Educational goals:
The course aims at providing a general introduction to Cultural Anthropology and to a critical and historical knowledge of its disciplinary development, research methodologies, and theoretical approaches. The students will be trained to critical thinking and to exercise a relativistic posture in relation to the various phenomena that characterize our contemporary reality and/or the human past.
The monographic section of the course focuses on Folklore, Demology (Demologia), and patrimonialization processes from a historical-critical perspective.
Educational goals:
- know the main themes and conceptual systems that underpin the
anthropological reflection;
- acquire skills aimed at fostering
communication between different socio-cultural realities;
- analyze cultural pluralisms at a local / global level;
- critically observe and contextualyze social, relational, and political dynamics.
Course content:
The course aims at providing a general introduction to Cultural Anthropology and to a critical and historical knowledge of its disciplinary development, research methodologies, and theoretical approaches. The lessons will focus on:
- Introduction and foundations of Cultural Anthropology
- Anthropology and diversity
- Ethnocentrism, relativism, neo-racism
- Fieldwork in Anthropology today and yesterday
- History and theories of anthropology (evolutionism, diffusionism, functionalism, structural-functionalism, structuralism, interpretative anthropology, post-colonial studies)
- Body, sex and gender in anthropology
- Medical anthropology
- Anthropology of kinship
- Human settlements
- Urban Anthropology
- Livelihood systems
- Anthropology of the gift
- Cultural systems: myth, ritual and symbolic practices
- Folklore and demology
- Popular traditions and Fascism
- Anthropology of heritage and patrimonialisation processes
- Lamberto Loria
- Anthropology of cultural consumption
Text books:
(9 cfu):
- F. Dei, Antropologia culturale, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2016 (SOLO la nuova edizione accresciuta; NON quella del 2012).
- F. Dimpflmeier, S. Puccini, Nelle mille patrie insulari, CISU, 2018.
- F. Dimpflmeier, Il giro lungo di Lamberto Loria, CISU, 2020.
(6 cfu):
- F. Dei, Antropologia culturale, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2016 (SOLO la nuova edizione accresciuta; NON quella del 2012).
- F. Dimpflmeier, S. Puccini, Nelle mille patrie insulari, CISU, 2018.
Examination procedures:
a. Attendance of lectures and participation in group discussions and field-work (only for attending students).
b. Oral exam: interview with the teacher to assess the correct and critical comprehension and study of the assigned texts. The final grade is expressed out of thirty (for attending and not-attending students).
N.B.: The test is passed if the candidate demonstrates that he/she has understood the basic conceptual structure of the topics addressed in the course.
N.B.: Students who have agreed on INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMS and / or ERASMUS students are invited to contact the lecturer a few days before the exam (fabiana.dimpflmeier@unich.it).
ERASMUS students are warmly invited to contact the lecturer of this class in order to finalize their study program in Cultural Anthropology.
