ANTH 240 - Cultural Localities

Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)

Detailed study of the cultures of people living in a particular area of the world, including their politics, economy, worldview, religion, expressive practices, and historical transformations. Included is a critical assessment of different approaches to the study of culture. Areas covered vary from year to year and may include Europe, Africa, North America, and India.

May be repeated for credit if the topic has changed.

Topic for 2014/15a: The Indian Ocean. This course is an introduction to the multiple cultures and peoples of the Indian Ocean. Using historical works, ethnographies, travel accounts, manuscript fragments, and film, we explore the complex trade networks and historical processes that have shaped the contemporary economies, cultures, and social problems of the region. We also examine how knowledge about this region has been produced. Although the course concentrates on northern Africa and the southwest Indian Ocean, we approach the region as a cultural, economic, and political sphere whose various regions were closely interconnected. Topics include: imperialism, globalization, labor and trade migrations, religion, race, gender, and creolization. Ms. Lowe Swift.

Two 75-minute periods.