OVERVIEW

What pertains to the study of anthropos is often at risk of falling into easy reductionism, both on the biological and cultural sides - but the separation between the two oppositional poles (nature/culture) is only rarely called into question. In fact, to be human is to be produced by, and in turn to produce, a specific human world, to be immersed in a particular relational ecology that shapes the way we are present in the world and deal with crises.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course presents a broad introduction to the basic concepts of anthropology - variability, differentiation, phylogenetic evolution - to arrive at multiple bio-cultural strategies developed by different human populations, the anthropology of health and ethnopsychology. Particular importance is given to the critical analysis of data and theories.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the course students will be able to

1) expose the fundamental topics and areas of research of contemporary anthropology;
2) remember and connect main anthropological theories and the data upon which they are construed;
3) appreciate human variability and the plurality of existing "human worlds", reading them according to the scientific data presented in the course;
4) critically analyze scientific data and theories, understanding their social, ethical and political implications;
5) analyize the themes related to of health / illness / therapy / healing in a complex and anthropologically sound way.

PREREQUISITES

None.

TEACHING METHODS

The course is entirely developed through lessons delivered by the teacher or, in some cases, by experts in the anthropological field or on relevant themes.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

1) Biological and cultural anthropology: conceptual analysis of the divide (lecture notes: part one).

2) Evolutionary theoryand genetics between Darwin and the twentieth century (lecture notes: part two and three).

3) Human phylogeny: evolutionary time scale, systematics, from the common ancestor to the agricultural revolution (lecture notes: part four and five).

4) Human ontogeny: variability, bio-culture, implicit practices and theories (lecture notes: part six).

5) Medical anthropology (lecture notes: part seven).

6) Ethnopsychiatry (lecture notes: part seven).

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Preparation for the 9-credit exam involves studying

– the lecture notes

– two texts of your choice from list (b)

– two articles of your choice from list (c)

Preparation for the 6-credit exam involves studying

– the lecture notes (excluding part four)

– one text chosen from list (b)

– one article chosen from list (c)

In both cases, those who bring, among the texts of their choice, one of those marked with an asterisk (*) are exempt from preparing the relative paper. It is also possible to agree on an alternative bibliography for further reading with the teacher.

Lecture notes (a) and part of the articles from list (c) will be made available to students during class (nonattending students can request them by emailing the lecturer). The texts in list (b), generally available in Genoa libraries, should all still be available in bookstores.

(a) Lecture notes.

(b) Books:

• Barbujani G., 2006. L’invenzione delle razze. Bompiani, Milano.
• Barbujani G. & Brunelli A., 2018. Il giro del mondo in sei milioni di anni. Il Mulino, Bologna.
• Beneduce R., Etnopsichiatria. Sofferenza mentale e alterità fra storia, dominio e cultura. Carocci, Milano.
• Cipriano P., 2015. Il manicomio chimico. Elèuthera, Milano 2015.
• Coppo P., 2003. Tra psiche e culture. Elementi di etnopsichiatria. Bollati Boringhieri, Torino 2003.
• Coppo P., 2005. Le ragioni del dolore. Etnopsichiatria della depressione. Bollati Boringhieri, Torino.
• Despret V., 2001. Le emozioni. Etnopsicologia dell’autenticità. Elèuthera, Milano 2002. [existe aussi en français]
• Good B.J., 1994. Narrare la malattia. Edizioni di Comunità, Torino 1999. [also available in English]
• Gould S.J., 1989. La vita meravigliosa. I fossili di Burgess e la natura della storia. Feltrinelli, Milano 2018. [also available in English]
• (*) Graeber D. & Wengrow D., 2021. L'alba di tutto. Una nuova storia dell'umanità. Rizzoli, Mllano 2022.[also available in English]
• Hazen R., 2013. Breve storia della Terra. Il Saggiatore, Milano 2017. [also available in English]
• Illich I., 1976. Nemesi medica. L'espropriazione della salute.            Red!, Milano 1991-2005. [also available in English]
• (*) Ingold T. & Pallson G. (eds), 2013. Biosocial becomings. Integrating social and biological anthropology. CUP, Cambridge 2013.
• (*) Jablonka E. & Lamb M., 2005. L’evoluzione in quattro dimensioni. Variazione genetica, epigenetica, comportamentale e simbolica nella storia della vita. UTET, Torino 2007. [also available in English]
• Kupiec J.-J. (2019), La concezione anarchica del vivente, Elèuthera, Milano 2021.
• LeVine R.A. & New R.S. (a cura di), 2008. Antropologia e infanzia. Sviluppo, cura, educazione: studi classici e contemporanei. Raffaello Cortina Editore, Milano 2009. [also available in English]
• Lewontin R., 1993. Biologia come ideologia. La dottrina del DNA.  Bollati Boringhieri, Torino. [also available in English]
• (*) Lock M. & Nguyen V.-K., 2010. An anthropology of biomedicine. Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester.
• Quaranta I. (a cura di), 2006. Antropologia medica. I testi fondamentali. Raffaello Cortina, Milano.
• Rogoff B., 2003. La natura culturale dello sviluppo, Raffaello Cortina, Milano 2004. [also available in English]
• Sahlins M., 1972. L'economia dell'età della pietra. Elèuthera, Milano 2020. [also available in English]
• Scott J., 2017. Le origini della civiltà. Una controstoria. Einaudi, Torino. [also available in English]
• Sheldrake M., 2020. L'ordine nascosto. La vita segreta dei funghi. Marsilio, Venezia 2020 [also available in English]

