewpoints to debates. 
* Curriculum vitae, resume, and cover letter (100 points): To enhance the professional preparation of our graduates, students will be required to produce a CV or resume and cover letter suitable for submission to a potential employer. You will be graded on clarity of descriptions, adherence to convention, and readability. 
* Senior Assessment (50 points): The Anthropology Department values the input of our majors in suggesting improvements to the course offerings, advising, and resources available to students. All of those who attend and complete the assessment exercise will receive 50 points. 
* Presentation (100 points): During the course of the semester, you will be required to give two oral presentations describing your research project. The first, worth 20 points, will be a brief preliminary statement consisting of a three or four minute overview. The second, a 12 minute exercise for 80 points, will describe the findings of your research and its implications for discipline of anthropology. You will be evaluated on:

 INTRODUCTION (20%) 
Gained attention and interest
Introduced topic clearly
Thesis clear
Previewed body of presentation

BODY (35%)
Organization well planned
Main points clear
Main points fully supported 
Language clear, concise

CONCLUSION (15%)
Prepared audience for ending
Reinforced central idea

DELIVERY (30%)
Maintained eye contact
Used voice effectively
Presented visual aids well
Well prepared, poised
Gestures effective
Completed in time limit

 * Research Paper (600 points): Identify a controversy in the field of anthropology and design a 4,000 to 5,000 word (15 to 20 page) essay establishing a context for the problem, presenting relevant evidence, and advancing an argument. All assignments are due at the beginning of the designated class period. The points for the paper will be comprised of: 
Bibliography (50 points): Generate an annotated list of 10 to 12 sources that may be used to address your research question. The sources should include peer-reviewed books and articles; you should use Internet resources sparingly, if at all.
Outline (100 points): Sketch the major sections of the paper including a thesis statement and topic sentences for paragraphs.
First draft (100 points): Turn in a complete first version of the paper that analyzes the data collected to make an original argument. Include references cited.
Peer critique (50 points): Discuss a colleague’s paper and provide written comments for improvement.
Final draft (300 points): Turn in a polished version of the research paper. Grading criteria for the first and final drafts will be:
* clearly articulated thesis statement (30%)
* coherent presentation of supporting evidence (30%)
* persuasiveness and originality of your argument (15%)
* connection to key themes in the discipline (15%)
* correct spelling and grammar, ease of reading, and consistent and proper citation (10%)

Final letter grades will be assigned: 
900-1000 points = A
800-899 points = B
700-799 points = C
600-699 points = D
599 points or fewer = F

Course Schedule (subject to change at the instructors’ discretion)
Readings will be available as PDF files on the course website

Week 1: What is problem-oriented research?
Tuesday, 1/17  Research questions in socio-cultural anthropology 
Thursday, 1/19 Research questions in archaeology

Week 2: How do you read an academic article?
Tuesday, 1/24  Reading an academic article in socio-cultural anthropology
Thursday, 1/26 Reading an academic article in archaeology

Week 3: Library work on your research question and bibliography 
Tuesday, 1/31  Library session with Laurie Scrivener (meet in Bizzell)
Thursday, 2/2  Library session to collect sources (meet in Bizzell)

Week 4: Research questions
Tuesday, 2/7  Presentation of research questions; Preliminary research questions due 
Thursday, 2/9  Individual meetings regarding research questions

Week 5: Anthropological debate: Indigenous rights
Tuesday, 2/14  Socio-cultural anthropology
Thursday, 2/16 Archaeology; Final research question and annotated bibliography due

Week 6: Anthropological debate: Food and feasting
Tuesday, 2/21  Socio-cultural anthropology
Thursday, 2/23 Archaeology

Week 7: Anthropological debate: Social inequality
Tuesday, 2/28  Socio-cultural anthropology
Thursday, 3/2  Archaeology; Outline for paper due (2 copies)

Week 8: Improving your writing skills
Tuesday, 3/7  Writing strategies with Tad Tuleja 
Thursday, 3/9  Working with secondary sources

Week of 3/14 and 3/16...NO CLASS (SPRING BREAK)

