The focus of this course is the examination of issues in anthropology and the social sciences, and the development of research skills. Students will explore the characteristics of a problem in anthropology, and how one can relate theory to empirical material, theory to ethnography, and the investigation of social issues. Students will consider how one of anthropology's major kinds of writing, the ethnography, is focused on linking theory and field research.
Emphasis will be given to studying (several) recent ethnographies, and understanding this genre within anthropology, the relation of ethnography and theory, and to actively investigate the development of particular problem strands within these works.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
Upon Successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Identify and research a particular topic or strand of
argument in anthropological literature;
- Create basic themes and structures to formulate research
questions;
- Explain the notion of `ethnography’ in the anthropological tradition, and some of its conventions, as well as changes in it.
- Examine the relationship between the conceptual
background and the ethnographic research material in ethnographies studied.
Indicative Assessment
Weekly Seminar Participation (10%) LO 1, 2
2 In-class presentations of 5 minutes each (5% each) LO 1, 2
Paper: 2500 words (15%) LO 3, 4
Annotated bibliography: 1000 words (15%) LO 1, 2
Major Essay: 5000 words (50%) LO 2, 3, 4
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
2 hours of lectures and 2 hours of seminars per week for 13 weeks. Students are expected to undertake a further 16 hours of independent study per week over the semester (total 260 hours)
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
(sample set of ethnographic readings for one semester; main course ethnographic texts will change from time to time):
Kahn, Miriam. Tahiti Beyond the Postcard: Power, Place and Everyday Life. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2011.
Tengan, Ty P. Kawika 2008. Native Men Remade: Gender and Nation in Contemporary Hawaii.
Cattelino, Jessica 2008. High Stakes: Florida Seminole Gaming and Sovereignty. Duke.
Preliminary Reading
Thornton 1985. `Imagine Yourself Set Down: Mach, Frazer, Conrad, Malinowski, and the Role of the Imagination in Ethnography’. Anthropology Today 1(5):7-14.
Malinowski, B. 1953 [1922]. The Subject, Method and Scope of this Inquiry. Pp. 1-25 from Argonauts of the Western Pacific. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
Evans-Pritchard, E.E. 1940. Introductory. Pp. 1-15 and from `Interest in Cattle’, pp. 36-50 from The Nuer. Oxford: Clarendon.
Hammersley, M. and P. Atkinson 2007. What is Ethnography? From Ethnography: Principles in Practice. Third edition. Routledge.
Assumed Knowledge
Completion of a cognate major.
Specialisations
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 1
- Unit value:
- 12 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 12.00 | 0.25000 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2016 | $5436 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2016 | $7752 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8993 | 18 Jul 2016 | 29 Jul 2016 | 31 Aug 2016 | 28 Oct 2016 | In Person | N/A |
