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Global Perspectives in Anthropology ANTH389 SP

This course will examine anthropological approaches to the concept of globalization which has increasingly become a part of social science as well as popular discourses. We begin by taking a global perspective on culture, anthropology's foundational concept, by asking: Do the economic, political, cultural, and technological links between nations in the late 20th century necessitate a new concept of culture? Does global culture exist? Is there a place for cultural relativism in the global village? We then turn to several anthropological case studies that examine processes typically associated with globalization: tensions between transnational social movements (e.g., feminism, anti-war, and environmental) and nationalist political and economic agendas; the spread of rights discourse and corresponding assertions of cultural rights and religious fundamentalisms; patterns of global zoning that marginalize less developed regions; the effects of transnational tourism and prostitution on constructions of gender and sexuality; the growth of refugee populations; and the global circulation and reception of media images. By directing attention to specific contexts, these case studies use ethnography to highlight the local effects of global processes, including locally generated resistances and transformations of the global.

MAJOR READINGS

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

COURSE FORMAT: Discussion Seminar

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UG Credit: 1.00 Gen Ed Area & Dept: SBS ANTH

Prerequisites: None

Last Updated on MAR-22-1999