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Cindi SturtzSreetharan, Ph.D.

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ANTH 002 :: syllabi for sections 01 and 02

The syllabi for these sections are DIFFERENT; thus, if you are in the course, please be sure to know which syllabus is YOURS.

Fall 2005

We tend to see our own way of life – our food, our habits of cleanliness, our way of organizing families as “natural” . . .as reflecting some kind of universal human nature.  That is, we are accustomed to seeing the world through our own eyes and ears often taking for granted the way in which we go about "living" on a daily basis.  Social and cultural insights lead us to question these assumptions and analyze the ways in which our values and behaviour are determined by historical events and the organization of society.  Through various reading materials, documentaries, lectures, and class discussions, this course aims to provide you with alternative ways of viewing the world; that is, this course hopes to provide you with the skills to develop (or at least recognize) various perspectives with regard to everyday life.  We will explore how people in other places go about daily life (how family is defined, what kinds of foods are consumed, how food is eaten, how space is divided up and divvied out, and so on); we will do so in order to interrogate and reflect on our lives.  One of the main goals of this course is to encourage each other to think consciously about our own ways of life – or in a re-wording of Taco Bell© to "think inside the bun" –not only inside of it, but also about the bun.

Learning Objectives:

This course will enable you to engage with knowledge that is cross-culturally critical.  You will practice differentiating among the inner-workings of both simple and complex societies.  You will be able to demonstrate both particular and generalized knowledge of various World Cultures upon completion of the course.

View the course schedule.

View a sample online module.

 

Objectives :: Assignments :: Grading :: Technology :: Text and Materials


Broad Questions to be Considered in this Course:

1)  What is the role of universal human needs in shaping particular sociocultural phenomenon?

2)  What are the diverse ways in which cultures address these human needs?

3)  How are the societies structured such that inequalities are maintained?

4)  What are the causes and consequences of chance in our society and in the contemporary world?

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Assignments

SECTION 01:  9-9:50

Texts:

There are two main textbooks for this course; they can be purchased at the Hornet Bookstore.  There are also some readings on reserve at the library.  Please read the syllabus carefully to make sure you have the correct reading materials during the semester.

SHULTZ, Emily & Robert LAVENDA.  2005.  Cultural Anthropology:  A Perspective on the Human Condition.  6th Edition.  Oxford University Press.  Designated as CA on the syllabus.

SPRADLEY, James, & David McCURDY.  2006.  Conformity & Conflict:  Readings in Cultural Anthropology.  12th Edition.  AB Longman.  Designated as CC on the syllabus.

Reserve ReadingDesignated on syllabus as RR.

#1:       SAHLINS, Marshall.  1972.  "The original affluent society."  In Stone Age Economics.  Chicago:  Aldine-Atherton.  Reprinted in Carol Delaney Investigating Culture:  An Experiential Introduction to Anthropology.  Blackwell Publishing:  110-133.

#2:       POLLAN, Michael .  2001.  "Desire:  Control/Plant:  The Potato."  Chapter 4 out of The Botany of Desire:  A Plant's-Eye View of the World.  Random House Publishers: 181-238.

Cell Phone Policy:

Please be sure to turn off all cell phones when you arrive in class.  I reserve the right to answer your cell phone in class should it go off.  One further note:  for some reason I can usually hear the phones even when set to "vibrate" so please, turn them off completely.  Thanks!

COURSE DETAILS

Course Requirements and Evaluation:

Quizzes                                                              20%     (6 quizzes total)

Online Discussion Questions/Responses              20%

Text Box: Choose any two of the three exams offered.  Only two of them count toward your grade.

Exam I                                                             30%    

Exam II                                                           30%

Exam III                                                          30%

Total:                                                               100%

            Quizzes:

                        Over the course of the semester, there will be six (6) pop quizzes given.  These can not be made up.  They will typically be given in the first 5 minutes of class; thus, if you are late, you will miss the quiz (you can not make up the quiz even if you are merely late for class).  The quizzes are meant to encourage you to keep up with the reading assignments.  Thus, the day a quiz is given will cover the reading assignment(s) for that day. 

