Cultural Anthropology
A.Y. 2019/2020
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide knowledge of the main epistemological paradigm of cultural anthropology:
- knowledge of the concept of culture and ethnographic method
- knowledge of the history of the concept of culture and ethnographic method
- Knowledge of the main issues of the ethnography of the Internet and social media.
- knowledge of the concept of culture and ethnographic method
- knowledge of the history of the concept of culture and ethnographic method
- Knowledge of the main issues of the ethnography of the Internet and social media.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course, the student should possess:
-In-Depth Knowledge of the concept of culture and ethnography;
- knowledge of the major anthropological theories and ability to use them to interpret and to analyse the main social processes of contemporaneity
- Critical thinking skills needed to compare different cultural contexts;
- Ability to apply anthropological Knowledge and understanding in relation to the construction of research design
- Ability in using an ethnographic approach to new media
- Awareness of the responsibiity in applied anthropology
-In-Depth Knowledge of the concept of culture and ethnography;
- knowledge of the major anthropological theories and ability to use them to interpret and to analyse the main social processes of contemporaneity
- Critical thinking skills needed to compare different cultural contexts;
- Ability to apply anthropological Knowledge and understanding in relation to the construction of research design
- Ability in using an ethnographic approach to new media
- Awareness of the responsibiity in applied anthropology
Lesson period: First trimester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First trimester
Course syllabus
The course aims at revising the main historical steps of anthropological thought as knowledge of the difference (which intends to think, understand and describe cultural otherness) and as critical knowledge (whose aim is the deconstruction of our common sense).
Particular relevance will be given to the analysis of current transformations both at epistemological and at methodological level, ranging from anthropology as science of "primitive", traditional societies to anthropology as knowledge of complex societies, whose aim is the analysis of the local and global expressions. We will discuss the following topics: progress, cultural relativism, gift, care, etnich identity, mobility
The last part of the course will focus on ethnography of social media: how people engage with digital media and technologies; how digital devices and tools are integrated and embedded in everyday life; how they are entangled with different social practices and cultural processes.
Particular relevance will be given to the analysis of current transformations both at epistemological and at methodological level, ranging from anthropology as science of "primitive", traditional societies to anthropology as knowledge of complex societies, whose aim is the analysis of the local and global expressions. We will discuss the following topics: progress, cultural relativism, gift, care, etnich identity, mobility
The last part of the course will focus on ethnography of social media: how people engage with digital media and technologies; how digital devices and tools are integrated and embedded in everyday life; how they are entangled with different social practices and cultural processes.
Prerequisites for admission
The course requires the knowledge of twentieth century history and history of philosophy.
Teaching methods
The teaching of the course offers lectures, practical exercises, case studies, guest lectures, video projection.
Slides, educational material, references will be available at the end of each lesson on the course website: abiscaldi.ariel.ctu.unimi.it
Slides, educational material, references will be available at the end of each lesson on the course website: abiscaldi.ariel.ctu.unimi.it
Teaching Resources
- Fabietti, Ugo, Storia dell'antropologia, terza edizione, Zanichelli, Bologna, 2011 (capitoli 2,3,4,6,8,9,11,12,13,14,15,17,18,20 e relative letture)
- Texts available on line:
Malighetti, Roberto, "Sviluppo", in https://www.academia.edu/21359191/Sviluppo
Biscaldi, Angela, "Introduzione" a Relativismo culturale. In difesa di un pensiero libero (pdf su ariel)
Matteo Aria, "Oltre il dono e il mercato. La vita sociale del sangue" (pdf su ariel); Matteo Aria, Adriano Favole, Sul dono, (pdf su ariel)
Fabietti, Ugo "La costruzione dei confini in antropologia. Pratiche e rappresentazioni" www.sissco.it › download › pubblicazioni › confini_fabietti
Fabietti, Ugo "Introduzione" a Identità Etnica. Storia e critica di un concetto equivoco, www.diss.uniroma1.it › moodle2 › mod › resource › view
Quaranta, Ivo, "La trasformazione dell'esperienza. Antropologia e processi di cura", www.pendingprogetto.it › 2019/09/02 › la-trasformazione-dellesperien...
Riccio,Bruno, "Introduzione" a Antropologia e migrazioni, https://www.academia.edu/32191052/Antropologia_e_Migrazioni_Introduzione
- Biscaldi, Matera, Antropologia dei social media, Carocci, Roma, 2019
Daniel Miller, Why we post in http://www.ucl.ac.uk/why-we-post
- Texts available on line:
Malighetti, Roberto, "Sviluppo", in https://www.academia.edu/21359191/Sviluppo
Biscaldi, Angela, "Introduzione" a Relativismo culturale. In difesa di un pensiero libero (pdf su ariel)
Matteo Aria, "Oltre il dono e il mercato. La vita sociale del sangue" (pdf su ariel); Matteo Aria, Adriano Favole, Sul dono, (pdf su ariel)
Fabietti, Ugo "La costruzione dei confini in antropologia. Pratiche e rappresentazioni" www.sissco.it › download › pubblicazioni › confini_fabietti
Fabietti, Ugo "Introduzione" a Identità Etnica. Storia e critica di un concetto equivoco, www.diss.uniroma1.it › moodle2 › mod › resource › view
Quaranta, Ivo, "La trasformazione dell'esperienza. Antropologia e processi di cura", www.pendingprogetto.it › 2019/09/02 › la-trasformazione-dellesperien...
Riccio,Bruno, "Introduzione" a Antropologia e migrazioni, https://www.academia.edu/32191052/Antropologia_e_Migrazioni_Introduzione
- Biscaldi, Matera, Antropologia dei social media, Carocci, Roma, 2019
Daniel Miller, Why we post in http://www.ucl.ac.uk/why-we-post
Assessment methods and Criteria
The final exam is an oral exam where students will discuss topics covered during the course. The grades are on a scale of 30.
The criteria for evaluating tests are:
knowledge of the concept of culture and ethnographic method - knowledge of the history of the concept of culture and ethnographic method - Knowledge of the main issues of the ethnography of the Internet and social media
The criteria for evaluating tests are:
knowledge of the concept of culture and ethnographic method - knowledge of the history of the concept of culture and ethnographic method - Knowledge of the main issues of the ethnography of the Internet and social media
M-DEA/01 - DEMOLOGY, ETHNOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
Biscaldi Angela
Shifts:
-
Professor:
Biscaldi AngelaProfessor(s)