{"id":57,"date":"2024-12-26T03:32:50","date_gmt":"2024-12-26T03:32:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotolbooks.com\/thomaskpark\/?page_id=57"},"modified":"2025-01-06T05:42:41","modified_gmt":"2025-01-06T05:42:41","slug":"history-of-anthropological-theory","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sotolbooks.com\/thomaskpark\/classes\/history-of-anthropological-theory\/","title":{"rendered":"History of Anthropological Theory"},"content":{"rendered":"

History of Anthropological Theory<\/strong><\/p>\n

Syllabus for Anthropology 608A, Fall 2015<\/strong><\/p>\n

Class Meets: T 3:30-6 pm in my Office<\/p>\n

Tad Park: tpark@u.arizona.edu, 621-2632<\/span><\/p>\n

Office hrs.: Geronimo Rm. 316 MW 1-2:30 pm, Th 11 am-1 pm<\/b><\/p>\n

Course Description<\/strong>: This class provides an overview of some of the key theoretical concepts in anthropology. It is intended to complement Anthropology 608B and focuses on giving students a basis for critical thinking and an exposure to a significant amount of good writing.<\/p>\n

In particular, the course will introduce students to the philosophical roots of theoretical approaches in anthropology, the significance of ethics, anthropological debates over science vs. interpretation, relativism vs trans-cultural truths and the temptations of political correctness.<\/p>\n

In practice we will approach these issues by reading works in philosophy, anthropology, linguistics, social science and history.<\/p>\n

The format of the course will be a seminar in which students learn through reading, writing and guided discussion. I will fill in background not adequately addressed in the assigned readings and suggest additional readings for those interested in becoming scholars. Since the class will be a seminar, students are expected to develop analytical and scholarly skills: including being concise (not long winded), polite (even if enthusiastic) and open minded.<\/p>\n

One suggestion: read only as much as you can assimilate – leave time for thought and reflection and come to class each time with something to contribute. There is no prize for the person who reads the most pages but there is one for anyone who remembers clearly and reflects intelligently on what they have read. Significance is very much in the mind of the reader, so if you do not see the value of an assigned reading you should consider the very real possibility that you lack the intellectual background to appreciate its finer points: and be motivated to improve your intellect.<\/p>\n

Course Requirements<\/strong>: Read, think, discuss, write.<\/p>\n

A) <\/strong>[10 %] Each week prepare to discuss the week\u2019s readings in class. You should be prepared to evaluate the following elements where appropriate: key ideas, methodological or theoretical concerns, scope of claims (dogma), degree of righteousness expressed, type of data relied upon, clarity and explicitness of philosophical perspectives. You will be asked in each class to write a practicum <\/em>: a 15 minute essay on an issue to which you might apply some of the key points in the reading. I will provide one of three grades to your essays (0, 80%, 100%).<\/p>\n

B) <\/strong>[60%] three page evaluations of five of the seven required books (by Appiah, Bourdieu, Lukes, Ringer, Sahlins, Stoler or Wikan); these papers must be submitted before we discuss them in class. Please submit the papers by email by 9 am Monday of the week they are scheduled for discussion.<\/p>\n

C) <\/strong>take home midterm <\/strong>given 28 October (30%), due 11 November. Write two of the three comparative essays. Material assigned through 3 November should be read.<\/p>\n

I will give students an opportunity to make-up anything I find unsatisfactory and will give students an A, an I or, if they elect not to improve material, some other grade. <\/em><\/p>\n

Note on Readings<\/strong>: Students are expected to read all required books and listed articles and be well prepared to discuss them by the date they appear on the syllabus. The midterm will focus on the required books but will not exclude other material.<\/p>\n

Required Books<\/strong><\/p>\n

Appiah, Kwame Anthony. The Ethics of Identity<\/em>. Princeton U. Press 2005.<\/p>\n

Bourdieu, Pierre. In Other Words. Essays towards a reflexive sociology<\/em>. Stanford: 1990.<\/p>\n

Lukes, Steven. Power A Radical View<\/em>. Second Edition. Palgrave Macmillan, 2005.<\/p>\n

Ringer, Fritz. Max Weber\u2019s Methodology. The unification of the cultural and social sciences<\/em>. Harvard: 1997.<\/p>\n

Sahlins, Marshall D. Historical Metaphors and Mythical Realities: Structure in the Early History of the Sandwich Islands Kingdom<\/em>. University of Michigan Press, 1981.<\/p>\n

