Anthropological Sciences 106
I. Course Title: Intro to Cultural Anthropology (GE)
II. Course Number: ANSC 106
III. Credit Hours: 3 credits
IV. Prerequisites: None
V. Course Description:
This course will serve as an introduction to anthropological views of culture. Students will learn about methods and concepts employed by anthropologists to describe and analyze cultures around the world. A variety of examples and original sources will be used to explore how culture shapes and creates our views of topics such as social class, race, gender, kinship, and more. Students will learn about how culture is not a distant topic but rather something that impacts their daily lives.
Note(s): General Education and Cultural or Behavioral Analysis designated course.
VI. Detailed Description of Content of the Course:
1. Introductory Concepts in Anthropology
In the introductory unit of this class, students will be introduced to the four fields of anthropology as well as explore core concepts in the discipline; such as a holistic concept of culture, methods of participant observation, and developing an awareness of ethnocentrism and cultural relativism.
2. The Development of Anthropological Thought
In part two of this course, students will learn about and discuss how cultural anthropology begins as a field of study, including examples such as how it has changed over time and/or how it has shaped our popular understanding of culture and society.
3. Understanding Cultural Systems
Next, students will learn to describe and analyze the many ways in which cultures develop systems or structures to regulate and maintain social organization. This will include explorations of topics such as kinship systems, socio-political structures, as well social and religious hierarchies.
4. Culture and Identity
In the fourth unit of this class, students will engage with the processes of constructing multifaceted identities within varied cultural contexts. Students will read and discuss a variety of perspectives on personal and/or cultural identities, including views on gender, race, or class identities in different cultural contexts.
5. Applied Anthropology and Participant Observation
In the final unit of this class, students will synthesize course materials and learn how to apply anthropological concepts in differing professional contexts, such as globalized business communities, health and human services, and human rights work.
VI. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course:
This course will include a combination of original source readings, lectures, and discussions to lay the foundations of an anthropological understanding of culture. Students may also participate in active learning exercises where they are asked to apply anthropological concepts to the world in which they live.
VII. Goals and Objectives of the Course:
This course is designated as A (Cultural or Behavioral Analysis) Area and fulfills the learning goal: To examine the context and interactions of culture(s) and/or behavior(s). Students will fulfill the learning outcomes in this area: describe behaviors, beliefs, cultures, social institutions, and/or environments and analyze the interactions of behaviors, beliefs, cultures, social institutions, and/or environments.
This course may be applied to the REAL Studies Minor in Cultural/Behavior Analysis.
Goal of the Class:
Students will be able to evaluate the role that culture plays in developing social systems and identity.
Learning Objectives:
- Students will be able to explain anthropological concepts and methods.
- Students will apply their anthropological view of culture to better understand cultural influences on social structures.
- Students will analyze the construction of cultural norms to better understand ethnocentrism and cultural relativism.
VIII. Assessment Measures:
Students may be evaluated on the basis of their performance in class discussions, examinations, papers, and/or assigned exercises.
Review and Approval
August, 2020
August, 2021