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Decolonizing Anthropology: Epistemology, theory, practice (2023/2024: Semester 2 – Spring)
Course aim
After completing this course students are able to
- identify differences in anthropological perspectives (e.g., regarding epistemology, methodology and theory-building);
- evaluate various perspectives on urban anthropology, race and racism; gender and sexuality; and global political economy;
- discuss the ways in which global connections and relations have been discussed by anthropologists from the global South; examine the ways in which ‘Euro-America’ has been discussed in anthropology
- critically reflect on ethnographic texts and synthetic interpretations of ethnographic data;
- compare ethnographies contextually;
- articulate their own particular position in relation to the study of others, and are able to ‘provincialize’ their own particular position/perspective;
- demonstrate (at least in statu nascendi) academic skills and attitudes that are required for the academic study of anthropology as discipline.
| Description of assignment | Assesses course aims |
|
1-7 2, 3, 4, 7 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 1, 4, 6, 7 1-4, 7 |
Course content
In this course students are introduced to the richness, diversity, commonalities and potentials of anthropology in the world today. Since its inception, anthropological practice has been dominated by the so-called Great Traditions (mostly Anglo-American). However, processes of decolonization, globalization and transnationalism, along with critical interrogation of dominant discourses, have led to greater visibility of ‘peripheral’ or ‘marginalized’ scholarship. The decolonization of the discipline has resulted in a radical and critical focus on the empowerment of cultures being studied, and to serious challenges posed to the politics of knowledge production in anthropology.
In anthropology today, who has the authority to construct theories? Who can speak to whom, and about what? Who determines which anthropological insights become part of ‘mainstream’ anthropological theories, and what is this based on? Do the classical anthropological themes (e.g., religion, politics, nation-building, ethnicity) still hold?
This course engages with questions regarding anthropology as developing global discipline and the themes and theories it engages with. By reading contributions from leading anthropologists from different countries and anthropological traditions, this course gives voice to scholars outside the Global North. It shows the variety of methodologies, training, and approaches that scholars from regions outside the Global North. The class will focus on four aspects of anthropological study: urban anthropology; the anthropology of global connections, focusing on politics and political economy; race and racism; and questions related to gender and sexuality. The course will also focus on the ways in which ‘Euro-America’ has become the object of study for anthropologists, both from theGlobal South and the Global North. Students will read (parts of) ethnographies of ‘non-Western’ scholars regarding these issues produced in and ´thought from´ locations beyond the Anglo-American dominated Great Tradition.
Format
Class meets twice a week. Students are required to prepare classes by studying the readings and by doing small assignments (annotations, arguments maps, abstracts, questions to a text, analysis of practice or object etc.). Teaching methods include interactive lectures by the teacher, class discussions and close analysis of texts and practices (as presented, e.g., in short video’s). Moreover, students give oral presentations and prepare and moderate discussions about the topic of the presentation, and write a paper on a specific topic of their own choice (related to the course) and a book review of an ethnography. They receive feedback on their work in various stages.
Teacher: Dr. Paul Mepschen
In anthropology today, who has the authority to construct theories? Who can speak to whom, and about what? Who determines which anthropological insights become part of ‘mainstream’ anthropological theories, and what is this based on? Do the classical anthropological themes (e.g., religion, politics, nation-building, ethnicity) still hold?
This course engages with questions regarding anthropology as developing global discipline and the themes and theories it engages with. By reading contributions from leading anthropologists from different countries and anthropological traditions, this course gives voice to scholars outside the Global North. It shows the variety of methodologies, training, and approaches that scholars from regions outside the Global North. The class will focus on four aspects of anthropological study: urban anthropology; the anthropology of global connections, focusing on politics and political economy; race and racism; and questions related to gender and sexuality. The course will also focus on the ways in which ‘Euro-America’ has become the object of study for anthropologists, both from theGlobal South and the Global North. Students will read (parts of) ethnographies of ‘non-Western’ scholars regarding these issues produced in and ´thought from´ locations beyond the Anglo-American dominated Great Tradition.
Format
Class meets twice a week. Students are required to prepare classes by studying the readings and by doing small assignments (annotations, arguments maps, abstracts, questions to a text, analysis of practice or object etc.). Teaching methods include interactive lectures by the teacher, class discussions and close analysis of texts and practices (as presented, e.g., in short video’s). Moreover, students give oral presentations and prepare and moderate discussions about the topic of the presentation, and write a paper on a specific topic of their own choice (related to the course) and a book review of an ethnography. They receive feedback on their work in various stages.
Teacher: Dr. Paul Mepschen
Additional information
Instructional formats
UCU ssc 2 course
Examination
Participation (a.o. discussions)
Required | Weight 10% | ECTS 0.75
Paper on chosen theme/theory
Required | Weight 35% | ECTS 2.63
Group presentation on assigned topic
Required | Weight 20% | ECTS 1.5
*midterm FEEDBACK*
Not required
Book review of ethnography
Required | Weight 35% | ECTS 2.63
Entry requirements and preknowledge
Entry Requirements
The following course module must be completed:
Preknowledge
No data about preknowledge is available.
Languages
- English
Competences
-
Academic writing
-
Debating / discourse analysis
-
International and intercultural orientation
-
Interdisciplinarity
-
Critical reading
-
Research skills
-
Presenting
-
Collaboration
Course Iterations
Related studies
Exams
There is no timetable available of the exams
Required Materials
-
READER
-
BOEKtba
Recommended Materials
No information available on the recommended literature
Coördinator
| P.J.H. Mepschen | p.j.h.mepschen@uu.nl |
Lecturers
| P.J.H. Mepschen | p.j.h.mepschen@uu.nl |
Enrolment
Attention: this course is not open to students from other faculties, so subsidiary students can't enroll for this course.
Go to OSIRIS-enrolments
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