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2022/2023

History of Anthropology II: from the Classical Schools to Postmodernism

Code: 105765 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2500256 Social and Cultural Anthropology OB 2 2

Contact

Name:
Virginia Fons Renaudon
Email:
virginia.fons@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
spanish (spa)
Some groups entirely in English:
No
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
No
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
Yes

External teachers

Per determinar

Prerequisites

This subject does not have prerequisites but it is recommended that you should previously have studied the subject "History of Anthropology I: Antecedents to Boas" to have successful learning.

Objectives and Contextualisation

This subject is part of the area "History of Anthropology" and continues the historical development of anthropology started the first semester of the second year with the "History of Anthropology I". This part is done in the second semester of 2nd year and explains the main schools and theoretical paradigms that developed in the hegemonic anthropologies after the Second World War until reaching the post-colonial crisis of the 70s and the first postmodern approaches.

Its primary formative purpose is to know the main schools and anthropological theories of the period, so that the student can give  historical coherence to the readings that are done in a dispersed way throughout the Degree and that are systematized in very different ways in the rest of the subjects. At the end of the course the students should be able to give a reason for:

a) The general, theoretical and methodological characteristics of the different schools or currents that have occurred in this period of the history of anthropology;

b) The theses and main developments of each of the authors considered.

Competences

  • 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.
  • Demonstrate skills for working autonomously or in teams to achieve the planned objectives including in multicultural and interdisciplinary contexts.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Students must demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the history of anthropological theory and the genesis of its basic concepts.
  • Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
  • 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. Applying the basic concepts of the anthropological theory.
  3. Assess the reliability of sources, select important data and cross-check information.
  4. Carry out ethical use of the information especially when it is of a personal nature.
  5. Communicate using language that is not sexist or discriminatory.
  6. Consider how gender stereotypes and roles impinge on the exercise of the profession.
  7. Critically analyse the principles, values and procedures that govern the exercise of the profession.
  8. Critically assessing ethnographic materials as a proposal for theoretical models.
  9. Critically identify and compose a basic bibliography for the field opf study.
  10. Effectively working in teams and respecting different opinions.
  11. Establishing historical connection between ethnographic and theoretical development.
  12. Explain the explicit or implicit code of practice of one's own area of knowledge.
  13. Explaining aspects of the history of science by using the discipline's specific terminology.
  14. Explaining the specific notions of the history of science.
  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 key elements of the western cultural tradition from the 19th century to the present day.
  19. Identifying the recent disciplinary developments and the correlation between the anthropological theory and the social disciplines related in their historical development and the current interdisciplinary tendencies.
  20. Identifying the theories about human species in their relation to society and culture production.
  21. Integrating holistically the progress from the classical fields of Anthropology.
  22. Plan work effectively, individually or in groups, in order to fulfil the planned objectives.
  23. Proponer proyectos y acciones que estén de acuerdo con los principios de responsabilidad ética y de respeto por los derechos y deberes fundamentales, la diversidad y los valores democráticos.
  24. Propose projects and actions that incorporate the gender perspective.
  25. Recognizing and interpreting the main theoretical orientations throughout the discipline's history from the 19th century to the present day.
  26. Weigh up the impact of any long- or short-term difficulty, harm or discrimination that could be caused to certain persons or groups by the actions or projects.

Content

UNIT I. Introduction: what kind of History of what Anthropologies?

UNIT II. British Functionalism and Evans-Pritchard

UNIT III. French Anthropology and the Structuralism of Lévi-Strauss

UNIT IV. USA anthropology post-II World War: the dispute between Materialist and Symbolist Perspectives

UNIT V. Materialisms: Marvin Harris

UNIT VI. Symbolisms: Marshall Sahlins

UNIT VII. The Fall of The Wall And the Postmodern Turn: Clifford Geertz

Methodology

A. Theoretical and practical classes led by teachers: Master classes with ICT support and seminars for discussion in a large group and discussion of texts.

B. Search for documentation, reading texts, writing works

C. Study: Making diagrams, conceptual maps and summaries.

D. Tutorials: Personalized attention to the student in the office or in the classroom.  The office hours and place for tutorials will be announced the first day of class and also will be available at the Moodle classroom.

TEACHING MATERIAL

In order to follow the teaching rhythm of the course, students must make the required readings that will be indicated in classes. The general bibliography contained in this Teaching Guide offers manuals that students are expected to use to complement the syllabus beyond what is explained in the classroom. During the course it is possible that other complementary literature is recommended.

DYNAMICS OF WORK

The course consists of 7 themed blocks. Each thematic block will be accompanied by one or more compulsory readings (chapters of a book or articles) that will be the basis for the discussion in class at the end of each thematic block. Compulsory readings complement the notes and will also be material to be taken into account for the assessment work. It can be asked the reading of a complete book or monograph related to one of the themed blocks, which will be indicated by the professor or should be chosen by the student from a list. 

