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2022/2023

Historical Anthropology

Code: 101251 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2500256 Social and Cultural Anthropology OT 3 1
2500256 Social and Cultural Anthropology OT 4 1

Contact

Name:
Josep Lluís Mateo Dieste
Email:
joseplluis.mateo@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
catalan (cat)
Some groups entirely in English:
No
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
Yes
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
No

Prerequisites

There are no pre–requisites

Objectives and Contextualisation

Optional course that is part of the subject of "Thematic areas of anthropology". It is taught in the first semester.

The general objective of the course is to train the student in the theories and methods of study of society as a historical phenomenon, based on the basis that the analysis of the diachronic and processual dimension is part of the anthropological task.

The course will introduce different authors and schools of thought that have proposed models of processual and historical analysis of societies; and methodological problems derived from studying both societies of the past and present societies in movement, based on the ethnography of the archive, oral history and visual techniques. We will discuss through different illustrative monographs the modus operandi of historical anthropology in various classical fields, with special attention to colonial studies, systems of power and classification, forms of religious experience, as well as the problem of modernity.

At the end of the course, the students will be able to:

- Incorporate the historical dimension in the anthropological analysis of society.

- Know and apply the main methods for diachronic analysis and the study of social change.

Competences

    Social and Cultural Anthropology
  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
  • Apprehending cultural diversity through ethnography and critically assessing ethnographic materials as knowledge of local contexts and as a proposal of theoretical models.
  • Carry out effective written work or oral presentations adapted to the appropriate register in different languages.
  • Demonstrating they know and comprehend the epistemological and methodological debates in Anthropology and the main investigation techniques.
  • Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
  • Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
  • Take sex- or gender-based inequalities into consideration when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
  • Use digital tools and critically interpret specific documentary sources.
  • Using the discipline's ethnographic and theoretical corpus with analytical and synthesis skills.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse the sex- or gender-based inequalities and the gender biases present in one's own area of knowledge.
  2. Analysing a contemporary fact from an anthropological perspective.
  3. Applying the basic concepts of Social and Cultural Anthropology to the understanding of relationships between various societies and cultures.
  4. Applying the knowledge of cultural variability and its genesis to avoid ethnocentric projections.
  5. Apprehending cultural diversity through ethnography and critically assessing ethnographic materials as local context knowledge.
  6. Assess the reliability of sources, select important data and cross-check information.
  7. Assessing critically the explicit and implicit theoretical models in the ethnographic materials.
  8. Carry out ethical use of the information especially when it is of a personal nature.
  9. Communicate using language that is not sexist or discriminatory.
  10. Consider how gender stereotypes and roles impinge on the exercise of the profession.
  11. Critically analyse the principles, values and procedures that govern the exercise of the profession.
  12. Critically identify and compose a basic bibliography for the field opf study.
  13. Distinguishing between the theoretical concepts of Anthropology and the indigenous concepts.
  14. Establishing historical connection between ethnographic and theoretical development.
  15. Express ideas with a specific vocabulary appropriate to the discipline.
  16. Identify main and secondary ideas and express them with linguistic correctness.
  17. Identify the principal forms of sex- or gender-based inequality and discrimination present in society.
  18. Identifying the sociocultural variability through ethnographic texts and audiovisual resources.
  19. Identifying the transcultural variability of economic, kinship, political, symbolic and cognitive, educational and gender systems as well as their corresponding anthropological theory.
  20. Interpreting the cultural diversity through ethnography.
  21. Knowing and assessing the methodological debate of social and cultural Anthropology.
  22. Summarising acquired knowledge about the origin and transformations experienced in the several fields of anthropology.
  23. Summarizing the characteristics of a written text in accordance to its communicative purposes.
  24. Theoretically analysing ethnographic examples of cultural diversity in the fields of education, gender and inclusion-exclusion systems.

Content

1. Presentation of historical anthropology

 - History of a false dichotomy

- Approaches and proposals. From the history of mentalities to the Comaroff

2. Methodological challenges

 - Disassembling chronocentrism. History, histories

- Ethnography of the archive

- Observing visual sources

- Oral history and memory policies

3. Applications and analysis of historical anthropology through the study of power

- Colonial situations. Intersections, forms of domination and resistance

- Systems of classification and production of exclusion: from blood to race and culture

- Religious visions, apparitions and social tensions

- Global history and multiple modernities

Methodology

Teaching methodology:

- Master classes with the support of the new information and communication technologies (NTIC).

- Presentation and discussion of cases.

- Presentation of guidelines for the autonomous analysis of documentation in historical and ethnographic archives and databases.

- Elaboration of abstracts of readings and discussion.

- Carry out diagrams and research projects.

Training Activities:

- Theoretical classes and targeted discussion sessions.

- Definition of approaches and sample of methodologies for diachronic analysis.

- Comprehensive reading and discussion of texts.

- Preparation of a research project.

- Individual study and discussion in team for the elaboration of works. Oral exhibitions and elaboration of works.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Classroom Group discussions 15 0.6 24, 4, 7, 21, 14, 18, 23, 22
Teacher's exposition 35 1.4 24, 4, 3, 5, 7, 21, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 22
Type: Supervised      
Individual or team works and presentations 17 0.68 24, 2, 7, 21, 13, 14, 19, 23, 22
Tutorials - written preparation work 5 0.2 24, 7, 21, 14, 20, 22
Type: Autonomous      
Personal study and work preparation 40 1.6 24, 4, 3, 7, 21, 13, 14, 19, 20, 23
Reading, prospecting and analysis of information 35 1.4 24, 4, 3, 7, 21, 13, 14, 18, 19, 22

Assessment

At the beginning of the course, a schedule will be provided with the calendar of assessment activities and the instructions for the exercises. Consult Moodle regularly to extend / update the information in this guide and for the general functioning of the course. 

Active participation in class: discussion of readings (10%) and presentation of research project (10%)

20%

Theoretical test: 25%

Written delivery of the reading presented orally: 5%.

30%

Final project

50% 

 The subject is evaluated using the following modules:

Module 1. Participation (20%)

- Presentation and discussion of readings: 10% oral presentation

- Reflection and discussion of a research project: 10%

Module 2. Written evidence (30%)

- Test about the readings discussed in class and its applications: 25%

-Written delivery of the reading presented orally: 5%.

Module 3. Research work (50%)

- Research project: reading a guiding thematic monograph (20%) + application to a practical case of research (30%)

 

- On carrying out each evaluation activity, lecturers will inform students (on Moodle) of the procedures to be followed for reviewing all grades awarded, and the date on which such a review will take place.

- In order to pass the course, it is necessary to pass module 2 of written tests and module 3 of the research work with a minimum grade of 5.

- In order to participate in re-assesment, the teacher may require the student to have obtained a minimumfinal grade, which may in no case exceed 3.5.

- Activities excluded from re-assessment: non-presence during the oral presentationof the reading (10% of the mark) and during the presentation of the research in progress (10% of the mark) can not be recovered.

- Students will obtain a “Not assessed/Not submitted” course grade unless they have submitted more than 30% of the assessment items.

- PLAGIARISM: In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the Student will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place. In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject, the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject.

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Delivery of works 50% 0 0 2, 4, 3, 5, 7, 21, 13, 14, 8, 12, 18, 19, 16, 17, 20, 23, 22, 6
Oral presentations and participation 20% 1 0.04 11, 9, 21, 13, 14, 23, 22, 10
Theoretical tests 30% 2 0.08 1, 24, 3, 5, 7, 21, 13, 14, 15, 16, 23, 22

Bibliography

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Software

Word processor (Word type), Powerpoint.