CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY, HISTORY

Academic year
2025/2026 Syllabus of previous years
Official course title
ANTROPOLOGIA CULTURALE, STORIA
Course code
FT0004 (AF:448114 AR:328508)
Teaching language
Italian
Modality
On campus classes
ECTS credits
6
Degree level
Bachelor's Degree Programme
Academic Discipline
M-DEA/01
Period
2nd Term
Course year
3
Where
VENEZIA
Teaching is part of the basic basic teachings of the historical-anthropological path. Basic introduction to the key-topics in History of Anthropology.
Knowledge and understanding: the course aims to lead to knowledge of the main paradigms that have characterized the history of cultural anthropology, from the end of the nineteenth century (evolutionism) to interpretive anthropology, giving particular importance to the historical-social training of the authors, the developments of their thinking and of the interconnections between anthropological reflection and broader areas of public and cultural debate.
Application skills: knowing how to critically approach the reading of theoretical texts in the field of cultural anthropology, framing them in their historical, cultural and social dimension; know how to analyze positive and critical aspects of the various formulations around the "anthropos".
Ability to autonomously rework and communicate what has been learned: knowing how to argue one's own critical evaluation with respect to different interpretations of the historical-social themes that have characterized the development of contemporary anthropology.
In order to be able to take this exam, students must have passed the first module "Cultural anthropology, introduction" exam.
The Tylorian concept of culture. The evolutionism. Tylor. Frazer. Franz Boas's contribution: critique of evolutionism and the comparative method. Functionalisms and objectivisms. Bronislaw Malinowski. The ethnographic method. Structuralisms and generalization. Claude Lévi-Strauss. The interpretative turning point and the work of Clifford Geertz. Seminars, study groups, conferences and other moments of study will be indicated in class.
Students must study the following books:

1) Fabietti U., “Storia dell’antropologia”, Zanichelli, 2011.

Students must study only capp.: 1, 2 (only par 2.1), 4, 6, 8, 9, 14, 17, 20.

2) Ligi G., “Il senso del tempo”, Milano, Unicopli, 2011.

Attendance is recommended.
Important: Students must always bring the program of the current academic year. Under no circumstances can they bring old past academic programs.
This course is not valid for the recovery of the 6 credits in M-DEA / 01 for admission to the master's degree in Anthropology ACEL.
Each answer is evaluated in thirtieths and the final grade is formed starting from the overall average. The final grade is not obtained by strictly applying the arithmetic mean, but is based on the overall critical evaluation of the paper. The evaluation criteria are: 1. relevance of the contents to the question asked; 2. ability to critically elaborate the concepts presented; 3. clarity of exposition; 4. propriety of language; 5. specific references to works and authors covered during the course and in the textbooks. In particular, the gradation of scores, with respect to the evaluation of the 5 criteria indicated, is divided as follows: scores in the 18-22 range sufficient; scores in the 23-26 range fair; scores in the 27-30 range good or excellent; honors are awarded if the exam according to the five criteria indicated is evaluated as excellent. With only 1 answer out of 4 the exam is not passed regardless of the grade assigned to the answer.
Registration on the course Moodle is mandatory.
written
The grading of the score, with respect to the evaluation of the 5 criteria indicated in the "Verification method" field, is divided as follows: scores in the 18-22 range are sufficient; scores in the 23-26 range are fair; scores in the 27-30 range are good or excellent; honors are awarded if the exam is considered excellent according to the five criteria indicated. With only 1 answer out of 4, the exam is not passed regardless of the grade assigned to the answer.
Frontal lessons with use of slides.
To apply for a Bachelor's thesis in Cultural Anthropology, the following requirements are essential:

1) have successfully passed, 2 modules of Cultural Anthropology;
2) the good knowledge of English;
3) the discussion of a short preliminary research project.

The topic of the thesis must be consistent with the teacher's research areas:
anthropology of space and landscape; anthropology of objects; urban anthropology; anthropology of risk; Saami history and ethnography (Lapland, northern Scandinavia); history of anthropology; anthropological themes in relation to the arts, in particular visual arts and literature.

Erasmus students are required to speak correctly in Italian. The exam for Erasmus students must be in Italian.

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

Definitive programme.
Last update of the programme: 05/04/2025