• Department of Anthropology Indiana University
  
• Anthropological Theories and their proponents
  
• Theory Class Presentation Web Pages
  

SCHEDULE OF READINGS

Aug 28-Sept 15 M&W Ch 1-5; Erikson, Ch 1 Early Theory & Evolutionism

Essay: Each theorist excerpted in Chapters 1-5 had a different idea about how evolution took place and each focused on a different aspect of human historical development (some thought that things had gotten worse; some thought they had gotten better). Evolutionary theory assumed the natural superiority of white Europeans but some theorists were ambivalent about the right of technologically advanced peoples to displace others. Compare and contrast the evolutionary ideas of these 19th century thinkers on both of these themes. Which views do you find most philosophically and politically acceptable and/or empirically supportable? Why? Essay due Sept. 15 at 3:30 p.m.

Sept 18-22 M&W Ch 6-9; Erikson, Ch. 2 Historical Particularism

Essay. Explain why Franz Boas and his followers criticized earlier scholars for their unscientific methodology and how they attempted to rectify the mistakes of the past. In Europe, Boas was largely ignored, and European scholars continued to build upon the base provided by the 19th century and claimed their work was scientific. Did a scientific anthropology result from their efforts? In your response, be sure to include a brief but well considered definition of science. Reference at least one article in each school of thought. Essay due Sept. 22 at 3:30 p.m.

Sept 25-Oct 6 M&W Ch 13-17 Functionalism and Personality & Culture

Essay. Describe and analyze Halloween from the perspective of culture and personality and structural functionalism. Note that your job here is to present two different analyses. You may briefly describe what culture and personality and structural functionalism; I recommend you do so. However, you should not include any information about either Radcliffe-Brown or Malinowski. Essay due Oct 6 at 3:30 p.m.

Oct 2-Oct. 13 M&W Ch 18-24; Erikson, pgs.116-123 Cultural Ecology/Neo-Evolutionism

Essay. Characterize, contrast, and compare the views of culture articulated by the neo-evolutionists (Steward, White, and Murdock) with the neo-materialists (Fried, Harris, Rappaport, and Bourgois). Why did Steward and White pick back up on the 19th century themes that Boas had rejected? What 19th century ethnocentric biases did Steward, Murdock, and White perpetuate? Have neo-materialists Fried and Bourgois and cultural ecologists Harris and Rappaport addressed these biases more successfully? Essay due Oct 13 at 3:30 p.m.

Oct 16-27 M&W Ch 25-29 Structuralism & Ethnoscience

Essay. In the 1960s and 1970s, Structuralism and Ethnoscience consciously attempted to develop new directions in anthropological theory and method. Levi-Strauss' structuralism and Stephen Tyler's cognitive anthropology both claimed that culture is a mental structure and used linguistics to represent the native point of view. Yet their approaches and results are very different. Explain. Essay due Oct 27 at 3:30 p.m.

Oct 30-Nov 3 M&W Ch 30-32; Erikson, pgs. 124-129 Sociobiology

Essay. Sociobiologists Wilson and Barkow view culture as an adaptive or often maladaptive mechanism. How do their views of culture differ from those of Boas and his students Benedict, Radin, and Mead? Essay due Nov 3 at 3:30 p.m.

Nov 6-Nov 10 M&W Ch 32-34 Feminist Anthropology

Essay. Discuss Slocum's critique of the "man the hunter" view as espoused in hominid evolution, popular culture, and Steward's "The Patrilineal Band." Is Slocum's critique just as biased or does it provide a balanced view of the contributions of both genders to human culture? Explain.
or
Essay. Compare and contrast the views ofextent and origins of gender inequality in Ortner and Leacock. What factor would Leacock say that Ortner missed? Did Ortner believe that "primitive" societies were egalitarian? Did either Ortner or Leacock import Western biases? If so, what and how?
or
Essay. Using Stoler's "Making Empire Respectable: the Politics of Race and Sexual Morality in 20th Century Colonial Cultures," describe how attitudes and ideas about women and women's roles in the making of colonial empires varied according to race, class, phase in colonial history, and any other dimensions you can find. Compare Stoler's analysis with those of Leacock, Slocum, Ortner, and/or Mead. How does Stoler view "culture" and how does her topic make her approach different from other authors?
Essay due Nov 10 at 3:30 p.m.

