Introduction to Anthropology
Anth 104.02 –
Fall 2002
Lecture: MWF: 9:00-9:50am Instructor: Monty
Roper
Goodnow Hall Rm. 105 305
Goodnow Hall
e-mail:
roperjm@grinnell.edu
Office Hours: M-W, F 10-12. During office hours, you are welcome to stop by without an
appointment. During non-office hours,
you are also welcome to stop by, but I will often be occupied and unable to
meet. I will be happy, however, to
schedule appointments during non-office hours.
If you are having problems with course materials for any reason, I
strongly encourage you to come see me. If you need to get in touch with me and
are unable to do so by phone (or prefer not to), you can e-mail me. I check my e-mail regularly.
Accommodations
for students with disabilities: Any student eligible for and needing academic
adjustments or accommodations because of a documented disability is requested
to speak with the professor no later than (Sept 20). You will need to provide documentation of your disability to the
Associate Dean and Director of Academic Advising, Joyce Stern, located in the
lower level of the Forum (x3702).
Course Description and Goals
This course is a general introduction to
anthropology. It will be taught using a
combination of lectures, readings, class discussion, projects, and films (when
time and pace permit). The purpose of
the course is to introduce you to the diverse field of anthropology – the study
of humans – through a consideration of the four fields of anthropology. These include biological anthropology,
archaeology, linguistics and social/cultural anthropology. One of our goals will be to gain a general
understanding of the nature of the discipline.
As such, throughout the course we will explore what anthropologists do,
how they gather their data, and how this helps to understand the human
condition. Our other main goal is to
examine how anthropological study has broadened our understanding of the
species. Some of the underlying
questions that we will address include:
How did humans evolve as a species and what makes us unique? What kinds of similarities and differences
have been found between societies and cultures, and how can we explain
these? How and why are cultures
changing today as interactions and communication between diverse groups
increase?
Please understand that this is an
introductory course to a field of study with an enormous breadth of
inquiry. I am certain that there will
be times when we cover only very briefly materials that you would like to explore
in more depth. I encourage you to ask
questions whenever you have them, but understand that the pace of the course
will often be rapid.
Required
Texts:
1.
Examinations: (65% of grade) There will be three exams respectively worth
20%, 20%, and 25% of your final grade.
Exams will include multiple choice, short answer and short essay
questions.
2.
Name that Skull project: (15% of grade) Early in the semester, I will
arrange a set of labs during which time everyone will be required to analyze
and identify a number of hominoid skulls.
The final report will identify the mystery skulls, explain the logic of
the identification, and answer several questions that will be posed.
3.
Paper: (15% of grade) Students will be
required to write a paper (1500-2000 words) that compares and contrasts two
social groups on the basis of a particular cultural institution. The two groups chosen must be distinct from
those that we focus on in class and must be pre-approved.
4.
Participation and Attendance (5% of grade) Everyone should keep up with the reading and come
to class prepared to answer questions, ask questions, and/or engage in
discussion of materials with the class.
In the course of lecturing, I will often ask questions related to the
reading and to materials that we have covered in past classes. We will also devote a small number of
classes primarily to discussion and will undertake some group activities in
class. Everyone's participation is
expected. On occasion, I will also
provide opportunities for students to research information for the benefit of
the class and/or present information in class.
Attendance is required, and I will take roll. Any exam or in-class assignment that is
missed because of an unexcused
absence will receive a zero. An excused
absence is given only through prior permission of the instructor, or in the
case of medical emergencies (a visit to the health center does not suffice) or
death in the family. In the later two
cases, notice must be provided through academic affairs. The class begins at 9:00am, based on the
clock in the classroom. Please do not
make a habit of coming to class late, as this is disruptive to the class.
Anyone that misses more than 4 classes for any reason or is habitually
late to class will receive a zero for their participation grade.