Stoler, Ann. Along the Archival Grain. Epistemic anxieties and colonial common sense<\/em>. Princeton: 2009.<\/p>\n

Unni Wikan. In Honor of Fadime. Murder and Shame<\/em>. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2008.<\/p>\n

Recommended<\/strong><\/p>\n

Brown, Callum G. Postmodernism for Historians<\/em>. Pearson Education, 2005.<\/p>\n

Gould, Stephen J. . The Structure of Evolutionary Theory<\/em>. Harvard: Harvard University Press, 2002.<\/p>\n

Honderich, Ted, editor. The Oxford Companion to Philosophy<\/em>. New Edition (2nd). Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005.<\/p>\n

Marshall, Barbara. Configuring Gender: Explorations in Theory and Practice<\/em>. Broadview Press, 2000.<\/p>\n

Marx, Karl. Capital<\/em>. Vol. 1. Ben Fowkes, translator. Penguin Classics. 1990.<\/p>\n

Prado, C. G. Starting with Foucault: An Introduction to Genealogy<\/em>. Westview Press, 2000.<\/p>\n

Wan, Poe Yu-Ze. Reframing the Social. Emergentist systemism and social theory. <\/em>Farnham, Ashgate, 2011.<\/p>\n


<\/strong><\/p>\n

Suggested Weekly Reading Assignments <\/strong><\/p>\n

The article authors can be found in the related sections of the PDF article collection.<\/p>\n

Note <\/strong>that while everyone is expected to look at multiple articles, oral discussions usually involve less than comprehensive readings per student. Select the articles that most interest you and be prepared to discuss them. All students must read and be ready to discuss each of the seven required books as well as the readings on Marx before the designated discussion dates.<\/p>\n


<\/strong><\/p>\n

Outline of Weekly Topics<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. 25 August Intellectual Foundations<\/strong><\/p>\n

We will discuss a number of issues to set the ground for why the readings may be intellectually beneficial: free speech, hate speech, bullying, racism, genderism, rhetoric, truth, relativism, positivism, peer review, history, politics, cutting edge research, theory, development, biopower & culture, academia, human subjects research.<\/p>\n

2. 1 September<\/p>\n

Philosophical roots of social sciences<\/strong><\/p>\n

PDF Articles: Plato, Johnston, Aquinas, Nanji.<\/p>\n

Optional: Arne Naess. Scepticism. Oslo, Universitets Forlaget, 1968.<\/p>\n

Enlightenment roots of Modernism<\/strong><\/p>\n

PDF Articles: Kant and Hegel, Rousseau and J. S. Mill.<\/p>\n

From Oxford Compendium: Kant, Rousseau, Hegel or similar articles on line.<\/p>\n

[7 September Labor Day no classes at U of A]<\/p>\n

Methodology of Early Modern Science<\/strong><\/p>\n

3. 8 September<\/p>\n

PDF Articles: Bacon, Comte, Darwin, Gould, Gould- Eldridge, Vrba-Gould, Sober-Lewontin<\/p>\n

Positivism, Rationalism, Conjectures & Refutations<\/strong><\/p>\n

4. 15 September<\/p>\n

PDF Articles: Popper, Feyerabend, Bourdieu.<\/p>\n

From Oxford Compendium or similar articles on line: epistemology, ontology, enlightenment<\/p>\n

Structural Functionalism<\/strong><\/p>\n

5. 22 September<\/p>\n

PDF Articles: Barth, Evans-Pritchard, GluckmanPeace, LeachMagical, MalinowskiSex, ParkDivination, Radcliffe-Brown.<\/p>\n

Interpretive Anthropology<\/strong><\/p>\n

6. 29 September<\/p>\n

Ringer, Fritz. Max Weber\u2019s Methodology. The unification of the cultural and social sciences<\/em>. Harvard: 1997.<\/p>\n

