© Dr. Laura A. Meek. Not to be copied, used, or revised without express written permission from the copyright owner.

ANTH 100 (Section 102)

Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
Winter Term 2, 2025

This course meets online only. Zoom links are on Canvas.

Course meeting times are Mondays and Wednesdays from 11am to 12:30pm. Class will end at 12:20pm to
allow time for transition to the next class.

Land Acknowledgement
We respectfully acknowledge the Syilx Okanagan Nation and their peoples, in whose traditional, ancestral,
unceded territory UBC Okanagan is situated.

Instructor

Dr. Laura A. Meek (she/her or they/them)

Assistant Professor
Department of Community, Culture, and Global Studies

 laura.meek@ubc.ca
 Office Hours: On Zoom after class on Mondays

Teaching Assistants

Samira Kheirdariyar (she/her)

Marking students last name A-G
 samyar98@mail.ubc.ca

Lanxin Li (any pronouns)

Marking students last name H-O
 lanxin.li@ubc.ca

Sheela Mbogo (she/her)

Marking students last name P-Z
 sheela.mbogo@ubc.ca

Version: January 6, 2025 1

Academic Calendar Entry

ANTH 100 (3 Credits): Introduction to Cultural Anthropology

An overview of social and cultural anthropology and its origins, its distinctive methods and concepts, and its
place in the contemporary world. A critical examination of human diversity and how social and cultural
differences are produced and shaped by local and global patterns. [3-0-0]

Prerequisites: None

Course Format

This is an online-only course, comprised of lectures, discussions, and films.

Syllabus, assignment instructions and submissions, grades, and announcements will be via Canvas, so please
check our Canvas course website frequently. (Important announcements will also be emailed to you via
Canvas.)

All course readings are available through the UBC Library Online Course Reserves. There are no texts to
purchase for this class.

Course Overview

Cultural anthropology has been defined as the study of human cultures. As a Western discipline, anthropology
historically entailed someone from the West studying cultures that were “different” or non-Western. But now
cultural anthropologists study any aspect of social life among any group of people in any part of the world.
Anthropologists do fieldwork – deep immersion among the people and culture they want to understand. They
also work with different kinds of texts and cultural “artifacts” – food, the internet, medicine, films and media,
archives, etc. They study a wide range of topics, too: magic and religion, medicine and forms of healing, the
state and modes of government, economic systems and institutions, popular culture and performance, and the
list goes on! In general, culture anthropologists can be said to study the relationship between culture, history,
and power. We will spend this course examining what this means.

Central to cultural anthropology (and thus to this course) is the idea that the world around us is a product of
humans interacting with each other, and with other living and non-living parts of our world. Because the world
isn’t just a fixed set of “givens,” this course is not just about “an expert” giving “information.” I will not give you
facts about “different cultures,” nor will I discuss possible “solutions” to racism, sexism, or “under-
development.” Instead, my goal is to get you to think critically about these issues. What do they mean and
where did this meaning come from? Critical thinking is different from criticizing. Thinking critically involves
questioning what we take for granted: it means looking at the historical conditions that make certain facts and
realities possible. For example, how did race become a social reality? How are racial structures maintained?

Version: January 6, 2025 2

Teaching someone to think critically is like training a fish to see water. We are going to practice trying to see the
water! At times this course might surprise or provoke you. We are going to discuss and debate sensitive,
controversial topics about things like race, gender, sexuality, knowledge, belief. My personal opinion is that
education is only valuable if it challenges you, disrupts your previous knowledge, and makes you consider a
variety of assumptions you have about how the world works. At the same time, an education is only valuable if
there are a variety of perspectives, opinions, and experiences. I want to know what you think about these topics.
I value your opinion and want to hear it. This course will largely be about discussing these topics
anthropologically and respectfully.

