Production and Reproduction 9/05
PRODUCTION & REPRODUCTION: ECONOMIC ANTHROPOLOGY
ANTH 339a Mon/Fri 1:10-2:30 Pettengill 127 Professor Elizabeth Eames Anthropology Department 159 Pettengill Hall, x6082 Office Hours: Mon/Tues/Fri 3:00-4:00 or by appointment
Economic anthropology challenges the assumptions of conventional economics by analyzing economic behavior from a cross-cultural perspective. This course will look at the relationship between economy and society through a critical examination of neo-classical, substantivist, Marxist, and neo-marxist approaches in anthropology. The relative merits of these explanatory paradigms will be assessed as we engage ethnographic case material. We address such "economic facts" as production, exchange, property, marriage transactions, state formation, and social change in the modern world-system, always taking a comparative perspective. Despite the myriad ethnographic details with which you will necessarily become familiar, this is essentially a theory course, a history of social thought course. It is intended for anthropology, economics, environmental studies or women & gender studies majors in their final college semesters, i.e., juniors and seniors. This is not a course in "Economic Development," although some issues may overlap. The course will be conducted as a seminar. The following reading outline lists topics and assignments in their order of presentation, though not by specific dates. This is because I cannot pre-judge the mix or level of the participants. The reading is extensive and often complexyou should neither expect to "get it" the first time through, nor simply memorize material. But you do have to "get it" eventually, which means that you must tackle the material seriously, reviewing it as necessary. Recommended reading [enclosed in square brackets] is listed for your optional use in preparing essays and class presentations. Read assignments in the order they are presented in the syllabus. This syllabus is subject to minor revision. The following material is in the bookstore and on reserve: Acheson Marx XanEdu The Lobster Gangs of Maine Pre-Capitalist Economic Formations On-line Coursepack
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Production and Reproduction 9/05
Part of your responsibility is regular attendance and participation in class discussion. In order to ensure balanced discussion, each of you must do the reading before class and think about the issues raised ahead of time. Therefore, by 10 am on class days, each of you should have posted to our WebCT discussion site either two thoughtful/thought-provoking questions, one concise essay, or an instructive response to someone elses posting, addressing the reading for that day. You are expected to read and respond (in writing and in class) to your peers memos. If you do not turn anything in for a certain class, you cannot make it up, but everyone will be entitled to three `freebies' during the semester. (You are exempt on your presentation days as well). Although at first glance this appears to be a throwaway assignment, it is actually a critical aspect of the learning program. I am fully prepared to give out failing grades to students who do not produce thoughtful questions or a concise essay for every class (except your presentation days and your three freebies). The nature and number of the in-class presentations will be worked out later. Both of the longer essays will be based on topics and material covered in class. I may from time to time require attendance at relevant lectures and presentations outside of class. Criteria for Evaluation: 20% 20% 30% 30% Regular attendance with positive and consistent contributions to discussion* Timely and intellectually engaged completion of WebCT memos* Presentations in class Two essaysprobably on the 4th and 11th weeks
* The awarding of high participation points comes with good attendance and active, thoughtful, consistent class participation, the kind that reveals your thorough preparation and engagement with class material. This means contributing your own ideas as well as providing constructive responses to other students comments in both the oral and written discussion formats. B-level work means you participation may be of high quality, but inconsistent, or you share your own ideas frequently but may not pay much attention to other students comments. You would receive C-level points if your participation were thoughtful but infrequent, or regular but perfunctory, yet revealed a satisfactory level of preparation and competence when offered. Few points would be awarded if your participation were rare and/or revealed poor or careless preparation.
Production and Reproduction 9/05
READING PROGRAM FOR PRODUCTION AND REPRODUCTION FALL 2005 (all readings in XanEdu coursepack unless otherwise noted) I. Introduction a) The Anthropological Question Posed Read: Plattner's Introduction to Economic Anthropology Beneria Conceptualizing the Labor Force Sharp "Steel Axes for Stone Age Australians" (on reserve) [Schneider Economic Man, Ch 3 on reserve for those with no prior econ.] Watch: First Contact (on reserve) b) An Early Classic and Some Interpretations Read: Malinowski on the Kula (on reserve) Mauss The Gift (excerpts) Eames "Navigating Nigerian Bureaucracies" Watch: Trobriand Islanders (on reserve) II. The Formalist-Substantivist Debate a) Formalist Models Read: Burling "Maximization Theories..." Cook "Obsolete Anti-Market Mentality" Schneider "Economics in an East African Aboriginal Society Massell "Econometric Variations on a Theme by Schneider" Film: Ashanti Market Women Paper: first paper will probably be due during this section b) The Economy as an Instituted Process Read: Dalton "Economic Theory & Primitive Society" Polanyi "The Economy as Instituted Process" Sahlins "The Original Affluent Society" Schwartz The Paradox of Choice (handout) c) Case Study: The Maine Lobster Industry Read: Acheson The Lobster Gangs of Maine (bookstore and reserve) Hardin's "Tragedy of the Commons" Check out http://www.friendsofthecommons.org Note: An in-class debate will be scheduled for around this time.
Production and Reproduction 9/05
III. Introduction to Marx Read: Hobsbawm's Introduction to the Marx volume (bookstore & reserve) Marx Pre-Capitalist Economic Formations (bookstore & reserve) Wolf on Modes of Production Plattner on Marxism [Ruis Marx For Beginners optional on reserve] IV. Exchange Theory: The Politics of Potlatching Read: Sahlins "Poor Man, Rich Man, Big Man, Chief" Harris "Life without Chiefs" (handout) Rambo's "From Shells to Money" (handout) Film: The Kawelka: Ongka's Big Moka (on reserve) V. Exchange Theory: Spheres of Exchange Read: Bohannon "The Impact of Money" Douglas "Raffia Cloth Distribution among the Lele" Film: Money Man (on reserve) Website: check out http://www.mtdn.org and follow where it leads VI. Neo-Marxist Analyses: The Lineage Mode of Production Read: Meillassoux "The Economy in Self-Sustaining Agricultural Communities" O'Laughlin "Why Mbum Women Do Not Eat Chicken" Film: Godfather III (on reserve) VII. Case Study in Social Change: Africa Read: Ferguson "The Bovine Mystique" and "The Anti-Politics Machine" Shipton Bitter Money Hutchinson The Cattle of Money and the Cattle of Girls Geschire Kinship, Witchcraft, and the Market Film: Goldwidows: Women of Lesotho (on reserve) VIII. Case Study in Social Change: Melanesia Films: Pig Tusks & Paper Money and also Advertising Missionaries (on reserve)
IX. Conclusion: Only Connect... Read: re-read Plattner's Introduction Perkins Confessions of an Economic Hit Man (excerpts/handout) Ho and Ross articles in XanEdu (Cultural Anthropology v.2,#1 Feb.05) Paper: your last paper will be due before the end of classes, exact date TBA
