Dr. JoAnn D’Alisera University of Arkansas

Office: 346 Old Main Anth 5123

Office Hours: T/Th 2-3:30 575-4460

dalisera@comp.uark.edu

Material Culture:

The Secret Life of Things

The objects of everyday life have led strange lives of their own. Generated by complex contexts and social and interpersonal conflict, objects reflect and reproduce the societies that construct them. In this course we will explore how “things” reflect back to us innumerable clues about who we were, who we are, where we are going, and what is important to us. As such, we will explore the secret, hidden lives of the objects of everyday life.

Required Texts:

Brydon, Anne and Sandra Niessen (1998) Consuming Fashion: Adorning the Transnational Body. New York:

Berg.

Haynes, Michaele (1998) Dressing Up Debutantes: Pageantry and Glitz in Texas. New York: Berg.

Jarman, Neil (1997) Material Conflicts: Parades and Visual Displays in Northern Ireland. New York:Berg.

Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, Barbara (1998) Destination Culture: Tourism, Museums, and Heritage. Berkeley:

University of California Press.

McDannell, Colleen (1995) Material Christianity: Religion and Popular Culture in America. New Haven: Yale

University Press.

Miller, Daniel (1998) Material Cultures: Why Some Things Matter. Chicago: University of Chicago.

All books are on reserve in the Mullins Library.

Requirements:

Research Paper (200pts)

You will write a research paper (20-30 pgs) based on a topic that interests you and after consultation with me (I suggest meeting with me as soon as possible). I recommend you choose a topic for which there exist sufficient data. I strongly encourage graduate students to choose a research topic that closely relates to future research plans. If you have conducted fieldwork, I suggest that you choose a topic that incorporates your field data. In any case, your analysis should be well grounded in data, and should be theoretically informed, keeping in mind issues that come up in the class readings and discussions. You will be required to:

1. Write a proposal (3-5 pgs) stating your choice of topic to be researched. Your proposal will be due mid

semester (10/24-26). A set of general guidelines will be provided at the start of the semester.

2. Construct an annotated bibliography. The bibliography will be due mid semester (10/24-26). A final

version of your annotated bibliography should be submitted with your final paper. Bibliographies

should include books, articles, and other relevant materials. I expect a minimum of 25 entries. A set of

general guidelines will be provided at the start of the semester.

3. Meet with me on 2 occasions. All will be related to your final paper. Prior to beginning your research,

and within two weeks of the semester, you will meet with me to discuss your research plans. Come to

this meeting with an outline/draft of your proposal in hand. We will meet a second time, on or before

week 12 (11/21-23), to discuss the progress of your research, bring your notes and bibliography to this

meeting. All meetings are by appointment only and I strongly encourage you to meet with me to discuss

your project more then the two required times.

4. At the start of the semester you will be assigned a writing partner. You will exchange a draft of your

final paper in week 15 (12/5-7). A set of general guidelines on how to do a peer review will be provided

at the start of the semester. I strongly suggest that you get to know each other as soon as possible.

Final Paper – 100pts Proposal – 50pts Annotated Bibliography – 50 pts

Critical Book Reviews (600pts/100pts each )

You will write a 5 page book review for each of the 6 books that will be read in class. The review should describe the authors intent, the issues addressed, and the broad and specific questions posed by the author. However, it should not be a mere regurgitation of the authors ideas, but include a thoughtful assessment of those ideas. It should show me that you have read the book carefully, and participated in class discussions. It should be concise, clear, and well written. All direct quotes and key ideas from the text should be properly acknowledged and a standard reference/citation format should be used. I prefer American Anthropologist or American Ethnologist style. Guidelines for each of these reference/citation formats will be placed on reserve in the Anthropology Reading Room (room 332 Old Main)

Participation (100pts)

Class sessions are planned around readings, so it is expected that you keep up with the reading and read material prior to class. Come prepared to discuss and/or ask questions.

Format for Written Assignments

Please note that all assignments should be typed and doubled-spaced. Type should be no smaller than 10pt or larger than 12pt. You may use any common, distinctly legible, non-script font. Failure to adhere to these standards will result in a loss of points.

