Women’s University in Africa
Faculty of Social Sciences
Course Out line: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology 1
Lecturer: Mrs. F. Kambarami-Zengeni
Email: faykambarami@gmail.com
Mobile: 0785 888 129 (voice) 0772 772 432 (whatsapp)
Course Aims and Objectives
Contemporary international migrations and communications are bringing us into direct contact
with peoples of many regions with different values and ways of life. We are, accordingly, faced
with the challenge of tolerating and appreciating other cultural perspectives in order to avoid the
dismal alternatives of increased ethnic nationalism, hostility, and violence. In this course you
will be introduced to the basic concepts and findings of cultural anthropology, the systematic and
comparative study of human institutions and behaviour, and will achieve an understanding of the
cultural diversity with which we are increasingly confronted and the common humanity that runs
through it. We will be covering the major specializations within cultural anthropology with an
emphasis on the comparative study of contemporary cultures. Over the next few months, you
will learn to understand and appreciate the wide array of cultural differences that have developed
throughout the world and gain new insights into the patterns and dynamics of your own
traditions
Objectives
Describe the main principles of the anthropological analysis
Apply anthropological concepts and theories to specific ethnographic case studies
Evaluate competing theoretical approaches and interpretations
Develop a knowledge and appreciation for cultural orientations other than your own
Academic Integrity Statement:
By enrolling in this course, each student assumes the responsibilities of an active participant in
Women’s University in Africa’s scholarly community in which everyone's academic work and
behaviour are held to the highest standards of honesty. Cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, and
helping others to commit these acts are all forms of academic dishonesty, and they are wrong.
Academic misconduct could result in disciplinary action that may include, but is not limited to,
suspension or dismissal. To read the full Student Academic Conduct Policy, consult the general
academic regulations and the Faculty Regulations
If you are experiencing problems with this course, its content, the readings, my teaching style, I
want to strongly encourage you to raise your concerns at the earliest possible moment. You can
do this by visiting me during my office hours.
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Late Assignments and Make-up Exams . Students absent for reasons of serious illness or
family emergency will only be permitted to take a make-up examination if the Lecturer is
notified ahead of time and given written proof (e.g. doctor’s excuse or obituary). We will not
accept late papers and electronic versions of your paper except in the most unusual of
circumstances and only if these circumstances were discussed with your Lecturer prior to the due
date (note: last minute emails are not acceptable). Depending on the circumstances discussed
with your Lecturer, late papers will be graded down by 10% per day.
Course Layout
Introduction
Anthropology as a discipline
Contributions of founders of the discipline
Anthropology and ethnography
Anthropology and colonialism
The relationship between anthropology and colonialism
Role of missionaries, traders and hunters
Anthropology and racism
An introduction to anthropological theories
Functionalism
Structural functionalism
Marxism
Culture and Society
An introduction to theories of culture and society
The concepts culture and society
Culture and the environment
Kinship and Marriage
Kinship terminology and social groupings
Unilineal systems and social groupings
Non-unilineal systems and social groupings-
Marriage and the family and their stability
Friendship and voluntary associations
Ethnicity
Race and ethnicity
Ethnic prejudice and discrimination
Ethnocentricism
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Assignments must be between 1500 and 2000 words typed in Times New Roman, Font size 12
and 1.5 line spacing.
Assignment 1
Examine the significance of Malinowski and Radcliffe-Brown’s functionalist approach to
understanding social phenomenon. Due Date 30 March April 2017
Assignment 2
Examine the impact of modernity on kinship in contemporary society (Due on 10 April 2017)
Prescribed texts
Kottak, Conrad Phillip. 1996. A Concise Introduction to Cultural Anthropology. New York:
McGraw Hill
Cheater, A P ,1986 Social Anthropology. An Alternative Introduction. Gweru,
Mambo Press
Lewis I M ,1976 ,Social Anthropology in Perspective. Harmondsworth Penguin
Reading list
Bordly J H 1994 Cultural Anthropology Tribes States and the Glo- systems
Bourdillion MFC 1996. Where are the ancestors, Harare, UZ.
Bourdilion MFC Christianity and Wealth in the Rural Communities in Zimbabwe.
Zambezia 1983 II, 1 pp 37-53
Brokensha D and Glazier J. Land Reform among the Mbeere of Central Africa – Africa 1973
Malinowski, Bronislaw.1984, Argonauts of the Western Pacific. Waveland Press
Shostak, Marjorie. 1981. Nisa: The Life and Words of a! Kung Woman. Cambridge, MA:
Harvard University Press
Gordon, Robert. The Bushman Myth…. Boulder, CO: Westview
Benedict, Ruth. 1989. “The Individual and the Pattern of Culture.” Boston: Houghton Mifflin,
Geertz, Clifford. 1973. “Thick Description.” Interpretation of Cultures. New York: Basic Books,
Williams, Raymond. 1983. “Culture” and “Society.” In Keywords: A Vocabulary of Culture and
Society. New York: Oxford University Press.
Shostak, Marjorie. 1981. Nisa: The Life and Words of a! Kung Woman. Cambridge, MA:
Harvard University Press.
Radcliffe – Brown et al (Ed) 1987 African Systems of Kinship and Marriage
Stack, Carol. 1997. All Our Kin. New York: Basic Books (Chps Introduction - 4)
Lewis, Oscar. “Culture of Poverty”
Stack, Carol. 1997. All Our Kin. New York: Basic Books (Chps 4 &5)
Scheper-Hughes, Nancy. 2001. Saints, Scholars and Schizophrenics. Chps: Intro – 3,4&5
Petryna, Adriana. 2002. Life Exposed: Biological Citizens after Chernobyl. Princeton: Princeton
University Press
Kleinman, Arthur, Veena Das and Margaret Lock. 1997. “Introduction.” Social Suffering.
Berkeley: University of California Press.
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