01:070:311 - History of – Fall 2016 - Assaf Harel

Anthropology 311: Tuesday 10:55 -1:55, Hickman-213, Douglass Campus Prerequisite: 101 Instructor: Assaf Harel Email:[email protected] Phone: 848-932-4107 Office Hours: Tuesday, 2:15 – 3:15 Thursday, 12:30 - 1:30 or by appointment Ruth Adams #313

Course Description:

This course reviews the history of sociocultural anthropology from the late 19th century to the beginning of the 21st century through engagement with major theoretical works that shaped the discipline. We will move chronologically and topically and pay attention to the historical, sociocultural and institutional conditions from which anthropological theories emerged. In the process we will examine how major issues and debates playout over time and consider how different personalities, national traditions and ideologies contributed to the making of the anthropological discipline. Throughout the course, students will learn to apply major theoretical concepts towards an examination of sociocultural problems from the past and the present. In addition, students will pursue individual research projects that will enable them to deepen their understanding of a specific anthropological theme of their interest and gain training in research, writing and presentation skills. By the end of the course, you will gain historical and theoretical knowledge of anthropology and its uniqueness as a discipline that blurs the boundaries between the social sciences and the humanities.

Course Objectives:

 To gain proficiency of major historical developments in anthropological theory such as evolutionary thought, , functionalism, structuralism, post-structuralism, post-modern and feminist critiques as well as globalization and engaged anthropology [CITE 1 see http://anthro.rutgers.edu/undergrad-program/department-learning-goals]  To relate influential thinkers to their historical and intellectual milieu and understand their impact upon anthropological thought in the past and the present [CITE 1]  To assist students’ ability to employ analytical skills when evaluating key theoretical perspectives within anthropology such as the tensions between universalism and particularism, objectivity and subjectivity, self and other [CITE 2]  to develop students’ proficiency in speaking critically and effectively about the history of anthropology [CITE 5]  to develop students’ ability to research and write cogently and/or persuasively about the anthropological discipline through engagement with its central theoretical and methodological formations [CITE 3 & 4]  to encourage students to integrate anthropological perspectives into their thinking about their future lives and work

1

01:070:311 - History of Anthropology – Fall 2016 - Assaf Harel

Required Texts: “Anthropological Theory: An Introductory History” by R. Jon McGee and Richard Warms, Published by: McGraw-Hill, Third Edition, 2004 (used copies are available on Amazon for around $3). More readings will be on Sakai. In addition, a few more readings might be added during the course. This syllabus is thus subject to a few minor changes.

Assignments and Grading Structure (see schedule below for due dates):

Attendance and Participation 25%

Class attendance is required. No more than two absences will be accepted. If you expect to miss one or two classes, please use the University absence reporting website https://sims.rutgers.edu/ssra/ to indicate the date and reason for your absence. An email is automatically sent to me. Active participation entails contributing thoughtful comments regarding presentations, readings, films, and group discussions during each class meeting.

Reading Notes 25%

Without a serious commitment to the readings, you will not learn as much about the history of anthropology as you hoped and deserve. Students are expected to complete all of the weekly readings before class and come to class prepared to discuss the material. In addition, students must bring the weekly readings to each class. Furthermore, to help your learning, each week you will prepare readings notes that should not be longer than one page. These notes can include summaries of readings and main arguments; questions that probe into the author’s arguments and methods and/or draw connections between that week’s readings or the previous week; general questions concerning the readings; reflections. The notes will be used to facilitate class and group discussion. You are expected to bring the notes to class and submit them at the end of class. I will grade the reading notes as +√/√/-√.

Research Paper 30%:

Beginning in the first few weeks of the course, students are required to think about a final research project to be conducted during the semester. The final paper - which should be around 10 double-spaced pages - is to be a written analysis that illustrates how anthropological approaches for interpreting sexuality can be useful, or not, for further understanding a social issue of interest to you. The paper must demonstrate a grasp of the concepts you engage, contain a clearly stated research question, and provide a discussion of findings in relation to course readings. In addition, the paper must meaningfully cite at least 6 course readings. It is fine if you have no idea of what to explore. I will help you identify a topic that matches your interests. On Tuesday, 10/04, you will submit a brief research proposal, of no more than one or two paragraphs, in which you present a research topic. On Tuesday, 11/08, you will submit a preliminary draft, which should be no longer than 2 pages and will include a clear research question, a rough outline, and an initial list of sources. In addition, you are encouraged to meet with me at least once to review your research project. The final paper is due on December 19th.

Presentation 20%:

You will present in class your research project. The presentation assignment is aimed to allow you to share your project with the rest of the class, further conceptualize your research project, receive critical feedback, and gain the opportunity to develop your public speaking skills. The presentation needs to incorporate visuals or audiovisual elements that enrich and/or support the main argument. The topic of your presentation will be determined and approved along with your research project. More specific instructions will be handed out in class and posted on Sakai.