Grading

You are expected to complete ALL written assignments. If you fail to hand in an assignment you will receive an F for that assignment. If you fail to hand in an assignment ON TIME without a DOCUMENTED excuse, I will deduct 10% from the grade for that assignment. Class discussions are structured around readings. I expect you to have completed ALL of the assigned readings for a given day and that you come to class prepared to discuss and/or ask questions related to those readings. This is not a course in which passive note taking and night-before-the-test memorization are important. I want you to think, actively and often.

Grading Scale

Your final grade will be based on the total number of points you have accumulated for all assignments. Your grade will be a percentage of that score. The percentages to be used are as follows:

A 90-100%; B 80-89%; C 70-79%; D 60-69%; F Below 60%

Grading Philosophy -- Written Assignments

My grading philosophy is as follows:

An A paper is an excellent paper that uses information from class readings and independent research to make an argument that is not simply a repetition of arguments made in those readings, but goes well beyond them. An A paper should be a sophisticated, insightful, and convincingly made synthesis of ethnographic and theoretical resources. An A paper is very well written, that is, your paper should have outstanding grammar, spelling and organizational style.

A B paper is an above average paper that contains good coverage of topics covered in class readings and independent research. A B paper should be an articulate synthesis of ethnographic and theoretical resources. A B paper is well written with good grammar, spelling and organizational style.

A C paper is an average paper that recapitulates information correctly from class readings and independent research. It may be a B paper with some shortcomings.

A D paper is a paper with errors in information (these range from misidentifying authors, people, and places- including misspellings- to broader misrepresentations). A D paper is poorly written with numerous mistakes in grammar and spelling. A D paper is poorly organized.

An F paper is riddled with error, is badly written, and makes no attempt beyond repeating (albeit badly) information. Or it may reveal openly that the writer has not done the work upon which the assignment was based.

Academic Honesty

I expect that all written work that you turn in for this class is ultimately authored by you and you alone. Any student found to be deliberately copying from the written work of someone else (this includes fellow students, a published author or anyone else) without acknowledgment will receive 0 points for that assignment. In severe cases (100% plagiarism) you will receive an F for the entire course. There will be NO second chances. If you are unsure what constitutes legitimate paraphrasing vs plagiarism please see me or check your University Catalog.

Inclement Weather

In icy or snowy weather, I will have a voice mail message (575-4460) about whether or not class will be held.

Please note if you have a documented disability and wish to discuss academic accommodations, please contact me A.S.A.P.

COURSE OUTLINE

Material Cultures: Why Some Things Matter – Miller

Week 1 8/29-30

Miller pp. 3-24

Week 2 9/5-7

Miller pp. 25-120

Week 3 9/12-14

Miller pp. 121-238 Book Review #1 Due

Material Christianity: Religion and Popular Culture in America – McDannell

Week 4 9/19-21

McDannell pp. 1-102

Week 5 9/26-28

McDannell pp. 103-197

Week 6 10/3-5

McDannell pp. 198-276 Book Review #2 Due

Consuming Fashion: Adorning the Transnational Body – Brydon & Niessen

Week 7 10/10-12

Brydon & Niessen pp. ix-108

Week 8 10/17-19

Brydon & Niessen pp. 108-188 Book Review #3 Due

Dressing Up Debutantes: Pageantry and Glitz in Texas – Haynes

Week 9 10-24-26

Haynes pp. 1-91

Proposal/Bibliography Due

Week 10 10/31-11/2

Haynes pp. 92-166 Book Review #4 Due

Destination Culture: Tourism, Museums, and Heritage – Kirshenblatt-Gimblett

Week 11 11/7-9

Kirshenblatt-Gimblett pp. 1-130

Week 12 11/14-16

Kirshenblatt-Gimblett pp. 131-202

Week 13 11/21-23

Kirshenblatt-Gimblett pp. 203-282

Book Review #5 Due

Thanksgiving Break – 11/23

Material Conflicts: Parades and Visual Displays in Northern Ireland – Jarman

Week 14 11/28-30

Jarman pp. 1-158

Week 15 12/5-7

Jarman pp. 159-231

Exchange drafts of your paper with your writing partner

Week 16 12/12

Jarman pp. 232-263 Book Review #6 Due

Research Paper Due on or before 12/15/00