OVERVIEW

Cultural anthropology today perhaps has a different function than in the past: it is useful in providing transversal and oblique interpretations of the complexity of today's phenomena, or at least of their perceived greater complexity. Adopting an 'other' gaze, a different perspective, allows today's phenomena to be analysed in the light of other narratives and other worldviews and to relativise problems.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course provides an introduction to cultural anthropology through the analysis of the main methods of of investigation and the most relevant topics. The course aims to provide brief outlines of the history of anthropological thought and the basic theoretical and empirical tools of the discipline.

The course therefore aims to provide students with solid basic knowledge in anthropology

cultural anthropology, presenting some constitutive notions of the discipline: culture, cultural relativism ethnicity, the body, gift, power, gender, etc.

The course also aims to present the main theoretical paradigms  theoretical paradigms and methodological specificities of anthropology such as field research, decentralisation

of the gaze, data collection and its restitution.

The final part of the course will focus on the theme of 'nature', the climate crisis and the anthropocene.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

To create greater sensitivity to cultural diversity. To provide critical tools for analysing the complexity that marks our age. To provide different keys for reading western society.

At the end of the course, the student will possess the following knowledge, skills and competences: in

-depth knowledge of anthropological reflection on the concept of culture and of the

ethnographic method;

- the ability to apply theoretical-methodological knowledge to read phenomena of

contemporary phenomena in a critical manner;

- ability to autonomously use the ethnographic method in research aimed at proposing

effective modes of intervention;

- awareness of the importance of the researcher's positioning in the analysis of social facts and

of his ethical and deontological responsibilities and ability to take this into account in the drafting of projects applications.

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures will be held in presence. Those who cannot attend will take the examination as non-attendees simply by studying more closely the lecture slides that will be made available in pdf format on Aulaweb.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Program for students who use teaching for 6 credits

The course includes a history of the main currents of anthropological thought, followed by an in-depth study of the various research fields in which anthropologists are involved today.
The aim is to build, through a "long tour" that touches the many cultural diversities of the planet, new looks and perspectives, free from ethnocentrism, which can help provide new keys to analysis on contemporary society.

Program for students who use teaching for 9 credits

The course includes a history of the main currents of anthropological thought, followed by an in-depth study of the various research fields in which anthropologists are involved today.
The aim is to build, through a "long tour" that touches the many cultural diversities of the planet, new looks and perspectives, free from ethnocentrism, which can help provide new keys to analysis on contemporary society.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bibliografia per gli studenti che utilizzano l'insegnamento per 6 cfu

Lo studio di:

A. Staid, Essere natura. Uno sguardo antropologico per cambiare il nostro rapporto con l'ambiente, UTET, 2022.

e uno a scelta tra questi:

M. Aime, Primo libro di antropologia, Einaudi, Torino.

M. Aime, Eccessi di culture, Einaudi, Torino.

A. Appadurai, La vita sociale delle cose. Una prospettiva culturale sulle merci di scambio, Meltemi, Milano.

B. Barba, Il corpo, il rito, il mito. Un'antropologia dello sport, Einaudi, Torino.

U. Biemann, P. Tavares, Forest law-Foresta giuridica. Ediz. Bilingue, Nottetempo, Milano.

Emanuela Borgnino, Ecologie native. Elèuthera, Milano.

E. Viveiros de Castro, Metafisiche cannibali. Elementi di antropologia post-strutturale, Ombrecorte, Padova.

D. Danowski, E. Viveiros de Castro, Esiste un mondo a venire? Saggio sulle paure della fine, Nottetempo, Milano.

S. De Matteis, Il dilemma dell'aragosta. La forza della vulnerabilità, Meltemi, Milano.

J. Fabian, Il Tempo e gli Altri. Come l’antropologia costruisce il proprio oggetto, Meltemi, Milano.

D. Kopenawa, B. Albert, La caduta del cielo. Parole di uno sciamano yanomami, Nottetempo, Milano.

E. Kohn, Come pensano le foreste. Antropologia oltre l'umano, Nottetempo, Milano.

A. Staid, La casa vivente. Riparare gli spazi, imparare a costruire, ADD, Torino.

A. Staid, Abitare illegale. Etnografia del vivere ai margini in Occidente, Milieu, Milano.

A. Staid, I dannati della metropoli. Etnografie dei migranti ai confini della legalità, Milieu, Milano.

Bibliografia per gli studenti che utilizzano l'insegnamento per 9 cfu

Lo studio di:

A. Staid, Essere natura. Uno sguardo antropologico per cambiare il nostro rapporto con l'ambiente, UTET, 2022.

e due a scelta tra questi:

M. Aime, Primo libro di antropologia, Einaudi, Torino.

M. Aime, Eccessi di culture, Einaudi, Torino.

A. Appadurai, La vita sociale delle cose. Una prospettiva culturale sulle merci di scambio, Meltemi, Milano.

B. Barba, Il corpo, il rito, il mito. Un'antropologia dello sport, Einaudi, Torino.

U. Biemann, P. Tavares, Forest law-Foresta giuridica. Ediz. Bilingue, Nottetempo, Milano.

Emanuela Borgnino, Ecologie native. Elèuthera, Milano.

E. Viveiros de Castro, Metafisiche cannibali. Elementi di antropologia post-strutturale, Ombrecorte, Padova.

D. Danowski, E. Viveiros de Castro, Esiste un mondo a venire? Saggio sulle paure della fine, Nottetempo, Milano.

S. De Matteis, Il dilemma dell'aragosta. La forza della vulnerabilità, Meltemi, Milano.

J. Fabian, Il Tempo e gli Altri. Come l’antropologia costruisce il proprio oggetto, Meltemi, Milano.

D. Kopenawa, B. Albert, La caduta del cielo. Parole di uno sciamano yanomami, Nottetempo, Milano.

E. Kohn, Come pensano le foreste. Antropologia oltre l'umano, Nottetempo, Milano.

A. Staid, La casa vivente. Riparare gli spazi, imparare a costruire, ADD, Torino.

A. Staid, Abitare illegale. Etnografia del vivere ai margini in Occidente, Milieu, Milano.

A. Staid, I dannati della metropoli. Etnografie dei migranti ai confini della legalità, Milieu, Milano.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

ANDREA STAID (President)

MARCO AIME

SALVATORE BRUNO BARBA (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

27 September 2022

Class schedule

CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Written examinations online or in presence, according to covid trend

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The result will be proportional to the ability developed by the student to critically elaborate the basic concepts of anthropological analysis, his or her ability to connect these concepts with the surrounding reality and to draw an articulate reading from them.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Any information will be communicated via aulaweb to which all course participants are asked to register