Course Objectives

Our goals for this term are:

1. To go beyond the easy answers and images.

2. To ask how these easy answers are produced and transformed by people. (They do not just “exist” or
“change” by themselves).
3. To think historically (which does not mean to think about the past, but, among other things, to think
about the present as being constantly made by individuals and groups, consciously or unconsciously).
4. To practice academic and analytic dialogue and writing about people and culture.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Key Concepts: Identify and explain key concepts, theories, and debates in contemporary
anthropology.
2. History of Anthropology and Colonialization: Understand the historical development of anthropology
and the methods anthropologists use to study society.
3. Power: Connect social and cultural practices to larger contexts of politics, economics, and power in
their worlds.
4. Knowledge: Think critically about the way knowledge as well as objects and images circulate publicly
and privately.
5. Critique: Apply anthropological perspectives to critique ethnocentric assumptions and address
contemporary, human problems.
6. Critical Synthesis: Possess an ability to critically examine the assumptions, evidence, and methods of
anthropological and related materials, and actively apply this in their own original writing assignments.
7. Positionality: Understand positionality and critically reflect upon your own beliefs and how they are
shaped by broader social processes.
8. Ethics: Identify and critically assess ethical issues that arise in the practice of anthropology and
ethnography.

Version: January 6, 2025 3

Learning Activities & Additional Course Requirements

1. Please check Canvas regularly. Class announcements, assignments, grades, and other pertinent information
will be available on Canvas.
2. You are expected to complete all of the required readings and films for each week, before the
corresponding lecture. Lectures will supplement rather than simply summarize course readings, so doing
the readings in advance will help you to follow along.
3. You will be expected to contribute substantially to the class learning environment through in-class activities
and discussions. Class participation is graded for completion, meaning that you will receive full credit so long
as you are in attendance. Comments in the chat on Canvas are very welcome, and you are encouraged to
keep your video on during lectures, though this is not required.
4. You are encouraged to ask questions, think out loud, say something and then take it back, laugh, and
generally speak informally during class. There is value in finding answers and making definitive statements;
but in a course like this, there is far more value in asking good questions. This openness is part of thinking
new thoughts and helping others to do the same. Let’s be supportive, curious, respectful, and patient with
one another!
5. You are also encouraged to attend office hours to discuss readings, feedback on your work, anthropology,
or your thoughts on course materials. Please do not hesitate to email the instructor to set up a meeting if
you can’t make the regular office hours time.
6. Please allow 48 hours—during the work week—for the instructor or TAs to reply to your emails. We will
make every effort to reply to you as quickly as possible, but if after 2 days you haven’t received any
response, feel free to email again with a gentle reminder.
7. We understand that you may have responsibilities, personal difficulties, and health concerns that at times
interfere with your coursework. If this happens, please speak to the instructor as soon as possible so that
we may formulate a plan to help you succeed in this course.
8. If you cannot attend a class due to a religious observance, or, if you have a learning disability for which you
require accommodations, please let us know at the beginning of the semester.

Evaluation Criteria and Grading

Attendance and Participation 26% Recorded at each class meeting (see schedule below)
4 Essays (on 2 assigned readings + 1 film) 48% Due: Jan 24; Feb 14; March 14; April 9 (by midnight)
Final Exam 26% To be scheduled
Total 100%

Attendance & Participation (26%): You are expected to attend and actively participate in each class period.
There is one required reading assigned for each class period, which you are expected to have read and thought
about before coming to class. Your attendance will be recorded at each class meeting throughout the term and
formally recorded in the gradebook on Canvas so that you can track your score.

Absences will be excused for religious observance, and for personal or medical emergencies, with
documentation. Each student is also allowed up to two non-documented sick days during the term. To be
excused, please email your TA (see list of TA’s and their assigned students on page 1 above).

Version: January 6, 2025 4

We also understand that you may face personal hardships or challenges that can interfere with your
coursework. If this happens, please contact the instructor as soon as possible so that we may formulate a plan
to help you make up missed work and succeed in the course.

Reading & Film Response Essays (48%): You will write 4 essays during the semester, which are due by midnight
on the following dates: Jan 24; Feb 14; March 14; April 9. Each essay is worth 100 points total, and late
submissions will be marked down by 10 points per day. As there are 4 essays total, comprising 48% of your
course grade, each individual essay counts for 12% of your course grade.

Each essay should respond to two course readings and one film. You may select any combination of readings
and films you’d like to write about, but you cannot use the same reading or film on more than one essay. (This
means that over the course of the term you will write about 8 assigned readings and 4 assigned films.) You are
highly encouraged to focus on the topics and materials that you find most interesting!

