ANTH 380/Traditional Cultures

Fall 2009/ Minnesota State University Moorhead

T  H 9:00 - 10:15 AM, KH 215

Instructor: Dr. Bruce D. Roberts

Office: KH 213; Telephone: 477-2043

Office hours: Mon 3-5PM; Tue 1:30-3:30PM; Wed 9AM-1PM; Thu 1:30-3:30PM
E mail: robertsb@mnstate.edu; Class web site

Official course description: “An examination of traditional cultures before widespread westernization, including a review of the anthropological literature, such as ranking, non-market exchange and systems of production, domestic organization, power, authority, and traditional religious systems.”

While generalizing about traditional cultures, we will investigate these topics through specific ethnographic examples selected from diverse parts of the globe. Additionally, although the emphasis in this course is on the “traditional” as you will see it will be both impossible and undesirable to avoid consideration of culture change and “modernization” in these societies.

Required Texts*

Crocker, William H. and Jean C. Crocker

2004      The Canela: Kinship, Ritual and Sex in an Amazonian Tribe. 2^nd ed.  Thomson-Wadsworth.

Lee, Richard B.

2002       The Dobe Ju/’hoansi. 3^rd ed. Thomson-Wadsworth.

Weiner, Annette B.

1988       Trobrianders of Papua New Guinea. Thomson-Wadsworth.

*Additional articles/chapters will be hyperlinked to the online version of this syllabus.

Student Assessment

Attendance: Is at your discretion. I believe we have more important things to do than take attendance. However occasionally (especially on days when attendance is visibly low) I may pass around a sheet to see who’s there. In the end if you’re “on the bubble” and I need an excuse to bump your grade up it will definitely behoove you if your name has been on those sheets.

Readings: Please do the readings before coming to class. It makes it a lot easier for both of us. Things will make more sense to you and you’ll do better on the quizzes! The books by Crocker, Lee and Weiner are ethnographies – descriptive written accounts of particular cultures. Although they have been tailored to a student audience, ethnographies are not intended by design to be “fun” reading or necessarily entertaining. In addition to discussing social and cultural details, each of these ethnographies has an overriding theme. See if you can figure it out what that theme for each one.  In fact that might make a good essay question on an exam.

 Exams: There will be a midterm exam and a final exam, each worth 150 points.  The final will not be cumulative. Both exams will be comprised of multiple choice, true-false, and matching questions (about 75-80 points), as well as an essay or two on the ethnography or ethnographies assigned.  Make-up exams are given only at my discretion if you present me with a verifiable medical excuse/ proof of extenuating circumstance within 48 hours of the exam.

 Pop quizzes: There will be 5 unannounced pop quizzes, each worth 10 points. Combined they’ll account for 12.5% of your grade. That might not sound like much now but in the end it could be critical. Format will be multiple choice and true/false. They will be administered at my discretion at the beginning of class. No make-up quizzes will be given.

Book reviews: You’ll critically review two of the three ethnographies you’ll read for this class. Each review will be worth 25 points and the total point value of this component is 50, or 12.5% of the final grade. Guidelines will be provided shortly. If you choose to review Lee’s book on the Ju/’hoansi it will be due in class on the day of the midterm, October 8^th. Reviews of Crocker’s book on the Canela and Weiner’s book on the Trobrianders are due on the last day of class, December 8^th. Late reviews will be penalized 10 points for each day they are late. I will only count two reviews in calculating your grade.

 Extra Credit: None will be given.

Miscellaneous: I reserve the right to slightly modify the point ranges listed below (upward, but not downward) to benefit people who have put forth exemplary effort.

 “Students with disabilities who believe they may need an accommodation in this class are encouraged to contact Greg Toutges, Coordinator of Disability Services at 477-5859 (Voice) or 1-800-627-3529 (MRS/TTY), CMU 114 as soon as possible to ensure that accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.”

 Summary of Evaluation Criteria

Grading scheme

            Course Outline (subject to revision)