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A famous social anthropologist once described his job as being a sort of cross-cultural private eye, spying into people’s cultures instead of their bedrooms! Anthropologists look at very different societies, often finding different solutions to common human problems, for example the problem of how to obtain food or how to raise children, or how to explain sickness or understand what happens after death. Discovering these differences (or similarities) is fascinating and brings us to the essence of Anthropology - it makes us stand back and question our own assumptions. It shows that almost no piece of human behaviour is either natural or ‘inevitable’.
Who is this course for?
The course is for anyone who is interested in finding out what Anthropology is and why it is useful. The only requirement is that you are open-minded, prepared to contribute to discussion, and interested in people.
What does this course cover
This is an introductory course and the emphasis is on finding out about the subject by actually doing some Anthropology. That will involve examining the ways people think and act in different cultures, including our own. We will look for answers to key questions. What is Anthropology? What does it include? Why is it interesting? Why is it useful? How do anthropologists work? What problems do they meet?
We will focus, for instance, on one of the important organizing principles in human society – reciprocity – examining what it means and how it works (or doesn’t work) in different societies. Underpinning the course is an understanding that each individual brings into class his or her own unique set of assumptions and evaluations based on different beliefs and experiences, and that sharing these different perspectives enriches and deepens learning for all.
By the end of the course you should be able to:
• Explain what Anthropology is and what distinguishes it from other social sciences
• Recognise and question culturally determined assertions
• Use an anthropological approach to investigate an aspect of culture.
Learning and teaching methods include tutor presentation, discussion, small and large group activities, watching documentary film, question and answer, and reading. There is no formal assessment. Your progress will be monitored and supported through observation and discussion.
You only need paper and pen. You should read the material provided by the tutor. This will help you to participate fully in class. A resource list is provided for people who want to extend their study.
Students can enrol on one or more of the next anthropology courses at the Blackfriars Settlement or at Stratford. They may also be interested in the Mary Ward Centre’s Philosophy courses.
See how long it will take you to get to college. Please select the campus of the course you wish to study.