Anthropological Paradigms
Code: 108428Credits: 6
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Philosophy | FB | 1 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- María Valdés Gázquez
- Email :
- maria.valdes@uab.cat
Teaching staff (external to UAB)
- A determinar
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
This course has no prerequisites.
Objectives
The Anthropology module aims to introduce students to anthropological thought through the paradigms of meaning-making that the discipline offers. To this end, it explores the main schools of thought and debates that have shaped anthropology as a discipline, looking specifically into its links with the philosophical categories of the subject, the body, nature, culture, difference and otherness. The course examines how anthropology has contributed to the formation of frameworks for the understanding of what it means to be a human being, as well as its colonial, epistemological and political implications, whilst integrating a gender perspective and decolonial approaches. It also provides tools for the comparative analysis of cultures and lifestyles and encourages a reflective attitude towards the practices of knowledge production.
The course provides a critical introduction to the main theoretical frameworks of anthropology, ranging from evolutionism and functionalism to structural, symbolic, postcolonial and feminist anthropology. Through the analysis of key concepts such as culture, ritual, kinship, taboo, identity, otherness, ethnocentrism and cultural relativism, the course examines the different ways in which societies have been represented and understood. We pay particular attention to the philosophical and political implications of these paradigms, as well as to their historical and colonial contexts. The aim is for students to gain an understanding of the anthropological construction of humanity, developing conceptual tools for analysing cultural difference and the complexity of its social and relational manifestation.
Learning outcomes
- CM03 (Communicate in a clear, rigorous and argued manner ideas related to cultural diversity, the coexistence and interaction of different ways of life, values, beliefs, languages and practices that make up identity.) Communicate in a clear, rigorous and argued manner ideas related to cultural diversity, the coexistence and interaction of different ways of life, values, beliefs, languages and practices that make up identity.
- CM04 (Develop a critical and situated view of the anthropological construction of difference and the human, integrating decolonial and feminist perspectives.) Develop a critical and situated view of the anthropological construction of difference and the human, integrating decolonial and feminist perspectives.
- KM03 (Describe the main theoretical paradigms of anthropology and their epistemological foundations.) Describe the main theoretical paradigms of anthropology and their epistemological foundations.
- KM04 (Identify the key concepts of the anthropological discipline, including the assessment of how gender relations and the contributions of women and minorities have impacted its historical and critical evolution.) Identify the key concepts of the anthropological discipline, including the assessment of how gender relations and the contributions of women and minorities have impacted its historical and critical evolution.
- SM03 (Critically analyse anthropological texts from a philosophical perspective, identifying their theoretical, political, and methodological implications.) Critically analyse anthropological texts from a philosophical perspective, identifying their theoretical, political, and methodological implications.
- SM04 (Apply conceptual anthropological tools to interpret complex cultural and social phenomena, placing them in their historical contexts and knowledge production.) Apply conceptual anthropological tools to interpret complex cultural and social phenomena, placing them in their historical contexts and knowledge production.
Contents
1.The evolutionary paradigm
The context of European colonial expansion and the birth of cultural anthropology.
The Enlightenment foundations of Victorian evolutionism.
The evolutionary conception of culture.
Aspects of theory and method in the evolutionary approach.
2.The relativist paradigm
Anti-evolutionary criticism and Franz Boas’s historical particularism.
The basis of diffusionism in romantic particularism.
Cultural relativism: from ‘Culture’ to ‘Cultures’.
Culture and Personality: Margaret Mead’s theory of gender.
3.The functionalist paradigm
The context of colonial consolidation and the emergence of social anthropology.
The influence of French sociology: Émile Durkheim and the ‘social fact’.
French functionalism: Marcel Mauss and ‘The Gift’.
British functionalism: Bronisław Malinowski and participant observation.
4.The structuralist paradigm (the linguistic turn)
Claude Lévi-Strauss’s structuralism.
The use of structural linguistics: methodological approach and theoretical background.
The ‘nature/culture’ dichotomy in Lévi-Strauss’s thought.
5.The materialist paradigm vs. the symbolist paradigm (the interpretative turn)
The context of colonial disintegration and the Cold War.