Each essay should be approximately 1,000 to 1,200 words (including bibliography). Your essay should include
a brief summary of the film and 2 readings—indicating what the main arguments were and what kind of
evidence they used to support it— as well as offering your own reflections on the material. (Aim for about
50% summary and 50% reflection.)

In your reflection, try to think through the key ideas and findings in the material by considering their broader
significance. For instance, you could write about: how they speak to your own experiences; the ways in which
they relate to current issues or events; what they reveal about cultural diversity or social justice; their
connection to other ideas or approaches you’ve learned in this or another course; etc.

More detailed instructions and a grading rubric for this assignment will be provided separately on Canvas.

Final Exam (26%): The final exam for this course will be held online between Friday, April 11 – Saturday, April
26. The university will announce the exact date and time. Please note that it may fall on a Saturday or Sunday.
Students are advised not to schedule any travel until after this date has been set to avoid a conflict between
travel plans and exam time. The allotted duration of the exam will be 2.5 hours.

The final exam will take place on Canvas and will be open book, meaning that you may refer to course readings,
PowerPoint slides, lecture notes, films, etc. However, you may NOT use any form of AI or communicate in any
way with other students in the course. This would be considered cheating and disciplinary action will be taken
in such cases.

The exam will consist of short answers and there will be a choice of which questions to answer (e.g.
approximately 8 questions total of which you would need to answer approximately 4). These questions will ask
you to reflect upon the central themes of the course, to demonstrate that you grasp the key concepts, and to
support your answers with specific examples from assigned readings, films, and class lectures. The best way to
prepare for the exam is to attend lectures regularly and to keep up with the readings and films throughout the
term. A review session is scheduled for the last week of class.

Version: January 6, 2025 5

Required Readings
• Diller, Lawrence. 2006. Chapter 1: “The Last Normal Child: America’s Intolerance of Diversity in Children’s
Performance and Behavior.” In The Last Normal Child: Essays on the Intersection of Kids, Culture, and
Psychiatric Drugs. Pp. 3-20. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers.
• Farmer, Paul. 1996. “On Suffering and Structural Violence: A View from Below.” Daedalus 125(1): 261-283.
• Fausto-Sterling, Anne. 2012. “Pink and Blue Forever” and “The Developmental Dynamics of Pink and Blue.”
In Sex/Gender: Biology in a Social World. Pp. 109-118. New York, NY: Routledge.
• Ferguson, James. 2006. Chapter 7: “Decomposing Modernity: History and Hierarchy after Development”. In
Global Shadows: Africa in the Neoliberal World Order. Pp. 176-193. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.
• Hillary, Alyssa. 2019. “I Am a Person Now: Autism, Indistinguishability, and (Non)optimal Outcome.” In Body
Battlegrounds: Transgressions, Tensions, and Transformations. Chris Bobel and Samantha Kwan, Eds. Pp.
110-112. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press.
• Ho, Karen. 2009. “Disciplining Investment Bankers, Disciplining the Economy: Wall Street’s Institutional
Culture of Crisis and the Downsizing of ‘Corporate America.’" American Anthropologist 111(2): 177-189.
• Illouz, Eva. 1997. "The Class of Love." In Consuming the Romantic Utopia: Love and the Cultural
Contradictions of Capitalism. Pp. 247-287. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
• Kromidas, Maria. 2004. “Learning War/Learning Race: Fourth-Grade Students in the Aftermath of September
11th in New York City.” Critique of Anthropology 24(1): 15-33.
• Lakshmanan, Praveena. 2019. “Pretty Brown: Encounters with My Skin Color.” In Body Battlegrounds:
Transgressions, Tensions, and Transformations. Chris Bobel and Samantha Kwan, Eds. Pp. 58-60. Nashville,
TN: Vanderbilt University Press.
• Martin, Emily. 1991. “Egg and the Sperm: How Science Has Constructed a Romance Based on Stereotypical
Male-Female Roles.” Signs 16(3): 485-501.
• McIntosh, Peggy. 2016. [Originally Published 1989.] “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack.” In
Race, Class, and Gender in the United States: An Integrated Study. Paula S. Rothenberg, Ed. Pp. 176-180.
New York, NY: Worth Publishers.
• Mikdashi, Maya. 2013. “What Is Settler Colonialism? (for Leo Delano Ames Jr.).” American Indian Culture and
Research Journal 37(2): 23–34.
• Miner, Horace. 1956. “Body Rituals of the Nacirema.” American Anthropologist 58(3): 503-507.
• Ochoa, Maria. 2014. “Introducing . . . the Queen.” In Queen for a Day: Transformistas, Beauty Queens, and
the Performance of Femininity in Venezuela. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.
• Omi, Michael, and Howard Winant. 2016. [Originally Published 1986.] “Racial Formations.” In Race, Class,
and Gender in the United States: An Integrated Study. Paula S. Rothenberg, Ed. Pp. 11-20. New York, NY:
Worth Publishers.
• Simpson, Audra. 2020. “Empire of Feeling.” General Anthropology 27(1): 1-8.
• Tuck, Eve and K. Wayne Yang. 2012. “Decolonization is Not a Metaphor.” Decolonization: Indigeneity,
Education, & Society 1(1): 1‐40.