            Online Discussions:

                        This course utilizes WebCT for online discussions. If you are registered for this course, then you have already been registered to be able to access WebCT via the internet.  We will go over how to do this in class. Throughout the course of the semester, you are required to submit five (5) separate discussion questions (which cover course readings, lecture, and/or video materials).  You may not submit both questions at once.  They must be "spread out" over 5 separate reading materials.  You will submit your questions via the course WebCT group discussion forum.  We will go over how to do this in class.  You must also respond to at least five (5) discussion questions.  Your questions and responses will be PUBLIC so that the entire class can read (and respond to) the discussions.  When appropriate, I will bring to class some of these questions for a general in-class discussion.  At the end of each section as defined on the syllabus (i.e. Anthropology:  What is it?  How do you do it?  Why do it?, Cultural Resources and the Resources of Culture, The Organization of Everyday Life, Relationships, Global and Local), the discussion question/response access for that section will be disabled on WebCT.  So, over the course of the semester, you will see diminishing chances to pose a question and a response.

            Exams:

                        There will be three exams over the course of the semester.  All of these will be in-class exams.  They can not be made up without officially documented illness or other traditionally recognized emergency.  Make-up exams will only be given via the testing center in Lassen Hall (after 5:00 PM only); please keep this in mind.  Exams will cover readings, lectures, discussions, and videos; most typically the exams will be a combination of short answer, fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice, and essay questions.  The final (Exam III) is not cumulative but it will be solely multiple choice.

TOPICS TO BE COVERED AND READING SCHEDULE

Please note:  All Readings are to be Completed by Class Time on the Date Listed

 

WK

Date

Topic

Reading Assignment

1

8/29

Introduction

 

Anthropology:  What is it?  How do you do it?  Why do it?

 

8/31

What is Anthropology

CA:  Ch 1

 

9/2

What is Anthropology Continued

 

2

9/5

HOLIDAY – NO CLASS

 

 

9/7

Culture

CA:  Ch 2

CC:  Ch 3

 

9/9

No Class:  Conference, Professor out of town

 

3

9/12

Fieldwork

CA:  Ch 3

 

9/14

Fieldwork Cont.

CC:  Ch 4, 5

 

9/16

Video

 

4

9/19

Anthropology & History

CA:  Ch. 4

 

9/21

Roots of Anthropology

 

 

9/23

Where we were and where we are

RR #1

5

9/26

Exam 1

 

Cultural Resources and the Resources of Culture

 

9/28

Language

CA:  Ch. 5

 

9/30

Language II:  How it works;

CC:  58 - 62

6

10/3

Language III

CC:  Ch 7

 

10/5

Video

 

 

10/7

Emotion

CA:  Ch 6

7

10/10

Emotion and Symbols

CC:  Ch. 8

 

10/12

Emotion Continued

 

 

10/14

Worldview

CA:  Ch. 8

8

10/17

Worldview and Language

 

 

10/19

Worldview and Religion

CC:  Ch 27, 28

 

10/21

Video:  Postville

 

The Organization of Everyday Life

9

10/24

Social Organization and Power

CA:  Ch. 9

 

10/26

Who's in Charge?

CC:  26

 

10/28

Discussion/Catch-up

 

10

10/31

Making your own living

CA:  10

 

11/2

Choices, Culture, and Limitations

CC:  12, 14

 

11/4

A present day case

RR # 2

11

11/7

Video:  Nomads of the Rainforest

 

 

11/9

Exam 2

 

Relationships

 

11/11

Kinship and Gender

CA:  Ch 11

12

11/14

Kin Alliances

CC:  17, 19

 

11/16

What do you call them?  And, does it matter?

 

 

11/18

Video:  The Language you Cry In

 

13

11/21

Marriage and Family

CA:  Ch. 12

 

11/23

Mothers

CC:  16, 21

 

11/25

HOLIDAY – NO CLASS

 

14

11/28

(No) Fathers; Video

CC: 18

Global and Local

 

11/30

Inequality

CA:  Ch. 14

 

12/2

Kinds of Inequality

CC:  23, 32

15

12/5

Global World

CA:  Ch. 15

 

12/7

Some Results of it . . .

CC:  33, 34

 

12/9

Last Day Stuff!

 

 

 

 

 

FRI

12/16

EXAM III IN CLASS:  8 – 10 AM; OR, you may take Exam III on December 12 (Monday)10:15 – 12:15 but you MUST let me know in advance.  Location is the same:  MND 4008

 

 

SECTION 02 (LCOM 16):  10-10:50  (there is much overlap with the above but they are not identical).

