Anthropology on the Screen, Tube, Web, and Front Page
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| Contacting others in the class | Information about Anthropology | Other Freshman Seminars |
| Other courses in Anthropology | University of Texas Anthropological Society | Useful Anthro Links |
Syllabus
This course explores the public perception of anthropology, and the ways the field is represented in a variety of media. Our aim is to explore the relationship between a large and rather diffuse academic discipline (with subdisciplines including archaeology, physical anthropology, linguistics, folklore and cultural anthropology) and a diverse array of public audiences. We will do this by collecting and analyzing public projections of anthropology through the semester. We will also read several works by anthropologists, especially those which reveal their personal ideas about what they are trying to do as anthropologists.
The course activities will involve discussion of the academe, anthropology and its relationship to other disciplines, and its public image. Each week we will explore movies, television programs, print articles, web resources, and information in other media dealing with anthropology. Students will write several short writing assignments having to do with these subjects.
| Th. 28-Aug | Introduction to the Course |
| 02-Sep | Why we have anthropologists. Readings: "What is Anthropology?" by P. Whitten and D. E. K. Hunter. Excerpt from Carl Sagan, Billions and Billions. (1997) Find (and of course read) "What is Anthropology" in the Web pages of the American Anthropological Association at http://www.ameranthassn.org/ |
| 09-Sep | Archaeology and its popular image [Bibliography assignment due Thursday] Readings: Hester, from Field Methods in Archaeology. (1997) Excerpt from Williams, Fantastic Archaeology (1991) Find "What is Archaeology" on the Society for American Archaeology web pages at: http://www.saa.org/ [3rd Hour assignment for Monday, 8 September at 7:00 pm: Dr. Hans Mark, speaking on issues of flight; Hogg Auditorium] [3rd Hour assignment for Friday 12 September at noon: Dr. Robert King on Spies, Espionage, and Treason, in the Ransom Center's fourth-floor auditorium; don't miss this.] |
| 16-Sep | Archaeological dilemmas; the problems of the next few centuries Readings: Morell, Virginia, "An Anthropological Culture Shift" Science April 1, 1994. "In Front of the Mirror" by Dorothy Lippert, in Native Americans and Archaeologists" (1997) [3rd Hour assignment for Thursday September 18th at noon: Dr. Jerome Bump on Emotional Intelligence, in the Ransom Center's fourth-floor auditorium] |
| 23-Sep | Archaeology and Anthropology's parts Readings: "The Archaeology of Childhood" Wilson, manuscript. [3rd Hour assignment for Tuesday, 23 September at 7:00 pm: Dr. Susan Marshall, speaking on on Povery and Welfare Student Union Ballroom at 7:00 p.m.] Sept. 25: noon lecture by Dr. John Kroll on Greek sculpture Huntington Art Gallery, 2nd floor of the Ransom Center |
| 30-Sep | Interlude: on Anthropology's relationship to the rest of the Academy Readings: Understanding other Cultures, from Cultural Anthropology, by John Bodley (1997). [3rd Hour assignment, Dr. Zena Moore speaking on "Constructing Personal Lives with Films," in the Sanchez Building (SZB) 416, 5:00 October 2nd] [3rd Hour activity: October 3rd. Dr. Marilla Svinicki on The Psychology of Learning and Motivation, in the Al Kiva room (SZB 104) of the Education Bldg. at 12:00 noon; Also on October 3rd is a lecture by Dr. James Vick on Ethical Issues in Athletics, in UTC 3.102 at 12:00 noon.] First essay (on reburial) due at the beginning of class Thursday |
| 07-Oct | Social and Cultural Anthropology; what Social Anthropologists do... Readings: James Brow, excerpt from Demons and Development: The Struggle for Community in a Sri Lankan Village (1996) Katie Stewart, excerpt from A Space by the Side of the Road (1996) [3rd Hour assignment for Monday, 6 October at 7:00 pm: Dr. Ron Crutcher lecturing on music with a performance by a visiting string quartet, in Bates Recital Hall] [3rd Hour assignment for Tuesday, 7 October at 12:00 noon. Dr. Dave Oliphant guiding a tour of the exhibit "Living and Legendary Authors at the University of Texas." In the Wrenn Room, on the 7th floor of the Ransom Center] |
| 14-Oct | Social and Cultural Anthropology Readings: Pauline Turner Strong "Exclusive Labels: Indexing the National 'We' in Commemorative and Oppositional Exhibitions." [3rd Hour assignment, Dr. Norman Hackerman will be speaking on Science in the Interest of Society in ETC (Engineering Teaching Center) 2.136 on November 13th at noon] [Marvels of UT Campus Assignment Due Tuesday] |
| 21-Oct | Folklore about Folklore Readings: Keeler: excerpt from Javanese Shadow Plays, Javanese Selves (1987) Excerpt from Richard Flores: Memory-Place, Meaning, and the Alamo (ms.) [3rd Hour assignment for Monday, 20 October at 7:00 pm: Coach Tom Penders speaking on issues motivation in athletics and academics, in Burdine 106] |
| 28-Oct | Linguistic Anthropology: Communication and Culture Readings: "The Mother Tongue" from U.S. News and World Reports (Nov. 5, 1990) and "The New-Alphabet Disease" by Toby Lester. [3rd hour activity: participate in research on Student Retention Factors. You must help fill out inventories of psychosocial factors being studied, then have access to the provisional results of the research as it progresses. More information on this to come.] [3rd Hour assignment for Friday October 31: Lecture by Dr. James Ayres on "the Wise Fool," with a performance/reading by his Freshman Seminars class, behind the Ex-Student's Association building along Waller Creek at noon.] |