Version: January 6, 2025 6

Course Schedule

The following table provides a tentative schedule for the term and may be adjusted dependent on the class
needs. Please follow Canvas announcements for updates.

Week Topic Required Readings and Films Due Dates & Work At-Home Days
Mon, Jan 6
Introductions and read through
Syllabus
Introduction to
Wednes, Jan 8
Week 1 Course and
Miner: “Body Rituals of the Nacirema”
Anthropology
Film (in class): BabaKiueria (1986),
directed by Don Featherstone.

Mon, Jan 13
Kromidas: “Learning War/Learning
Race”

Wednes, Jan 15 Watch film at home. No class meeting.

Culture and
Week 2 Film (at home): Race: The Power of an
Power
Illusion (2003), directed by Christine
Herbes-Sommers, Tracy Heather
Strain, and Llewellyn M. Smith. Part 1
required. Parts 2-3 recommended.

Mon, Jan 20
Omi and Winant: “Racial Formations”

Race and Writing Day. No class meeting.

Week 3
Racialization
Wednes, Jan 22
Essay 1 Due Friday (Jan 24) by
Lakshmanan: “Pretty Brown”
Midnight.

Mon, Jan 27
Mikdashi: “What Is Settler
Colonialism?”

Settler
Week 4
Colonialism Wednes, Jan 29 Watch film at home. No class meeting.
Film (at home): Yintah (2024),
directed by Jennifer Wickham, Brenda
Michell, and Michael Toledano.

Version: January 6, 2025 7

 Mon, Feb 3
Tuck and Yang: “Decolonization is Not
a Metaphor”

Week 5 Decolonization Wednes, Feb 5 Watch film at home. No class meeting.

Film (at home): Stolen (2024),
directed by Elle Márjá Eira.

Mon, Feb 10
McIntosh: “White Privilege”

Writing Day. No class meeting.

Week 6 White Privilege
Wednes, Feb 12
Essay 2 Due Friday (Feb 14) by
Simpson: “Empire of Feeling”
Midnight.

Midterm Break Feb 17-21. No Classes.

Mon, Feb 24
Fausto-Sterling: “Pink and Blue
Forever” and “The Developmental
Dynamics of Pink and Blue”

Wednes, Feb 26
Week 7 Sex and Gender Martin: “Egg and the Sperm”

Film (clips shown in class): Tiny

Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie (2018),
directed by Andrea Blaugrund Nevins.

Mon, March 3 Watch film at home. No class meeting.

Film (at home): The Mask You Live In
(2015), directed by Jennifer Siebel
Newsom.

Week 8 Patriarchy
Wednes, March 5
Ochoa: “Introducing . . . the Queen”

Version: January 6, 2025 8

 Mon, March 10
Diller: The Last Normal Child

Writing Day. No class meeting.

Week 9 Disability
Wednes, March 12
Essay 3 Due Friday (March 14) by
Hillary: “I Am a Person Now”
Midnight.

Mon, March 17
Illouz: "The Class of Love"

Socioeconomic Wednes, March 19

Week 10
Status (Class) Ho: “Disciplining Investment Bankers,
Disciplining the Economy”

Mon, March 24 Watch film at home. No class meeting.

