Anthropology 354: Cultural Theory
Section AB (TR), Winter 2009

Dr. Sascha L. Goluboff
Office Hours: C Hour MTWRF and by appointment

You can find me at goluboffs@wlu.edu and in Baker Hall 310 (office phone: 458-8807).
 

Course Description
This course is required for all Sociology/Anthropology and Anthropology/Archaeology majors. It considers the development of social and cultural theory from an anthropological perspective. We will explore where anthropology has been and where it is going. We will read the works that shaped, and continue to shape, major theoretical trends in anthropology. There will be three special “theory and my work” classes where a professor will discuss how a theory we are studying in this course has impacted his/her own work. This course will be run as a seminar. 

At the beginning of each class, we will have a quiz on the day's readings. Due to the large enrollment, you will be divided into discussion groups for part of the class period. Each of these "teams" will have a rotating leader who will guide conversation about the questions of the day provided by the professor and team leader. The groups will report back their findings to the rest of the class. 

Course Outcomes
By the end of this course, students should be able to do the following:
* Define and discuss the various stages in the development of theory in anthropology
* Critically analyze the positives and negatives of each theoretical development
* Assess how anthropologists have used theory to develop their own research projects
* Demonstrate your ability to use a classical and contemporary theory to analyze a real-world event

Reading Requirements
Because this is one of the capstone courses for majors, it covers a wide range of topics. We will read primary sources in the form of articles and book chapters. This will provide you with a foundation of knowledge, as well as the means to analyze and critique a wide range of anthropological theories. Because this course is run as a seminar, it is essential that you do the reading and be prepared to discuss it in class.

Most of the readings will be in TWO course packs that you can pick up in the bookstore, along with the book Patterns of Culture by Ruth Benedict

Writing Requirements
Daily Writing Assignments
Discussion leaders will bring to class a question (typed) about each of the reading assignments due that day. Please bring two copies -- one for you, and one for the professor to collect at the beginning of class. I will use these to gauge your understanding of the articles and orient the discussions appropriately. These will count toward your class participation grade. At the start of each class, we will have a quiz on the readings. Quizzes count toward your class participation grade.

Research Paper
You will write a 10-12 page research paper that is due at the end of the semester. In this paper, you use an event, conflict, or important issue that took place on Washington and Lee's campus (either recently or in the past) to analyze and critique two different theoretical approaches we discussed in class. Theory one will be from PART ONE (THE CLASSICS), and theory two will be from PART TWO (CONTEMPORARY). Good papers provide rich details of the "facts" of the W&L issue in question (like illustrative quotes from the newspaper articles), show your in-depth understanding of the anthropological theories at hand, and provide a forum in which you critique these theories (for example, you should address whether these theories can fully elucidate the event, or they miss key concepts due to a different time period and/or bias of analysis). Please use this article's reference pages as a template for your bibliography. If you cite online sources, please use this article's bibliography for the correct format for online articles. In other words, in this paper, you will apply two theories to an event at W&L, and in the process, you will critique those theories.

To find the event, conflict, or important issue you will feature in your paper, you need to go through current and past issues of The Ring Tum Phi and/or The Trident. The Newspaper/Current Periodical Section of the Leyburn Library keeps the recent year in stock. For older issues, you need to go Special Collections. You must use sources beyond those accessible on the websites for these publications.

Your Research Paper will be broken down into smaller assignments that are due in class. All assignments are double-spaced and typed unless otherwise noted.

Please keep all of these items in a folder, which you will turn in with each next assignment so I can keep track of your progress.

Here are the assignments in the order in which they are due (please see the syllabus below for the due dates):
1. summary of the Washington and Lee event/conflict/issue you will analyze and why you picked it (one-to-two paragraphs) .
2. draft bibliography of the articles in The Ring Tum Phi and/or The Trident that you will use as the "facts" for your analysis.
3. one paragraph stating which author you have chosen from the readings in PART ONE and why you have chosen him/her.  
4. one paragraph stating which second author you have chosen from the readings in PART TWO and why you have chosen him/her.
5. individual meeting with professor about your paper. Please bring with you an outline of the two theorists' main points and how your "event" provides examples and critiques of those points.
6. draft of paper to be peer reviewed during the class period.
7. first page of REVISED paper draft (with original and peer review)
8. in-class presentation
9. final version of Research Paper

Specifications for written work
Paper evaluation: I will evaluate your papers on the following criteria: following directions, thoroughness, conventions of grammar and spelling, originality, forethought and execution, and style of presentation. All assignments must be typed unless otherwise noted. FYI: I encourage (and will reward) you to “go out on a limb” with a new idea or challenging statement. Be creative!