Texts:

There are two main textbooks for this course; they can be purchased at the Hornet Bookstore.  There are also some readings on reserve at the library.  Please read the syllabus carefully to make sure you have the correct reading materials during the semester.

SHULTZ, Emily & Robert LAVENDA.  2005.  Cultural Anthropology:  A Perspective on the Human Condition.  6th Edition.  Oxford University Press.  Designated as CA on the syllabus.

SPRADLEY, James, & David McCURDY.  2006.  Conformity & Conflict:  Readings in Cultural Anthropology.  12th Edition.  AB Longman.  Designated as CC on the syllabus.

 Reserve ReadingDesignated on syllabus as RR.

RR#1:  SAHLINS, Marshall.  1972.  "The original affluent society."  In Stone Age Economics.  Chicago: Aldine-Atherton.  Reprinted in Carol Delaney Investigating Culture:  An Experiential Introduction to Anthropology.  Blackwell Publishing:  110-133.

RR#2:              POLLAN, Michael .  2001.  "Desire:  Control/Plant:  The Potato."  Chapter 4 out of The Botany of Desire:  A Plant's-Eye View of the World.  Random House Publishers: 181-238.

Cell Phone Policy:

Please be sure to turn off all cell phones when you arrive in class.  I reserve the right to answer your cell phone in class should it go off.  One further note:  for some reason I can usually hear the phones even when set to "vibrate" so please, turn them off completely.  Thanks!

COURSE DETAILS

Course Requirements and Evaluation:

Quizzes                                                             20%     (6 quizzes total)

Online Discussion Questions/Responses            20%

Text Box: Choose any two of the three exams offered.  Only two of them count toward your grade.

Exam I                                                          30%    

Exam II                                                          30%

Exam III                                                         30%

Total:                                                           100%

            Quizzes:

                        Over the course of the semester, there will be six (6) pop quizzes given.  These can not be made up.  They will typically be given in the first 5 minutes of class; thus, if you are late, you will miss the quiz (you can not make up the quiz even if you are merely late for class).  The quizzes are meant to encourage you to keep up with the reading assignments.  Thus, the day a quiz is given will cover the reading assignment(s) for that day. 

            Online Discussions:

                        This course utilizes WebCT for online discussions. If you are registered for this course, then you have already been registered to be able to access WebCT via the internet.  We will go over how to do this in class. Throughout the course of the semester, you are required to submit five (5) separate discussion questions (which cover course readings, lecture, and/or video materials).  You may not submit both questions at once.  They must be "spread out" over 5 separate reading materials.  You will submit your questions via the course WebCT group discussion forum.  We will go over how to do this in class.  You must also respond to at least five (5) discussion questions.  Your questions and responses will be PUBLIC so that the entire class can read (and respond to) the discussions.  When appropriate, I will bring to class some of these questions for a general in-class discussion.  At the end of each section as defined on the syllabus (i.e. Anthropology:  What is it?  How do you do it?  Why do it?, Cultural Resources and the Resources of Culture, The Organization of Everyday Life, Relationships, Global and Local), the discussion question/response access for that section will be disabled on WebCT.  So, over the course of the semester, you will see diminishing chances to pose a question and a response.

            Exams:

 There will be three exams over the course of the semester; you must take two of the exams.  All of these will be in-class exams.  They can not be made up without officially documented illness or other traditionally recognized emergency.  Make-up exams will only be given via the testing center in Lassen Hall (after 5:00 PM only); please keep this in mind.  Exams will cover readings, lectures, discussions, and videos; most typically the exams will be a combination of short answer, fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice, and essay questions.  The final (Exam III) is not cumulative but it will be solely multiple choice.

Essay in lieu of exam:  You may turn in the Essay 3 that you write for Professor Rodgers as a substitute for one of the exams.  In order to do this, however, you will need to somewhat modify your essay to fit some specific needs of this course – I will make this clear when once you have received the essay prompt from Professor Rodgers in mid-November.  Like one of the exams, the Essay will be worth 30 points.  The essay will be due on Dec. 9, in class.

TOPICS TO BE COVERED AND READING SCHEDULE

Please note:  All Readings are to be Completed by Class Time on the Date Listed

 

WK

Date

Topic

Reading Assignment

1

8/29

Introduction

 

Anthropology:  What is it?  How do you do it?  Why do it?

