Last modified August 7, 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

ANTH 5223: THEORIES OF CULTURE
 
 

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
•    Explain how cultures change over time
•    Recognize the interaction between global trends and local communities
•    Publish original observations on a blog

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.
• Mid-term exam: 100 points. In-class exam on Wednesday, October 3 consisting of identifications, short answers and essays.
• Bloglines: 350 points. Students will establish a blog using Bloglines and complete an assignment each week for the first fifteen weeks of the course. The assignment will be worth 25 points per week and must be posted by 9 am on Monday of the week it is due. The explanatory text accompanying each post should be between 200 and 300 words. Grading will be based on completeness, clarity, and creativity.
• Learning Portfolio: 200 points. Collect six of your Bloglines posts and revise them based on insights from class discussion. Include an introductory paragraph explaining why you chose those posts and what they have in common. Due on Wednesday, December 5 at the beginning of class. Grading criteria: original analysis, visual and textual legibility, and relevance to the themes of the course.
• Final exam: 250 points. Two-hour cumulative exam with map, identifications, short answers, and long essays on Tuesday, December 11 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:
Angeloni, Elvio (2007) Annual Editions: Anthropology. 30th ed. Guildford, CT: McGraw-Hill/Dushkin.
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.

Week 1:    Ethnocentrism
Mon. 8/20
Wed. 8/22    Angeloni, 19-22 (Lee) and 71-75 (Bohannan)
Fri. 8/24   
Bloglines: Create an account at http://www.bloglines.com (for detailed instructions, see http://www.bestmoodle.net/ks/blogger/bl_account.htm). Post a paragraph introducing yourself and explaining why you chose anthropology as a major. E-mail the instructor with the address of your blog.

Week 2:    Fieldwork
Mon. 8/27    Angeloni, 2-13 (Chagnon) and 23-28 (Sterk)
Wed. 8/29   
Fri. 8/31   
Bloglines: Visit the site http://www.tamu.edu/anthropology/news.html for the latest anthropology news. Pick one of the studies highlighted on the site, read it, and describe the methodology the researchers used to obtain their findings. Include a link to the report on your blog.

Week 3:    Culture
Mon. 9/3    NO CLASS
Wed. 9/5    Fadiman, 3-118
Fri. 9/7        NO CLASS
Bloglines: If the recipe for Fish Soup helps explain Hmong culture, what recipe represents your culture? Post the recipe and a paragraph explaining its significance.

Week 4:     Healing
Mon. 9/10    Fadiman, 119-224
Wed. 9/12    Film: “Between Two Worlds: The Hmong Shaman in America”
Fri. 9/14   
Bloglines: Describe a time when you were sick. How did you decide what treatment to seek?

Week 5:    Globalization
Mon. 9/17    Fadiman, 225-288; Angeloni, 42-43 (Linton)
Wed. 9/19
Fri. 9/21   
Bloglines: Go through your wardrobe and note where the articles of clothing are made. Make a chart showing their countries of origin. In a paragraph explain what it means to be “American.”

Week 6:    Kinship
Mon. 9/24    Angeloni, 95-97 (Goldstein) and 109-113 (Nanda)
Wed. 9/26    Film: “The Wedding Banquet”
Fri. 9/28     
Bloglines: Write a movie review for the magazine “Kinship Weekly.” Chart the familial relationships in a movie of your choosing and write a paragraph describing what it reveals about kinship.

Week 7:    Review
Mon. 10/1   
Wed. 10/3    MIDTERM—IN CLASS
Fri. 10/5    NO CLASS   
Bloglines: Post a question you have about the course material so far.

Week 8:    Gender
Mon. 10/8    Angeloni, 119-124 (Williams) and 129-130 (Simmons)
Wed. 10/10    Film: “Paris is Burning”
Fri. 10/12       
Bloglines: Read the Jimmy the Bartender column in Men’s Health magazine (or on-line). Take a Cosmopolitan quiz http://www.cosmopolitan.com/archive/you/quiz/. Summarize what you learned and write a paragraph explaining the gender norms assumed by the two magazines.

