28304 - Applied Anthropology (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the students will have familiarized with the main theoretical tools of the discipline and the methods of application of anthropology to various contexts of contemporary society. They will be able to use them in an autonomous field research, and to conduct research on social models and communication modes of various cultural groups.

Course contents

Beginning of classes: 11th November 2020

We. 9-12 and Th. 13-16

Aula 1 Via Zamboni, 33

In general terms, by applied anthropology one means a field of studies concerning applied methods and theories for the resolution of practical problems.

Despite a long disciplinary tradition that has seen anthropologists contribute to the solution of society's problems through applied research in times of war, economic crisis, ethnic conflicts and environmental crises, the university curriculum does not seem to adequately prepare students for the practice of anthropology outside academic circles (Fix e McElroy 2020). Furthermore, students are rarely aware of the possibilities offered by the job market, and many of them find out individually and for serendipity how to contribute insights and anthropological skills to contexts and people who are not familiar with anthropological practice. Many anthropologists have in fact acquired transversal skills that have prepared them to work collaboratively and to apply anthropological insights and methods in research and community contexts.

Applied Anthropology has had a long and controversial history in the more general history of the anthropological discipline. Nowadays, also in Italy, applied anthropology is no longer associated with projects of analysis and research for governmental programs, but it deals with various professional contexts such as those pertaining to social welfare and healthcare, cultural heritage and business companies. Today, in fact, a large number of anthropology graduates pursue careers in applied research rather than in academia.

This course aims to explore the various factors that may contribute to this growth in relevance of the discipline and is based on a presentation of research cases of ethnographic research in various fields of application and in international contexts.

The course, in addition to presenting experiences and professional histories of researchers, professionals and educators with unconventional career paths, intends to propose and test a revision of graduate training programs to prepare students in the most suitable way for their professional career.

During the course the following topics will be presented and addressed (history of the discipline, methodologies, theories, tools, relationship with the field, ethical dimension, study cases).

Readings/Bibliography

IMPORTANT: students are requested to choose a thematic context with the corresponding mandatory readings for the oral exam:

Mandatory texts: business anthropology (three volumes chosen among those listed below: for both students attending classes and non-attending classes)

Bonetti Roberta 2020 (seconda edizione), Apprendimento a KM ZERO. Cisu, Roma (per l'esame andranno preparati i capitoli indicati durante il corso).

Bougleux Elena 2017, Antropologia nella corporation. CISU: Roma

D’Aloisio F, Ghezzi S. (a cura di) 2016 Antropologia della crisi. Prospettive etnografiche sulla trasformazione del lavoro e dell’impresa in Italia, Harmattan Italia, Torino.

Ngai Pun, Lu Huilin, Guo Yuhua e Shen Yuan 2015, Nella fabbrica globale. Vite al lavoro e resistenze operarie nei laboratori della Foxconn. Ombre Corte: Verona.

Papa Cristina, Antropologia dell’Impresa. Guerini: Milano.

Rimoldi Luca 2017, Lavorare alla Pirelli-Bicocca. Antropologia delle memorie operaie. Clueb: Bologna.

Mandatory texts: anthropology and design (for both students attending classes and non-attending classes)

Akam Yoko, Pink Sarah, Shanti Sumartojo 2018, Uncertainty & Possibility. New Approach to future making in Design Anthropology or, alternatively Severi Ivan 2019, Quick and dirty. Antropologia pubblica, applicata e professionale. Ed.it [http://ed.it/], Firenze.

Clarke Alison J., 2011, Design Anthropology, Wien/New York, Springer (5 essays chosen by the student within the volume that will be made available during the course)

Porcellana Valentina 2019, Costruire bellezza, Meltemi, Milano.

 

Mandatory texts: anthropology, profession, tools and methods (for both students attending classes and non-attending classes)

Declich Francesca 2012, Il mestiere dell’antropologo: esperienze di consulenza tra istituzioni e cooperazione allo sviluppo, Carocci.

Severi Ivan 2019, Quick and dirty. Antropologia pubblica, applicata e professionale. Ed.it, Firenze.

Raffaetà Roberta 2020, Antropologia dei microbi. CISU: Roma.

testo in alternativa a uno dei tre: Severi Ivan e Tarabusi Federica (a cura di) 2019, I metodi puri impazziscono. Licosia: Ogliastro Cilento.

 

One article chosen among those listed below beyond the volumes mandatory:

ALTIN, Roberta; SANÒ, Giuliana. Richiedenti asilo e sapere antropologico. Antropologia Pubblica, [S.l.], v. 3, n. 1, p. 8 - 34, dec. 2017. ISSN 2531-8799. Available at: < https://riviste-clueb.online/index.php/anpub/article/view/94 >.

