ANTHROPOLOGY 474A &
B: ANTHROPOLOGY AS PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
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COURSE
DESCRIPTION:
Explores innovative ways of practicing anthropology for stronger engagement in
global, national, institutional, and local information networks, program
planning, policy implementation, and transformative social action. Examined are past, present, and envisioned future
anthropological engagements in various social fields, including economic
development, indigenous rights, environmental protection, labor rights,
education, tourism, medicine, human rights, state polity and law,
non-governmental organizations, cyberculture, popular
media, and social movements.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1. Portfolio 30% (Seven writing assignments as scheduled
below)
2. Public Engagement
Project 60% (See below))
3. Attendance 10%
REQUIRED
BOOKS:
Roberto
J. Gonzalez, ed. Anthropologists in the Public Sphere: Speaking Out on War,
Peace and American Power.
Catherine
Besteman and Hugh Gusterson, eds. Why
ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE:
2/7
Introduction
Margaret Mead. Changing Styles of Anthropological Work
Graeber, David. The New Anarchists. New Left Review 13, Jan-Feb 2002:
http://www.newleftreview.net/NLR24704.shtml
Claudia Roth
Pierpont. The Measure of
Roberto Gonzalez.
Speaking Out on War, Peace and Power: Towards a Preventative
Diplomacy Anthropology News
November 2003
http://www.aaanet.org/press/an/infocus/engagedanth/0311_Gonzalez.htm
Hugh Gusterson (MIT) and Catherine Besteman (
AAA Government Relations and Public Policy Efforts http://www.aaanet.org/gvt/index.htm
(Surf around)
2/14 Anthropology in the Public Sphere
Work in pairs to present summary of
one section of Gonzalez
Assignments: (1) Choose term research topic; (2) Response on your
team’s Gonzalez section
2/21 Recognizing and Deconstructing Myths We
Live By
Work in pairs to present summary of
one pundit/response
Assignment: Write a personal journal entry or a letter to a friend
identifying something that is so naturalized in your global environment that it
is rarely subject to scrutiny or challenge.
2/28 Project
Day
Assignment: Turn in annotated webliography, bibliography, and list
of text sources (news articles, journal articles, books) for your term research
3/7 Radio Show
Assignment: write transcript for a half hour show; conduct show
during this week
3/14
Radio Show (con’t.)
Assignment: Write an ethnographic
reflection of radio show.
3/21
Spring Break
3/28 Anthropology in Public Schools
Assignment: create lesson plan
4/4 Anthropology in Public Schools (con’t.)
Assignment: work in local classrooms
and write an ethnographic reflection on teaching
4/11 Anthropology in Public Schools (con’t)
Assignment: write a letter to the editor for your local newspaper
about your topic
4/18,
4/25, 5/2 Culminating Production
These final three weeks are open for exploring other forms of
publicly presenting your research. We will decide as a class how to use this
time. Some possibilities are:
Hold a teach in or
debate
Design and publish a
campus journal or newsletter
Create alternative forms of
commentary such as rap, zines, cartoon strips, posters
Design a web page
PUBLIC
ENGAGEMENT PROJECT (60% of Course Grade):
The
semester project will involve a team effort for: (1) formulating a topic for
engaging anthropological perspectives in the public sphere; (2) researching the
topic on the internet, in the popular press, and in academic publications; (3)
with the class and instructors, discussing and critically reviewing the project’s content and goals;
(4) presenting the project’s results in at least three venues, two of which
must engage an off-campus audience significantly; and (5) documenting and
critically reflecting on the project’s results.
Possible
Venues:
Radio Show
Web site
Diversity Conference Session
Elementary or Secondary School Classroom Presentation
Junior High or High School Club or Organization Presentation
Published Interview(s) with Experts
or Consultants about the Issue
Colby Student Research Symposium
Performance Art Event
Presentation to a Community
Organization
Video Presentation