International Baccalaureate Social and Cultural Anthropology

Instructor: Jahmari Moore | Email: jahmari.moore@laramie1.org | Phone: 307 771-2663 Office Hours: 1st, & 5th hour (make an appointment with me in advance)

Materials: Bring the following items to class daily: homework assignments, Text, three ring notebook or folder, college ruled paper, pens, pencils.

Attendance: Feel free to come to class if you want to be successful. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed before returning to class by checking the web page.       

 

Course Overview: Social and cultural anthropology is the comparative study of culture and human societies. Anthropologists seek an understanding of humankind in all its diversity. This understanding is reached through the study of societies and cultures and the exploration of the general principles of social and cultural life. Social and cultural anthropology places special emphasis on comparative perspectives that challenge cultural assumptions. Many anthropologists explore problems and issues associated with the complexity of modern societies in local, regional and global contexts. 

Although social and cultural anthropology shares much of its theory with other social sciences, it is distinct in a number of ways. These distinctions include a tradition of participant observation, and an in-depth empirical study of social groups. Topics of anthropological inquiry include social change, kinship, symbolism, exchange, belief systems, ethnicity and power relations. Social and cultural anthropology examines urban as well as rural society and modern nation states. Anthropology contributes to an understanding of contemporary issues such as war and conflict, the environment, poverty, injustice, inequality, and human and cultural rights. The study of anthropology offers critical insight into the continuities as well as the dynamics of social change and the development of societies, and challenges cultural assumptions. 

The IB social and cultural anthropology course offers an opportunity for students to become acquainted with anthropological perspectives and ways of thinking, and to develop critical, reflexive knowledge. Social and cultural anthropology contributes a distinctive approach to intercultural awareness and understanding, which embodies the essence of an IB education. Anthropology fosters the development of citizens who are globally aware and ethically sensitive. The social and cultural anthropology course is designed to introduce the principles, practices and materials of the discipline.

IB Goals & Objectives

The aims of all IB subjects in group 3, Individuals and Societies, are to: 

1. encourage the systematic and critical study of: human experience and behavior; physical, economic and social environments; and the history and development of social and cultural institutions 
2. develop in the student the capacity to identify, to analyze critically and to evaluate theories, concepts and arguments about the nature and activities of the individual and society 
3. enable the student to collect, describe and analyze data used in studies of society, to test hypotheses, and to interpret complex data and source material 
4. promote the appreciation of the way in which learning is relevant to both the culture in which the student lives, and the culture of other societies 
5. develop an awareness in the student that human attitudes and opinions are widely diverse and that a study of society requires an appreciation of such diversity 
6. enable the student to recognize that the content and methodologies of the subjects in group 3 are contestable and that their study requires the toleration of uncertainty. 

Social and Cultural Anthropology Goals and Objectives

The aims of the Social and Cultural Anthropology course at SL are to enable students to: 

1. explore principles of social and cultural life and characteristics of societies and cultures 
2. develop an awareness of historical, scientific and social contexts within which social and cultural anthropology has developed 
3. develop in the student a capacity to recognize preconceptions and assumptions of their own social and cultural environments 
4. develop an awareness of relationships between local, regional and global processes and issues. 

Assessment Objectives

Having followed the Social and Cultural Anthropology course at SL, students will be expected to demonstrate the following:

1. Knowledge and Understanding:

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key terms and ideas/concepts in anthropology 
• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a range of appropriately identified ethnographic materials 
• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of specified themes in social and cultural organization 
• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of patterns and processes of change in society and culture
  

2. Application and Interpretation:
   

• recognize key anthropological concepts in unfamiliar anthropological materials 
• recognize and analyze the viewpoint of the anthropologist/position of the observer in anthropological materials 
• use ethnographic examples and anthropological concepts to formulate an argument
• analyze anthropological materials in terms of methodological, reflexive and ethical issues involved in anthropological research
  

3. Synthesis and Evaluation:

• compare and contrast characteristics of specific societies and cultures 
• demonstrate anthropological insight and imagination
  

4. Selection and use of a variety of skills appropriate to social and cultural anthropology
   

• identify an appropriate context, anthropological issue or question for investigation 
• select and use techniques and skills, appropriate to a specific anthropological research question or issue, to gather, present, analyze and interpret ethnographic data. 