COLAJANNI, Antonino. Una difficile “sfida” per l’antropologia applicativa. Antropologia Pubblica, [S.l.], v. 2, n. 1, p. 1-26, oct. 2016. ISSN 2531-8799. Available at: < https://riviste-clueb.online/index.php/anpub/article/view/16 >. 

FAVA, Ferdinando. Il gesto antropologico come fonte della riflessione etica. Antropologia Pubblica, [S.l.], v. 2, n. 2, p. 147-158, may 2017. ISSN 2531-8799. Available at: < https://riviste-clueb.online/index.php/anpub/article/view/80 >.

PIZZA, Giovanni; RAVENDA, Andrea. Esperienza dell'attesa e retoriche del tempo. Antropologia Pubblica, [S.l.], v. 2, n. 1, p. 29-46, oct. 2016. ISSN 2531-8799. Available at: < https://riviste-clueb.online/index.php/anpub/article/view/17 >.

Further readings (not mandatory)

Appadurai Arjun 2015, Banking on Words:The Failure of Language in the Age of Derivative Finance. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Versione italiana: 2016, Scommettere sulle parole. Il cedimento del linguaggio nell’epoca della finanza derivata. Raffaello Cortina editore: Milano.

Baba Marietta L., 2000, “Theories of practice in anthropology: a critical appraisal”, NAPA Bulletin, 18, pp. 17-44.

Baba Marietta L. 2012, “Anthropology and Business: Influence and Interests”, Journal of Business Anthropology, V. 1, N. 1, pp. 1-52.

Blomberg Jeanette & Darrah Chuck 2015, An Anthropology of Services: Toward a Practice Approach to Designing Services. Morgan & Claypool Publishers.

Bougleux Elena 2017, Antropologia nella corporation. CISU: Roma

Borofsky Robert (a cura di), L’antropologia Culturale oggi (Sixth section only: “L’antropologia applicata”, pp. 500-591); otherwise, two essays among them suggested and distributed by the instructor during classes).

Carrier J. and L Peter Luetchford L. P. 2012, Ethical Consumption: Social Value and Economic Practice. Bergham: New York.

de Waal Malefyt Timothy and Morais Robert J. (ed.) 2017, Ethics-in-the Anthropology of Business: Explorations in Theory, Practice and Pedagogy. Routledge: London.

Ladner Sam 2016, [http://amzn.com/1611323908] . Routledge: New York.

Madsbjerg Christian 2017, Sensemaking: The Power of the Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm. Hachette Book Group: New York.

Blomberg Jeanette & Darrah Chuck 2015, An Anthropology of Services: Toward a Practice Approach to Designing Services. Morgan & Claypool Publishers.

Malighetti Roberto, 2001, Antropologia Applicata, dal nativo che cambia al mondo ibrido.Unicopli, Milano.

Olivier de Sardan J-P. 2008, Antropologia e sviluppo. Raffaello Cortina Editore: Milano.

Papa Cristina 1999, Antropologia dell’Impresa. Guerini Scientifica: Milano.

Pink S. and Abram S., 2017, Media, Anthropology and Public Engagement,Berghahn, New York, Oxford.

Pink S. 2016 (seconda edizione), Doing Sensory Ethnography. SAGE.

Pink S. (Ed) 2007, Applications of Anthropology, Professional Anthropology in the Twenty-first Century. Berghahn, New York, Oxford.

Teaching methods

A wide range of methodologies of teaching will be used to meet a varied set of needs and requests of students. The course will be conducted in a seminar-like fashion, with readings, presentations of ethnographic cases and film watchings. An active participation of students is requested, together with their willingness to contribute to the discussion of texts to be studied for the final exam.

Students, either individually or in groups, will agree with the instructor a specific essay of applied anthropology (heritage, design, healthcare, education) to be presented and discussed in a seminar session, to be held in the later part of the semester, and possibly with the aid of digital supports.

Assessment methods

The student will have to hold an individual oral exam on the basis of the suggested bibliography, of the notes from the lectures and of the contributions made by their fellow classmates in class. The final evaluation is cumulative and will keep into account the students' involvement in any phase of the formative process. Active participation in class and in the lab activities is integral part of the final evaluation.

In particular, the following items will be tested:

command of theoretical and methodological basic knowledge as taught in lectures and seminars;

command of elements of theoretical knowledge as provided by the bibliographical leads;

capacity to critically scrutinize, observe, describe and analyze the various topics debated in the course;

the student's ability to critically integrate any topics debated in class, their critical use and the command of the scientific language will award them notes of excellence.

Teaching tools

For the schedule of the lab activities, please consult the instructor's website.

Attending students, from september, are kindly invited to subscribe to the following mailing list in order to receive information about possible variations in lecture timetable and rooms and to recevice useful material for the course:

roberta.bonetti3.antropologia-applicata

Students will refer to the platform iol.unibo.it for the programme and group activities.

Office hours

See the website of Roberta Bonetti