 

8/31

What is Anthropology

CA:  Ch 1

 

9/2

What is Anthropology Continued

 

2

9/5

HOLIDAY – NO CLASS

 

 

9/7

Culture

CA:  Ch 2

CC:  Ch 3

 

9/9

No Class:  Conference, Professor out of town

 

3

9/12

Fieldwork

CA:  Ch 3

 

9/14

Fieldwork Cont.

CC:  Ch 4, 5

 

9/16

LCOM ACTIVITY:  MEET IN LIBRARY AT 10

 

4

9/19

Anthropology & History

CA:  Ch. 4

 

9/21

Roots of Anthropology

 

 

9/23

Where we were and where we are

RR #1

5

9/26

Exam 1

 

Cultural Resources and the Resources of Culture

 

9/28

Language

CA:  Ch. 5

 

9/30

Language II:  How it works;

CC:  58 - 62

6

10/3

Language III

CC:  Ch 7

 

10/5

Video

 

 

10/7

Emotion

CA:  Ch 6

7

10/10

Emotion and Symbols

CC:  Ch. 8

 

10/12

Emotion Continued

 

 

10/14

Worldview

CA:  Ch. 8

8

10/17

Worldview and Language

 

 

10/19

Worldview and Religion

CC:  Ch 27, 28

 

10/21

Video:  Postville

 

The Organization of Everyday Life

9

10/24

Social Organization and Power

CA:  Ch. 9

 

10/26

Who's in Charge?

CC:  26

 

10/28

Discussion/Catch-up

 

10

10/31

Making your own living

CA:  10

 

11/2

Choices, Culture, and Limitations

CC:  12, 14

 

11/4

A present day case

RR # 2

11

11/7

Video:  Nomads of the Rainforest

 

 

11/9

Exam 2

 

Relationships

 

11/11

Kinship and Gender

CA:  Ch 11

12

11/14

Kin Alliances

CC:  17, 19

 

11/16

What do you call them?  And, does it matter?

 

 

11/18

Video:  The Language you Cry In

 

13

11/21

Marriage and Family

CA:  Ch. 12

 

11/23

Mothers

CC:  16, 21

 

11/25

HOLIDAY – NO CLASS

 

14

11/28

(No) Fathers; Video

CC: 18

Global and Local

 

11/30

Inequality

CA:  Ch. 14

 

12/2

Kinds of Inequality

CC:  23, 32

15

12/5

Global World

CA:  Ch. 15

 

12/7

Some Results of it . . .

CC:  33, 34

 

12/9

Last Day Stuff!

 

 

 

 

 

FRI

12/16

EXAM III IN CLASS:  8 – 10 AM; OR, you may take Exam III on December 12 (Monday)10:15 – 12:15 but you MUST let me know in advance.  Location is the same:  MND 4008

 

 



Special Notes:

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Technology Requirements

Students will need an electronic mail account and computer access to the Web. All CSUS students enrolled in one or more units can create a SacLink account for electronic mail and Internet services. Although a home computer with a high speed modem running Netscape or Internet Explorer would be beneficial, students can use the Web from one of the campus student labs.

Computing Recommendations

You should be comfortable using a computer and willing to browse the Web. This class requires online class participation on the Web assignments and electronic discussions.

You need:

  • Macintosh compatible with System 10 (OS X) or higher or Windows compatible Pentium running Windows 98 or XP.
  • 128 MB of RAM
  • 56K modem or faster connection
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 or Netscape 6 (or higher)
  • SacLink or other Internet Account
  • Word processing skills

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Text and Materials

 Required: The texts for the course this semester are:

There are three main textbooks for this course; they can be purchased at the Hornet Bookstore. 

 

Delaney, Carol.  2004.  Investigating Culture:  An Experiential Introduction to Anthropology.

            Blackwell Publishing.  This text is designated as IC in the syllabus.

Fadiman, Anne.  1997.  The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down.  Farrar, Straus, & Giroux.

            This text is designated as SC in the syllabus.

Spradley, James & McCurdy David.  2003. Conformity & Conflict.  11th Edition.  AB Longman.

            This text is designated as CC in the syllabus.

You can purchase books through the Hornet Bookstore. Check their Online Textbook Sales page at http://www.foundation.csus.edu/bookstore/textbooks/ for ordering information.

last updated: 08/24/2005
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