Week 10: Preparing for a career in anthropology 
Tuesday, 3/21  How to write a resume, CV, and cover letter
Thursday, 3/23 Bette Scott from Career Services

Week 11: Careers in Anthropology, Part 1
Tuesday, 3/28  Panel of current graduate students and applying for academic positions
Thursday, 3/30 Panel of recent graduates; Assessment exercise
   CV and cover letter due (2 copies)

Week 12: Careers in Anthropology, Part 2
Tuesday, 4/4  Nick Beale on Cultural Resource Management/Kermyt Anderson on applied cultural anthropology
Thursday, 4/6  John Kmetz on working abroad and with the government
   First draft of paper due (2 copies)

Week 13: Refining your paper, part 1
Tuesday, 4/11  One-on-one conferences
Thursday, 4/13 Rewriting 

Week 14: Refining your paper, part 2
Tuesday, 4/18  Peer critiques; Written comments due (2 copies)
Thursday, 4/20 Ethics in anthropology

Week 15: Paper Presentations
Tuesday, 4/25  Presentations; Final version of paper due
Thursday, 4/27 Presentations 

Week 16: Paper Presentations
Tuesday, 5/2  Presentations
Thursday, 5/4  Presentations

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ANTHROPOLOGY 5273: THESIS/DISSERTATION WRITING

The goal of this seminar is to provide a supportive space for discussing the craft of writing, sharing tips for organizing large amounts of data, and critiquing drafts of works in progress. Every student will be required to circulate thesis chapters, which will form the texts for the seminar. It is open to students of all subdisciplines and at all stages of thesis writing. 

Course requirements: 
Attendance and participation: 500 points
Since a core element of the seminar will be a critique of circulated essays, consistent attendance is crucial. You will be required to read carefully your colleagues’ essays, make written comments, and engage in oral discussion about possible revisions. Throughout the semester, we will also perform short, in-class writing exercises and receive visits from outside speakers. 
Presentation of drafts: 300 points
Every author will have the opportunity to submit a chapter of a work in progress for group comment at least twice during the seminar. At the beginning of the semester, participants will select the weeks they would like to present. They will be responsible for e-mailing the paper to the group at least one week in advance of their assigned date. Although they are drafts, your contributions should be complete works ready for commentary. 
Revised essay: 200 points
For the final paper, revise one of the chapters you submitted for peer critique. Along with the final essay, submit a complete table of contents of the thesis, indicating the place of the chapter in the manuscript. I will evaluate your piece on
* Clarity and originality of the argument
* Logical presentation of supporting evidence
* Adherence to the principles of Strunk and White
* Incorporation of classmates’ suggestions
* Smooth flow of prose
Due at the beginning of class on Thursday, May 4.

A = 900-1000 points,   B = 800-899,   C = 700-799,   D = 600-699,   F= 599 and below

Recommended reading available at the OU bookstore:
Strunk Jr., William, and E.B. White (2000) The Elements of Style. 4th ed. Longman. 
(ISBN: 020530902X). 

Week 1: Getting Started
Thurs. 1/19 

Week 2:  What is good writing? 
Thurs. 1/26 End at 4:30 for job talk 

Week 3: The mechanics of writing 
Thurs. 2/2 

Week 4: Working from fieldnotes 
Thurs. 2/9 

Week 5:  Ethnographic description Thurs. 2/16

Week 6: Secondary sources 
Thurs. 2/23 

Week 7:  Organizing chapters
Thurs. 3/2 

Week 8: Common frustrations
Thurs. 3/9 

Week 9:  Spring Break 
Thurs. 3/16 No class

Week 10 Rewriting 
Thurs. 3/23 

Week 11: Writing day
Thurs. 3/30 No class

Week 12: Honing the argument
Thurs. 4/6 

Week 13: Ethical considerations
Thurs. 4/13 

Week 14: Digital publishing
Thurs. 4/20 Guest speaker: Laura Gibbs

Week 15: From manuscript to book
Thurs. 4/27 Guest speaker: JoAnn Reece

Week 16: Final paper due
Thurs. 5/4
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ANTHROPOLOGY 4633-001: CULTURES OF LATIN AMERICA

Despite its stereotypical image in the United States, Latin America is a continent of vast contradictions. The goal of this course is to familiarize students with the diversity of cultural expression in the countries of Mesoamerica, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. We will consider some of the major debates that have engaged anthropologists who conduct research in Latin America and draw out connections between their ethnographic evidence and trends across the globe. Taking a diachronic approach, we will examine how cultures encounter, adapt, and resist outside influences over time.