Practical reason vs. symbolic reason: the debate between materialists and symbolists.
The interpretative turn: Clifford Geertz’s hermeneutic anthropology.
6.The postmodern turn and Critical Theory
The culmination of decolonisation processes and the social upheaval of the 1970s.
The crisis within the discipline and the emergence of feminist anthropology.
The emergence of postmodern anthropology and the crisis of cultural representation.
A critique of decolonial thought: Talal Asad.
7.The ontological turn
Overcoming the ‘nature/culture’ dichotomy.
Beyond Nature and Culture: Philippe Descola.
Viveiros de Castro’s Amerindian perspectivism.
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studying and personal work | 30 | 1.2 | CM04, KM03, KM04, SM04 |
| Theoretical classes | 30 | 1.2 | CM04, KM03, KM04, SM04 |
| Tutorials | 6 | 0.24 | CM04, KM03, KM04, SM04 |
| Discussion of readings | 10 | 0.4 | CM03, KM03, KM04, SM03, SM04 |
| Group essay | 30 | 1.2 | CM03, CM04, KM03, KM04, SM03 |
| Mandatory readings | 10 | 0.4 | CM04, KM04, SM03, SM04 |
A. Theoretical and practical sessions delivered by teaching staff: lectures supported by ICT, large-group discussion seminars and text analysis.
B. Research, reading of texts and written assignments.
C. Study: drawing up outlines, concept maps and summaries.
D. Tutorials: individualised support for students in the tutor’s office or in the classroom. The timetable and venue for the tutorials will be announced on the first day of the course and published on the Moodle platform.
TEACHING MATERIALS
To keep up with the course, students must complete a series of compulsory readings, which will be specified at the start of the module.
The general bibliography included in this Teaching Guide lists textbooks that students are recommended to use to supplement the course material beyond what is covered in class. Further supplementary reading may be recommended during face-to-face sessions.
WORK METHOD
The course consists of five thematic blocks. Each thematic block will be accompanied by one or more compulsory readings (a chapter from a book or an article) which will form the basis for the class discussion at the end of each block. The compulsory readings complement the lecture notes and will also form part of the material for the assessed assignments. The compulsory readings for the discussions, as well as the deadlines for submitting assignments and the exam, will be provided on the first day of the course and on the Moodle platform.
Note: Fifteen minutes of each teaching session, within the timetable set by the institution or the programme, will be set aside for students to complete the teaching and module evaluation surveys.
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mandatory readings' discussion | 15% | 10 | 0.4 | CM03, KM04, SM03, SM04 |
| Participation in the seminar | 10% | 1 | 0.04 | CM03, KM03, KM04, SM03, SM04 |
| Group essay | 25% | 20 | 0.8 | CM03, CM04, KM03, KM04, SM03, SM04 |
| Written exams | 50% | 3 | 0.12 | CM03, CM04, KM03, KM04, SM03, SM04 |
The evaluation of the course is understood to be a continuous and progressive process, which spans the entire academic term and is carried out through a range of assessment activities:
At the start of the course, a calendar will be provided setting out the submission dates for assignments, the discussions on the mandatory readings and the exam dates. A list of the mandatory readings will also be provided and will be available in PDF format on the Virtual Campus.
Work module (25% of the final grade):
Group project on a topic chosen by the students, relating to the period covered in the module and agreed with the lecturer. Guidelines for completing the project will be provided during the first few days of the module. In the final sessions of the module, the groups must give an oral presentation of their project in class.
Written exam module (50% of the final grade):
There will be two exams (each worth 25% of the final grade) covering the materials discussed in class and the mandatory readings.
To pass the course, a minimum final grade of 5 is required, calculated as the average of the marks for each module according to their weighting in the final mark. However, the grade for each of the mid-term exams must always be higher than 5 in order to be included in the average alongside group work, comments and participation.
Participation module (25% of the final grade):
Throughout the course, there will be various discussions on the topics covered in class, and student participation is crucial. (10%).
The mandatory reading texts will be discussed in class; before each session, students must submit a commentary, the guidelines for which will be provided in the first few days of the course. (15%)
When each evaluation activity takes place, the teaching staff will inform students (in class and via the Virtual Campus) of the procedure and the date for reviewing marks.
