THESIS WRITING SEMINAR

This seminar series addresses anthropological and ethnographic writing in an applied way. Its goal is to provide MA students grappling with the writing of an anthropology thesis with: a) practical insights, b) individual feedback, and c) opportunities for discussion relating to stylistic features, canons, themes, and tools from the discipline at large.

1. Knowledge and comprehension:
- Broader awareness of the stylistic, methodological, theoretical, and writing options available to those who write anthropological theses;
- Broader awareness of themes, positions, conceptual problems, debates in the discipline, in order to identify thematic connections and find inspiration for one’s thesis/research project;
- Understand the applicability of such broader awareness and act upon it.
2. Ability to apply knowledge and comprehension:
- Knowing how to contribute to anthropological discussions by offering analyses, insights, connections, questions, and constructive criticisms in support of the research/thesis projects of one’s colleagues;
- Knowing how to apply these analyses, insights, connections, questions and constructive criticisms to one's own research/thesis projects.
3. Capacity for evaluation:
- Knowing how to offer critical and cogent analyses of conceptual problems and the works of other anthropologists;
- Being able to offer pertinent comments, constructive questions, and appropriate bibliographic suggestions to colleagues;
- Figuring out how to process the contents of the seminar profitably for one’s own project.
4. Communicative abilities:
- Knowing how to discuss one’s own work, an established conceptual problem in anthropology, or the critical analysis of a monograph;
- Knowing how to contribute to a seminar discussion on advanced anthropology and offer useful feedback to colleagues pursuing research/thesis projects;
- Incorporating the seminar’s proceedings into one’s own research/thesis project (which, in itself, is an exercise in academic communication).
5. Learning capacity:
- Ability to reflect critically, and with a good degree of sophistication, on one's own research/thesis project and that of others in the broader context of the anthropological discipline;
- Ability to reflect critically, and with a good degree of sophistication, on current issues in anthropology and on the state of the art in the discipline.

The seminar, albeit formally open to all, is warmly recommended to those who have already embarked on the writing of a MA thesis in anthropology. The writing may be at its early stages (definition of research problem, exploration of literature) or at an intermediate-advanced stage (parts of the paper already written), but the project should have formally begun.

The seminar series does not have a predefined syllabus. The first meetings are devoted to reflecting on anthropology's epistemological and intellectual goals, and how anthropological prose expresses them: reading materials will be provided via Moodle at the start of the course. The second part of the series is articulated into regular meetings in which, in turn, each student will present their work and related materials. Presentation will be, in general, of three types: a) discussion of a draft chapter; b) discussion of a conceptual problem and related reading list; c) analysis of a monographic volume. MORE DETAILS BELOW. Students who do not present are expected to actively participate in the discussion, contributing with a) a question; b) an observation; and/or c) a pertinent bibliographic suggestion.

Assesment based on participation in seminar discussions. Pass/fail. Presenting students will have ten to fifteen minutes (max) to introduce their work. Presentation materials (draft chapter, reading list, reading materials) should be circulated one week in advance. Participants are expected to familiarize themselves with pre-circulated materials and produce informed contributions during the discussion. Active involvement, based on a degree of preparatory work, is important for the success of the seminar.

Writing-up students who (for good reason) cannot take part in the seminar are invited to get in touch with the instructor: an alternative working plan will be devised in tandem with the supervisor.

Options for presenting students:

DRAFT CHAPTER: this option is suitable for students who have started writing their theses. The draft can and is expected to be rough: the purpose of the presentation is precisely to get comments and suggestions on a work-in-progress. Therefore, the text is not expected to be well-polished, but it should still be written in a readable prose and have a recognizable structure (no bullet points, disjoined aphorisms, etc.). Typical drafts range between 7,000 and 10,000 words. Longer texts must be edited down. Chapters may be ethnographic, theoretical, methodological, etc. in nature, the important thing is that they feature a recognizable argument. Texts of an experimental nature are not recommended.

CONCEPTUAL PROBLEM: let's say your project brought you face to face with a topic that has generated a debate in the discipline (is there a "pure gift"? Is Muslim subjectivity "sovereign" or "passive"? Etc.) or an open question that has been discussed for generations (does "shamanism" exist? What is the relationship between ethics and capitalism? etc.). This is a great opportunity to clarify things. Prepare a reading list with a minimum of three and a maximum of five short items (articles or book chapters) that summarize or exemplify the problem. After circulating the reading list among participants, tell us why and how this problem affects your thesis project and how you are going to approach it critically, including in relation to your ethnographic material (if applicable). This option is open to those who are at the beginning of the writing process. It is imperative that the conceptual problem under discussion and the presenter’s thesis project be solidly linked – i.e., resulting in concrete research questions – and that the discussion be conducive to writing.

MONOGRAPH ANALYSIS: let's assume that your project involves engaging in a specific, systematic way with a monographic text (theoretical or ethnographic) that is thematically, methodologically, or geographically connected to your topic of research. This is a good opportunity to critically discuss that volume’s content, style, approach, etc., and identify how your project relates to it. The volume or its main parts will be circulated in preparation for discussion. This option is especially thought for those who are at the beginning of the writing process and/or are planning specifically to explore the oeuvre of an author. In this case too, it is crucial that the choice of the title be strategically meaningful and justified in the context of one’s thesis project.
Further instructions and clarifications will be provided at the beginning of the seminar. The calendar of presentations will be decided at the beginning of the seminar. The choice of presentation options, including any deviations from the default options, should be discussed with the instructor individually and well in advance.

Instructions for non-presenting students:
Those who do not present are called to prepare for seminar meetings and actively participate in the discussion. Preparation involves familiarizing yourself with the relevant pre-circulated texts, which is not the same as studying them with the intensity needed for exam preparation. The seminar discussion is not an oral examination, it does not require the memorization of facts and notions. What it does require is the ability to make informed observations. Topics for discussion will include the style, structure, approach, techniques and methodologies of relevant texts, not just their content. Forms of active participation include a) constructive comments, b) pertinent questions, and c) bibliographic suggestions.

Italian

Teaching language: Italian. Non-Italophone students are asked to contact the instructor: classroom discussions can be held in English. Working materials may be in English or Italian (any other European languages should be discussed in advance with the instructor).

Regular participation is very strongly recommended. Writing-up students who cannot regularly participate are invited get in contact with the seminar instructor and their supervisor.

Those who present are invited not to exceed fifteen minutes. Personal anecdotes and "holiday pics" are best be avoided: fieldwork material should be presented within an ethnographic framework. With exceptions to be negotiated in advance, presentations/discussions of thesis projects are not recommended: "too much", in the sense that it is difficult to do them justice in a single seminar session, and "not enough" as there is a risk of not anchoring them to concrete materials that can be adequately explored. Thesis projects must still be discussed with thesis supervisors.
Those who participate without presenting are invited to keep their interventions brief in order to allow everyone to have their say. Adherence to an etiquette of reciprocity, collegiality and intellectual respect is mandatory. It is advisable to strive to keep one’s contribution strictly “on the mark” in order to maximize the usefulness of the seminar.

Seminar materials will be circulated/updated via the Moodle platform, details and deviations to be discussed with the instructor.

written and oral