ANTH 260 - Current Themes in Anthropological Theory and Method

Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)

The focus is upon particular cultural sub-systems and their study in cross-cultural perspective. The sub-system selected varies from year to year. Examples include: kinship systems, political organizations, religious beliefs and practices, verbal and nonverbal communication.

May be repeated for credit if the topic has changed.

Topic for 2022/23a: The Anthropology of Human Rights. Human rights appeals to activists worldwide because of its aspiration to a universal standard for justice. In practice, these universalist aspirations are in tension with efforts to enact state sovereignty and protect local ways of life. This course approaches human rights from an anthropological perspective as a practice that straddles the demands of social movements, international organizations, and powerful nation-states. The course also focuses on the tension between the universalist ambitions and historically specific realities that shape human rights work. The first unit of the course provides an overview of human rights history. In the second unit, students examine theoretical debates on universalism versus relativism and its impact on both anthropology and human rights. The third unit of the course examines the practice of human rights within institutions and social movements. In the final unit, the course will focus on a selection of topics within human rights scholarship and debate such as transitional justice, indigenous rights, human trafficking, gender violence, decolonization, anti-racism, and environmental justice. Throughout we read ethnographic accounts of human rights movements and institutions, as well as historical and theoretical sources. Upon finishing this course, students come away with a more nuanced understanding of cultural difference, global interconnection, and the bases for transnational solidarity. Louis Römer.

Topic for 2022/23b: Anthropology of Food. What does food tell us about the differences between us? Why do the Germans love sauerkraut so much? How did Kentucky Fried Chicken become part of Trinidad and Tobago’s national identity? What kinds of food do rich people eat? These are the kinds of questions asked by Food Anthropologists. This course introduces you to the way anthropologists think about food, the kinds of questions they ask, and the way they seek answers. We examine the relationship between food and culture with a focus on how personal identities and social groups are formed through food production, preparation, consumption, and exchange. Course topics include an examination of how the social and cultural boundaries surrounding food can mark gender, class, status, ethnicity, and other elements of identity. Mark Chatarpal.

Two 75-minute periods.

Course Format: CLS