EVALUATION IN CASE OF NON-PRESENTIAL SITUATION
Should it not be possible to undertake evaluation activities in person (with appropriate justification, e.g. due to illness), their format will be adapted (whilst maintaining their weighting) to the possibilities offered by the UAB’s online tools. Assignments, activities and class participation will be carried out via forums, wikis and/or discussions on exercises in Teams, etc. Teaching staff will ensure that students can access these or will provide alternative means that are within their reach.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Absence or late submission of evaluation activities, without a duly justified and documented reason, will result in that activity not being assessed. Evaluation activities that do not comply with the formatting requirements set out in the guidelines and submission criteria will not be accepted.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
This module permits the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies exclusively for bibliographic or information searches, text correction or translations. Students must (i) identify the sections that have been generated using AI; (ii) specify the tools used; and (iii) include a critical reflection on how these have influenced the process and the final outcome of the assignment. A lack of transparency regarding the use of AI in this assessed activity will be considered a breach of academic integrity and will result in the activity being marked as a zero and deemed irrecoverable, or in more severe sanctions in the most serious cases.
ON PLAGIARISM IN CLASS ASSIGNMENTS AND/OR CHEATING IN EXAMS
The current regulations shall apply: Article 116. Evaluation results (article amended by the Governing Council’s Resolution of 19 March 2015):
If a student commits any irregularity that could lead to a significant change in the mark for an activity, that activity will be graded with a 0, regardless of any disciplinary proceedings that may be initiated. In the event of several irregularities occurring in the evaluation activities for the same module, the final grade for that module will be 0.
NOT ASSESSABLE
A student will be awarded the mark ‘Not assessable’ if they have not sat either of the two examinations and/or have not submitted the group assignment, except in cases where there are justified and duly substantiated reasons. In any event, a student will be awarded the mark ‘Not assessable’ if they have not submitted more than 30% of the assessment tasks.
RE-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
Students who have failed the module may sit a resit, provided they meet the assessment criteria (i.e. they have sat the exams and/or submitted the group assignments). To be eligible to sit the resit, students must have achieved a minimum final mark of 3.5. The re-assessment will consist of an exam covering the part of the module which they failed. The participation grade cannot be re-assessed.
Bibliography
RECOMMENDED TEXTBOOKS
ADAMS, William Y. (1998). The Philosophical Roots of Anthropology. Stanford University: CSLI Publications.
BARTH, F. et alt. (2012). Una disciplina, cuatro caminos. Antropología británica, alemana, francesa y estadounidense. Buenos Aires: Prometeo Libros.
BOHANNAN, Paul y GLAZER, Mark (1992). Antropología. Lecturas. Barcelona: McGraw Hill Interamericana.
BONTE, Pierre & IZARD, Michael (1996). Diccionario de Etnología y Antropología. Madrid: Akal.
BARNARD, Alan & SPENCER, Jonathan (1996 [2002]). Encyclopedia of Social and Cultural Anthropology, London: Routledge.
DESCOLA, Philippe et alt. (1988). Les idées de l'anthropologie. París: A. Colin.
EVANS-PRITCHARD, Edward E (1987). Historia del pensamiento antropológico. Madrid: Cátedra.
HARRIS, Marvin (1983). El desarrollo de la teoría antropológica. Madrid: Siglo XXI.
KILANI, Mondher (1996). Introduction à l'anthropologie. Paris: Éditions Payot.
KUPER, Adam (1988). The Invention of Primitive Society. Transformations of an Illusion, New York: Routledge,
LOMBARD, Jacques (1997). Introducción a la etnología. Madrid: Alianza editorial.
LOWIE, Robert Harry (1946). Historia de la etnología. México, F.C.E.
MERCIER, Paul (1995). Historia de la antropología. Madrid: Península.
MARTÍNEZ VEIGA, Ubaldo (2008). Historia de la antropología. Teorías, praxis y lugares de estudio. Madrid: UNED.
REYNOSO, Carlos (1998). Corrientes en antropología contemporánea. Buenos Aires: Biblos.