Week 9:    Ritual 
Mon. 10/15    Angeloni, 151-155 (Sosis) and 175-177 (Miner)
Wed. 10/17   
Fri. 10/19   
Bloglines: Pick a ritual you will go through (for example graduation, wedding, or funeral) and create a soundtrack for the event. List your song choices and explain why they are appropriate.

Week 10    Magic
Mon. 10/22    Angeloni, 171-174 (Del Guercio) and 178-182 (Gmelch)
Wed. 10/24    Film: “Witchcraft among the Azande”
Fri. 10/26   
Bloglines: Ask five people about their superstitions. Report your findings and explain when people do or do not observe superstitions.

Week 11:    Inequality
Mon. 10/29    Kotlowitz, 1-105
Wed. 10/31    Film: “Hoop Dreams”
Fri. 11/2   
Bloglines: 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 the city from the two maps? 

Week 12:    Race
Mon. 11/5    Kotlowitz, 106-210
Wed. 11/7       
Fri. 11/9   
Bloglines: Write a job ad for a position with a drug gang. Write a job ad for a position as a college student. Which one are Lafayette and Pharoah better prepared for?

Week 13:    Class
Mon. 11/12    Kotlowitz, 211-305
Wed. 11/14    Film: “Let’s Get Married”
Fri. 11/16    NO CLASS   
Bloglines: Visit the websites of all the Democratic and Republican candidates for president. Identify any positions they take that would affect the lives of the residents of Henry Horner Homes. What impact do federal policies have on local communities?

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

Week 15:    Reciprocity
Mon. 11/26    Angeloni, 85-88 (Whiteley) and 89-92 (Counts)
Wed. 11/28
Fri. 11/30
Bloglines: 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.
   
Week 16:    Progress
Mon. 12/3    Angeloni, 190-196 (Diamond) and 214-220 (Bodley)
Wed. 12/5    LEARNING PORTFOLIO DUE
Fri. 12/7   

Final exam:    Tuesday, December 11 from 8 to 10 am

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.
 

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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

Anthropology may be a victim of its own success. Scantly used before the rise of anthropology as a discipline, the concept of “culture” has entered common consciousness. Claims of cultural difference fuel contemporary debates on human rights, globalization, ethnic diversity, and citizenship. With so many experts on culture, what is left for cultural anthropologists to analyze? What contributions can the anthropological perspective make? How are we any different from sociologists or even travel writers? 

In this seminar, we will examine a range of approaches to theorizing culture. We will draw connections between culture and individuals, economic conditions, religious life, and ethical concerns. Our focus will be on primary texts that have spawned long scholarly traditions, but we will avoid categorizing authors into discrete schools or subdisciplines. Instead, the course considers how key thinkers about culture influenced the early development of anthropology and continue to inform anthropological writing today.

Required readings available at the OU bookstore and on reserve at Bizzell:
Benedict, Ruth (1934) Patterns of Culture. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Bourgois, Phillipe (2002) In Search of Respect: Selling Crack in El Barrio. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Evans-Pritchard, E. E. (1937) Witchcraft, Oracles and Magic among the Azande. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
McGee, R. Jon and Richard L. Warms (2004) Anthropological Theory: An Introductory History. 3rd ed. Boston: McGraw Hill
Rabinow, Paul (1978) Reflections on Fieldwork in Morocco. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Weber, Max (2001 [1904-5]) The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. London: Routledge

Course requirements: 
Attendance and participation: 10%
Students should attend regularly, practice academic honesty, complete readings by the date they are assigned, and contribute to classroom discussion. 
Reading charts: 10%
 For each week’s reading, complete a reading chart that records the author’s name, the title and year of the publication, the main argument, the evidence offered to support it, and your reaction to it. I will collect these most weeks and return them to you with my comments.
Seminar presentation: 15%
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. You will be evaluated on:
* thoroughness and organization of material (25%)
* clarity of your explanations (25%)
* connections to previously discussed readings (25%)
* effectiveness in sparking conversation (25%)
Review essay: 25%
Write a review of any article or monograph we have read so far, relating it to debates in the discipline of anthropology, understandings of the meaning of culture, and your own opinion. Use the example of book reviews from anthropological journals as a model. The paper should be no longer than five double-spaced pages. You will be evaluated on:
* clear restatement of the author’s main ideas (25%)
* situating the text in larger anthropological debates (25%)
* persuasiveness and originality of your argument (25%)
* coherent presentation of supporting evidence (25%)
Due at 3 p.m. on Monday, October 25.
Grant proposal: 40%
Prepare a grant proposal for a research project that would address one of the bolded questions that headlines each week in the syllabus. Develop a specific research question that can be answered with ethnographic fieldwork and that relates to the theme of culture. Include a statement of your research objective (1 to 2 pages), a review of relevant literature (2 pages), your methods of data collection and analysis (3 to 4 pages), your training and preparation to conduct the research (1 page), and the contribution this project will make to anthropological theory (1 page). You will be evaluated on:
* originality and feasibility of research question (30%)
* comprehensive review of existing scholarship on the topic (25%)
* relation between methodology and research objective (20%)
* 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. A preliminary literature review must be turned in by November 15. The final version is due by 3 p.m. on Thursday, December 6. 

