ANTHRO 760 : Anthropological Theory and the Contemporary World

Arts

2022 Semester One (1223) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

An analysis of foundational and current theoretical works in social anthropology and their relevance to understanding contemporary societies and cultures. The course examines anthropological approaches to long-standing disciplinary debates and contemporary issues of wider public debate.

Course Overview

This course is a seminar on social anthropological theories and ideas and their relevance to the contemporary world. By the end of the semester, you will be familiar with a range of classic and contemporary readings that have contributed to defining social anthropology as it is currently practiced. The readings, and your discussions based on them, will provide a solid grounding from which you can develop your specific individual research and other scholarly interests (as the basis, for example, for generating a topic for your BA Hons or Masters theses). 

Because this course is run as a seminar, you are expected to have read all of the required readings (and thought about them) before each weekly meeting. You are also expected to actively participate in all of our seminar discussions. These are your seminars, and you should be the main participants each week. The more you participate, the better the course will be for everyone. 

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: Permission of Head of Department Restriction: ANTHRO 714

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Understand and critically evaluate anthropological knowledge construction (Capability 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 and 4.3)
  2. Understand and critically evaluate anthropological knowledge production (Capability 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3)
  3. Communicate and debate anthropological knowledge collaboratively (Capability 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Assignments 90% Individual Coursework
Discussions 10% Individual Coursework

Next offered

2022

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 weekly seminar time,  5 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 1-3 hours of work on assignments.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at scheduled activities including seminars to receive credit for components of the course.
Seminars will not be available as recordings.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

This course is not available for delivery to students studying remotely outside NZ in 2022.

Learning 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.

In addition to weekly readings available on Canvas, we will be reading one full ethnography available for purchase or via the library.

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.

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.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

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 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.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

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 students may be asked to submit 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. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 25/10/2021 11:38 a.m.