Film (at home): People Like Us: Social
Class in America (2001), directed by
Louis Alvarez and Andy Kolker.
Structural
Week 11
Violence Wednes, March 26
Farmer: “On Suffering and Structural
Violence”

Mon, March 31
Ferguson: “Decomposing Modernity”

Wednes, April 2 Watch film at home. No class meeting.

Global Film (at home):
Week 12
Inequality Elysium (2013), directed by Neill
Blomkamp
-OR-
Life and Debt (2001), directed by
Stephanie Black.

Mon, April 7
LAST CLASS MEETING
Review for Final Exam
Review for Final
Week 13
Exam
Essay 4 Due Wednesday (April 9) by
Midnight.

Version: January 6, 2025 9

Course Policies

Final Examinations
The examination period for Term 2 of Winter 2024-2025 is Friday, April 11 – Saturday, April 26. Except in the
case of examination clashes and hardships (three or more formal examinations scheduled within a 24-hour
period) or unforeseen events, students will be permitted to apply for out-of-time final examinations only if they
are representing the University, the province, or the country in a competition or performance; serving in the
Canadian military; observing a religious rite; working to support themselves or their family; or caring for a family
member. Unforeseen events include (but may not be limited to) the following: ill health or other personal
challenges that arise during a term and changes in the requirements of an ongoing job.

Further information on Academic Concession can be found under Policies and Regulation in the Okanagan
Academic Calendar http://www.calendar.ubc.ca/okanagan/index.cfm?tree=3,48,0,0.

Out-of-time examination forms can be found at https://fass.ok.ubc.ca/student-resources/undergrad/student-

forms/ and must be sent to the FASS Dean’s office.

Missed Graded Work

Students who, because of unforeseen events, are absent during the term and are unable to complete essays or
other graded work, should normally discuss with their instructors how they can make up for missed work,
according to written guidelines given to them at the start of the course. Instructors are not required to make
allowance for any missed test or incomplete work that is not satisfactorily accounted for. If ill health is an issue,
students are encouraged to seek attention from a health professional. Campus Health and Counselling will
normally provide documentation only to students who have been seen previously at these offices for treatment
or counselling specific to conditions associated with their academic difficulties. Students who feel that requests
for consideration have not been dealt with fairly by their instructors may take their concerns first to the Head of
the discipline, and if not resolved, to the Office of the Dean. Further information can be found at:
http://www.calendar.ubc.ca/okanagan/index.cfm?tree=3,48,0,0.

Academic Integrity
The academic enterprise is founded on honesty, civility, and integrity. As members of this enterprise, all
students are expected to know, understand, and follow the codes of conduct regarding academic integrity. At
the most basic level, this means submitting only original work done by you and acknowledging all sources of
information or ideas and attributing them to others as required. This also means you should not cheat, copy, or
mislead others about what is your work. Violations of academic integrity (i.e., misconduct) lead to the
breakdown of the academic enterprise, and therefore serious consequences arise and harsh sanctions are
imposed. For example, incidences of plagiarism or cheating usually result in a failing grade or mark of zero on
the assignment or in the course. Careful records are kept to monitor and prevent recidivism. A more detailed
description of academic integrity, including the University’s policies and procedures, may be found in the
Academic Calendar at: http://www.calendar.ubc.ca/okanagan/index.cfm?tree=3,54,111,0

Version: January 6, 2025 10

Policy on Generative Artificial Intelligence/Chat GPT
Submitting work under your name that has been produced with the assistance of generative AI/Chat GPT is
considered plagiarism. This is because you would be taking credit for the work done by the AI, and also because
these programs operate fundamentally as plagiarism engines, by reproducing (or rewording) existing pieces of
writing. Students in this course are prohibited from using any generative AI tools or chatbots for any stage of
their assignments or exams, including generating ideas or rough drafts. All work is to be written independently.
You cannot ask another person, AI, or chatbot to do the work of any part of the writing process for you.