ORIENTATIONS
August 23: What questions can we ask about culture?
“The Research Question” 

August 30: Where does the idea of culture come from?
Spencer, Herbert (1860) “The Social Organism,” 24-40 [MW]
Tylor, Edward Burnett (1871) “The Science of Culture,” 41-55 [MW]
Morgan, Lewis Henry (1877) “Ethnical Periods,” 56-67 [MW]

THE CULTURAL AND THE MATERIAL
September 13: How do material conditions influence social life? 
Marx, Karl (1852) “Communist Manifesto,” online at: http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/index.htm
Marx, Karl and Friedrich Engels (1845-6) “Feuerbach: Opposition of the Materialist and Idealist Outlook,” 67-81 [MW]

September 20: Is there a science of culture?
Steward, Julian (1955) “The Patrilineal Band,” 240-256 [MW]
White, Leslie A. (1943) “Energy and the Evolution of Culture,” 256-275 [MW]
Harris, Marvin (1966) “The Cultural Ecology of India’s Sacred Cattle,” 302-315 [MW]

September 27: What is the relationship between capitalism and culture?
Bourgois, Phillipe (2002) In Search of Respect: Selling Crack in El Barrio. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

THE CULTURAL AND THE SOCIAL
October 4: How are individuals integrated into society?
Durkheim, Émile (1895) “What Is a Social Fact?” and (1912) “The Cosmological System of Totemism and the Idea of Class,” 85-102 [MW]
Mauss, Marcel (1925) “The Gift,” 102-114 [MW]

October 11: Do cultures form a stable, coherent system?
Evans-Pritchard, E. E. (1937) Witchcraft, Oracles and Magic among the Azande. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Film: “Off the Verandah”

October 18: How are anthropologists implicated in the cultures they study?
Rabinow, Paul (1978) Reflections on Fieldwork in Morocco. Berkeley: University of California Press.

October 25: Midterm paper due. Catch-up time.
Film: “Krippendorf’s Tribe”

THE CULTURAL AND THE DYNAMIC
November 1: Does culture influence history?
Weber, Max (1904-5). The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. London: Routledge

November 8: Can cultures be compared?
Boas, Franz (1920) “The Methods of Ethnology,” 132-139 [MW]
Kroeber, A. L. (1915) “Eighteen Professions,” 140-146 [MW]
Radin, Paul (1927) “Right and Wrong,” 147-152 [MW]
Film: “Shackles of Tradition”

November 15: Do cultures have personalities?
Benedict, Ruth (1934) Patterns of Culture. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Preliminary literature review due. 

November 22: AAA meetings—no class

November 29: What does ritual reveal about culture?
Douglas, Mary (1966) “External Boundaries,” 526-535 [MW]
Geertz, Clifford (1973) “Deep Play: Notes on the Balinese Cockfight,” 553-574

December 6: Grant proposals due by 3 p.m.

Resources for writing grant proposals
Samples of successful proposals
http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/bcs/anthro/samples/start.htm

National Science Foundation advice to students
http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/bcs/anthro/cultdadv.htm

The Art of Writing Grant Proposals
http://www.ssrc.org/publications/for-fellows/art_of_writing_proposals.page

Tools for writing a dissertation proposal
http://globetrotter.berkeley.edu/DissPropWorkshop//