ANTHRO 331 : Anthropology Today: Debates in Culture

Arts

2020 Semester Two (1205) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

The primary aim is to provide students with an introduction to some of the more topical and controversial themes that social anthropologists are currently engaged with. Topics include: the culture of terrorism, anthropology and cyberculture, the anthropological study of prisons, race and racism, and the politics of representation.

Course Overview

 The course will introduce you to some of the key contemporary issues and debates with which anthropologists are engaged. In doing so, the course will contextualise the discipline of anthropology in the wider world, connecting anthropological practice to technological, political and ethical realities of contemporary life.

Through the use of case studies and anthropological theory, we will look at the role of anthropology and anthropologists in the public sphere. Because anthropology is based on field research, anthropologists are constantly in contact with the world around them. We take our experiences home and use them as data, but our relationship with the world is always more complex than objective observation. Our work extends beyond the academy into public and political life.

In 2020, this course will explore what anthropology (and related social sciences) have to offer to our understanding of the three crises that we are all currently facing—the COVID-19 pandemic, the coming economic crisis, and the ongoing environmental crisis. These are challenging, and sometimes distressing, topics, but a critical goal of university education is to help students think clearly and independently about difficult issues, and to identify possible options and causes for hope.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: ANTHRO 203 or 30 points at Stage II Restriction: ANTHRO 247

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Arts

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate an understanding of key anthropological concepts that are relevant to the current medical, economic, and environmental crises (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)
  2. Demonstrate a familiarity with anthropological case studies of related to medical, economic, and environmental anthropology (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)
  3. Demonstrate reading, writing and discussion skills at an appropriate level (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1 and 5.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Reflection 20% Individual Coursework
Essay 50% Individual Coursework
Test 25% Individual Test
Discussions 5% Individual Coursework

Next offered

Unknown.

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course, and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 2 hours of lecture per week, a 1 hour of tutorial per week, 3 hours per week of reading and thinking about the content and 4 hours per week of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page (https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894), which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 10/07/2020 01:19 p.m.