ANTH383 - History of Anthropological Thought

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Academic Year 2002/2003

History of Anthropological Thought
ANTH 383 SP

This course will approach the history of our field by focusing on how late nineteenth and early twentieth century theorists transformed particular ethnographic phenomena into general anthropological categories. We will treat these conversions as symptomatic of a fundamental tension, with which modern anthropology continues to engage, between the universalizing, generalizing orientation of Enlightenment rationalism and the pluralizing, relativizing impulses of romantic thought. We will first examine the constructions of totemism, taboo, mana, and potlatch put forward by such scholars as Robertson Smith, Marett, Frazer, Freud, Durkheim, Mauss, Boas, Malinowski and Radcliffe-Brown. We will go on to look at the critical appropriations of these categories made by Levi-Strauss, Steiner, Douglas, Godelier, Sahlins, and Bourdieu.

MAJOR READINGS

Robertson Smith, THE RELIGION OF THE SEMITES
Frazer, THE GOLDEN BOUGH
Freud, TOTEM AND TABOO
Durkheim, THE ELEMENTARY FORMS OF THE RELIGIOUS LIFE
Mauss, THE GIFT
Boas, A FRANZ BOAS READER
Malinowski, ARGONAUTS OF THE WESTERN PACIFIC
Levi Strauss, TOTEMISM; INTRODUCTION TO THE WORK OF MARCEL MAUSS
Steiner, TABOO
Godelier, THE ENIGMA OF THE GIFT
Bourdieu, PRACTICAL REASON

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Two short papers, and final take-home essay exam.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

Each week designated students will lead class discussions. Students will be better prepared for this course if they have taken ANTH201 or a higher level social science course.

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.

The instructor of this course will not be using the on-line wait list. If you are interested in this course, please contact the instructor directly.

COURSE FORMAT: Lecture/Discussion

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: NONE Grading Mode: Graded

Prerequisites: NONE

SECTION 01

Instructor(s): Traube,Elizabeth G.

Times: ..T.R.. 01:10PM-02:30PM; Location: FISK115

Reserved Seats: (Total Limit: 30)

SR. major: 6 Jr. major: 18

SR. non-major: 3 Jr. non-major: 3 SO: X FR: X

Special Attributes:

Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-18-2003