| 04-Nov | Linguistic Anthropology Readings: Charles Bird and Timothy Shopen, "Maninka," from Languages and their Speakers. And "Spatial Conceptualizations of Social Hierarchy in Pohnpei, Micronesia," by Elizabeth Keating of the U.T. Department of Anthropology. Excerpt from Sherzer, Verbal Art in San Blas. [3rd Hour assignment, date and time to be announced, Secretary of State Tony Garza on political/government issues. In the University Teaching Center] [3rd Hour assignment for Friday November 7th: Lecture by Dr. Robert Jenson on "The Ethics and Politics of Everyday Life," in the Ransom Center's 4th floor auditorium at noon] Internet News assignment due Tuesday, Nov. 4th |
| 11-Nov | Physical Anthropology: Louis, Lucy, and Diane Fossey Readings: Excerpt from Claud Bramblett, Patterns of Primate Behavior (1994) Stephen Jay Gould "A novel notion of Neanderthal," Natural History : June 1988, v97, n6, p16 . See Biological Anthropology Resources on the Internet: http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Anthropology/biosite.html [3rd Hour assignment, date and time to be announced, Coach Jody Conradt, speaking on motivation and other issues] [3rd Hour activity for Thursday the 13th of November: Science in the Interest of Society, ETC 2.136 at noon.] [3rd Hour activity for Friday the 14th of November: Dr. Daniela Bini on Italian Civilization ETC 3.102 at noon.] |
| 18-Nov | Physical anthropology's parts Second Essay due Tuesday Browse through these resources, and think in terms of the different kinds of Physical or Biological Anthropology that are practices http://www.dealsonline.com/origins/links/information.htm http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Anthropology/biosite.html http://www.zstarr.com/iho/index.html Institute of Human Origins |
| 25-Nov | Anthropology's future // Thanksgiving Video, audio, and multimedia sources assignment due Tuesday Readings: Wilson: "Pilgrim's Paradox," from Natural History |
| 02-Dec | Anthropology's future. Readings: TBA |
Grading
| Bibliography Search assignment | 10% |
| First essay | 10 |
| Marvels of the UT Campus assignment | 10 |
| Internet News assignment | 10 |
| Second essay | 20 |
| Video, audio, and multimedia sources | 10 |
| Final Exam | 10 |
| Attendance, participation, 3rd hour participation, and other assignments | 20 |
| total | 100% |
Note on 3rd hour activities
Nearly every week there is a 3rd hour activity planned. You go to these
on your own, or with others from the class or other Freshmen seminars.
For the most part these are special opportunities organized for the Freshman
Seminar participants. Some other things, like tours of the library or the
Learning Skills center, are things that would be good to do anyway as Freshmen,
but in the Freshman Seminar you receive credit for them.
For each third hour activity please write a short (less than one page) summary of what went on and what about it was intriguing or interesting. Nearly everything can be a learning experience that ties into other things you have experienced, but you have to learn to think about things in this way.
During the semester you must take at least one of the classes
or workshops at the Learning Skills Center. You can find out more about
these classes/workshops at http://www.utexas.edu/student/lsc/
The classes offered include: Study Strategies; Good Start: Time Management
(this is a good one); How Nutrition, Sleep and Exercise Affect Learning;
Has Your Get Up and Go Got Up and Left Ya? : Motivation & Goal-Setting;
How to Study History & Government; Improve Your Learning; Taking Essay
Exams; Taking Multiple Choice Tests; Speed Reading and other Reading courses;
Math help courses; English Conversation.
Resources
Computers, etc.
In this course you will have to have access to a computer and the worldwide
web. Computers are available for student use in the Flawn Academic Center
(FAC) computation center, and at many other computer labs around campus.
For information on these labs, see: http://www.utexas.edu/computer/labs/
In order to have access to the Web and mail you probably already have
an "Individually Funded" (IF) account with ACITS (the former
Computation Center). If not you need to get one. You will need to have
a web publishing directory. Read about it at http://www.utexas.edu/cc/account/
and follow the steps at http://www.utexas.edu/cc/account/steps/
It can all be done on-line.
Note: the computer part of this class will not be difficult. We'll go
over all of this in class.
Books and Readings
There is no textbook for this class. The readings are going to be available
in a photocopied packet (details to be announced).
Obligatory threatening passages
Students who miss exams without notifying the professor (471-0057),
or the Office of the Department of Anthropology (471-4206) in advance
will, under most circumstances not be allowed to take the exam and will
forfeit that portion of their grade. Late assignments will be penalized
in proportion to their lateness. Class participation (attendance, discussion
of readings, participation in exercises and workshops, occasional assignments,
presentations, 3rd hour activities, etc.) will count for 20% of your final
grade.
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