Course requirements: 
Attendance and participation: 100 points
Students should attend regularly, practice academic honesty, complete readings by the Tuesday of the week they are assigned, perform in-class writing exercises on Thursdays, and contribute to classroom discussion. There will be no make-ups for missed assignments. 
Group presentation: 150 points
With a partner, kick off classroom discussion on a Tuesday by introducing an outside reading that pertains to that week’s theme. In five minutes, summarize the main arguments of the readings, put them into context, and suggest points for further consideration. The text may be chosen from the periodicals suggested at the end of the syllabus or another source approved by the professor and may be included in your learning portfolio. You will be evaluated on:
* selection and originality of material (25%)
* clarity of your explanations (25%)
* connections to assigned readings (25%)
* effectiveness in sparking conversation (25%)
Both members of the group will receive the same grade.
Mid-term exam: 200 points
In-class exam on Thursday, October 7, consisting of a map, identifications, short answers and essays.
Learning portfolio: 250 points
Taking one of the bolded questions that headlines each week in the syllabus, collect six to eight texts that address that issue. Write a one-page, double-spaced commentary to accompany each text describing how it relates to the chosen theme and connects to your overall response to the question. Acceptable texts may include notes from campus presentations, ethnographic visits, films, web sites, journal articles, news reports, and magazines. You will be evaluated on:
* clearly articulated thesis statement (30%)
* coherent presentation of supporting evidence (30%)
* persuasiveness and originality of your argument (15%)
* relevance to the themes of the course (15%)
* legibility, ease of reading, and consistent and proper citation (10%)
Late papers will lose one-third of a letter grade for each day past the deadline. The final version is due at the beginning of class on Thursday, November 18. 
Final exam: 300 points
Two-hour cumulative exam with identifications, short answers, and long essays. Tuesday, December 14 from 8 to 10 a.m.

A = 895-1000 points, B = 795-894 points, C = 695-794 points, D = 595-694 points, F= below 594 points

Required readings available at the OU bookstore and on reserve at Bizzell:
Allen, Catherine J. (2002) The Hold Life Has: Coca and Cultural Identity in an Andean Community. 2nd ed. Washington: Smithsonian Institution.
Brandes, Stanley (2002) Staying Sober in Mexico City. Austin: University of Texas Press.
Quiñones, Sam (2001) True Tales from Another Mexico. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press.

Week 1: How do outsiders view Latin America?
Tu. 8/24 “Telenovela” in Quiñones, 53-77
Th. 8/26 Film: “Gringos in Mañanaland”

Week 2: What was the impact of conquest on Latin America?
Tu. 8/31 “The Last Valiente” in Quiñones 249-265
Th. 9/2 

Week 3: Who is an Indian?
Tu. 9/7  “San Quintín” in Quiñones, 97-116
Th. 9/9  Film: “Discovering Dominga”

Week 4: How do the people of Sonqo express their common identity?
Tu. 9/14 Allen, 1-101
Th. 9/16 

Week 5: What role does coca play in ritual life?
Tu. 9/21 Allen, 102-195 
Th. 9/23  Film: “Mama Coca”

Week 6: How has modernity affected traditional villages?
Tu. 9/28 Allen, 196-247 
Th. 9/30 

Week 7: Reading catch-up
Tu. 10/5 
Th. 10/7 Midterm—in class

Week 8: What are the causes and consequences of urbanization?
Tu. 10/12 “Tepito” in Quiñones, 233-247
Th. 10/14

Week 9: Why has AA gained acceptance in Mexico?
Tu. 10/19 Brandes, Introduction and 1-98
Th. 10/21 

