Anthropological Theory Syllabus

Attention! Event dates may be postponed. Follow the announcements.

Spring 2022

Dr. Richard Chacon

E-mail: chaconr@winthrop.edu

Class meets virtually from 18:00 to 19:20 (Moscow time) on TUE & THU.

The course runs from TUE February 8 to THU March 3, 2022.

Final exam will be on MON March 7, 2022.

Required texts:

All reading materials will be provided by the instructor.

Course description and objectives

This course will cover all of the major past and present Anthropological theories with an emphasis on contemporary theoretical approaches (36% of all lectures focus on modern Anthropological Theory). Since none of these anthropological approaches developed in a vacuum, the course will examine the various socio-political and historical factors which shaped the development of all major theories. Therefore, students will gain a deep understanding of how and why the discipline of Anthropology emerged the way it did. Students will be able to articulate the role of theory in Anthropology. Students will also develop the ability to communicate effectively about the basic concepts and theoretical premises of Anthropology.

Grading

Grades will be based on the points earned on one final exam comprised of 4 essay questions (250 points each) worth a maximum of 1000 points.

Grade scale (out of 1000 possible points)

850-1000 = 5

650-849 = 4

500-649 = 3

499 or less = 2

Anthropological Theory topics

Lecture # 1 Historical Foundations of Anthropology

Herodotus
Polo
Fray Ramon Pané among the Taíno
Bernabe Cobo and the Inka Empire
Valladolid debate

Bartolome De Las Casas
Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda

Lecture # 2: Historical Foundations of Anthropology (continued)

Age of Enlightenment
Hobbs
Rousseau
Locke
Montesquieu
Comte

Degenerationists
Progretionists
Linnaeus

Prichard

Monogenesis
Polygenesis

Darwin’s Evolution by Natural Selection

Lecture # 3: 19^th Century Anthropological Theory

Tylor (Unilineal Evolution)
Morgan (Unilineal Evolution)

Lecture # 4: Early 20^th Century Anthropological Theory)

Boas (Historical Particularism)
Kroeber (Superorganic)

Lecture # 5: 20^th Century Anthropological Theory)

Benedict (Culture and Personality)

Modern day effects of Benedict’s work

Lecture # 6: 20^th Century Anthropological Theory (continued)

Mead (Culture and Personality/Culture at a Distance).

Samoa and adolescent stress
Sex and gender roles
Modern day effects of Mead’s work

Criticism of Mead’s work

Lecture # 7: 20^th Century Anthropological Theory (continued)

Steward (Multi-linear Evolution/Environmental Determinism/Cultural Ecology).
Rappaport (Cultural Ecology)
White (Technological Determinism)

Lecture # 8: Anthropological Functionalism

Malinowski (Functionalism).
Radcliff-Brown (Structural-Functionalism).

Lecture # 9: Emic Anthropological Theory

Evans-Pritchard
Leví-Strauss (French Structuralism)

Lecture # 10: Modern Anthropological Theory

Harris (Cultural Materialism)

Nietzsche (Foundations of Postmodernism)
Geertz (Symbolic/Interpretive Anthropology)

Lecture # 11: Modern Anthropological Theory (continued)

Nature/Nurture controversy revisited

Selectional Thinking

Wilson (Sociobiology)
Symons; Tooby and Cosmides (Evolutionary Psychology-EP)

Lecture # 12: Modern Anthropological Theory (continued)

MacArthur and Pianka (Optimal Foraging Theory-OFT)
Dyson-Hudson and Smith (Human Behavioral Ecology-HBE)
Hawkes (Showing Off Hypothesis)
Hawkes and Bliege Bird (Costly Signaling)

Lecture # 13: Modern Anthropological Theory (continued)

Universal Human Nature?

Brown (Human Universals)

Roscoe (Social Signaling)

Lecture # 14: Modern Anthropological Theory (continued)

Janis (Groupthink)
Avoiding “Inattentional Blindness” while conducting contemporary anthropological research.
Minimizing theoretical bias while conducting contemporary anthropological research.
Ethical considerations to keep in mind while conducting contemporary anthropological research.

Decolonizing Anthropology

Engaged Anthropology

Final exam on: MON March 7, 2022.

Back to list