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Academic Year 2001/2002


Nation and Culture
ANTH 337 FA

In one paradigm nationalism is defined as a historically recent and novel formation which is grounded in the modern state and tends ordinarily to eliminate or marginalize premodern communities, identities, and loyalties. Another approach, however, while taking nation-states and national cultures to be historically unique in significant respects, also sees them as partly rooted in and connected to pre-national polities and cultures. For this approach, nationalism is as much a cultural phenomenon as a political movement, and the first dimension may antecede the latter. In this course, after first reviewing some major theories, we will focus on the cultural dimensions of nations and nationalism, with special attentions to the continuities and discontinuities between nationalist identities and pre-nationalist cultural forms. Among the questions we will pursue are: How do heterogeneous, often ethnically diverse local groups come to imagine themselves as members of a nation? How have pre-existi ng cultural traditions been used to construct as well as to contest the idea of the nation? In what ways have gender identities and relations both shaped and been shaped by nationalist movements? Is the nation an essentially Eurocentric concept or has i t been indigenized and transformed in significant respects? Are disasporic movements and identities replacing nationalism or reconfiguring it? Is nationalism now becoming obsolete, as some critics have argued, or is it being continually reinvented in ne w forms out of hybrid resources? The course is comparative but it will give special attention to Southeast Asia and will draw extensively on the professor's recent ethnographic experience with nation formation in East Timor.

MAJOR READINGS

Readings include selections from works by Benedict Anderson, Anthony Smith, John Hutchinson, Partha Chatterjee, Walker Connor, Geoff Eley, Arjun Appadurai, Marilyn Ivy, James Siegel, Tamar Mayer, as well as accounts of nationalist movements written by participants.

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

One short paper, a class presentation, and a final 15 page research paper.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

At least one prior course in Anth, Soc, or Gov at 200 or higher level.

Unless preregistered students attend the first class meeting or communicate directly with the instructor prior to the first class, they will be dropped from the class list. NOTE: Students must still submit a completed Drop/Add form to the Registrar's Office.

COURSE FORMAT: Seminar

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD    Credit: 1    Gen Ed Area Dept: SBS ANTH    Grading Mode: Graded   

Prerequisites: NONE

SECTION 01

Instructor(s): Traube,Elizabeth G.   
Times: ...W... 01:10PM-04:00PM;     Location: JUDD116
Reserved Seats:    (Total Limit: 25)
SR. major: 8   Jr. major: 7
SR. non-major: 4   Jr. non-major: 3   SO: 3   FR: X

Special Attributes:
Curricular Renewal:    Focused Inquiry Course
Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-19-2002


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