CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY, INTRODUCTION

The course "Cultural Anthropology, Introduction" is a mandatory examination for BC Tars, BC Archaeology, and other BC v.o. courses. It is part of the educational activities for the anthropology track of the three-year degree course in History and aims to develop the ability to reflect on cultural diversity. The course provides essential theoretical and methodological tools for Cultural Anthropology and covers the main themes of the anthropological approach, including cultural diversity, ethnocentrism, cultural relativism, social phenomena and relations, political, religious and economic systems, social change, and processes of cultural re-signification in postcolonial contexts.
The primary goal of the course is to equip students with fundamental knowledge that characterises the anthropological approach. It also introduces them to the main anthropological methods, including field research, participant observation, verbal and non-verbal data collection methods, transcription, production of anthropological knowledge, anthropologist insertion and positioning, data systematisation, and interpretation.

By actively participating in the course and studying the examination material individually, students will have the opportunity to achieve the following objectives:
1. Acquire knowledge of anthropological theories and methods applied to the study of various social phenomena
2. Develop an appreciation for the cultural and social complexity of other societies
3. Learn to avoid imposing their cultural categories on other societies and groups, and instead, reflect on their evaluations, practices, and cultural representations that are often taken for granted
4. Gain familiarity with technical vocabulary and anthropological terminology
5. Acquire practical note-taking and summarization skills to aid in retaining the themes and ideas presented during lectures and while preparing for exams.

No prerequisites are required for this course, as it serves as an introduction to the discipline.

The course introduces students to the main themes of cultural anthropology: definition and theoretical approaches to studying culture; the field research method; cultural diversity; ethnocentrism and cultural relativism; social change; political and economic systems; religion, myth and ritual; and cultural creativity.

Mandatory texts:

Fabietti, U., Elements of Cultural Anthropology, Mondadori, Milan (both the 2015 and the 2023 editions are acceptable). ONLY THE CHAPTERS AND PARTS INDICATED BELOW:
PART I. GENESIS AND NATURE OF CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY: 1. Origin and meaning of anthropology; 2. Objects and methods of cultural anthropology; 3. Fundamental characteristics of anthropological reasoning.
PART V. THE SELF AND THE OTHER: 1. Identity, bodies, "people"; 2. Sex, gender, emotions; 3. Castes, classes, ethnicities.
PART VII. RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE AND RITUAL PRACTICE: 1. Concepts and cults; 2. Symbols and rituals; 3. Religions and identities in the globalized world.
PART VIII. CULTURAL CREATIVITY AND AESTHETIC EXPRESSION: 1. Cultural creativity; 2. Aesthetic expression; 3. "Tribal" art in the Western context.
PART IX. RESOURCES AND POWER: 1. Power of resources and resources of power; 2. Forms of economic life; 3. Forms of political life.

Aime, M., Classifying, Separating, Excluding. Racisms and Identities, Einaudi, Turin. 2020

Throughout the course, there will be ongoing interaction between the professor and students through in-class questions and discussions. At the end of the course, there will be an oral examination . The evaluation criteria include the student's ability to define and exemplify the main concepts of the texts, summarise the contents clearly and concisely, carry out comparisons and analyses of the texts. Additionally, students are expected to express their own opinions and interpretation of the texts.

THE LESSONS WILL BE CONDUCTED IN ITALIAN.
The course consists of:

Lectures (utilizing PowerPoint presentations and audiovisual material)
Text discussions in the classroom
Optional supplementary texts uploaded during the lessons on MOODLE.

Italian

Attendance is not compulsory but highly recommended. Students are kindly asked to review the informational material on MOODLE and to check the teacher's personal announcements. Students with special permissions should contact the Disability Office in advance and inform the teacher upon their arrival in the classroom.

Ca’ Foscari follows Italian Law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) regarding support services and accommodations available to students with disabilities or specific learning disorders. If you have a motor, visual, or hearing impairment, or other disabilities (Law 17/1999) or a specific learning disorder (Law 170/2010) and need support (such as classroom assistance, technological aids for exams or individualized exams, materials in accessible formats, note-taking assistance, specialized tutoring, interpreters, or other), please contact the Disability and DSA Office at disabilita@unive.it.

oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Poverty and inequalities" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development