27309 - Social Anthropology (1) (A-L)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course the student is familiar with the main lines of the history of social anthropology, the different schools and the main theoretical and ethnographic approaches and has acquired the basic methodological tools of field research. The student knows how to apply the main models of critical and processual analysis of the concepts of culture, ethnic groups, genders, and generations and is able to problematise the socio-cultural aspects concerning migration processes, globalisation and the knowledge society. He/She can listen, understand and communicate with respect for different cultural viewpoints and develop skills of judgement on a professional, human and ethical level.

Course contents

The course aims to offer an anthropological reflection on broad socioeconomic phenomena such as deindustrialization, financialization, and the tertiarization of the economy. Drawing on a series of ethnographies conducted in diverse contexts on the theme of labor, the course will explore related issues with the aim of understanding how new modes of organizing work and consumption, based on global supply chains, impact everyday life, transforming our perceptions, desires, and social relations. It will begin by considering the social transformations associated with deindustrialization and the tertiarization of the economy, analyzing the implications of these changes in terms of precarity, inequality, and conflict. Unlike twentieth-century capitalism, which was based on assembly lines, large-scale production, and the rationalization of the production process, new forms of post-Fordist capitalism focus on the control of digital and material infrastructures, producing new forms of division of labor and alienation. To understand these transformations, we will begin by studying some fundamental mechanisms of late-nineteenth-century capitalism and the social relations it generated, moving on to reflect on contemporary forms of the information economy, the logistics industry, and platform capitalism. We will first focus on the evolution of US capitalism, tracing the intersection of railroads, the meatpacking industry, and real estate speculation, in order to understand the illogical logic of profit and capital's incessant struggle against the tyranny of fixed costs (D'Eramo). We will then move on to the analysis of migrant labor to delve into issues of exploitation and the relationship between the need for docile, low-cost labor and racism in its various forms. These themes will be explored through ethnographic studies conducted in the agricultural sector of the Ragusa area (Sanó) and in the logistics hub of the Amazon warehouse in Piacenza (Delfanti). We will then focus on care work and assistance for the elderly (Diodati). This latest study will allow us to broaden our discussion to include fundamental issues such as the relationship between work, migration, and population aging. Finally, we will focus on the emergence of new types of work, including what anthropologist David Graeber has called bullshit jobs, often well-paid but simultaneously unclear and in some ways pointless. All these transformations shape today's employment landscape, which is characterized by extreme forms of exploitation and, at the same time, increasingly marked bureaucratization and technologization.

The course is open exclusively and without exception to students whose last names are between A and L.

Classes will take place in the First Semester and will begin on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.

Readings/Bibliography

A novel of your choice between:Attendance is optional, but highly recommended. There are no differences in the curriculum for attending and non-attending students.

For the exam, students must prepare for three texts according to the schedule below.

Two texts to choose from:

D’Eramo, M. 2020. Il maiale e il grattacielo. Chicago: una storia del nostro futuro. Feltrinelli.

Delfanti, A. 2023. Il Magazzino: Lavoro e Macchine ad Amazon. Codice Edizioni.

Graerber, D. 2022. Bullshit Jobs- Garzanti.

Sanó, G. 2018. Fabbriche di plastica. Il lavoro nell'agricoltura industriale. Ombre corte. (scaricabile gratuitamente da: https://www.academia.edu/50907738/Fabbriche_di_Plastica_Il_lavoro_nell_agricoltura_industriale)

Diodati, F. 2026. Curare stanca. Il riconoscimento del «caregiving» in Italia- Meltemi.

 

A novel of your choice between:

Perec, Georges. [1965] 2011. Le cose. Una storia degli anni Sessanta. Einaudi.

Nata, Sebastiano. [1995] 1997. Il dipendente. Feltrinelli.

Leonetti, Francesco. 1995. Piedi in cerca di cibo. Lupetti.

Latronico, Vincenzo. 2022. Le perfezioni. Bompiani.

 

 

Teaching methods

The course consists of frontal lectures. Audiovisual materials will occasionally be used to further illustrate the topics covered. Students will be encouraged to ask questions and engage in discussions on the issues addressed in the course.

Assessment methods

The exam is a written exam, with periodic exam sessions throughout the year. To take the exam, students must register on the ALMAESAMI portal and verify that they have passed all the tests. To ensure proper administration and schedule of individual exams, registration closes five days before the exam date.

During the exam, students must demonstrate their understanding of the central theses, theoretical framework, and methodological framework of the books studied. They must also demonstrate their ability to place the texts within their respective anthropological debates. To pass the exam, students must study the books and not simply consult summaries or notes available online.

The written exam consists of three questions, one for each volume selected from the program. The exam will be held in the computer labs, and students will have an hour and a half to answer the three questions.

Students with specific learning needs are encouraged to contact their instructor to determine the most appropriate assessment method for their needs.


For information on exam dates and to register, please refer to the Almaesami program at the following URL [http://www.unibo.it/Portale/Guida/AlmaEsami.htm].


The exam procedures are the same for both attending and non-attending students.


The date of each exam will be published at least one month in advance on Almaesami. Registration closes three days before the exam date.


NOTE on the use of generative Artificial Intelligence


AI can be a useful tool to support individual study with in-depth analysis, summaries, and self-assessment. Regarding learning assessment, the use of AI and any device connected to the internet is prohibited during the exam. Any use constitutes a violation of academic integrity.

Teaching tools

Audiovisual materials will be used to explore some of the course's topics.
Attending students are asked to subscribe to the following mailing list (Teacher-Student Distribution List) to receive supplementary materials for lectures and any urgent communications regarding changes to the class schedule or location:
luca.jourdan.antropologiasociale
To subscribe: go to https://www.dsa.unibo.it/default.aspx
Go to SDA, log in, and search for "Teacher-Student Lists" in the left-hand menu, then type luca.jourdan.antropologiasociale and subscribe.

Inclusiveness, Adaptations, and Reasonable Accommodation

Students with learning disabilities or temporary or permanent disabilities: please contact the relevant University office promptly (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it/per-studenti ). The instructor will advise interested students of any adjustments, which must be submitted to the instructor for approval 15 days before the exam date. The instructor will evaluate the appropriateness of the adjustments, also taking into account the course's learning objectives.

For office hours, please consult the professor's website.

Office hours

See the website of Luca Jourdan