From Round to Square (and back)

For The Emperor's Teacher, scroll down (↓) to "Topics." It's the management book that will rock the world (and break the vase, as you will see). Click or paste the following link for a recent profile of the project: http://magazine.beloit.edu/?story_id=240813&issue_id=240610

A new post appears every day at 12:05* (CDT). There's more, though. Take a look at the right-hand side of the page for over four years of material (2,000 posts and growing) from Seinfeld and country music to every single day of the Chinese lunar calendar...translated. Look here ↓ and explore a little. It will take you all the way down the page...from round to square (and back again).
*Occasionally I will leave a long post up for thirty-six hours, and post a shorter entry at noon the next day.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Syllabic Cycles (3)—Social and Cultural Theory 2013-a

Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Syllabic Cycles"
One year ago on Round and Square (24 August 2012)—The New Yorker and the World: Course Description (c)
Two years ago on Round and Square (24 August 2011)—Seinfeld Ethnography: It's Not You; It's Me
[a] Interaction RF
Click here for the other half of this two-part syllabus post:
ANTH 206: Weeks 1-8                   ANTH 206: Weeks 9-16 

Social and Cultural Theory
Anthropology 206
Autumn 2013
TTh 8:00-9:50 a.m.
Robert André LaFleur                                                             Office Hours:
Morse Ingersoll 111                                                                 Tuesday           12:00-1:30*
363-2005                                                                                   Thursday         12:00-1:30
lafleur@beloit.edu                                                                    …or by appointment
*Office hours have reverted to the regular 12:00-1:30 time after autumn break.


Required Books for All Enrolled Students 
Bowen, Elinore Smith, Return to Laughter 
Bourdieu, Outline of a Theory of Practice 
Connell, Evan. Mr. Bridge 
Connell, Evan. Mrs. Bridge 
Kipnis, Andrew. Producing Guanxi 
Moberg, Mark. Engaging Anthropological Theory 
Moore, Henrietta and Todd Sanders. Anthropology in Theory: Issues in Epistemology 
LaFleur, Robert. Round and Square (www.robert-lafleur.blogspot.com) 
The New York Review of Books (NYRB) 
Required Ethnographies (Choose one SET from the list below) 
Rosaldo, Renato. Ilongot Headhunting: A History   AND
Rosaldo, Michelle. Knowledge and Passion
                             OR
Schiefflin, Edward. The Sorrow of the Lonely and the Burning of the Dancers  AND
Feld, Steven. Sound and Sentiment (Feld’s book is out of print; order it used or read it on reserve). 
All books are on library reserve. 
***  *** 
Building upon ANTH 100 (Society and Culture), this course helps students develop increased sophistication in the way that they frame and think about social and cultural (not to mention historical) phenomena.  Our approach to the subject will be both historical and “pragmatic.”  It is necessary to understand the development of various intellectual strains within anthropology. A good foundation in them gives solidity to analytical constructions (this is precisely the reason that philosophers spend a good number of pages in every work “framing” their subject matters in terms of the history of philosophy).  It is far from being a trifling exercise.  We will also take a “pragmatic” approach, by asking ourselves which perspectives work best for our purposes, and our interests.  Learning to balance these seemingly contradictory (but actually beautifully entwined) approaches is one of the keys to excellent theoretical work in and beyond the field of anthropology.

Evaluation
Quizzes                                                                      10%
Theoretical Letter                                                       15%
Bridges to Theory Review Essay                               20%
Ethnography Review Essay                                       20%
In-Class Final                                                             10%
Theoretical Essay                                                       25%

Class attendance and participation is expected.  More than two absences will significantly affect your grade.  Late assignments will be penalized—see my late assignment policy.
 
Anthropology 206
Social and Cultural Theory
Week I 
(August 27, 29)
Round and Square 
          Syllabic Cycles:Introduction (a-d) 
          Read all four posts, not just “a.” 
Raise the Red Lantern (Tuesday in-class) 
Bowen, Return to Laughter 
            Foreword by David Riesman
            Chapters 1-22
Moore, Anthropology in Theory, xi-xvi; 1-56—read my e-mail about this…carefully!
            General Introduction
            Anthropology and Epistemology 
Part I/Section I: Culture and Behavior 
            The Aims of Anthropological Research (Boas)
            The Concept of Culture in Science (Kroeber)
            Problems and Methods of Approach (Bateson)
            Rules for the Explanation of Social Facts (Durkheim 