Grading Practices
Faculties, departments, and schools reserve the right to scale grades in order to maintain equity among sections
and conformity to University, faculty, department, or school norms. Students should therefore note that an
unofficial grade given by an instructor might be changed by the faculty, department, or school. Grades are not
official until they appear on a student’s academic record.
http://www.calendar.ubc.ca/okanagan/index.cfm?tree=3,41,90,1014

Student Service Resources

UBC Okanagan Disability Resource Centre

The Disability Resource Centre ensures educational equity for students with disabilities and chronic medical
conditions. If you are disabled, have an injury or illness and require academic accommodations to meet the
course objectives, please contact the Disability Resource Centre located in the University Centre building.
Office: UNC 215
Phone: 250.807.8053
Email: drc.questions@ubc.ca
Web: www.students.ok.ubc.ca/drc

UBC Okanagan Equity and Inclusion Office

Through leadership, vision, and collaborative action, the Equity & Inclusion Office (EIO) develops action
strategies in support of efforts to embed equity and inclusion in the daily operations across the campus. The EIO
provides education and training from cultivating respectful, inclusive spaces and communities to understanding
unconscious/implicit bias and its operation within campus environments. UBC Policy 3 prohibits discrimination
and harassment on the basis of BC’s Human Rights Code. If you require assistance related to an issue of equity,
educational programs, discrimination or harassment please contact the EIO.
Office: UNC 325H
Phone: 250.807.9291
Email: equity.ubco@ubc.ca
Web: www.equity.ok.ubc.ca

Student Learning Hub

The Student Learning Hub is your go-to resource for free math, science, writing, and language learning support.
The Hub welcomes undergraduate students from all disciplines and year levels to access a range of supports that
include tutoring in math, sciences, languages, and writing, as well as help with study skills and learning
strategies.
Office: LIB 237

Version: January 6, 2025 11

Phone: 250-807-8491
Email: learning.hub@ubc.ca
Web: https://students.ok.ubc.ca/academic-success/learning-hub/contact/

The Global Engagement Office

The Global Engagement Office provides advising and resources to assist International students in navigating
immigration, health insurance, and settlement matters, as well as opportunities for intercultural learning, and
resources for Go Global experiences available to all UBC Okanagan students, and more. Come and see us – we
are here to help!
Office: UNC 227
Email: geo.ubco@ubc.ca
Web: www.students.ok.ubc.ca/global-engagement-office

Indigenous Programs & Services

Indigenous Programs & Services provides community and culturally appropriate services and support to First
Nation, Metis, and Inuit Studies.
Office: UNC 210 & 212
Web: www.students.ok.ubc.ca/indigenous-students/contact/

Health & Wellness

At UBC Okanagan health services to students are provided by Health and Wellness. Nurses, physicians and
counsellors provide health care and counselling related to physical health, emotional/mental health and
sexual/reproductive health concerns. As well, health promotion, education and research activities are provided
to the campus community. If you require assistance with your health, please contact Health and Wellness for
more information or to book an appointment.
Office: UNC 337
Phone: 250.807.9270
Email: healthwellness.okanagan@ubc.ca
Web: www.students.ok.ubc.ca/health-wellness

Office of the Ombudsperson for Students

The Office of the Ombudsperson for Students is an independent, confidential and impartial resource to ensure
students are treated fairly. The Ombuds Office helps students navigate campus-related fairness concerns. They
work with UBC community members individually and at the systemic level to ensure students are treated fairly
and can learn, work and live in a fair, equitable and respectful environment. Ombuds helps students gain clarity
on UBC policies and procedures, explore options, identify next steps, recommend resources, plan strategies and
receive objective feedback to promote constructive problem solving. If you require assistance, please feel free
to reach out for more information or to arrange an appointment.
Office: UNC 217
Phone: 250-807-9818
Email: ombuds.office.ok@ubc.ca
Web: www.ombudsoffice.ubc.ca

Version: January 6, 2025 12

 SAFEWALK
Don't want to walk alone at night? Not too sure how to get somewhere on campus?
Call Safewalk at 250-807-8076.
For more information, see: www.security.ok.ubc.ca

© Copyright Statement

All materials of this course (course handouts, lecture slides, assessments, course readings, etc.) are the
intellectual property of the Course Instructor or licensed to be used in this course by the copyright owner.
Redistribution of these materials by any means without permission of the copyright holder(s) constitutes a
breach of copyright and may lead to academic discipline.

Version: January 6, 2025 13