B8082 - History of Women's Anthropology (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course the students will have mastered a gender-oriented approach tothe historical study of anthropology; They should be able to approach criticallythe discipline as a form of methodological, historical and gender positioning.

Course contents

Women in the history of anthropology: pioneers, teachers, intruders

The course aims to show the trajectory of women in the history of anthropology. Their role has often been marginal, unrecognised especially in academia. We will reflect on the silent reasons and striking dynamics that have contributed to this marginalisation, on the history told by women, on women's writings and on the themes that have occupied their ethnographies. Finally, we will reflect on the relationship between the history of women's anthropology and feminisms.
Specific topics will be discussed each week.

Readings/Bibliography

1. Week history of women's anthropology. Margins and women's writings. Fieldwork and women. Research topics for women.

ALL OF THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES

Lamphere L., Unofficial Histories: A Vision of Anthropology from the Margins. In American Anthropologist. Vol. 106, pp. 126-139, 2004.

Lutz, C. The Erasure of Women's Writing in Sociocultural Anthropology. In American Ethnologist Vol. 17, pp. 611-627, 2001.

Sanjek, R., The Position of Women in the Major Departments of Anthropology, 1967-76. In American Anthropologist Vol. 80(4), pp, 894-904, 1978.

Sanjek, R., The American Anthropological Association Resolution on the Employment of Women: Genesis, Implementation, Disavowal and Resurrection. In Signs: A Journal of Women in Culture and Society Vol. 7, pp. 845-86, 1982.

 

2. Week Women in the history of North American anthropology.

ONE OF THE TWO TEXTS

Behar R., & Gordon D.A. , Women Writing Culture, Berkeley, University of California Press, 1995.

Nancy Parezo (Edited by), Hidden Scholars. Women Anthropologists and the Native American Southwest, University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque.

 

3. Week Women in the history of South American anthropology.

https://journals.openedition.org/jsa/

https://journals.openedition.org/jsa/22900

 

4. Week Women in the history of European anthropology: Spain, France and the United Kingdom

Readings-choose one of the contexts

Spanish context:

https://player.vimeo.com/video/677667200?h=1b6340d38c&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479

Pena Castro M.J.,Hernández Corrochano H., Téllez Infantes A., Maestras de la Antropología en España, Editoriales Comares, Granada.

 

British context a choice between:

Parise V., Donne fondatrici dell’antropologia sociale. Uno studio su Lucy Mair 1901-1986, Roma Cisu, 2021, and Colajanni A., Gli usignoli dell’imperatore. Lo studio dei mutamenti sociali e l’antropologia applicata nella tradizione britannica del contesto coloniale, dagli anni ’30 agli anni ’50, Rome, Cisu, 2012. CHAPTERS I-V-VIII.

Larson F., Undreamed Shores: The Hidden Heroines of British Anthropology, London, Granta Book, 2021.

French context:

F. Heritiér, Masculine/Féminin. La pensée de la différence, Paris, Editions Odile Jacob, 1996 and Course readings package.

 

5. Week: Women in the history of Italian anthropology

Course readings package and

ONE OF THE TEXTS

Tabet P., La grande beffa: sessualità delle donne e scambio sessuo-economico, Soveria Mannelli, Rubettino, 2005.

Puccini S., Nude e crudi: femminile e maschile nell’Italia di oggi, Roma, Donzelli, 2008.

Gallini C., La sonnambula meravigliosa. Magnetismo e ipnotismo nell’Ottocento italiano, Roma, L’Asino D’oro Edizioni, 2013.

 

Teaching methods

The course will provide historical and theoretical methodological coordinates and will provide tools for critical analysis related to the anthropology of women. For this reason, at the end of each lesson there will always be a moment to check the understanding of the topics covered, through the active participation of students.

Assessment methods

Attending students are required to give an oral presentation on a topic chosen during the course. A date for the presentations will be set together (the presentations will be in February) on which all students will present their work. All those who have chosen this exam method must be present on the day of the presentations. In addition, students who have chosen this assessment method must prepare an agreed reading related to the presentation, which will be assessed orally according to the scheduled exam sessions.

For non-attending students, the exam is oral according to the scheduled exam sessions and starts in February 2026. Students must study the articles proposed in the week 1. and then choose one of the contexts covered (American, South American, Spanish, English, British, Italian) and the indicated readings.

* The oral exam will assess the student's ability to summarise and present in correct Italian. The student must demonstrate knowledge of the history of the discipline, be able to make connections and navigate the different schools of thought (covered in class and found in the texts).
Assessment.

Excellent: achievement of a comprehensive understanding of the topics covered in class and critical use demonstrating mastery of the content and technical vocabulary.

Average: rote knowledge and not entirely accurate use of technical vocabulary.

Sufficient: minimal knowledge of the topics covered (dates and names), without serious errors.

Insufficient: failure to meet the minimum requirements (i.e. satisfactory assessment).

During the academic year, exams are scheduled for the following months: February 2026, March 2026, April 2026, May 2026, July 2026, September 2026.

Teaching tools

The frontal lessons will be supported by Power Point presentations that will be uploaded in the “Teaching materials” section of this website after each class.

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Office hours

See the website of Zelda Alice Franceschi