GLOBAL ASIAN STUDIES 2: ANTHROPOLOGY

The course aims to introduce students to the discipline of Cultural Anthropology, presenting its historical event, research methodologies, and key themes, with particular reference to contemporary Asian societies.

Expected Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding:
- learn the theoretical foundations of cultural anthropology and ethnographic research methodologies;
- understand the cultural and social diversity of other societies.

Making judgments:
- elaborate critical opinion on the social and cultural phenomena examined during the course;

Communication skills:
- communicate in your own words the contents of the program.

Learning skills:
- learn the technical vocabulary and terminology of the discipline;
- take notes, summarizing the main topics covered during the lessons;
- integrate the study of different teaching materials;
- explore topics not covered during the frontal lessons;
- study texts in English.

Good knowledge of the English language to be able to delve into the topics covered in class, using the reference texts proposed.

During the course, the main themes that characterize the discipline will be illustrated: the concept of culture, the main anthropological theories, the ethnographic method, and anthropology in the global world.

Mandatory readings
1) N. Brown, T. Mcllweait, L. Tubelle de González, Perspectives: an Open Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (Second edition), Arlington, American Anthropological Association, 2020. https://perspectives.americananthro.org/Chapters/Perspectives.pdf
Part 1 (1, 2, 3, 8, 12):
1. Introduction to Anthropology;
2. The Culture Concept;
3. Doing Fieldwork: Methods in Cultural Anthropology;
8. Family and Marriage;
12. Globalization.

2) Kearney, M. “The Local and the Global: The Anthropology of Globalization and Transnationalism.” Annual Review of Anthropology 24 (1995): 547–65. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2155949

The list of papers for the mid-term evaluation will be available on Moodle

Suggested readings

M. Aime, 2008, Il primo libro di antropologia, Torino, Einaudi, 2008
N. Brown, T. Mcllweait, L. Tubelle de González, Perspectives: an Open Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (Second edition), Arlington, American Anthropological Association, 2020. https://perspectives.americananthro.org/Chapters/Perspectives.pdf
Fabietti, U., Elementi di Antropologia culturale, Milano, Mondadori, 2015.
Just, P., Monaghan, J., Social and Cultural Anthropology: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press, 2000.
R. H. Robbins, Antropologia culturale: un approccio per problemi (seconda edizione), G. D’Agostino, V. Matera (eds.), Novara, UTET, 2015.
J. van Bremen, E. Ben-Ari, S. Farid Alatas (eds.), Asian Anthropology, London and New York, Routlege, 2005.

The intermediate evaluation of the course will be verified through the presentation of a paper in class with the aid of PowerPoint or Canva.

The final exam will consist of a written paper (from 8,000 to 10,000 characters, bibliography, and spaces included) in English or Italian on a topic chosen among the instructor's proposed topics.

In-person lectures with a participatory method, expert testimony, case studies, and use of PowerPoint and audio-visual materials.

written