Grading Overview
Assignment Due
Date Percentage of Final Grade
Skull
Assignment Sept
23 15%
Exam 1 Sept
30 20%
Exam 2 Nov
8 20%
Paper Dec
2 15%
Final Exam Dec 20 25%
Class
Participation Always 5%
Date
|
Topic
|
Required
Readings
|
|
|
Introduction to
General Anthropology
|
|||
|
Aug 30 |
Introduction to course and
review of syllabus Anthropology and the Four
Fields |
NA |
|
|
Sept 2 |
The
anthropological perspective Careers
in anthropology |
·
Whitten, Article 1 ·
Whitten, Article 34 |
|
|
The Evolution of Modern Humans |
|||
|
Sept 4 |
Principles
of adaptation and evolution |
·
Lewin 2-6 (focus on 4,5,6) ·
Whitten, Art 2 |
|
|
Sept 6 |
Studying human ancestry:
methods and analysis |
·
Lewin 7-9, 18 ·
Whitten, Art 5 |
|
|
Sept 9 |
From
primates to hominoids |
·
Lewin 10, 15,16 |
|
|
Sept 11 |
Australopithecines and
bipedalism |
·
Lewin 17,19,20 |
|
|
Sept 13 |
Early
Homo and the first tools |
·
Lewin 21-23 |
|
|
Sept 16 |
Homo
Ergaster/Erectus (a well traveled hunter?) |
·
Lewin 24-26 |
|
|
Sept 18 |
Homo
Sapiens |
·
Lewin 27-30 ·
Whitten, Art 3, 4 |
|
|
Sept 20 |
The evolution of language
– A human Trait? |
·
Lewin 31-33 ·
Whitten, Art 26, 27 |
|
|
Human Physical/Biological Variation |
|||
|
Sept 23-25 |
The question of race (Nature or Nurture hot topic #1) |
·
Skulls Assignment Due
(9/23) ·
Whitten, Arts 12, 13 ·
AAA Statement on Race |
|
|
Sept 27 |
Human
Variation An
end to human evolution? |
·
Whitten Art. 14 |
|
|
Sept 30 |
Exam I |
||
|
An Introduction to Culture and Social Institutions |
|||
|
Oct 2 |
What
is Culture? |
·
Whitten 189-190, Art 32 |
|
|
Oct 4-7 |
Social
Institutions |
·
Whitten Pp: 207, 216, 256 ·
Arts 36,46 |
|
|
Oct 9-11 |
Gender Nature or Nurture Special
Topic 2 |
·
Whitten, Art 10, 11, 28,29 ·
Whitten Topic 12 |
|
|
Cultural Evolution and the Study of Prehistory |
|||
|
Oct 14 |
The
Neolithic Transition |
·
Lewin 34-35 ·
Whitten, Art 20, Art 21 ·
Whitten Art 38,39 |
|
|
Oct 16 |
The
Rise (and fall) of Cities and States |
·
Whitten, Art 22-25 |
|
|
Oct 18 |
Doing
Archeology |
·
Kamp 1-4 ·
Whitten, Art 15, 16 |
|
Oct 19-27
Fall Break!! Please Have Fun |
|||
|
Oct 28-30 |
Case Study: The Sinagua of Lizard Man Village |
·
Kamp 5-11 |
|
|
Sociolinguistics: Culture and Communication |
|||
|
Nov 1, |
Sociolinguistics |
Phillips
Part I |
|
|
4, 6 |
Case Study: Warm Springs Indian Reservation |
Phillips
Part II & III |
|
|
Nov 8 |
Exam 2 |
||
Cultural Ecology
and Cultural Diversity
|
|||
|
Nov 11 Nov 13 |
Foraging
Bands ·
The Dobe Ju/'hoansi (!Kung) |
·
Whitten Art 33 (xmas in Kalahari) |
|
|
Nov 15 Nov 18 Nov 20 |
Horticultural
Groups Case Study: The Yanomamo of Venezuela and
Brazil |
·
Good, “Into the Heart…” |
|
|
Nov 22 Nov 25 Nov 27 |
Pastoralists Case Study: The Ariaal of Northern Kenya |
·
Fratkin, Ariaal Pastoralists of
Kenya |
|
|
Nov 29 |
Intensive
Agriculture and Peasant Society |
·
Review Whitten 38 |
|
|
Dec 2 |
Industrial
Agriculture and the Modern World System |
·
Paper Due ·
Film – Hungry for Profit |
|
|
Modernization, Culture Change and the Role of Anthropology |
|||
|
Dec 4 Dec 6 |
Globalization
and Modernization |
Whitten
Topic 14 (Art 47-50) |
|
|
Dec 9 Dec 11 |
Applying
anthropology |
Whitten
Part VI (Art 51-56) |
|
|
Dec 13 |
Wrap
Up |
|
|
Final Exam: Friday, Dec 20 9:00 AM |
|||