Mandatory readings and the calendar for the exam and the delivery of works will be provided at the beginning of the course and will be availablein the moodle classroom.
 
The teaching methodology and the evaluation proposed in the guide may undergo some modification subject to the onsite teachingrestrictions imposed by health authorities.

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      
Discussion of readings 9 0.36 7, 1, 8, 5, 11, 13, 14, 15, 19, 18, 17, 20, 21, 23, 25, 2, 6, 26, 3
Master classes 40 1.6 7, 8, 11, 13, 12, 14, 19, 18, 17, 20, 21, 23, 25, 2, 6
Type: Supervised      
Individual and group tutorials 2 0.08 8, 11, 13, 14, 19, 18, 20, 21, 25, 10, 2
Type: Autonomous      
Readings 15 0.6 7, 8, 11, 13, 14, 19, 18, 9, 16, 20, 21, 22, 25, 2
Studing and personal work 40 1.6 7, 8, 11, 13, 14, 19, 18, 9, 20, 21, 22, 25, 2
Works 30 1.2 8, 11, 13, 14, 15, 19, 18, 9, 16, 20, 21, 25, 2

Assessment

Evaluation of the course is understood as a continuous and progressive process, which extends throughout the course period and is developed from the realization of different assessment activities:

WORK MODULE (30% of the final grade):

Group work on a issue chosen by the students from a list proposed by the teacher. The guideline for the completion of the work and the evaluation rubric will be provided at the beginning of course.

PARTICIPATION MODULE (20% of the final grade): this module is not recoverable.

There will be several compulsory readings of texts of the authors worked in class that will be discussed collectively (in the classroom or through the Virtual Campus forum). The evaluation will take into account not only the number of debates where the student has participated but also on the quality of the intervention, as well as the participation on the day scheduled for the debate. The evidence on the participation will be the written contributions derived from the activities carried out.

WRITTEN TEST MODULE (50% of the final grade):

There will be two exams (25% each) on the course themes and the compulsory readings.

To pass the course, students will need to obtain a minimum score of 5 resulting from the average of the marks obtained in each of the activities (according to the percentage of each in the final note). 

At the time of carrying out each evaluation activity, the lecturer will inform the students (in the classroom or via Virtual Campus) of the procedure and date of review of the qualifications.

At the beginning of the course, the schedule will be reached with the dates of completion of the work, discussion of compulsory readings, and exams. Also, it will be given the compulsory readings in PDF format atVirtual Campus.

 

ASSESSMENT IN CASE OF NON-PRESENTIAL SITUATION:

In the event that tests or exams cannot be taken onsite, they will be adapted to an online format made available through the UAB’s virtual tools (original weighting will be maintained). Homework, activities and class participation will be carried out through forums, wikis, and/or discussion on Teams, etc. Lecturers will ensure that students are able to access these virtual tools, or will offer them feasible alternatives.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

All activities have a deadline that must be met strictly, according to the proposed schedule. The absence or delivery outside the term of the evaluation activities without a justified and accredited cause means that the activity will not be evaluated.

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.

NOT ASSESSABLE

The student will receive the grade of Not assessable as long as he/she has not done one or any of the two exams and delivered the written essay, except for justified and duly accredited reasons. In any case, students will obtain a “Not assessed/Not submitted” course grade unless they have submitted more than 30% of the assessment items.

RE-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Suspended students who meet the criteria to be assessable (ie who have completed the first exam (25%) and at least 50% of the discussions) and have obtained a minimum grade point average of 3.5 will be eligible for recovery. Recovery will consist of an examen of the suspended part. The participation module is not recoverable.

 

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Works 30% 1 0.04 7, 1, 8, 5, 11, 13, 12, 14, 4, 19, 18, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 10, 2, 6, 26
Written Tests 50% 4 0.16 8, 11, 13, 14, 15, 19, 18, 9, 16, 20, 21, 25, 2
Writting and Discussion of readings 20% 9 0.36 7, 8, 5, 11, 13, 14, 15, 19, 18, 9, 20, 21, 22, 25, 2, 3

Bibliography

RECOMMENDED HANDBOOKS:

BONTE, Pierre & IZARD, Michael: Diccionario de Etnología y Antropología, Madrid: Akal, 1996.

BARNARD, Alan & SPENCER, Jonathan: Encyclopedia of social and Cultural Anthropology, London: Routledge, 1996 (2002).

ENCICLOPEDIA INTERNACIONAL DE LAS CIENCIAS SOCIALES, dirigida por David L. Sills [Ed. Española, director Vicente Cervera Tomás], Madrid: Aguilar, 1974-1977.

HARRIS, Marvin, El desarrollo de la teoría antropológica, Madrid, Siglo XXI, 1983.

MARTÍNEZ VEIGA, Ubaldo, Historia de la antropología. Teorías, praxis y lugares de estudio, Madrid: UNED, 2008.

MARZAL, Manuel, Historia de la antropología. Volumen 2.Antropología cultural, Quito: Ediciones Abya-Yala, 1996.