Week II  
(September 3, 5)
Round and Square 
            Quotidian Quizzes:Introduction (a-h) 
            Read all eight posts, not just “a.” 
New York Review of Books See separate New York Review of Books syllabus*
*Review the "Questions to Ask of Every NYRB Essay" regularly.
Bourdieu, Outline of a Theory of Practice, vii-viii; 1-15 
            Translator’s Foreword
            The Objective Limits of Objectivism
            Section I: Analyses
                        From the Mechanics of the Model to the Dialectic of Strategies
                        From the “Rules” of Honour to the Sense of Honour 
Moberg, Engaging Anthropological Theory, xi-xii; 1-67 
            Acknowledgments
            Of Politics and Paradigms
            Claims and Critiques of Anthropological Knowledge
            The Prehistory of Anthropology 
Connell, Mrs. Bridge, 1-40 
            Love and Marriage
            Children
            Preliminary Training
            Marmalade
            Christmas Basket
            Displaced Dummy
            Alice Jones
            Who Can Find the Caspian Sea?
            Of Ladies and Women
            Table Manners
            Alice Jones Again
            Agreeable Conversation
            Guest Towels
            Late for Dinner
            Holiday News
            A Matter of Taste
            Good-by Alice
            Never Speak to Strange Men
            Grace Barron 
            What’s Up, Señora Bridge?

Week III  
(September 10, 12) 
Round and Square See separate Round and Square syllabus 
New York Review of Books See separate New York Review of Books syllabus 
Bourdieu, Outline of a Theory of Practice, 16-22 
            The Objective Limits of Objectivism (continued)
            Section I: Analyses
                        Fallacies of the Rule 
Moberg, Engaging Anthropological Theory, 68-105 
            Marx
            Durkheim and Weber 
Moore, Anthropology in Theory, 57-120 
Part I/Section2: Society and Social Patterns 
            The Limitations of the Comparative Method of Anthropology (Boas)
            Anthropology and Sociology (Sapir)
            The Individual and the Pattern of Culture (Benedict) 
Part I/Section3: Function and Environment 
            The Group and the Individual in Functional Analysis (Malinowski)
            The Concept and Method of Cultural Ecology (Steward)
            Energy and the Evolution of Culture (White) 
Connell, Mrs. Bridge, 41-80 
            The Leacocks
            Victim of Circumstances
            Rock Fight
            Advanced Training
            Another World
            Tower
            Sentimental Moment
            Soft Gift
            Nothing Spectacular
            The Search for Love
            Treachery
            No Scenes in Church
            Powerful Vocabulary
            Tobacco Road
            One Summer Morning
            Growing Pains
            Maid from Madras

Week IV 
(September 17, 19)  
Round and Square See separate Round and Square syllabus 
New York Review of Books See separate New York Review of Books syllabus 
Bourdieu, Outline of a Theory of Practice, 22-30 
            The Objective Limits of Objectivism (continued)
            Section I: Analyses
                        The Fallacies of the Rule 
Moberg, Engaging Anthropological Theory, 106-154 
            Spencer, Darwin, and an Evolutionary Parable For Our Time
            Boas and the Demise of Cultural Evolution 
Moore, Anthropology in Theory, 121-178 
Part I/Section 4: Structure and System 
            On Social Structure (Radcliffe-Brown)
            Introduction to Political Systems of Highland Burma (Leach)
            Social Structure (Lévi-Strauss) 
Part I/Section 5: Methods and Objects 
            Understanding and Explanation in Social Anthropology (Beattie)
            Anthropological Data and Social Reality (Holy and Stuchlik)
            Objectification Objectified (Bourdieu) 
Connell, Mrs. Bridge, 81-121 
            Revolt of the Masses
            Minister’s Book
            Lady Poet
            Voting
            Oaths and Pledges
            Another Victim of Circumstances
            Leda
            The Clock
            Countess Mariska
            Tea Leaves
            Liberal
            The Private World of Wilhelm and Susan
            Sir William and Sir Thomas
            The Low-pressure Salesman
            Second Lesson in Spanish
            Servant’s Entrance
            Rumpy
            The Chrysler and the Comb
            No Evangelism
            Chaperon

