81693 - History of Anthropology (1) (LM)

Academic Year 2022/2023

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student has an advanced knowledge of the main theoretical models and historical frameworks that underpin the discipline and is able to critically discuss the different currents of thought of the History of the discipline in Europe and outside Europe.

Course contents

Women in the History of Anthropology. Heritage, fights, and the final recognition of women’ anthropology (1900-1980)

The course presupposes a good knowledge of the History of Anthropology. Accordingly, a previous reading of the parts related to the birth of Anthropology in United States (Louis Henry Morgan, Franz Boas, Ruth Benedict e Margaret Mead) in the suggested list of textbooks is highly recommended for those students who previously did not attend any course where History of Anthropology was treated.

In this course the birth of Women’ Anthropology in the United States will be analyzed, paying particular attention to Franz Boas’ two disciples, i.e. Ruth Benedict e Margaret Mead. Later, the biography and the scientific contribution of women who were directly or indirectly disciples of Boas but who are not usually considered in the History of Anthropology will be illustrated. A careful examinations of the academic, political and gender-related reasons why these women, such as Matilda Coxe Stevenson (1849-1915), Elsie Clews Parsons (1875-1941), Gladys Reichard (1893-1955), Ella Cara Deloria (1889-1971), Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960), Ruth Bunzel(1898-1990) e Ruth Landes (1908-1991), have been usually neglected in the history of the discipline and are today considered “hidden scholars”, will be thoroughly investigated.

Finally, the legacy of such women/hidden scholars in the birth of feminist Anthropology will be presented, paying particular attention to Ruth Behar e Catherine Lutz.

Lessons schedule:

• FRANZ BOAS

• THE DISCIPLES OF FRANZ BOAS: RUTH BENEDICT E MARGARET MEAD

• THE DISCIPLES OF FRANZ BOAS: RUTH BENEDICT E MARGARET MEAD

•THE “HIDDEN SCHOLARS” OF FRANZ BOAS

•THE “HIDDEN SCHOLARS” OF FRANZ BOAS

•THE “HIDDEN SCHOLARS” OF FRANZ BOAS

•THE “HIDDEN SCHOLARS” OF FRANZ BOAS

• WRITINGS, LEGACY AND STRUGGLES OF AMERICAN WOMEN ANTHROPOLOGISTS

• THE SEVENTIES AND EIGHTHIES IN ANTHROPOLOGY: WOMEN

• WOMEN ANTHROPOLOGISTS AND FEMINISM

• WOMEN ANTHROPOLOGISTS AND FEMINISM

• RUTH BEHAR & CATHERINE LUTZ : THE POST-MODERNISM TURN.

• PRESENTATION BY THE STUDENTS OF THE COURSE

• PRESENTATION BY THE STUDENTS OF THE COURSE

• PRESENTATION BY THE STUDENTS OF THE COURSE

Readings/Bibliography

OPTIONAL READINGS:

• 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 An-thropology, 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, Dis- avowal and Resurrection. In Signs: A Journal of Women in Culture and Society Vol. 7, pp. 845-86, 1982.

MANDATORY READING:

• King C., La riscoperta dell'umanità. Come un gruppo di antropologi ribelli reinventano le idee di razza, sesso e genere nel secolo XX, Torino, Einaudi, 2020.

Teaching methods

The course will consist of lectures supported by audio visual material (when required).

At the end of each lecture there will be a concept checking session to ensure students’ understanding of the themes and issues covered, which will also allow active student participation.

Assessment methods

The exam consists of a Spoken tests for both students who have and those who have not attended.

Students who have attended will produce a spoken presentation carried out by two/three students at the time.

* Presentations will be organized in agreement with the teacher and will entail the exposition of a topic agreed to during office hours or in breaks during lessons.

* Students will have to prepare a power point presentation and read a number of articles agreed upon with the professor (if necessary) or give a critical presentation of the chosen itinerary. This will be part of the final assessment, totaling 40% of the grade point average. The presentation will have to explicitly state each student’s contribution.

* The interview will assess student’s skills in synthesizing and expressing themselves in fluent, accurate Italian. Students will have to demonstrate their knowledge of the history of the subject, their ability to connect different aspects of the latter, and to navigate its different schools of thought (debated during lessons and to be found in textbooks)

Assessment scales:

Excellence: attaining a holistic vision of the themes debated in lectures and critical effort showing mastery of the contents and technical language. .

Fair: knowledge by rote and not wholly accurate use of technical language.

Passable: minimal knowledge of topics discussed, (dates and names), without severe errors.

Insufficient: lack of minimal requirements (that is those for passable assessment).

Teaching tools

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

Office hours

See the website of Zelda Alice Franceschi

SDGs

Gender equality

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.