Grammar, spelling, and proper anthropological in-text citations: Click here to see my website for tips on grammar and citations.

Lateness of papers: To get full credit, you must hand in your paper at the end of the class period unless otherwise indicated on the syllabus. If I agree to accept a late paper, it will be penalized at the rate of half a grade a day. For instance, a B paper turned in 2 days late becomes a C+. No exceptions without an infirmary excuse or a letter from the Dean. A computer problem does not make a legitimate excuse for lateness.

Keep a hard copy of every paper. Do not trust your disk, hard drive, or neighbor’s hard drive, or any W&L server as a backup. If I should misplace a paper, I will require you to give me another copy immediately upon request.

Attendance
Because this class is a seminar that meets only twice a week, your attendance and punctuality are crucial. If you miss class more than two times and/or are late more than two times, a decrease in your final grade is up to my discretion.

Participation
Participation is a required component of the course and will be rewarded. This means being prepared to discuss the materials in depth and to ask and respond to questions, as well as doing well on quizzes and your time as the discussion leader.

Grading Criteria

How to Succeed in This Course
1. Thoughtfully read all of the materials on time.
2. Be prepared to speak in class, and speak often.
3. Post your reading questions on time, and take the role of discussion leader seriously.
4. Be aware of and follow the attendance policy
5. Do consistently well on the quizzes
6. Follow the guidelines and due dates for writing the research paper and doing your presentation.
7. Hand in all of your assignments on time.

Class Schedule

PART ONE: THE CLASSICS

What is Cultural Theory?: An Overview of the Course
1/6 Tuesday: Introduction to the Course

1/8 Thursday: Theoretical Paradigms in Anthropology
George Stocking, “Paradigmatic Traditions in the History of Anthropology.” In George Stocking, The Ethnographer’s Magic and Other Essays in the History of Anthropology (1992).

Evolutionary Anthropology
1/13 Tuesday: Progress of Mankind in Social Organization and Religion
Edward B. Tylor, “Chapter 6: Animism.” In Tylor, Primitive Culture (1889).
Theory and My Work Guest Speaker: Harvey Markowitz, Assistant Professor of Anthropology 

Historical Particularism (America)
1/15 Thursday: Boasian Critique of Evolutionary Anthropology
Franz Boas, “The Limitations of the Comparative Method of Anthropology,” “The Aims of Ethnology,” and “The Decorative Art of the North American Indians." In Franz Boas, Race, Language & Culture (1940).

The Culture Concept (America)
1/20 Tuesday: Culture and Personality
Ruth Benedict, Chapters 1-3, 7, and 8. In Benedict, Patterns of Culture (1934)
Due in class: (one-to-two paragraph) summary of the event/conflict/issue you will analyze and why you picked it.

British Classics I: Malinowski
1/22 Thursday: Functionalism and Needs
1. Bronislaw Malinowski, "What is Human Nature?," "The Derivation of Cultural Needs," "Basic Needs and Cultural Responses," "The Nature of Derived Needs," "The Functional Theory." In Bronislaw Malinowski, A Scientific Theory of Culture and Other Essays (1965).
2. Bronislaw Malinowski, "Introduction." Bronislaw Malinowski, Argonauts of the Western Pacific (1922).

British Classics II: Radcliffe-Brown
1/27 Tuesday: Functionalism and Order
A. R. Radcliffe-Brown, "Introduction," "On the Concept of Function in Social Science," and "On Social Structure." In A. R. Radcliffe-Brown, Structure and Function in Primitive Society (1952).
Due in class: draft bibliography of the articles in The Ring Tum Phi and/or The Trident that you will use as the basis of the "facts" for your analysis.

Structural Functionalism beyond the British Classics
1/29 Thursday: Extensions of Structural-Functionalism
1. E. E. Evans-Prichard, "Introductory" and "The Political System." In E. E. Evans Pritchard, The Nuer: A Description of the Modes of Livelihood and Political Institutions of a Nilotic People (1940).
2. Max Gluckman, “The Peace in the Feud,” In Max Gluckman, Custom and Conflict in Africa (1973).
3. Claude Levi-Strauss, “Structural Analysis in Linguistics and in Anthropology” and “The Structural Study of Myth.” In Levi-Strauss, Structural Anthropology (1963).

