Anth1 - Introduction to Cultural Anthropology

Fall 2009

Instructor: Norah Glover glover@siskiyous.edu

If you are on the Wait List, please email me with your name and correct email address.

Course Description:

Introduction to cultural anthropology is an overview of human cultures past and present. Some of the topics that we will be cover in this course include: customs of marriage, kinship, birth, death, healing; methods of production and consumption; religious practices and beliefs; language and culture; social and political organization; culture change.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the course, students should have demonstrated knowledge in the following areas by:

• Understanding, recognizing, and controlling ethnocentrism, and develop an appreciation for the validity of other cultures.
• Applying the anthropological methods to the study of culture and analyzing social institutions.
• Applying anthropological principles to solving relevant contemporary issues.
  

Required Textbooks:

There are 4 required textbooks for this course. 

1. Omohundro, John.  Thinking Like an Anthropologist: A Practical Introduction to Cultural Anthropology . McGraw Hill Publishing. 1st Edition.  ISBN: 978-0-07-319580-3
2. Raybeck, Douglas. Mad Dogs, Englishmen, and the Errant Anthropologist.   Waveland Press. 1998 ISBN: 978-0-88133-906-2.
3. Dettwyler, Kathryn. Dancing Skeletons: Life and Death in West Africa Waveland Press . 1996. ISBN: 0-88133-885-0; 978-0-88133-748-8
4. Brody, Hugh. Maps and Dreams: Indians and the British Columbia Frontier . 1998. Waveland Press. ISBN: 978-0-88133-965-2.

The textbooks can be obtained from the college bookstore or through various online book sellers.  If you do purchase online make sure you order the correct version, and that the books will arrive within the first week of class.

Used copies of the 3 short ethnographies (# 2,3,4) can easily be found online -- I paid less than $25 for all 3 used from online book sellers, or they can be rented for about $9.99 each for the semester.   The main textbook #1 can be rented for about $21 for the semester. 

One online company that rents textbooks at very reasonable prices is Chegg.com http://www.chegg.com/ (the last time I checked all 4 books could be rented for a total of $55.45 for the semester). There are other companies that rent textbooks, a quick online search will help you locate them.

In addition to obtaining the textbooks from the campus bookstore, it may be possible to locate used textbooks online.  Some avenues worth exploring are:

• Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com
• Barnes & Noble http://barnesandnoble.com
• Best Book Buys http://www.bestwebbuys.com/books/
• eCampus.com http://ecampus.com/
• Powell's Books http://powells.com/
• VarsityBooks.com http://www.varsitybooks.com

If you do purchase online make sure you order the correct version, and that the books will arrive no later than the 1st week of class.

Requirements:

• You should be able to read at a 10th grade (High School sophomore) level, and be eligible for or have completed English 1A.
• You expect to spend at least 9 hours a week: reading, participating in online discussions, completing projects, and taking quizzes and the final exam.
• You must regular and reliable access to a computer and the Internet.
• You will need Adobe Reader on your computer -- if you don't have it you can download a free copy at Adobe:
• You will need a COS library card and a NetLibrary account;  go to COS Library Services to Distance Learning Students to learn how you can get a library card and a Netlibrary account without going to the campus. 

If you have other questions about the course prior to August 17th, please email me, Norah Glover at glover@siskiyous.edu