2

01:070:311 - History of Anthropology – Fall 2016 - Assaf Harel

Course Policies:

Academic integrity: The work you submit must be your own. Cheating and Plagiarism will not be tolerated. It is the students’ responsibility to be familiar with the rights and obligations associated with academic integrity. You are encouraged to read the full policy on academic integrity at the following website: http://academicintegrity.rutgers.edu/academic-integrity-at-rutgers and to consult these resources for guidelines on producing academic work: http://academicintegrity.rutgers.edu/resources.

In Class: Please arrive on time for all class meetings. While in class, all mobile phones, iPods, etc. must be silenced. Laptop usage is permitted only as long as it is not bothersome to other students. For example, do not surf through your private information while sitting in front of other students who may be distracted. If you miss a class, contact another student in the course to find out what you missed and how to prepare for the next meeting.

Submitting work for Evaluation: I will accept late work, but with a one grade reduction for each 24 hours period it is late.

Learning differences and support services: Any student with a disability requiring accommodations in this course is encouraged to contact me after class, during office hours or by email at the beginning of the semester. In addition, students will need to contact Disability Support Services in the Allen Center.

3

01:070:311 - History of Anthropology – Fall 2016 - Assaf Harel

Course Schedule

Week 1 – Introduction

Week 1 - Nineteenth Century Forerunners – Tu, 09/06

Sir Edward Burneit Tylor, The Science of , AT 3 Lewis Henry Morgan, Ethnical Periods, AT 4 Marx, Karl and Friedreich Engles, Feuerbach: Opposition of the Materialist and Idealist Outlook, AT 5 Freud Sigmond, Part III [Civilization and its Discontents], In Readings for a History of Anthropological Theory, Ed. Paul A. Erickson and Liam D. Murphy, Broadview Press, Pp. 95-108. [Sakai]

Recommended: Darwin, Charles. 2001(1871). General Summary and Conclusion [The Descent of Man], In Readings for a History of Anthropological Theory, Ed. Paul A. Erickson and Liam D. Murphy, Broadview Press, Pp. 63-75. [Sakai] Herbert Spencer, The Social Organism, AT 2

Week 2 - Early Sociological Foundations: French and German Traditions – Tu, 09/13

Emile Durkheim, What Is a Social Fact? AT 6 Emile Durkheim, The Cosmological System of Totemism and the Idea of Class, AT 7 Marcel Mauss, Excerpts from The Gift, AT 8 Max Weber, Class, Status, Party, AT 9

Recommended: Georg Simmel, 1908 The Stranger From Kurt Wolff (Trans.), The Sociology of Georg Simmel. New York: Free Press, 1950, pp. 402 – 408. [Sakai]

Week 3 - Historical Particularism and American Anthropology – Tu, 09/20

Franz Boas, The Methods of AT 10 Alfred .L. Kroeber, Eighteen Professions AT 11 Paul Radin, Right and Wrong AT 12 Benjamin L. Whorf (1939) The Relation of Habitual Thought and Behavior to Language, In Anthropological Theory: An Introductory History by R. Jon McGee and Richard Warms, Published by: McGraw-Hill, Fourth Edition, 2008, Pp. 141-158. [Sakai]

Recommended: Zora Neale Hurston, 1926, Sweat [Sakai] Claudia Roth Pierpont. 2004. "The Measure of America," The New Yorker, March 8 [Sakai]

4

01:070:311 - History of Anthropology – Fall 2016 - Assaf Harel

Week 4 - Functionalism and British Anthropology – Tu 09/27

Bronislaw Malinowski, The Essentials of the Kula AT 13 A. R. Radcliffe-Brown, On Joking Relationships AT 14 E.E Evans-Pritchard, the Nuer of the Southern Sudan AT 15 Max Gluckman, The Licence in Ritual AT 16

Week 5 – Psychological Anthropology: Culture and Personality – Tu, 10/04

Ruth Fulton Benedict, Psychological Types in the of the Southwest AT 17 Margaret Mead, Introduction to Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive AT 18 Margaret Mead. 2001 (1928). Introduction [Coming of Age in Samoa], In Readings for a History of Anthropological Theory, Ed. Paul A. Erickson and Liam D. Murphy, Broadview Press, Pp. 181- 195. [Sakai] Edward, sapir. 2014 [1932]. and Psychiatry. Savage Minds Occasional Paper Series 11, ed. Alex Golub, accessed August 2016, http://hdl.handle.net/10524/36152 [Sakai] * Research proposal due

Week 6 – Structuralism – Tu, 10/11

Claude Levi-Strauss, Linguistics and Anthropology AT 26 Claude Levi-Strauss, Four Winnebago Myths: A Structural Sketch AT 27 Sherry B. Ortner, Is Female to Male as Nature Is to Culture? AT 28 Edmund Leach. 2001 (1973). Structuralism in , In Readings for a History of Anthropological Theory, Ed. Paul A. Erickson and Liam D. Murphy, Broadview Press, Pp.313 – 331. [Sakai]

Week 7 – Materialism and its Offshoots – Tu, 10/18

Leslie White, Energy and the Evolution of Culture AT 20 Marvis Harris, The Cultural Ecology of India's Sacred Cattle AT 23 Roy A. Rappaport, Ritual Regulation of Environmental Relations Among a New Guinea People AT 24 Eric Wolf. (1966). Peasantry and its Problems, In Anthropological Theory: An Introductory History by R. Jon McGee and Richard Warms, Published by: McGraw-Hill, Fourth Edition, 2008, Pp. 310- 323. [Sakai]

