Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology
Code: 101576 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2500244 East Asian Studies | FB | 1 | 2 |
Contact
- Name:
- Blai Guarné Cabello
- Email:
- Blai.Guarne@uab.cat
Use of Languages
- Principal working language:
- catalan (cat)
- Some groups entirely in English:
- No
- Some groups entirely in Catalan:
- No
- Some groups entirely in Spanish:
- No
Teachers
- Irene Masdeu Torruella
Prerequisites
Students must be able to read and understand academic texts in English.
Objectives and Contextualisation
Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology focuses on knowledge of cultural diversity, intercultural relations and the issue of ethnocentrism, as well as different aspects of communication and cross-cultural mediation, with a view to promoting respect for diversity and sociocultural equality. The subject is a vital part of the East Asian Studies programme, since it provides an insight into cultures and societies to which most of the students do not belong. Its specific objectives consist of analysing the concept of culture, learning about anthropological research methodology and techniques, and understanding mechanisms for the construction of social and cultural otherness. It also explores the consequences of intercultural contact through topics such as racism, xenophobia and stereotyping; ethnicity; acculturation; cultural hybridity; and marginalisation, exclusion and discrimination.
Competences
- Applying knowledge of the ethical and methodological principles in order to ease the relations in international and intercultural contexts.
- Developing critical thinking and reasoning and communicating them effectively both in your own and other languages.
- Developing self-learning strategies.
- Ensuring the quality of one's own work.
- Fostering respect of diversity and equality in the practice of interculturality.
- Having interpersonal skills.
- Knowing and comprehending the cultural diversity, intercultural relationships, and problems related to ethnocentrism in connection with East Asia.
- Knowing and comprehending the methodological and ethical principles that ease the relations in international and intercultural contexts.
- Knowing and using the information and communication technology resources (ICT) in order to collect, produce, analyse and present information related to the East Asian Studies.
- Recognising and overcoming the problems created by ethnocentrism in the intercultural communication and mediation.
- Respecting the diversity and plurality of ideas, people and situations.
- Respecting the gender equality.
- Students must be flexible and capable of adapting to new circumstances.
Learning Outcomes
- Applying knowledge of the ethical and methodological principles in order to ease the relations in international and intercultural contexts.
- Assessing the obtained results in the information search process in order to update the knowledge about anthropology.
- Demonstrating knowledge about key concepts and theoretical frameworks of anthropology.
- Developing critical thinking and reasoning and communicating them effectively both in your own and other languages.
- Developing self-learning strategies.
- Ensuring the quality of one's own work.
- Fostering respect of diversity and equality in the practice of interculturality.
- Having interpersonal skills.
- Knowing and comprehending the methodological and ethical principles that ease the relations in international and intercultural contexts.
- Recognising and overcoming the problems created by ethnocentrism in the intercultural communication and mediation.
- Respecting the diversity and plurality of ideas, people and situations.
- Respecting the gender equality.
- Students must be flexible and capable of adapting to new circumstances.
- Using different tools for specific purposes in the field of anthropology.
- Using the basic terminology of anthropology.
Content
Topic 1: Anthropology and cultural otherness
- The beginnings of Anthropology: history and contextualisation
- The object of Anthropology: the study of cultural diversity and the concept of "culture"
Topic 2: Difference, diversity and inequality
- The cultural encounter: evolutionism, ethnocentrism and cultural relativism
- Culture as a process: interculturalism, hybrid cultures and mobility
Topic 3: Method and techniques
- Research method: the ethnographic methodology
- Research techniques: qualitative research techniques
Topic 4: Cultural description
- Social Anthropology: functionalism and structural functionalism
- Case study: the colonial system and Orientalist discourse
Topic 5: Cultural analysis
- Cultural Anthropology: Historical Particularism and the Culture and Personality School
- Case study: cultural patterns and the study of cultures at a distance
Topic 6: Cultural interpretation
- Contemporary debates: margins, transitions and crises
Methodology
To achieve the established objectives, this subject involves both lectures and practical classes. Given that its teaching is shared, the lecturers will inform students of the characteristics of assessment activities on the first day of class. The work students carry out mainly consists of lectures, individual/group presentations in class, debates and discussions in class based on selected readings, watching documentaries, documentation searches, reading assignments, written assignments, and a series of exams. Students must keep abreast of the news and information published on the Virtual Campus / Moodle.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Lectures | 50 | 2 | 1, 9, 4, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 6 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Group project | 18 | 0.72 | 1, 9, 3, 4, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 8, 14, 15, 6 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Reading and written essay | 73 | 2.92 | 1, 9, 5, 4, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 6 |
Assessment
Assessment is continuous. Students must provide evidence of their progress by completing tasks and tests. Task deadlines will be indicated in the course schedule on the first day of class. All activity deadlines are indicated in the subject's schedule and must be strictly adhered to.
- Exam on the first part of the subject (25%) and another on the second (25%)
- Individual essay (30%)
- Group project (20%)
Related matters
The above information on assessment, assessment activities and their weighting is merely a guide. The subject's lecturer will provide full information when teaching begins.
Review
When publishing final marks prior to recording them on students' transcripts, the lecturer will provide written notification of a date and time for reviewing assessment activities. Students must arrange reviews in agreement with the lecturer.
Missed/failed assessment activities
Students may retake assessment activities they have failed or compensate for any they have missed, provided that those they have actually performed account for a minimum of 66.6% (two thirds) of the subject's final mark and that they have a weighted average mark of at least 3.5. Under no circumstances may an assessment activity worth 100% of the final mark be retaken or compensated for.
The lecturer will inform students of the procedure involved, in writing, when publishing final marks prior to recording them on transcripts. The lecturer may set one assignment per failed or missed assessment activity or a single assignment to cover a number of such activities.
Classification as "not assessable"
In the event of the assessment activities a student has performed accounting for just 25% or less of the subject's final mark, their work will be classified as "not assessable" on their transcript.
Misconductin assessment activities
Students who engage in misconduct (plagiarism, copying, personation, etc.) in an assessment activity will receive a mark of “0” for the activity in question. In the case of misconduct in more than one assessment activity, the students involved will be given a final mark of “0” for the subject.
Students may not retake assessment activities in which they are found to have engaged in misconduct. Plagiarism is considered to mean presenting all or part of an author's work, whether published in print or in digital format, as one's own, i.e. without citing it. Copying is considered to mean reproducing all or a substantial part of another student's work. In cases of copying in which it is impossible to determine which of two students has copied the work of the other, both will be penalised.
More information: http://www.uab.cat/web/study-abroad/undergraduate/academic-information/evaluation/what-is-it-about-1345670077352.html
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exams (first and second part) | 50% (25% + 25%) | 4 | 0.16 | 1, 2, 9, 3, 4, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 6 |
| Written essay (group) | 20% | 2 | 0.08 | 1, 2, 9, 3, 4, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 8, 14, 15, 6 |
| Written essay (individual) | 30% | 3 | 0.12 | 1, 2, 9, 3, 5, 4, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 6 |
Bibliography
Beltrán Antolín, Joaquín. "La diversidad cultural y el poder". UOC, Barcelona, 2007.
Boivin, Mauricio; Rosato, Ana y Arribas, Victoria. Constructores de otredad. Una introducción a la Antropología Social y Cultural. Antropofagia, Buenos Aires, 2007.
Guarné, Blai. "Mirades intencionades: representació i alteritat". UOC, Barcelona, 2002.
Guarné, Blai. "Oralitat i escriptura: tecnologies de l'intel·lecte". UOC, Barcelona, 2016.