Week 10: How do AA group dynamics help achieve sobriety?
Tu. 10/26 Brandes, 99-200
Th. 10/28 Film: “Day of the Dead in Mexico”

Week 11: What new challenges does the Roman Catholic Church face?
Tu. 11/2 “Leaving Nueva Jersualén” and “Jesús Malverde” in Quiñones, 197-232
Th. 11/4 Film: “Televangelism in Brazil”

Week 12: How have gender roles changed over time?
Tu. 11/9 “The Jotos of La Fogata” and “The Dead Women of Juárez” in Quiñones, 79-96, 137-152
Th. 11/11 

Week 13: How are Latin Americans organizing for political action?
Tu. 11/16 “The Bronx” in Quiñones, 181-196
Th. 11/18 Learning portfolio due at 10:30 a.m.

Week 14: Thanksgiving Break
Tu. 11/23 No class
Th. 11/25 No class

Week 15: How do Latin Americans cope in a global economy?
Tu. 11/30 “The Popsicle Kings of Tocumbo” and “Nuevo Chupícuaro” in Quiñones, 267-292
Th. 12/2

Week 16: Is Latin America reconquering the United States?
Tu. 12/7 “Zeus and the Oaxaca Hoops” and “West Side Kansas St.” in Quiñones, 117-135, 153-172
Th. 12/9 Film: “A Day without a Mexican”

Final exam: Tuesday, December 14 from 8 to 10 a.m.

Web resources:
Journal of Latin American Anthropology: http://www.fiu.edu/~jlaa/
Latin American Network Information Center: http://www.lanic.utexas.edu/
Latin American Studies Association: http://lasa.international.pitt.edu/
Society for Latin American Anthropology: http://www.aaanet.org/slaa/Slaa1.htm

Current periodicals room at Bizzell
Américas F1401.A57
Hemisphere F1401.H46
Latin American Weekly Report F1401.L32
NACLA Report on the Americas F1401.N58
 
 

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ANTHROPOLOGY 5223: THEORIES OF CULTURE

“Culture” is used so commonly nowadays that it is easy to forget it was once a piece of technical jargon reserved for social science journals. Since the turn of the twentieth century, anthropologists have helped to popularize the term even if they could not always agree on how best to study cultures. This course takes those debates as a window onto understanding the development of the discipline itself. In particular, it examines three major approaches anthropologists have taken to explaining culture: the material, the social, and the historical. Within each module, we will read the foundational texts that promoted the theory followed by the academic inheritors of those legacies.

We end the tour of anthropology in the 1980s at the cusp of fragmentation and self-reflection in the discipline. In this way, the course serves both as an introduction to the intellectual forefathers and mothers for students who will continue in socio-cultural anthropology and a reference point for students who pursue research in other subfields. It prepares all students to meet the sophisticated reading and writing demands necessary for obtaining a graduate degree. And it indoctrinates them into the cultural norms of the tribe called “anthropologists.”

Objective: Stimulate discussion of anthropological debates.
Learning measurement: Maintain a blog on the course Ning community. On 12 of the weeks, you will respond to the prompt on the syllabus by 5 p.m. on Monday. A complete response will be concise (between 200 and 300 words), clear (address the theme of the week directly), and creative (makes original observations and links between course material). In addition, leave comments each week on at least two other course blogs. Each post is worth 25 points for a maximum of 300 points.

Objective: Cultivate deep engagement with academic texts.
Learning measurement: For each week’s reading, complete a reading chart that records in brief form the author’s main argument, the evidence offered to support it, and your reaction to it. In your summary be sure to include what questions the author addresses and which ones he or she leaves unanswered. I will collect these some weeks and return them to you with my comments. Each chart is worth 10 points for a maximum of 100 points.

Objective: Develop public speaking skills
Learning measurement: During the semester every student will have the chance to frame a week’s discussion by presenting biographical information of the authors and the intellectual climate in which they wrote. Presenters should draw on additional readings to contextualize the book or articles discussed as well as connect the readings to previous week’s texts. You will be evaluated on thoroughness, organization, and effectiveness in sparking classroom conversation. The presentation is worth 100 points.