Handout\/translations\/pdf – Peirce, Wittgenstein, Geertz<\/p>\n

PDF Articles: Atran, Caton, GeertzAnti, Hodder, Stoller.<\/p>\n

Durkheim<\/strong><\/p>\n

7. 6 October<\/p>\n

PDF Articles: DurkheimAnomie, DurkheimRules, Hertz.<\/p>\n

Exchange Theory<\/strong><\/p>\n

Handout exchange theory<\/p>\n

PDF Articles: Carrier, ExchangeTheory, Mauss, Parkin, Valeri<\/p>\n

Theory & Method in History <\/strong><\/p>\n

8. 13 October<\/p>\n

PDF Articles: Bloch, Geertz, Vansina, Wolf<\/p>\n

Sahlins Historical Metaphors and Mythical Realities<\/em><\/p>\n

Ethnicity & Hierarchy<\/strong><\/p>\n

9. 20 October<\/p>\n

Handout – ethnicity<\/p>\n

PDF Articles: BarthIntro, Southall, Wolf<\/p>\n

PDF Articles: Appadurai, BeteilleRace, LukacsClass, SouthallSegmentary<\/p>\n

Structuralism<\/strong><\/p>\n

PDF Articles: Assiter, Levi-Strauss:Bear&Barber, Luhrman, Vansina<\/p>\n

Political Economy <\/strong><\/p>\n

10. 27 October<\/p>\n

Stoler, Ann. Along the Archival Grain. Epistemic anxieties and colonial common sense<\/em>. Princeton: 2009.<\/p>\n

Karl Mark Selections (various by Tad<\/em>)<\/p>\n

PDF Articles: Arendt, Sabia, Testart<\/p>\n

Midterm distributed <\/strong>28 October, due 11 November<\/p>\n

Critical Theory<\/strong><\/p>\n

11. 3 November<\/p>\n

Bourdieu, Pierre. In Other Words. Essays towards a reflexive sociology<\/em>. Stanford: 1990.<\/p>\n

Handout on critical theory,<\/p>\n

PDF Articles: Jay, Katz, Phelan, Smith, Wagner<\/p>\n

PDF Articles: Bourdieu3tributes, DumontBourdieu, Sobel.<\/p>\n

12. 10 November<\/p>\n

Midterm due by end of day<\/strong><\/p>\n

(11 November Veterens Day no classes at U of A)<\/p>\n

Power and Postmodernism<\/strong><\/p>\n

13. 17 November<\/p>\n

Handout\/translations\/ – Foucault, handout Pomo<\/p>\n

Lukes Power A Radical View, 2nd edition.<\/em><\/p>\n

Optional<\/p>\n

Prado, Starting with Foucault: An Introduction to Genealogy<\/p>\n

Brown, Callum G. Postmodernism for Historians. Pearson Education, 2005.<\/p>\n

Identity and Culture<\/strong><\/p>\n

14. 24 November<\/p>\n

Taylor \u201cThe Politics of Recognition\u201d<\/p>\n

Wikan In Honor of Fadime<\/em><\/p>\n

PDF Articles: BourdieuModernity, DumontAreCultures,<\/p>\n

[Thanksgiving holiday 27-30 November]<\/p>\n

Ethics and Anthropology <\/strong><\/p>\n

15. 1 December<\/p>\n

Appiah, Kwame Anthony. The Ethics of Identity<\/em>. Princeton U. Press 2005.<\/p>\n

Appiah \u201cIdentity, Authenticity, Survival\u201d<\/p>\n

handout Queer theory<\/p>\n

General discussion: causality and interpretation<\/strong><\/p>\n

16. 8 December<\/p>\n

Optional: Poe Yu-Ze Wan, Reframing the social.<\/p>\n

[ official exam date 12-14, e.g when I need to finish up grading]<\/strong><\/p>\n

Note<\/strong>: Most of Cambridge University\u2019s Dspace (http:\/\/www.dspace.cam.ac.uk\/handle\/1810\/23) biographical videos in the social anthropology collection are 300-600 MB and take some time to upload. They are mp4 files and can be played with a QuickTime Player (Apple) or a MPEG4IP WMP4Player (Windows) or other video software. I have the following available on DVD in my office: Akbar, Barth, Boissevain, Descola, Epstein, Fortes, Firth, Gellner, Geertz, Lienhardt, Goody, Hill, Leach, Strathern, Marx, Tambiah, Turner, Worsley. If you do not have a DVD compatible computer talk with me and I can probably get them onto your computer. [for tech info go to: http:\/\/all-streaming-media.com\/streaming-media-faq\/faq-mp4-streaming.htm]<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":35,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"100-width.php","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-57","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotolbooks.com\/thomaskpark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/57","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotolbooks.com\/thomaskpark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotolbooks.com\/thomaskpark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotolbooks.com\/thomaskpark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotolbooks.com\/thomaskpark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/sotolbooks.com\/thomaskpark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/57\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":228,"href":"https:\/\/sotolbooks.com\/thomaskpark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/57\/revisions\/228"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotolbooks.com\/thomaskpark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/35"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotolbooks.com\/thomaskpark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}