84272 - Anthropology of Southern Asia (1)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will have acquired the conceptual tools to cope with specific themes of the ethnographic contexts of South Asia; they will be able to evaluate a range of sources critically and organize related printed or digital material; they will have developed the skills necessary to examine issues related to social change and socio-religious plurality.

Course contents

Students are strongly advised to check the section “avvisi” in the professor’s home page for all updates regarding the exam.

The course will illustrate the main topics concerning the anthropological study of the area (caste, kinship, gender, religion, ethnic conflict, diaspora), referring in particular to the Sri Lankan context. On the basis of the ethnographic research conducted in the area by the lecturer, the conflict in Sri Lanka will be examined and the imagery related to the division into 'ethnic' groups will be deconstructed. Special attention will be paid to the figures of the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) fighters and the funeral rituals reserved for them.

Classes will start on 19 March 2024.

Readings/Bibliography

1. Natali Cristiana (ed.), Contesti etnografici dell’Asia meridionale, Milano, CUEM, 2010 ( the text is online as teaching material).
2. Natali Cristiana, Sabbia sugli dèi. Pratiche commemorative tra le Tigri tamil (Sri Lanka), Bologna, Clueb (NUOVA EDIZIONE), 2020.
   

The programme for non-attending students does not require any additional material because non-attendance implies a greater amount of individual studying.

Teaching methods

Lectures with interactive components and Power Point presentations.

Assessment methods

Students are strongly advised to check the section “avvisi” in the professor’s home page for all information regarding the programme and the exam.

The exam consists in a 2-hour written test. For each volume, there will be a question with open answer. There is no upper word limit for answers.

Students are required to show good knowledge of the bibliography, critical analytic skills and appropriate linguistic communicative ability.

FROM SEPTEMBER 2024 EXAMINATIONS WILL BE ORAL. THOSE WISHING TO TAKE THE WRITTEN EXAMINATION SHOULD CONTACT THE LECTURER AT THE INSTITUTIONAL EMAIL ADDRESS. ONLY FOR ORAL EXAMINATIONS: ALL'ORARIO FISSATO PER L'APPELLO TUTTI GLI STUDENTI DOVRANNO ESSERE ON LINE (SU TEAMS, NELL'AULA CREATA PER L'ESAME). VERRANNO VERIFICATE LE EVENTUALI ASSENZE E SEMPRE ON LINE VERRRA' CONTESTUALMENTE CONCORDATO UN CALENDARIO DEGLI ESAMI. GLI ESAMI AVRANNO INIZIO NON PRIMA DEL GIORNO LAVORATIVO SUCCESSIVO SECONDO IL CALENDARIO CONCORDATO.

The mark will be assigned taking into account the following evaluation levels:

30 cum laude: excellent performance showing soundness of knowledge, rich discursive articulation and appropriate expression;

30: very good performance, complete and appropriate knowledge, well articulated and appropriately expressed;

29-27: good performance, more than satisfactory knowledge, well expressed;

26-24: standard performance, essential knowledge, but not comprehensive and/or not always correctly expressed;

23-21: sufficient performance, general but superficial knowledge, often inappropriately expressed showing confused articulation;

20-18: poor performance, with just acceptable expression and articulation with significant gaps;

<18: insufficient performance, absent or very incomplete knowledge, lack of orientation in the discipline.

Students can consult exams dates and register at the following URL [http://www.unibo.it/Portale/Guida/AlmaEsami.htm].

Teaching tools

Attending students are kindly invited, from February, to subscribe to the following mailing list in order to receive information about possible variations in the lecture timetable and rooms:

cristiana.natali.Antropologia-Asia-meridionale

Office hours

See the website of Cristiana Natali