Department of Anthropology College of Arts and Sciences The University of Alabama
Cooperation
and Conflict
New College 238
Professor: Marysia Galbraith
| offices: | 101C Carmichael, 17 tenHoor |
| phone | 348-8412 (NewCollege),
348-0585 (Anthropology) |
| office hours: |
Monday 4-5 (Carmichael) |
| e-mail: |
|
Class meetings: |
Monday and Wednesday 2-350 PM @ 101C Carmichael |
Course
Description:
The
seminar explores cooperation and conflict in human societies--all that we do or
fail to do in living together effectively.
Students will investigate and deliberate about solutions to contemporary
social problems, and will engage in community service.
Course
Objectives:
·
to gain
an understanding of human social and political organization in a variety of
cultural contexts
·
to learn
the basic methods of social scientific inquiry
·
to
develop informed opinions about public policy issues through discussion,
deliberation, writing, and experience
·
to
volunteer for community service in Tuscaloosa
Reading
(in order assigned):
Nisa:
The Life and Words of a !Kung Woman, Marjorie Shostak
Ain’t
No Makin’ It: Leveled Aspirations
in a Low-Income Neighborhood, Jay MacLeod
Mission
Uncertain
and The Poverty Puzzle (National Issues Forums Booklets)
“Home
From Nowhere,” The Atlantic Monthly, James Howard Kunstler
Egotopia:
Narcissism and the New American Landscape,
John Miller
The
Songlines,
Bruce Chatwin
Prerequisites:
Students
must be in the Honors Program. You
need not be enrolled in New College, but you must be prepared to be active
seminar participants and to work on independent and group projects outside of
class.
Grading
Policy:
| Classroom Participation |
10% |
| Quizzes/Exams/Assignments |
40% |
| Group research project: design, data collection, and report of results | 30% |
|
Journal (discussing and evaluating community service experience) |
20% |
Students
will be assessed on the basis of their participation in class discussions, group
projects, and community service. Exams,
papers, and assignments will be evaluated on the basis of clarity of argument,
effective use of evidence, and organization.
No
late assignments will be accepted, no make-up exams will be given, except under
extraordinary conditions. See me
before
the due date of assignments and exams so that we can discuss alternative
arrangements.
To
request disability accommodations, please contact Disabilities Services
(348-4285).
Then
contact Dr. Galbraith so that special arrangements can be made.
Attendance:
Attendance
is mandatory, especially since class discussions are an essential part of the
course. You are allowed three
absences; any absences beyond two require that you do a make-up assignment
(usually a paper of 400 words or
more on the topic that was discussed in class).
Outline
of Topics: subject
to revision, based on class interests and current events.
|
Dates |
Topics |
Assignments |
|
Aug
23 |
Introduction—Cooperation
and conflict |
|
|
Aug
28, 30 |
Uncentralized
societies, egalitarianism
Quality
of life; What is affluence?
Social
science methodology |
Shostak
pp. 1-102 |
|
Sept
4, 6 |
Sept.
4 LABOR DAY
Socialization,
sexuality, and gender equality |
Shostak
pp. 105-235
DUE:
plan for community service
|
|
Dates |
Topics |
Assignments |
|
Sept
11, 13 |
FILM:
N!ai
Social
change: the impact of a centralized system |
Shostak
pp. 237-371
DUE:
Assignment #1 |
|
Sept
18, 20 |
Social
Reproduction
Research:
Discuss examples of social science research |
MacLeod
Pp. 1-111
DUE:
Bring in research article for discussion |
|
Sept
25, 27 |
Social
Reproduction, cont.
Research:
Literature review |
MacLeod
Pp. 112-195
DUE:
proposal for research |
|
Oct
2, 4 |
FILM:
Boyz-N-the Hood
Research:
hypothesis and methodology |
MacLeod
Pp. 196-302
DUE:
assignment #2 |
|
Oct
9, 11 |
Ethnicity
and poverty |
Poverty
Puzzle
DUE:
literature review |
|
Oct
16, 18 |
Why
is the New American Landscape so ugly?
Aesthetics
and anaesthetics
FIELD
TRIP: The Tuscaloosa
Landscape |
Kunstler,
Miller
DUE:
hypothesis and methodology |
|
Oct
23, 25 |
Research:
data analysis and conclusions |
Research:
data collection |
|
Oct
30,
Nov
1 |
What
is democracy? Liberty and
equality
Does
democracy promote cooperation?
Presentations
of assignment #3 |
DUE:
assignment #3 |
|
Nov
6, 8 |
American
foreign policy
Ethnic
identity and ethnic conflict |
Mission
Uncertain,
start
reading Chatwin |
|
Nov
13, 15 |
Nomadism,
alternative notions of land ownership |
Chatwin
to page 163 |
|
Nov
20, 22 |
Does
centralization promote conflict?
Discuss
volunteer work |
Chatwin,
pp. 163-294 |
|
Nov
27, 29 |
Presentation
of research findings |
DUE:
Journals |
|
Dec
4, 6 |
Presentation
of research findings
Cooperation
and conflict between cultures |
DUE:
Final Papers |
|
Dec
12 |
FINAL
EXAM 2-4:30 PM |
|
Return to Anthropology Department
Web Page