00045 - Cultural Anthropology

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student knows: the general lines of the development of the discipline;  the theoretical and methodological challenges in contemporary anthropology, with particular reference to educational contexts; how to analyse the cultural aspects of welfare and territorial services; the history of the concepts of culture and ethnicity and their impact on the analysis of hardship and marginality; how to identify appropriate sources of anthropological knowledge for professional practitioners in educational and social work; how to apply anthropological knowledge for a critical reading of migratory processes and intercultural mediation; how to adapt anthropological perspectives in a critical and reflexive professional approach; how to interpret ethnographically information emerging from a professional field; how to communicate one's own observations and reflections in one's team; how to use an ethnographic approach in order to improve listening, observational and interpreting skills in communication processes; how to autonomously search and expand their knowledge base in anthropology.

Course contents

The course consists of two main parts. The first part aims to build a vocabulary of the main notions debated in anthropology (culture, ethnicity, race, etc.), as well as of the fundamental methods and ethical approaches in ethnographic research (relativism, fieldwork, participatory observation, etc.). The vocabulary will be illustrated through concrete socio-cultural phenomena, both past and contemporary, drawn from different societies of the world.

A global and comparative perspective on society and culture will serve to train a critical and reflective gaze on more familiar contexts. The second part will introduce some areas of anthropological research of particular relevance to the professional practice of future graduates. Through ethnographic studies in the field of migration, the following will be explored: formal and informal welfare policies; forms of discrimination in institutions and in everyday relations; kinship relations and family forms.

Readings/Bibliography

Both attending and non-attending students are required to prepare the following texts:

- Dei F., Antropologia culturale, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2016, seconda edizione, esclusi i cap. VII, VIII, IX, X, XIII, XIV)

- Vietti, Francesco (2019): Il paese delle badanti. Milano: Meltemi.

- Resources on the platform Virtuale

Teaching methods

Teaching will be based on frontal lectures as well as on active learning activities, such as plenary discussions, work in pairs or groups, short exercises, and seminar events. Teaching and learning materials will also be available on Virtuale.

Assessment methods

The examination consists of a written test with closed and open questions aimed at ascertaining the student's knowledge of the contents of the syllabus and examination texts.

The criteria used to assess students' preparation include: a) knowing how to use the language of anthropology accurately; b) understanding of the analytical, methodological and ethical problems of anthropological concepts and approaches; c) the ability to carry out cultural analyses of social and educational contexts.

NB: For Erasmus students: both the examination programme and the method of testing its content can be agreed with the lecturer

Teaching tools

Texts, presentation slides, mind maps, video and audio-visuals, e-learning activitites

Office hours

See the website of Paolo Gaibazzi