AP/ANTH 1140 6.00 What does it mean to be human? Introduction to Sociocultural Anthropology
What is culture and how does it vary over time? What shapes people’s ideas and experiences of belonging and identity? How are people propelled to imagine who they are and how theybelong? In this full-year course, students are introduced to contemporary concepts, theories, and debates in anthropology. We will address topics covering the social construction of ‘race’, the relationship between sex and gender, the ways that people form familial, political, and economic relationships, and how all of this connects with power and agency. We will also attend to the role of language, belief systems, and affect in shaping human experiences, motivations, and actions. Through ethnographic readings, films, experiential learning activities, and virtual field trips, we will familiarize ourselves with the conceptual and practical tools of anthropology for analyzing, understanding, and reflecting on class, privilege, and today’s social inequalities. In the Fall term, our focus is on anthropology’s big ideas and in the Winter term, we will learn how to apply and develop these ideas to contemporary concerns over migration, citizenship, living multiculturally, and the circulation of (mis)information. The aim of this course is to move beyond rote memorization by sharpening our capacity to question taken-for-granted assumptions and common-sense beliefs. The goal is for us to realize the potential of anthropology and to understand the world in which we live and our shared humanity, despite our differences.
Course Director: L. Davidson - lmdavids@yorku.ca