Summer 2021 - SA 101 D100
Introduction to Anthropology (A) (4)
Class Number: 3597
Delivery Method: In Person
Overview
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Course Times + Location:
May 12 – Aug 9, 2021: Wed, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
Burnaby
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Instructor:
Natasha Kim Ferenczi
nferencz@sfu.ca
Office Hours: We/Th 9:30-10:30
Description
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:
Anthropology asks fundamental questions about how people live and interact in different contexts. Engages with contemporary social life around the world, including the relations among people, ideas, and things. Provides analytical tools to help understand the role of culture and society in our lives. Breadth-Social Sciences.
COURSE DETAILS:
Anthropology is a field of study fundamentally focused on the human experience, both past and present, that addresses an incredible diversity of dimensions of human life, including, but not limited to, worldviews, belief systems, ways of communicating, food production, healing practices, sensory practices, economic practices, human and nonhuman relationships, and political and ideological relationships. Contemporary works in anthropology also focus on cultural practices as they interact with global processes and power relations, including perceptions and experiences of climate change, biodiversity governance, neoliberal processes, and citizenship rights.
Taking a class in anthropology will not require you to memorize facts, but rather generate analytical and critical thinking skills, strong writing skills and sharpened self-awareness, as you examine and reflect upon the role of culture in life, cultural practices in the world, cross-cultural communication issues, and knowledge politics. As a student, you will learn a variety of observational and analytic approaches to apply in understanding the roles of culture and society, both in your own life, and as we learn about particular groups of people and sociocultural phenomena around the world. Our main text focuses in particular on applied anthropology, providing a thorough overview of the discipline, while also featuring a wide variety of examples of the way anthropological knowledge can be applied in different work and volunteer settings, as well as the kind of social change that can be generated by applying anthropological approaches. As a class, we will discuss the role of anthropology in contemporary life and debate the ways in which anthropological knowledge can be used to support social justice issues, as well as the ethical considerations needed for such an agenda.
Grading
- Weekly reading responses 15%
- Ethnographic exercises 30%
- Midterm exam (take-home) 20%
- Participation & attendance 15%
- Final exam (take-home) 20%
NOTES:
Grading: Where a final exam is scheduled and the student does not write the exam or withdraw from the course before the deadline date, an N grade will be assigned. Unless otherwise specified on the course syllabus, all graded assignments for this course must be completed for a final grade other than N to be assigned. An N is considered as an F for the purposes of scholastic standing.
Grading System: The Undergraduate Course Grading System is as follows:
A+ (95-100) | A (90-94) | A- (85-89) | B+ (80-84) | B (75-79) | B- (70-74) | C+ (65-69) | C (60-64) | C- (55-59) | D (50-54) | F (0-49) | N*
*N standing to indicate the student did not complete course requirements
Academic Dishonesty and Misconduct Policy: The Department of Sociology & Anthropology follows SFU policy in relation to grading practices, grade appeals (Policy T 20.01) and academic dishonesty and misconduct procedures (S10.01‐S10.04). Unless otherwise informed by your instructor in writing, in graded written assignments you must cite the sources you rely on and include a bibliography/list of references, following an instructor-approved citation style. It is the responsibility of students to inform themselves of the content of SFU policies available on the SFU website.
Centre for Accessible Learning: Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need classroom or exam accommodations are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (1250 Maggie Benston Centre) as soon as possible to ensure that they are eligible and that approved accommodations and services are implemented in a timely fashion.
Materials
MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:
Please see SFU Bookstore website for information on textbook purchase options.
REQUIRED READING:
Ferraro, G., Andreatta, S. & Holdsworth, C. (2018). Cultural Anthropology: An applied perspective. Canadian ed. Nelson Education Ltd.
Goldstein, D. (2013). Laughter out of place: race, class, violence, and sexuality in a Rio shantytown. 2nd ed. University of California Press.
Tsing, A. (2005). Friction: An ethnography of global connection. Princeton University Press.
Registrar Notes:
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS
SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.
Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html
TEACHING AT SFU IN SUMMER 2021
Teaching at SFU in summer 2021 will be conducted primarily through remote methods, but we will continue to have in-person experiential activities for a selection of courses. Such course components will be clearly identified at registration, as will course components that will be “live” (synchronous) vs. at your own pace (asynchronous). Enrollment acknowledges that remote study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes. To ensure you can access all course materials, we recommend you have access to a computer with a microphone and camera, and the internet. In some cases your instructor may use Zoom or other means requiring a camera and microphone to invigilate exams. If proctoring software will be used, this will be confirmed in the first week of class.
Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need class or exam accommodations, including in the current context of remote learning, are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112).