"All cultures are equals in dignity": this statement entails a series of serious – and sometimes bewildering – consequences on a philosophical, political, epistemological and existential level. The course will lead students to analyze these consequences through an "archaeological" exploration of our cultural foundations and an anthropological comparison with other forms of human culture.
Among western thought's dichotomies, the nature/culture dichotomy plays a key role: it is the root of beliefs such as science's universality, of discourse on (in)tolerance and of the mind/body dualism. The course analyzes the relation between ontology and knowledge (which was already questioned by philosophical and scientific thought in the 20th century) taking into account the new tendencies in anthropology; it analyzes the debate on multinaturalism/multirealism; it explores the connections between forms of life, knowledge systems, local ontologies and possibilities of democracy.
At the end of the course students should
1) know the terms and stakes of the debate in contemporary anthropology, and its ontological, ethic, epistemological and political implications.
2) be able to approach "other" worlds without conceit.
3) know how to critically connect observed facts, theories and data;
4) have developed one's sensitivity towards the connection between forms of life, knowledge systems, local ontologies and forms of humanity.
None.
The course is entirely developed through lessons delivered by the teacher or, in some cases, by experts in the anthropological field.
1) The philopshical and ethical crisis of contemporary modern world.
2) Philosophical archeology of the Western worldview.
3) The building of a human being: bio-cultural becoming in its different aspects.
4) The many way crisis can take: form De Martino's “presence in the world” to “cultural apocalypses”.
The reading list for this course, together with the lecturer's suggestions and instructions are available on the Italian version of the web page.
Ricevimento: Monday and Wednesday, 10-12 AM, at the teacher's room: DISFOR Section of Anthropology, via Balbi 4, fourth floor.
STEFANIA CONSIGLIERE (President)
SIMONA PARAVAGNA
CRISTINA ZAVARONI
October 1, 2018.
ANTHROPOLOGY OF SYSTEMS OF KNOWLEDGE
The exam consists of an interview aimed at assessing the candidates' knowledge of the contents and the reading list of the course (see "Readings/Bibliography" section). The content of the course is the same for attending and non-attending students. The assessment will focus on the candidates' abilities to critically analyze the topics addressed by the course.
Knowledge of the contents of the lecture notes counts for 20/30 of the final vote. The capacity to develop a critical in-depth analysis of an anthropological theme counts for 10/30 of the final vote.
