Home Page for
Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
Anthropology 212
Instructor: Raymond Hames
Spring 2012
 Place & Time:117 Bessey Hall Aud., 2:00-3:15, T-R

Revised 12/19/12

Contact Information & Office Hours:

Professor Raymond Hames
836 Oldfather Hall
Office Hours: M&F 8:00-10:00; T&R 3:30-4:00, or by appointment
Phone 472-6240
Email: Raymond Hames
GTA Kristine Sudbeck
832 Oldfather Hall
 kristinesudbeck@gmail.com
Phone 472-7955
Office hours: Tues and Thurs 10:30-12:00, or by appointment

Basic Links

Some great "Anthropological" films made in Hollywood and elsewhere (perhaps for your next trip to Blockbuster when you can't find anything to rent).

At Play in the Fields of the Lord
John Lithgow, Tom Berrenger, Aidan Quinn, Kathy Bates, Darryl Hannah, and Tom Waits.  The story of an Amazonian people making first contact with the outside world. My #1, but start early - it's 3 hours long.
Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner
A film by made by an Inuit (Eskimo) director, based on a old story, and acted by local Inuit.
The Mission
Robert De Niro, Jeremy Irons, Liam Neeson.  The tragedy of Guarani Indians in Paraguay as the Jesuits leave followed by the entrance of Spanish civil government controlled by slavers.  One Academy Award and 6 nominations.
Black Robe
Jesuit missionary among the Algonquians and Hurons: conversion, war, and disease.  Directed by Bruce Beresford who also directed Driving Miss Daisy, Tender Mercies, & Breaker Morant.
Song Catcher
A the turn of the century woman ethnomusicologist discovers bluegrass music in Appalachia.  Fine musical performances by bluegrass pros.  Story is a bit formulaic. 
 

Course Overview

This course is basic introduction to the field of cultural anthropology.  Instead of using a standard cultural anthropology text your texts will be three ethnographies (an ethnography is monograph that broadly describes a single culture) that span a wide range of human sociocultural variation.  My lectures will cover standard text book topics such as marriage, family, kinship, economics, sex, environmental adaptation, religion, and the like with a focus on cultural diversity and relevant theory that attempts to account for cross-cultural variation in human behavior.  Your ethnographies will provide concrete and integrated examples of the broad topics through an examination of specific culture.  In addition, I will ask each of you to choose an ethnography and write a 7-9 page book report.  In your report you will be expected to relate the findings in your ethnography to concepts highlighted in class and your readings.

ACE Course
This is an ACE certified course for SLO #6 which revolves around the "Use [of] knowledge, theories, methods, and historical perspectives appropriate to the social sciences to understand and evaluate human behavior."  A critical means to evaluate this learning outcome will be determined in your book report in which you will demonstrate your understanding of cultural diversity in social life and some of the theories that help us understand this diversity. 

Grading Basics
There will be three exams worth 50 points each (for approximate dates, see course schedule). All exams will consist of 50 multiple choice machine-graded questions. In addition, you will be required to read an ethnography of your choice (after consulting with me) and write a book report on it. Reports should be typed or computer-printed with a 7-9 page length (double-spaced with one inch margins and 12 point characters). The book report is worth 50 points and is due on 26 April 2011.  A complete draft may be turned in by 19 April for suggestions for revision and a preliminary grade.  Click here beavis.gif (2866 bytes)for detailed information on the book report format. I must approve the book upon which your report is written.