Objective: Gain familiarity with the history of the discipline
Learning measurement: From the JSTOR database, browse past issues of the Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, American Anthropologist, and Man. Select a year before 1980 and skim all the articles in one or a combination of the journals for that year. Write a 1000-word essay answering the question “What is culture?” for the anthropologists featured in your chosen year. You will be evaluated on the strength of your argument and the persuasiveness of the evidence you marshal to support it. To the extent that clear prose makes your argument easier to understand, I will take writing style into account. The assignment is due at the start of class on October 20 and is worth 150 points.

Objective: Begin to amass and organize a literature review
Learning measurement: As you work on collecting sources for the grant proposal, record the readings using a bibliographic software. You may turn in a one-page screen shot or printout from the program with the draft of your proposal on November 10. This is worth 50 points.

Objective: Identify an intellectual question for future research
Learning measurement: Prepare part of a grant proposal for a research project that could become a M.A. or Ph.D. thesis. Develop a specific research question that can be answered with anthropological methods and that relates to the theme of culture. Include a statement of your research objective (2 pages), a review of relevant literature (2 pages), and the contribution this project will make to anthropological theory (1 page). You will be evaluated on originality, feasibility, and the relationship between your project and existing scholarship. The proposal is worth 300 points.

Required readings available at the OU bookstore and on reserve at Bizzell:
Benedict, Ruth (1934) Patterns of Culture. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. $11.25
Mintz, Sidney W. (1985) Sweetness and Power: The Place of Sugar in Modern History. New York: Viking Press. $12
Evans-Pritchard, E. E. (1937) Witchcraft, Oracles and Magic among the Azande. Oxford: Oxford University Press. $32.25
Rabinow, Paul (1978) Reflections on Fieldwork in Morocco. Berkeley: University of California Press. $15
Weber, Max (2001 [1904-5]) The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. London: Routledge. $7.50

Recommended:
McGee, R. Jon and Richard L. Warms (2004) Anthropological Theory: An Introductory History. 3rd ed. Boston: McGraw Hill. $103.25

ORIENTATIONS
August 25: What questions can we ask about culture?
Blog: You will receive an invitation to join the class Ning community at http://anth5223.ning.com/. Log in and create a blog (for detailed instructions, see http://howtotechtips.blogspot.com/2008/07/ning-accepting-ningcom-invitation.html). Post a paragraph introducing yourself and describing an aspect of culture that has always fascinated you.
Reading:
•    Sass, Louis A. (1986) “Anthropology’s Native Problems: Revisionism in the Field,” Harper’s Magazine May: 49-57.

September 1: Where does the idea of culture come from?
Blog: Browse the on-line collections of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology:
http://140.247.102.177/col/default.cfm. Why do you think researchers chose to collect these items? How do the objects convey culture? Include a link to an image to illustrate your post.
Readings:
•    Spencer, Henry (1860) “The Social Organism.”
•    Tylor, Edward Burnett (1871) “The Science of Culture” in Primitive Culture pp. 1-25.
•    Morgan, Lewis Henry (1877) “Ethnical Periods” in Ancient Society.

THE CULTURAL AND THE MATERIAL
September 8: How do material conditions influence social life?
Blog: Search for mentions of Karl Marx on Google news. How is his name invoked in contemporary discourse?
Readings:
•    Marx, Karl (1845) “Feuerbach: Opposition of the Materialist and Idealist Outlook,” in The German Ideology.
•    Marx, Karl and Fredrick Engels (1848) “Manifesto of the Communist Party.”
•    Marx, Karl (1869) The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte. Chapter 1, pp. 5-12 and Chapter 7, pp. 67-78.

September 15: Is there a science of culture?
Blog: Search the archive of American environmental photographs at http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/ecology/place.html. Compare images of at least three different states. Based on the environment depicted, what sort of cultures would you expect to arise in each setting?
Readings:
•    White, Leslie A. (1943) “Energy and the Evolution of Culture,” American Anthropologist 45(3): 225-356.
•    Steward, Julian (1949) “Cultural Causality and Law: A Trial Formulation of the Development of Early Civilizations,” American Anthropologist 51(1): 1-27.  
•    Harris, Marvin (1966) “The Cultural Ecology of India’s Sacred Cattle,” Current Anthropology 7(1).