No. 13-Nov 17 M&W Ch 35-37; Erikson, pgs. 130-39 Symbolic Anthropology

Essay. Mary Douglas, Clifford Geertz, and Victor Turner are major symbolic anthropologists. What are the commonalities in their thought? The differences? Essay due Nov 17 at 3:30 p.m.

Nov 20-Dec 1 M&W Ch 38-40; Erikson, pgs. 140-151 Postmodernism

Essay. Postmodernism demands that we ask new questions and challenge the traditional authority of our discipline. Explain what Crapanzano and Rosaldo find troubling in traditional anthropology and why D'Andrade objects to postmodernism. Essay due Dec 1 at 3:30 p.m.

Dec 4-12 Berger, Postmorten for a Postmodernist

Essay. What did you learn about postmodernism by reading about Professor Ettore Gnocchi's sudden death? Essay due Dec 14 at 3:30 p.m.

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STYLE GUIDE FOR ANTHROPOLOGY PAPERS

• All essays must follow style guides. Due dates are announced on the syllabus. Late papers will be penalized. Make a copy of all essays that you turn in for your own files. Submit work on 8 1/2 by 11 inch paper. Double space essays using one inch margins. Use 12 point "Courier New" typeface.

• Papers must have the following elements. A title page that includes the name of the paper, the student's name, and the date submitted. The body of the paper. A references cited section. NOTE: Page counts do not include the title page or the references cited section.

• All papers must be stapled.

• All papers must be well referenced using the American Anthropological Association style.

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BRIEF GUIDE TO REFERENCING

Essays must contain direct references to the assigned authors. For example, if you are writing about historical particularism, your essay must contain references to specific passages from the Boas and Radin essays.

In general reference ideas and places where you have paraphrased an author. Only quote an author when absolutely necessary. For example, if your reading of Kroeber leads you to conclude that he believed in the value of Freudian psychology for interpreting cultural patterns, you might write something like: "Kroeber clearly that Freudian concepts were valuable in interpreting cultural patterns (1912:121). In this case, you would be indicating that on page 121 of a publication written by Kroeber with a copyright date of 1912, you found something that illustrated your point.

SPECIFIC TO THIS COURSE: You are not permitted to include a direct quote longer than 20 words. Since only quotations over 25 words should be indented, you will never indent a quotation in this class.

SPECIFIC TO THIS COURSE: You are NOT permitted to quote, paraphrase, or otherwise reference any material in introductions or footnotes written by McGee and Warms. No referencing is needed for class notes.

References (including references to personal communication) are placed in the body of the text, not in notes (Doe 1968:21). If you wish to use a quote from Kroeber that you have found in Langness's The Study of Culture, the correct citation form would be (Kroeber, cited in Langness 1987:69).

When you cite essays published in Anthropological Theory, the proper form is (Author 2000[original year]:page). For example, (Malinowski 2000 [1922]:165) would be a reference to something Malinowski wrote that appeared on page 165 of the McGee/Warms text.

Use phrases like "cited by" or "quoted by" when an author cites or quotes another author. For example, Clifford Geertz in "Notes on a Balinese Cockfight," uses extensive quotes from the literary critic Northrop Frye. If you wanted to use part of one of these long quotes taken from the McGee/Warms book, it would appear as (Frye, cited by Geertz 2000). The original date of Geertz work (1973) would appear in your References Cited section.

Please note: Essays reprinted in Anthropological Theory are NOT cited by McGee/Warms. The correct citation for Geertz' essay would be (Geertz 2000[1973]). Since you are not to reference anything McGee/Warms have written in either the introduction or the footnotes, the phrase "cited by McGee and Warms" should NEVER appear in your papers.

Style format for an essay from Anthropological Theory:

Durkheim, Emile
2000 [orig. 1895] What is a Social Fact? In Anthropological Theory: An Introductory History, 2nd edition. R. Jon McGee and Richard L. Warms, eds. Pgs. 87-93. Mountain View (CA): Mayfield Press.