Cultures of the World

Anthropology 151-205B McGill University

The course Syllabus Organization of course Goals of course Required Reading Evaluation Examinations Schedule Specific Lecture Note Summaries Full Lecture Note Summaries

The Course Syllabus

Instructor: Professor Salzman Office Hours: Leacock 733 T, Th 1-2 or by appointment Office Telephone: 398-1278 Class Location: Leacock 26 Class Time: 11:30-1:00

Organization of the course

Class time will be divided among lectures, discussions, films and conference groups. Other student work includes reading, an essay, a midterm examination, and a final examination.

Goals of the course

Introduce the approach of social and cultural anthropology to the study of societies and cultures and their commonalties and differences.

To examine several diverse cultures in detail, providing a close look at life in their distinct societies, while also placing them in broader, cross -cultural perspective.

To explore differences in subject, method, and analysis among the ethnographies, showing the diversity of approaches within anthropology.

Required Reading

The four books assigned are ethnographic studies ( or ethnographies) of particular cultures. They include an early classic, one modern classic and two examples of recent work. The ethnographies also represent several different heuristic and theoretical approaches and methodologies used in anthropological research.

COMING OF AGE IN SAMOA by Margaret Mead

THE DOBE JU/'HOANSI by Richard B. Lee

THE ANTHROPOLOGY OF REAL LIFE by Philip CAr Salzman

SAUNA AS SYMBOL by Lisa Marlene Edelsward

Evaluation

The essay will count for 25 %, the midterm exam for 25% and the final exam for 50%, with possible additional credit for outstanding class and section contribution.

Examinations

The midterm examination will be held on march 3,in the early evening. The object of this exam is to alert each student to the level and kinds of knowledge required for the final exam.

The final examination will be a formal one, held during the examination period. It will be based upon the lectures, films and readings. A set of study questions will be distributed the last day of class.

***Schedule***
Lecture	Reading Due
The ethnographic project
Mead's research agenda	SAMOA Forward, Preface, Ch. 1-3
Daily life in Samoa	SAMOA Ch. 4-6
Social order in Samoa	SAMOA Ch. 7-9
Biology and culture in Samoa	SAMOA ch. 10-11
Critiques and rebuttals 1	SAMOA Ch. 12-14
Critiques and rebuttals 2	SAMOA Appendices 2-5
Lee's Research Agenda	DOBE Forward, Preface, Ch. 1-3
Hunting and gathering	DOBE CH. 4-5
Organizing for Dobe life	DOBE Ch. 6-8
Contacts with the wider world	DOBE Ch. 9-10
Change & Transformation	DOBE CH. 11-12 Postscript
Critiques and rebuttal
Research agenda; desert life	REAL LIFE Ch. 1-2
Highland Sardinia	REAL LIFE Ch. 3
Comparisons	REAL LIFE Ch. 4
Critique and rebuttal	REAL LIFE Ch.5
Edelsward research agenda	SAUNA Introduction, Ch. 1
The Finnish world	SAUNA CH. 2
Ritual & the psyche	SAUNA Ch. 3
Sociality & organization	SAUNA Ch.4
Tradition & transformation Critique & rebuttal	SAUNA Ch. 5