OVERVIEW

Every human community is different in the way it sees, knows, organizes and builds its own existential and social context. Indeed, in the face of universal problems, communities implement different solutions. Cultural anthropology offers the methodological tools to enter this diversity and explore it. The anthropological gaze is critical, holistic and anti-ethnocentric, and therefore allows us to read the symbolic codes and behavior patterns of groups within societies or of entire societies in their historical and creative dynamism, making what is foreign and unusual familiar what is familiar.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

A) Cultural anthropology today has a perhaps different function than in the past: it is useful to provide transversal and oblique interpretations with respect to the complexity of current phenomena or at least the greater perceived complexity. Adopting an "other" look, a different perspective, allows us to analyze today's phenomena in the light of other narratives and other world views and to relativize problems. B) The course aims to provide brief notes on the history of anthropological thought and the basic theoretical and empirical tools of the discipline. The different theories and applications of cultural anthropology will be addressed both in traditional societies and in ours. In particular, the final part of the course will focus on the issue of identity and the onset of racism. C) The teaching aims to create greater sensitivity towards cultural diversity. Providing critical tools to analyze the complexity that marks our age. Provide different interpretations of the reading of Western society.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Training Objectives (detail) and Learning Outcomes:
Main training objectives are:
1- Extension of cultural vocabulary and knowledge of the definitions of key concepts of anthropology
2- Acquisition of theoretical and methodological notions of anthropological and ethnographic practice
3- Ability to apply theoretical-methodological knowledge to the reading of social phenomena
4- Development of critical thinking
5- Autonomy in the deconstruction and analysis of socio-cultural phenomena

At the end of the 6 CFU course, male and female students will be able to:
1. Master cultural vocabulary and knowledge of the definitions of key concepts of anthropology
2. Know the theoretical and methodological notions of anthropological and ethnographic practice
3. Apply theoretical-methodological knowledge to the reading of social phenomena
4. Exercise critical thinking
At the end of the 9 CFU course, male and female students will be able to:
1. Master cultural vocabulary and knowledge of the definitions of key concepts of anthropology
2. Know the theoretical and methodological notions of anthropological and ethnographic practice
3. Apply theoretical-methodological knowledge to the reading of social phenomena
4. Exercise critical thinking
5. Deconstruct and independently analyze socio-cultural phenomena

PREREQUISITES

None

TEACHING METHODS

The lessons will be delivered in face-to-face mode.

Speeches by male and female colleagues are expected for insights into the topics covered.

Students who have been certified with special educational needs (DSA), such as dyslexia or dysgraphia, are invited to contact me, as well as to familiarise with the services (e.g. “ufficio disabilità  e DSA”) the University offers to support them: further information available at https://unige.it/disabilita-dsa.

 

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The program for the acquisition of 6 credits is as follows: The course includes a path in stages that crosses, by themes, the history of anthropological thought in a non-hegemonic perspective and which makes use of voices from the indigenous scientific world: body, birth, death, kinship, health and disease, food systems, language , economic systems, religious systems, social and political organization, representations and symbolic systems, time and space, art are some of the macro-themes that will be covered during the course. Particular attention will be paid to anthropological research practice through the presentation of contemporary ethnographies.

Bibliography:

Aime, M. 2008. Primo libro di antropologia, Einaudi, Torino 

a text of your choice among:

Cottino, G. 2022, Il peso del corpo. Un’analisi antropologica dell’obesità a Tonga, Unicopli, Milano

Cottino, G. 2023, Verso Monte. Nuove mobilità e culture del cibo nelle Alpi Occidentali, Unicopli, Milano

The program for the acquisition of 9 credits is as follows: The course includes a path in stages that crosses, by themes, the history of anthropological thought in a non-hegemonic perspective and which makes use of voices from the indigenous scientific world. Body, birth, death, kinship, health and disease, food systems, language, economic systems, religious systems, social and political organization, representations and symbolic systems, time and space, art are some of the macro-themes that will be covered during the course . Particular attention will be paid to anthropological research practice through the presentation of contemporary ethnographies. Bibliography:

Aime, M. 2008. Primo libro di antropologia, Einaudi, Torino 

Cottino, G. 2022, Il peso del corpo. Un’analisi antropologica dell’obesità a Tonga, Unicopli, Milano

Cottino, G. 2023, Verso Monte. Nuove mobilità e culture del cibo nelle Alpi Occidentali, Unicopli, Milano

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

For 6 CFU:

Bibliography:

Aime, M. 2008. Primo libro di antropologia, Einaudi, Torino 

a text of your choice among:

Cottino, G. 2022, Il peso del corpo. Un’analisi antropologica dell’obesità a Tonga, Unicopli, Milano

Cottino, G. 2023, Verso Monte. Nuove mobilità e culture del cibo nelle Alpi Occidentali, Unicopli, Milano

For 9 CFU:

Il programma per l’acquisizione di 9 CFU è il seguente:

Aime, M. 2008. Primo libro di antropologia, Einaudi, Torino 

Cottino, G. 2022, Il peso del corpo. Un’analisi antropologica dell’obesità a Tonga, Unicopli, Milano

Cottino, G. 2023, Verso Monte. Nuove mobilità e culture del cibo nelle Alpi Occidentali, Unicopli, Milano

For those not attending class, the reading of one more book is required:

Patrone, S. 2023. Il malinteso della bellezza. Per un'antropologia del corpo

If Italian represents a linguistic barrier, contact Prof. Cottino to have a program fully in English.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

SALVATORE BRUNO BARBA (President)

SARA BONFANTI (President Substitute)

MARCO AIME (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

September  16th

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The final exam will be a written paper on the main topics covered in class

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The result will be proportional to the active participation in the classroom and the developed ability to critically elaborate the basic concepts of anthropological analysis which will be demonstrated in the final written paper.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Students who have regularly filed a certification of DSA, disability or other special educational needs are advised to contact both the contact person Prof. Aristide Canepa (aristide.canepa@unige.it) and the teacher at the beginning of the course, to agree teaching and examination methods which, in compliance with the teaching objectives, take into account individual learning methods and provide suitable compensatory tools.