September 22: What is the relationship between capitalism and culture?
Blog: Keep track of how much sugar (artificial or otherwise) you consume in a day. Check some of the products’ websites to see if you can obtain any information about the sweeteners. How ubiquitous is sugar in your life?
Reading:
•    Mintz, Sidney W. (1985) Sweetness and Power: The Place of Sugar in Modern History. New York: Viking Press.
Due: Bring draft of paper on journal articles to class

THE CULTURAL AND THE SOCIAL
September 29: How are individuals integrated into society?
Blog: What rules do you follow in deciding whether to get someone a birthday gift? If you do get a gift, how do you determine the value? Design a flow chart to show the decision-making process.
Readings:
•    Durkheim, Émile (1895) “What Is a Social Fact?” in The Rules of Sociological Method.
•    Durkheim, Émile (1912) “Introduction” in The Elementary Forms of Religious Life.
•    Malinowski, Bronislaw (1918) “Fishing in the Trobriand Islands” Man 18: 87-92.
•    Mauss, Marcel (1925) “The Gift: Forms and Functions of Exchange in Archaic Societies.”

October 6: Do cultures form a stable, coherent system?
Blog: Think of a film, book, or television show that features a scene in a courtroom. How does the legal process in that example dispense justice? Why does everyone agree to its authority?
Reading:
•    Evans-Pritchard, E. E. (1937) Witchcraft, Oracles and Magic among the Azande. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

October 13: How are anthropologists implicated in the cultures they study?
Blog: Sign up for the on-line ethics training module at http://www.mq.edu.au/ethics_training/index.php. Read through the section titled “ethnographic research.” How easily could you implement these guidelines when conducting social science research?
Reading:
•    Rabinow, Paul (1978) Reflections on Fieldwork in Morocco. Berkeley: University of California Press.

October 20: Paper on journal articles due. Catch-up time.

THE CULTURAL AND THE DYNAMIC
October 27: Does culture influence history?
Blog: Listen to a podcast of Planet Money http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/. What assumptions do the reporters make about capitalism? Is there anything religious in the way they talk about money?
Reading:
•    Weber, Max (1904-5) The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.

November 3: Can cultures be compared?
Blog: Take the human variation quiz at the Understanding Race website: http://www.understandingrace.org/humvar/quiz.html. How did you do? What do the results reveal about how most people think about race?
Readings:
•    Kroeber, A. L. (1915) “Eighteen Professions,” American Anthropologist 17(2): 283-288.
•    Kroeber, A. L. (1919) “On the Principle of Order in Civilization as Exemplified by Changes of Fashion,” American Anthropologist 21(3): 235-263.
•    Boas, Franz (1920) “The Methods of Ethnology,” American Anthropologist 22(4): 311-321.
•    Boas, Franz (1936) “The Effects of American Environment on Immigrants and Their Descendants,” Science 84(2189): 522-525.

November 10: Do cultures have personalities?
Blog: Interview someone who grew up outside the United States. What traits, if any, do members of that person’s culture share? Write an introduction to a guidebook for visitors seeking to understand your interviewee’s country.
Reading:
•    Benedict, Ruth (1934) Patterns of Culture. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Due: Bring draft of grant proposal and proof of bibliographic software to class.

November 17: What does ritual reveal about culture?
Blog: Thanksgiving is a ritual central to North American identity. Describe how you mark the occasion and what that reveals about your culture more broadly.
Readings:
•    Douglas, Mary (1966) “The Abominations of Leviticus” in Purity and Danger pp. 51-71.
•    Geertz, Clifford (1972) “Deep Play: Notes on the Balinese Cockfight,” Daedalus 101(1): 1-37.

November 24: No Class

December 1: Students’ choice

December 8: Grant proposals due by 3 p.m.
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