REYNOSO, Carlos (comp.) (1992). El surgimiento de la antropología postmoderna. México: Gedisa.
REYNOSO, Carlos (2020). Corrientes teóricas en Antropología: Perspectivas desde el Siglo XXI. Buenos Aires: Universidad de Buenos Aires.
ROSSI, Ino y Edward O'HIGGINS (1981). Teorías de la cultura y métodos antropológicos. Barcelona: Anagrama.
SAHLINS, Marshall (1988). Cultura y razón práctica. Contra el utilitarismo en la teoría antropológica. Barcelona: Gedisa.
ADDITIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHY
CARO BAROJA, Julio (1991). Los fundamentos del pensamiento antropológico moderno. Madrid: CSIC.
DARNELL, Regna (comp.) (1974). Readings in the History of Anthropology. New York: Harper & Row Publishers.
DESCOLA, Philippe et alt. (1988). Les idées de l'anthropologie. Paris : A. Colin.
DUCHET, Michele (1976). Introducción. Antropología e historia en el Siglo de las Luces. México: Siglo XXI Editores.
ERIKSEN, Thomas Hylland & NIELSEN, Finn Sivert (2001). A History of Anthropology. London: Pluto Press.
EVANS-PRITCHARD, Edward E (1987). Historia del pensamiento antropológico. Madrid: Cátedra.
GEERTZ, Clifford (1989). El antropólogo como autor. Madrid: Paidós.
GEERTZ, Clifford, Tras los hechos. Dos países, cuatro décadas y un antropólogo, Madrid, Paidós.
KAHN, J.S. (ed.) (1975). El concepto de cultura: textos fundamentales. Barcelona: Anagrama.
KAPLAN, David y Robert MANNERS (1979). Introducción crítica a la antropología cultural. México: Nueva Imagen.
KUPER, Adam (1974). Antropología y antropólogos. La escuela británica: de 1922 a 1972. Barcelona: Anagrama.
KUPER, Adam (2001). Cultura. La versión de los antropólogos. Barcelona: Paidós.
LINS RIBEIRO, Gustavo & Arturo ESCOBAR (eds.) (2009). Antropologías del mundo. Transformaciones disciplinarias dentro de sistemas de poder. México: Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana.
LLOBERA, Josep Ramon (1975). La antropología como ciencia. Barcelona: Anagrama (especialment: J.R. Llobera, "Postcriptum: algunas tesis provisionales sobre la naturaleza de la antropología", pp. 373-287).
LOMBARD, Jacques (1972). L´anthropologie britannique contemporaine. París : P.U.F.
ORTNER, Sherry (1984). "Teoría en Antropología desde los sesenta", Estudios comparativos en Sociedad e Historia. 26(1):126-166.
PALERM, Ángel (1977). Historia de la etnología: los profesionales británicos. México: Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia.
SPERBER, Dan (1988). El simbolismo en general. Barcelona: Anthropos.
STOCKING, George W. (ed.) (1985). Observers observed. Essays on Ethnographic Fieldwork [History of Anthropology (I),]. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press.
STOCKING, George W. (ed.) (1984). Functionalism Historicized. Essays on British Social Anthropology [History of Anthropology (II)]. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press.
STOCKING, George W. (ed.) (1985). Objects and Others. Essays on Museums and Material Culture [History of Anthropology (III)]. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press.
STOCKING, George W. (ed.) (1986). Malinowski, Rivers, Benedict and Others. Essays on Culture and Personality [History of Anthropology (IV)]. Madison, University of Wisconsin Press.
STOCKING. George W. (1999). After Tylor. British Social Anthropology, 1888-1951. London, The Athlone Press.
STOLCKE, Verena (1993). "De padres, filiaciones y malas memoria. ¿Qué historias de qué antropologías?", en J. Bestard i Camps (coord.) (1993), Después de Malinowski. Sta Cruz de Tenerife: Asociación Canaria de Antropología, 1993, pp. 147-198.
Software
Moodle in the virtual campus.
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TE) Theory | 1 | Catalan/Spanish | first semester | morning-mixed |
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 1 | Catalan/Spanish | first semester | morning-mixed |