ANTH 6363Transforming Local Communities in a Global Age |
Fall 2007 Heroy/ISEM Bldg. 426 Tues. 5:30-8:20 p.m. |
| Prof. Robert V. Kemper phone: 214-768-2928 email: rkemper@smu.edu |
Course Syllabus and Schedule |
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Course description: Examination of local communities in light of theories about local/global relations. Case studies consider how global issues transform local community practices in the United States and elsewhere. Course objectives. This course will engage students in critical assessment of theories and practices about contemporary local communities in the context of changing local/global relations. Students will learn how to assess community transformation in terms of actors (e.g., individuals, family/household units), organizations (e.g., schools, churches, corporations), and structures (e.g., classes, nation states, Internet). Through this course, students will be better equipped to assess local community transformations related to external forces. Course Outline: Weeks 1-2 -- 8/23/2007 and 8/30/2007 Anthropological and related perspectives on communities:
Readings for Week 1: Be prepared to discuss one of five "well-known" community studies of your choice, to be drawn primarily from the Master Reading List for the M.A. General Exam. (for the studies selected, please see the List of Community Studies). Readings for Week 2: Each student should be prepared to discuss (and share an abstract on) one of the five selected community studies. (for the studies selected, please see the List of Community Studies). Weeks 3-4 -- 9/6/2007 and 9/13/2007 Time and space as critical dimensions for understanding community transformations
Readings for Week 3: Read Kemper/Royce, Chronicling Cultures, pp. vii-xi and xiii-xxxviii, the introductions to Part I and Part II, plus chapters 1-6 (prepare an abstract on one of the chapters). (for the chapters selected and presented in class, please see the Chronicling Cultures -- Assignments). In addition, all students should read and be prepared to discuss two "classic papers" by Conrad Arensberg: “The Community as Object and Sample” (1961, AA 63:241-264) and “American Communities” (1955, AA 57:1143-1162). Both are listed in AnthroSource and are available through JSTOR. Readings for Week 4: Continue reading Kemper/Royce, Chronicling Cultures, Part I and Part II. Also, be prepared to complete the class discussion of the Arensberg article on "The Community as Object and as Sample" since it was not covered last week. (for the chapters selected and presented in class, please see Chronicling Cultures -- Assignments). Weeks 5-7 -- 9/20/2007, 9/27/2007, and 10/4/2007 Week 5: Special Event "I Love Miami" (6:30 pm at Meadows Fine Arts Center) Weeks 6 and 7: complete reports on Chronicling Cultures chapters. Readings for Week 5: (for the chapters selected and presented in class, please see Chronicling Cultures -- Assignments). Readings for Week 6: (for the chapters selected and presented in class, please see Chronicling Cultures -- Assignments). Readings for Week 7: (for the chapters selected and presented in class, please see Chronicling Cultures -- Assignments) Week 8 -- 10/11/2007 Readings are in a 3-ring binder on reserve in the ISEM Library. Please read at least six of the eight selections and do an abstract/reflection on one of the readings. First come, first serve -- sign up on the form on the outside front cover of the binder. Realizing Community, chap. 2 ______________ Realizing Community, chap. 3 ______________ Realizing Community, chap. 4 ______________ Realizing Community, chap. 7 ______________ The Two Milpas of Chan Kom, chaps. 7 & 8 ______________ The Cultural Meaning of Urban Space, chap. 4 ______________ Practicing Community, chaps. 2 & 3 ______________ The Globalization Reader, chap. 18 ______________ Week 9 -- 10/18/2007 First Oral/Written Reports due at class Assignment: Select two community-based monographs within the region of your geographical specialization. Read these monographs in light of the relative significance of the economic, political, religious, and social institutions in the transformations of the selected communities. In addition to turning in your full report, be prepared to present an oral report and to distribute an abstract. Week 10 -- 10/25/2007 Gender-based communities (select one book from this list, with the instructor's approval) -- prepare an oral report and an abstract for distribution.
Weeks 11 and 12 -- 11/1/2007 and 11/8/2007 Migrant communities, refugees, tourists, expatriates, and homeless folk (select one book for each week from this list, with the instructor's approval) -- prepare an oral report and an abstract for distribution.
Week 13 -- 11/15/2007 Community Development and Community Organizing (select one book from this list OR select a book from your own region of specialization, with the instructor's approval) -- prepare an oral report and an abstract for distribution.
Week 14 -- 11/22/2007 [AAA meetings in Washington, D.C. -- Prof. Kemper will be away; students may meet to discuss the future of communities in a global age and the future of anthropological studies of communities] Week 15 -- to be scheduled on the evening of 12/6/2007 Review and Conclusions; course evaluation; please review readings from throughout the course for key ideas. Course Paper Due -- 12/13/2007 |
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Methods of evaluation: As assigned, each student will prepare written abstracts/reflections on article readings for each weekly class meeting. Each student will be expected to write two papers: the first a comparative analysis of two cases of community transformation in the student’s area of regional specialization; the second a "community theory" paper. |
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Grading: Abstracts/Reflection papers -- as assigned for weekly readings -- 20% Oral Reports (in class) -- as assigned on a weekly basis -- 20% Community-based Monograph Review -- 20% -- due in class on 10/18/2007 Community "Theory" Paper -- 30% -- due on 12/13/2007 (in lieu of a final exam). Class attendance/participation (10%)
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Some Basic Readings on Community (click here for separate webpage) |