The Science of Culture
2/3 Tuesday: Neo-Evolutionism
1. Leslie White, "Preface," "Energy and the Evolution of Culture," and "The Science of Culture."  In Leslie White, The Science of Culture: A Study of Man and Civilization (1949).
2. Julian Steward, “Introduction,” "Multilinear Evolution," "The Concept and Method of Cultural Ecology, and "Levels of Sociocultural Integration." In Julian Steward, Theory of Culture Change (1955).

PART TWO: CONTEMPORARY

Symbolic and Interpretive Anthropology
2/5 Thursday: Drama and Description
1. Victor Turner, "Social Dramas and Ritual Metaphors." In Victor Turner, Dramas, Fields, and Metaphors (1974).
2. Clifford Geertz, "Thick Description: Toward an Interpretive Theory of Culture."  In Clifford Geertz, The Interpretation of Cultures (1973).
3. Clifford Geertz, “’From the ‘Native’s Point of View’: On the Nature of Anthropological Understanding. In Clifford Geertz, Local Knowledge: Further Essays in Interpretive Anthropology (1983).
Due in class: one paragraph stating which author you have chosen from the readings in PART ONE and why you have chosen him/her

Postmodernism
2/10 Tuesday: Partial Truths
James Clifford, "Introduction: Partial Truths." In James Clifford and George E. Marcus, eds., Writing Culture (1986).

Gender Theory
2/12 Thursday: Feminism
1. Michelle Zimbalist Rosaldo, "Women, Culture, and Society: A Theoretical Overview." In Michelle Rosaldo and Louise Lamphere, eds., Woman, Culture, and Society (1974).
2. Catherine Lutz, "The Gender of Theory." In Ruth Behar and Deborah A. Gordon, eds., Women Writing Culture (1995).

No Class 2/17 and 2/19 due to Washington Break

Bourdieu
2/24 Tuesday: Symbolic Power and Habitus
1. Pierre Bourdieu, "Symbolic Power." Critique of Anthropology 4:77-85 (1977)
2. Pierre Bourdieu, "Social Space and Symbolic Power." Sociological Theory 7(1):14-25 (1989)

Transnational Anthropology
2/26 Thursday: Globalization
1. Arjun Appadurai, "Global Ethnoscapes: Notes and Queries for a Transnational Anthropology." In Richard G. Fox, ed. Recapturing Anthropology: Working in the Present (1991).
2. Akhil Gupta and James Ferguson, "Beyond 'Culture': Space, Identity, and the Politics of Difference." Cultural Anthropology 7(1):6-23 (1992).
Sascha Goluboff's Theory and My Work Pick.

Foucault's Influence
3/3 Tuesday: Power and Resistance
1. Lila Abu-Lughod, "The Romance of Resistance: Tracing Transformations of Power Through Bedouin Women." American Ethnologist 17(1): 41-55 (1990).
2. P. Steven Sangren, "Psychoanalysis and Its Resistances in Michel Foucault's The History of Sexuality: Lessons for Anthropology" Ethos 32(1):110-122 (2004).

Race
3/5 Thursday: Understanding Whiteness and Blackness
1. John Hartigan, Jr., "Establishing the Fact of Whiteness." American Anthropologist 99(3): 495-505 (1997).
2. Michael Omi and Howard Winant, "Racial Formations." In Race Critical Theory, Philomena Essed and David Theo Goldberg, eds., Critical Race Theories: Text and Context (2002).

Class
3/10 Tuesday: Theorizing Economic Inequalities
1. Phillipe Bourgois, "Confronting Anthropology, Education, and Inter-City Appartheid." American Anthropologist 98(2): 249-258 (1998).
2. E. Paul Durrenberger, "Structure, Thought, and Action: Stewards in Chicago Union Locals." American Anthropologist 104(1): 93-105 (2002).
Due in Class: one paragraph stating which author you have chosen from the readings in PART TWO and why you have chosen him/her

3/12 Thursday: Individual Meetings with Professor about Paper. Please bring with you an outline of the two theorists' main points and how your "event" provides examples and critiques of those points.

3/17 Tuesday:  Individual Meetings with Professor about Paper. Please bring with you an outline of the two theorists' main points and how your "event" provides examples and critiques of those points.

3/19 Thursday: Peer Review to be done in class
Due in Class: Draft of paper

3/24 Tuesday: Article to TBA
Theory and My Work Guest Speaker: Alison Bell, Assistant Professor of Anthropology
Due in Class: First page of REVISED paper draft

3/26 Thursday: Student Paper Presentations

3/31 Tuesday: Student Paper Presentations

4/2 Thursday Student Paper Presentations

MONDAY 4/6: Final paper (with all previous work) due in my mailbox at 10:00 a.m.