The course examines key theoretical concepts and
approaches in past and contemporary anthropology, following two parallel paths. The first
focuses on the history of the discipline and explores the development of the French, British and American schools of anthropology. The second and parallel path is thematic
and examines key themes and debates in anthropology, namely, on myth and ritual,
structure and function, culture and history, meaning and power, gender, capitalism and neoliberalism. The two trajectories start from a questioning of the anthropological canon
and some reflections on the project of decolonizing anthropology. During this course,
therefore, we will read some parts of this canon but also reflects on its relation to the
colonial encounter, its short-comings and potential alternatives. The course is designed to provide students with knowledge of the inventive traditions in anthropology as well as with a critical perspective on the creative process of theory-building.
approaches in past and contemporary anthropology, following two parallel paths. The first
focuses on the history of the discipline and explores the development of the French, British and American schools of anthropology. The second and parallel path is thematic
and examines key themes and debates in anthropology, namely, on myth and ritual,
structure and function, culture and history, meaning and power, gender, capitalism and neoliberalism. The two trajectories start from a questioning of the anthropological canon
and some reflections on the project of decolonizing anthropology. During this course,
therefore, we will read some parts of this canon but also reflects on its relation to the
colonial encounter, its short-comings and potential alternatives. The course is designed to provide students with knowledge of the inventive traditions in anthropology as well as with a critical perspective on the creative process of theory-building.
- Instructor: Claudio Sopranzetti