Week V 
(September 24, 26)        
Round and Square See separate Round and Square syllabus 
New York Review of Books See separate New York Review of Books syllabus 
Bourdieu, Outline of a Theory of Practice, 30-38 
            The Objective Limits of Objectivism (continued)
            Section II: Case Study—Parallel-Cousin Marriage
                        The State of the Question
                        The Functions of Kinship: Official Kin and Practical Kin 
Moberg, Engaging Anthropological Theory, 155-200 
            Culture and Psychology
            Structure and Function 
Moore, Anthropology in Theory, 179-232 
Part I/Section 6: Biology and Ontogeny 
            Becoming Persons: Consciousness and Sociality in Human Evolution (Ingold)
            Customs and Cultures in Animals and Humans...(Gibson)
            Introduction to Mind, Materiality, and History (Toren)
            The Development of Meaning: Ontogeny and Culture (Robertson) 
Connell, Mrs. Bridge, 121-160 
            Good Night
            Suitor
            Ingrid
            Parking
            News of the Leacocks
            The Hat
            First Babies
            Who’s Calling?
            Mademoiselle from Kansas City
            Ruth Goes to New York
            Tornado at the Club
            Non Capisco
            England
            French Restaurant
            Winged Victory
            Strangers in Paradise
            Intellectual Café 
Grammar Is Culture—Handouts 
     LaFleur, Rob’s Style Sheet 
     Pinker, The Language Instinct (selections)
     Cavell, Must We Mean What We Say? 
     Wallace, Tense Present: Democracy, English, and the War over Usage, 39-58

Week VI 
(October 1, 3) 
Round and Square See separate Round and Square syllabus 
New York Review of Books See separate New York Review of Books syllabus 
Bourdieu, Outline of a Theory of Practice, 38-52 
            The Objective Limits of Objectivism (continued)
            Section II: Case Study—Parallel-Cousin Marriage (continued)
                        Officializing Strategies
                        Collective Beliefs and White Lies 
Moberg, Engaging Anthropological Theory, 201-265 
            Decolonization and Anti-Structure
            Ecological and Neo-Evolutionary Approaches
            Contemporary Materialist and Ecological Approaches 
Moore, Anthropology in Theory, 233-298 
Part II/Section 7: Meanings as Objects of Study 
            Thick Description: Toward an Interpretive Theory of Culture (Geertz)
            Anthropology and the Analysis of Ideology (Asad)
            Anthropology as Interpretive Quest (Keesing) 
Part II/Section 8: Language and Method 
            Structural Analysis in Linguistics and in Anthropology (Lévi-Strauss)
            Ordinary Language and Human Action (Crick)
            Language, Anthropology, and Cognitive Science (Bloch) 
Connell, Mrs. Bridge, 161-204 
            Sidewalk Artist
            Telegram
            Beautiful Luggage
            Mirror, Mirror
            Psst!
            Peculiar Roman
            Change of Itinerary
            Inside Europe
            Progress, Madness, Defeat
            Robbery at the Heywood Duncans’
            No Questions
            Follow Me Home
            Jules, Niki, et al
            The Rich and the Poor
            Paquita de las Torres
            Extra-sensory Perception
            Frayed Cuffs
            Sex Education
            Words of Wisdom
            Very Gay Indeed
            Local Talent
            Exchange of Letters
            Frozen Fruit      
Week VII 
(October 8, 10) 
Important Note: 
Do the Bourdieu and Moore readings for Tuesday!

Round and Square See separate Round and Square syllabus 
New York Review of Books See separate New York Review of Books syllabus 
Bourdieu, Outline of a Theory of Practice, 52-71 
            The Objective Limits of Objectivism (continued)
            Section II: Case Study—Parallel-Cousin Marriage (continued)
                        The Ordinary and the Extra-Ordinary
                        Matrimonial Strategies and Social Reproduction 
Moberg, Engaging Anthropological Theory, 266-292 
            Symbols, Structures, and “Webs of Significance” 
Moore, Anthropology in Theory, 299-356 
Part II/Section 9: Thinking and Believing 
            Introduction to Belief, Language, and Experience (Needham)
            The Antinomies (Tyler)
            Anthropology and Psychology: Towards an Epidemiology...(Sperber) 
Part II/Section 10: Bodies of Knowledge 
            Knowledge of the Body (Jackson)
            The End of the Body? (Martin)
            The Body of the Condemned (Foucault) 
Connell, Mrs. Bridge, 205-246 
            Reflections on Montaigne
            Gloves
            Marching with Dr. Foster
            Quo Vadis, Madame?
            Joseph Conrad
            Psychotherapy
            Pineapple Bread
            Carolyn’s Engagement
            Present from Douglas
            Carolyn Marries
            Alice
            Winter
            Tuna Salad
            Old Acquaintance
            Home Again
            Mr. Bridge Adjourns
            Letter from a Buddhist
            All’s Well
            Remembrance of Things Past
            Hello?

Week VIII—Autumn Break       

Click here for the other half of this two-part syllabus post:
ANTH 206: Weeks 1-8                   ANTH 206: Weeks 9-16
[b] とても良い RF

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