 

Unit Outline

I: What is Anthropology?

1. The language of anthropology
2. The practice of anthropology
3. Anthropological thinking

II: Social and Cultural Organization

2.1 Individuals, Groups, and Society

2.2 Societies and Cultures in Contact

2.3 Kinship as an Organizing Principle

2.4 Political Organization

2.5 Economic Organization and the Environment

2.6 Systems of Knowledge

2.7 Belief Systems and Practices

2.8 Moral Systems

III: Communication, Expression and Technology

    3.1 Communication in global times

    3.2 Media and popular culture

    3.3 Symbolic language

    3.4 Writing and orality

    3.5 Forms of symbolic production

3.6 Political discourse

 

IV: Health, Illness and Healing

    4.1 Suffering and pain

    4.2 Healing practices   

    4.3 The body

    4.4 Biomedicine, medicalization and social control

    4.6 Plural medical systems

    4.7 Biopsychosocial model

    4.8 Global health politics

    4.9 Ethnobiology, ethnobotany, and ethnopsychology   

V: Development

    5.1 Conflict  

5.2 Development 

5.3 Environment 

5.4 Exchange

5.6 Globalization  

5.7 Ideology 

5.8 Modernization 

5.9  a. Neo-colonialism 

5.9  b. Sustainability

 

IB Assessment

Assessment component	Weighting
External assessment (3 hours)	80%
Paper 1 (90 minutes)  Three compulsory questions based on an unseen text, covering part 1 of the syllabus, engaging with anthropology. One compulsory question. This question will be one of the six “big” anthropological questions from part 1 of the syllabus engaging with anthropology. Total marks: 30	40%
Paper 2 (90 minutes)  Section A: one compulsory question based on part 2 of the syllabus, engaging with ethnography. This question requires students to make meaningful connections between a key concept, area of inquiry and real-world issue. Section B: nine areas of inquiry, each containing two questions; students choose one question from one of the areas of inquiry they have studied. This must not be the same area of inquiry used in section A. The questions are based on part 2 of the syllabus, engaging with ethnography. Total marks: 30	40%
Internal Assessment This component is internally assessed by the teacher and externally moderated by the IB at the end of the course. Four compulsory activities based on part 3 of the syllabus, engaging in anthropological practice. Observation report Methodological and conceptual extension of initial fieldwork Second fieldwork data collection and analysis Critical reflection	20%

 

       

Classroom Expectations   

Be prepared and on time for class. Bring texts, notebook, pen/pencil and any extra materials as instructed. Use the restroom between classes (suspended during Covid precautions) and bring water so you can be present.

Be respectful of people and property.

 

Computer/Tablet/Smartphone/Technology Device Usage

Use your technology devices (laptop, tablet, phone, etc.) responsibly. That means, follow directions from the teacher.

Use devices when and how you are directed. Texting, snapchatting, social networking, gaming,  etcetera are not appropriate uses of your device during class.  No videoing, recording or photographing the teacher unless you ask for and receive permission from the teacher.  No videoing, recording or photographing class members unless you ask for and receive permission from the class member(s) and the teacher.

 

Guidelines for Grades

Points earned will be divided by total points possible. 

A=90%-100%

B=80%-89%

C=70%-79%

D=60%-69%

F=59%-Below   

Exams (including IB External and internal), Quizzes, Projects and other major assignments – 70% of your grade 

 

Engagement in class activities and student collaborations – 30% of your grade 

Assigned Reading Outlines– read assigned chapters and make handwritten outlines as assigned.

Quizzes– will be utilized over readings and your handwritten outline may be used.

Projects – these will generally be done on specific case/topic studies. Current issues in anthropology and research regarding theory will drive these assignments. These projects will be small in nature and typically done in groups.

MAKE-UP WORK – This is your responsibility!!! Use the website to keep up to date if you miss a class and come as prepared as possible to the next class. The number of days absent is the number of days allowed for make-up work to be on time. Late assignments/projects will be worth 90% within the first week of the due date and will drop to 50 % after that up until the end of the six week grading period. Quizzes on readings will receive 50% in the case of unexcused absence or 60% if one opts for an open book quiz.