(3) Papers::

• Chandler M.J. & Lalonde C., 1998. Cultural continuity as a hedge against suicide in Canada’s First Nations.  «Transcultural psychiatry» 35, 2, pp. 191-220.
• Coppo P. & Consigliere S., 2009. Psicologie, etnopsichiatria, sistemi di cura. «Humana.Mente. Journal of Philosophical Studies» n. 11, Oct. 2009, pp. 125-136.
• Csordas T.J., 1990. Embodiment as a Paradigm for Anthropology. «Ethos» 18 (1), pp. 5-47.
• Deutscher G., 2010. Pensieri obbligati. «Internazionale» 867 (08/10/2010), pp. 54-58. [also available in English: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/29/magazine/29language-t.html?_r=0 ]
• Dobbs D., 2013. Die, Selfish Gene, Die. In Obasogie O.K. & Darnovsky M., Beyond Bioethics. University of California Press, Oakland (CA) 2018, pp. 445-460.
• Gardner L.I., 1972. Nanismo da deprivazione. «Le Scienze» 50, pp. 72-78. [also available in English]
• Gould S.J. & Lewontin R.C., 1979. I pennacchi di San Marco e il paradigma di Pangloss. Critica del programma adattazionista. Torino: Einaudi (Piccola Biblioteca on line), 2001. [also available in English]
• Hahn R., 1999. Expectations of sickness: concept and evidence of the nocebo phenomenon. In: Kirsch I., How expectancies shape experience. American Psychological Association, Washington D.C. 1999, pp. 333-356.
• Ingold T., 2022. Evolution without inheritance. Steps to an ecology of learning. «Current Anthropology» 65, suppl. 25, pp. S32-S55.
• Lestel D., 2009. Pensare con l’animale. «Discipline filosofiche» XIX (1), 2009, pp. 153-169.
• Margulis L., 2001. Simbiosi ovunque. «Kaiak. A Philosophical Journey» 7 (2020). [also available in English]
• Marmot M., 2005. Social determinants of health inequalities. «Lancet» 365, pp. 1099–1104.
• Novick D., Haro J.M., Hong J., Brugnoli R., Lepine J.P., Bertsch j., Karagianis J., Dossenbach M., Alvarez E., 2012. Regional differences in treatment response and three year course of schizophrenia across the world. «Journal of Psychiatric Research» 46, pp. 856-864
• Ochs E. & Schieffelin B.B., 1984. L’acquisizione del linguaggio e la socializzazione. Tre percorsi evolutivi e le loro implicazioni. In: Shweder R.A. & LeVine R.A., 1984. Mente, Sé, emozioni. Per una teoria della cultura. Argo, Lecce 1997, pp. 317-362. [also available in English]
• Ramirez-Goicoechea E., 2013. Life-in-the-making: epigenesis, biocultural environments and human becomings. In: Ingold T. & Palsson G. (eds), 2013. Biosocial becomings. Integrating social and biological anthropology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2013, pp. 59-83.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Monday, the 15th of September 2025.

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

In order to pass the exam, students are required (1) to be familiar with the exam syllabus, i.e. the contents of the course handouts; (2) to critically examine one of the topics covered in the handouts through the study of the books and articles listed in (b) and (c), chosen according to the selected theme; 3) to be able to critically analyse a text related to the topics of the course, which will be proposed during the exam.

The file entitled ►  Annotated Bibliography provides an overview of the contents of the texts proposed in lists (b) and (c).

Please note that the critical analysis of a topic does not consist merely in presenting what is written in the handouts and selected texts. Rather, it involves gaining a clear understanding of the origin of the issue and its assumptions; its historical evolution; the different positions developed by various authors (also in relation to the historical period to which they belong) and their theoretical and practical consequences.

At the beginning of the exam, which is conducted exclusively in oral form, students will be asked to critically present the chosen topic. Then they will be given a short text to analyse critically. Finally, their knowledge of the content of the lecture notes will be tested.

Learning outcomes, examination methods and reference bibliography are identical for both attending and non-attending students.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Knowledge of the exam syllabus, as presented in the course handouts, counts for 24/thirtyths. The ability to critically investigate topics counts for 6/thirtyths.

FURTHER INFORMATION

The examination sessions, which are held exclusively in person, usually begin at 9 a.m. in the classroom assigned by the School. Registration, which must be done within five days of the exam date, is done electronically. Workers, parents with young children, and off-site persons have priority.