"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 the great partitions of Western thought, the crucial role is given to "nature" and "culture". On them are based the claim of universality of science, discourses on (in)tolerance and on the separation of body and mind. The course investigates the link between ontology and knowledge, in the light of the new voices in the anthropological field in recent years. Topics such as multinaturalism/multirealism will be discussed, along with the connections between forms of life, knowledge systems, local ontologies and the 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 philosophical 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 concept of crisis: from de Martino's “presence in the world” to “cultural apocalypses”; path for integration.
5) The multiplicity of worlds.
The program implies the study of text (a), one book chosen form the list (b), and two papers chosen from the list (c).
The textbook and books from list (b) are available in bookstores. Part of the choice papers from list (c) will be made available to students during class (nonattending students can request them via email to the lecturer).
(a) Consigliere S., 2014. Antropo-logiche. Mondi e modi dell’umano. Colibrì, Milano.
(b) One book among the following:
(c) Two papers among the following:
Ricevimento: Monday and Wednesday, 10-12 AM, at the teacher's room (DISFOR, via Balbi 4, fourth floor). Please contact me for different hours or place.
STEFANIA CONSIGLIERE (President)
CRISTINA ZAVARONI
SIMONA PARAVAGNA (Substitute)
Wednesday, the 17th of September 2024.
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) and their abilities to critically analyze the topics addressed by the course. The content of the course is the same for attending and non-attending students.
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.
Exams are normally held at Laboratorio Mondi Multipli of DISFOR (via Balbi 4, 4th floor) and begin at 9.00. Only in case of further global health emergencies, examinations will be made through the Teams platform. Inscriptions must be made through the apposite UniGe web service, as detailed by the University rules. Students who work or with special needs will be examined first.