MARZAL, Manuel, Historia de la antropología. Volumen 3.Antropología social, Quito: Ediciones Abya-Yala, 1996.

REYNOSO, C., Corrientes en antropología contemporánea, Buenos Aires, Biblos, 1998.

REYNOSO, C. (compl), El surgimiento de la antropología postmoderna, México: Gedisa, 1992.

REYNOSO, C. Corrientes teóricas en Antropología: Perspectivas desde el Siglo XXI, Universidad de Buenos Aires, 2020.

SAHLINS, Marshall: Cultura y razón práctica. Contra el utilitarismo en la teoría antropológica, Barcelona: Gedisa, 1988. 

FURTHER READING:

AZCONA, J., Para comprender la antropología, Estella, Verbo Divino, 1987 (vol. 1, "La historia"; vol. 2, "La cultura").

BARTH, F. et alt. (2012). Una disciplina, cuatro caminos. Antropologíabritánica, alemana, francesa y estadounidense. Buenos Aires: Prometeo Libros.

BOHANNAN, P. y GLAZER, M., Antropología. Lecturas, Barcelona, McGraw Hill Interamericana, 1992.

CARO BAROJA, J., Los fundamentos del pensamiento antropológico moderno, Madrid, CSIC, 1991.

DARNELL, Regna (comp.), Readings in the History of Anthropology, New York, Harper & Row Publishers, 1974.

DESCOLA, Ph. et alt., Les idées de l'anthropologie, París, A. Colin, 1988.

ERIKSEN, Thomas Hylland & NIELSEN, Finn Sivert (2001). A history of Anthropology. London: Pluto Press.

EVANS-PRITCHARD, E.E., Historia del pensamiento antropológico, Madrid, Cátedra, 1987.

GEERTZ, C., El antropólogo como autor, Madrid: Paidós, 1989

GEERTZ, C., Tras los hechos. Dos paises, cuatro décadas y un antropólogo, Madrid: Paidós.

KAHN, J.S. (ed.), El concepto de cultura: textos fundamentales, Barcelona, Anagrama, 1975.

KAPLAN, D. y MANNERS, R.A., Introducción crítica a la antropología cultural México, Nueva Imagen, 1979.

KILANI, Mondher, Introduction à l'anthropologie, Paris, Editions Payot, 1996.

KUPER, A., Cultura. La versión de los antropólogos, Barcelona: Paidós, 2001.

LINS RIBEIRO, G. & ESCOBAR, A. (eds.), Antropologías del mundo. Transformaciones disciplinarias dentro de sistemas de poder, México: Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana/Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en Antropología Social/ Universidad Iberoamericana/Envión/The Wenner-Gren International, 2009.

LLOBERA, J.R., La antropología como ciencia, Barcelona, Anagrama, 1975 (especialmente, Llobera, J.R.: "Postcriptum: algunas tesis provisionales sobre la naturaleza de la antropología", pág. 373-287).

LOMBARD, J., L´anthropologie britannique contemporaine, París, P.U.F., 1972.

LOMBARD, J., Introducción a la etnología, Madrid, Alianza editorial, 1997.

LOWIE, R.H., Historia de la etnología, México, F.C.E., 1946.

MERCIER, P., Historia de la antropología, Madrid, Península, 1995.

ORTNER, Sherry, "Teoría en Antropología desde los sesentas" Estudios comparativos en Sociedad e Historia 26(1):126-166, 1984.

PALERM, A., Historia de la etnología: los profesionales británicos, México, Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, 1977.

ROSSI, I. y O'HIGGINS, E., Teorías de la cultura y métodos antropológicos, Barcelona, Anagrama, 1981.

SPERBER, D., El simbolismo en general, Barcelona: Anthropos, 1988.

STOCKING, G. W. (ed.), Observers observed. Essays on Ethnographic Fieldwork [History of Anthropology (I),] Madison, University of Wisconsin Press, 1985.

STOCKING, G. W. (ed.), Functionalism Historicized. Essays on British Social Anthropology [History of Anthropology (II)], Madison, University of Wisconsin Press, 1984.

STOCKING, G. W. (ed.), Objects and Others. Essays on Museums and Material Culture [History of Anthropology (III)], Madison, University of Wisconsin Press, 1985.

STOCKING, G. W. (ed.), Malinowski, Rivers, Benedict and Others. Essays on Culture and Personality [History of Anthropology (IV)], Madison, University of Wisconsin Press, 1986.

STOCKING. G. W., After Tylor. British Social Anthropology, 1888-1951, London, The Athlone Press,1999.

STOLCKE, Verena, “De padres, filiaciones y malas memoria. Qué historias de qué antropologías?” J. Bestard i Camps (coord.), Después de Malinowski. Sta Cruz de Tenerife: Asociación Canaria de Antropología, pp. 147-198, 1993.

Software

MOODLE AT VIRTUAL CAMPUS