Week 8 - Symbolic and Interpretive Anthropology – Tu 10/25

Mary Douglass, External Boundaries AT 38 Victor Turner, Symbols in Ndembu Ritual AT 39 Clifford Geertz. 2001 (1973). : Toward an Interpretive Theory of Culture, In Readings for a History of Anthropological Theory, Ed. Paul A. Erickson and Liam D. Murphy, Broadview Press, Pp. 332-356. [Sakai] Clifford Geertz, Deep Play: Notes on the Balinese Cockfight AT 40

Recommended: Victor Turner, Betwixt and Between: The Liminal Period in Rites of Passage [Sakai]

5

01:070:311 - History of Anthropology – Fall 2016 - Assaf Harel

Week 9 – Power and Practice – Tu, 11/01

Pierre Bourdieu. 2006 (1977). “Structures and the Habitus,” In Anthropology in Theory: Issues in Epistemology, Ed. By Henrietta L. Moore and Todd Sanders, Blackwell Publishing, Pp. 407 – 416. [Sakai] Foucault, Michel. 1980 (2001). “Truth and Power” In Readings for a History of Anthropological Theory, Ed. Paul A. Erickson and Liam D. Murphy, Broadview Press, Pp. 514-532 Nader, Laura. 1974 (1969). Up the — Perspectives Gained From Studying Up. In Reinventing Anthropology, Ed. Dell Hymes, New York: Vintage Books, Pp. 284-311. [Sakai]. Sherry B. Ortner. 1984. Theory in Anthropology since the Sixties, Comparative Studies in and History 26 (1), Pp. 126-166. [Sakai]

Week 10 – and Feminist Critiques – Tu, 11/08

Sally Slocum, Woman the Gatherer: Male Bias in Anthropology AT 35 Eleanor Leacock, Interpreting the Origins of Gender Inequality: Conceptual and Historical Problems AT 36 Ann L Stoler, Making Empire Respectable: The Politics of Race and Sexual Morality in Twentieth- Century Colonial Cultures AT 37 Judith, Stacey. 1988. “Can There Be a Feminist ?" Women's Studies Int Forum, 11(1), Pp. 21-27. [Sakai]

Recommended: Karen Brodkin Sacks. 1989. "Toward a Unified Theory of Class, Race, and Gender," American Ethnologist 16(3), Pp. 534-550. [Sakai]

*Preliminary draft due

Week 11 – Post Modernism and the Crisis of Representation Tu, 11/15

James Clifford. 2001 (1986). “Introduction: Partial Truths” In Readings for a History of Anthropological Theory, Ed. Paul A. Erickson and Liam D. Murphy, Broadview Press, Pp. 598-630. [Sakai] Frances E. Mascia-Lees, Patricia Sharpe, Colleen Ballerino Cohen, 1989. “The Postmodernist Turn in Anthropology: Cautions from a Feminist Perspective: Signs 15(1). Pp. 7-33. [Sakai] Renato Rosaldo, Grief and a Headhunter's Rage AT 41 Roy D’Andrade, Moral Models in Anthropology AT 43

Recommended:

Esther, Newton. 1993. “My Best Informant's Dress: The Erotic Equation in Fieldwork,” Cultural Anthropology, 8 (1) pp. 3-23.

6

01:070:311 - History of Anthropology – Fall 2016 - Assaf Harel

Week 12 – The contemporary Moment - Tu, 11/22

Arjun Appadurai.1990. “Disjuncture and Difference in the Global Cultural Economy,” In Anthropological Theory: An Introductory History by R. Jon McGee and Richard Warms, Published by: McGraw-Hill, Fourth Edition, 2008, Pp. 582-601. [Sakai] Akhil Gupta & James Ferguson. 1992. “Beyond ‘Culture’: Space, Identity, and the Politics of Difference.” Cultural Anthropology 7(1):1-23 [Sakai] Sherry B. Ortner. 2016.” Dark Anthropology and its Others: Theory Since the Eighties,” Hau: Journal of Ethnographic Theory 6 (1): 47–73. Setha M. Low and Sally Engle Merry. 2010. “Engaged Anthropology: Diversity and Dilemmas: An Introduction to Supplement 2,” Current Anthropology, 51(S2), Pp. S203-S226. [Sakai]

Recommended: Paul Stoller. 2014. “Welcome to the Anthropocene: Anthropology and the Political Moment” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-stoller/welcome-to-the-anthropocene_b_6240786.html

Week 13 Conclusions Tu, 11/29

Michel, Rolph Trouillot, 2003. Global Transformations: Anthropology and the Modern World, Palgrave Macmillan, Pp. 6-28, 117-140. [Sakai]

Week 14 Tu, 12/06

Presentations – First panel

Week 15, Tu, 13

Presentations – First Panel

Final paper is due on Monday, Dec 19th

7