Culture & Society (211-0-1)
Instructors
Jennifer Anne Lupu
Jennifer A. Lupu is a doctoral candidate in Anthropology at Northwestern University and a visiting scholar at the Hannah Arendt Center at Bard College. Her historical archaeology research has included studies of brothels, medicine use and access, and LGBTQ experiences in late-19th to early-20th century Washington, DC. She was previously a predoctoral fellow at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History, and her research has been funded by the Smithsonian, the Social Sciences Research Council, and the Sexualities Project at Northwestern.
Meeting Info
Harris Hall L07: Mon, Wed 11:00AM - 12:20PM
Overview of class
Often, anthropology is talked about as the study of human culture, where it originates, how it is transmitted, how it changes. But what is "culture"? Rather than a universal, one-size-fits-all answer, anthropologists today seek to understand how ideas and actions interact within specific social contexts. Through a focus on ethnography, a fundamental method of our field, students will learn how to conduct research into the processes that shape the social world, emphasizing human agency in relation to sociohistorical, economic, political, and environmental forces. Students will learn about the history of the field of anthropology and scholarly approaches across the discipline today. A key feature will be to denaturalize social assumptions, reinterpreting what we might know from our own contexts as a starting point to understand others. Students will have the opportunity to practice anthropological research through ethnographic projects.
Learning Objectives
"- Learn about anthropological approaches to research and knowledge
- Understand the key methodologies of sociocultural anthropology
- Learn about the history of the field of anthropology
- Gain familiarity with key discussions and debates in anthropology
- Improve critical reading skills
- Be able to explain why "culture" is a complex and debated construct
- Practice conducting ethnographic research"
Evaluation Method
Attendance and Participation in discussion section, essays, ethnography project
Class Materials (Required)
Ralph, L. (2014). Renegade dreams: Living through injury in gangland Chicago. University of Chicago Press. 9780226032719
Class Attributes
Social and Behavioral Science Foundational Discipl
Global Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity
Social & Behavioral Sciences Distro Area
Associated Classes
DIS - ANTHRO Sem Rm 104 - 1810 Hinmn: Thurs 8:30AM - 9:20AM
DIS - ANTHRO Sem Rm 104 - 1810 Hinmn: Thurs 5:00PM - 5:50PM
DIS - ANTHRO Sem Rm B07 - 1810 Hinmn: Fri 8:30AM - 9:20AM
DIS - ANTHRO Sem Rm B07 - 1810 Hinmn: Thurs 8:30AM - 9:20AM
DIS - ANTHRO Sem Rm 104 - 1810 Hinmn: Fri 8:30AM - 9:20AM
DIS - ANTHRO Sem Rm B07 - 1810 Hinmn: Fri 9:30AM - 10:20AM