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Manhattanville College
Anthropology 1050: Cultural Anthropology
Professor Berg
Email:bergc@mville.edu
Office: Dammann 6A
Course Description
Anthropology is a holistic approach to the study of humankind. By examining different cultural systems around the globe, anthropologists endeavor to understand how people make sense of the world in which they live - their beliefs and practices.
This class will introduce you to the basic concepts, theories and methodologies of anthropology. Topics to be studied during the semester include: the concept of culture, marriage and kinship, linguistics, exchange patterns, ethnography, and rituals.
Goals
General goals for the class are: 1.) to provide an overview of anthropology as a discipline, 2.) to gain an appreciation of culture as an integrated, interactive, evolving system, and 3.) to develop a greater understanding of why people do what they do - oneself as well as others.
Required Texts
- Aaron Podolefsky and Peter Brown, Applying Anthropology, Mayfield Publishing.
- Abraham Rosman and Paula Rubel, The Tapestry of Culture, McGraw-Hill, Inc.
- Additional articles will be on e-reserve in the library or distributed in class.
Written Assignments and
Grading
- Two short assignments will be required during the semester relating to specific topics studied (marriage and kinship patterns, myths and/or folk tales). These will be discussed in more detail during the semester, handouts are attached for each – 30% of grade.
- Two exams – 40% of grade.
- A
"mini-ethnography" project based on fieldwork (including interviews
and participation/observation) with a cultural group with which you are
unfamiliar. This can be a religious,
sports, business or social group, but it must be cleared with the
professor and is due the last day of class. This will be discussed over the
course of the semester and a handout is attached - 25% of
grade.
- Class attendance will be counted as 5% of your grade.