3601:2020:about_this_seminar
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Welcome to // | Welcome to // | ||
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+ | ## What does it mean to say anthropology is a discipline? | ||
The organization of scholarly inquiry into disciplines is more than simple specialization. What people in one discipline study—in anthropology, | The organization of scholarly inquiry into disciplines is more than simple specialization. What people in one discipline study—in anthropology, | ||
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- | ---- | + | ## What will we do in a seminar on anthropology? |
What this means for us, though, is that we have a lot to discuss, and each of you, as students of anthropology can each make your own contribution to everyone’s understanding of what is valuable about anthropology as a discipline. There are no right answers in this class. Each one of you has as your job to develop your own relationship to anthropology and its history, and to say why you adopt your stance on anthropology. For that reason, this class is organized as a seminar in which each person takes a turn leading the discussion. Every week, we will know if we have done a good job if: | What this means for us, though, is that we have a lot to discuss, and each of you, as students of anthropology can each make your own contribution to everyone’s understanding of what is valuable about anthropology as a discipline. There are no right answers in this class. Each one of you has as your job to develop your own relationship to anthropology and its history, and to say why you adopt your stance on anthropology. For that reason, this class is organized as a seminar in which each person takes a turn leading the discussion. Every week, we will know if we have done a good job if: | ||
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Your participation in discussion is, in that sense, something you do for your fellow students. By offering your views, especially to people who disagree with you, you help them to reflect critically on their own reasoning. Likewise, when you seek out the perspectives of other people, you are able to become aware of your own thought processes. This is ultimately what you will take away from this class: an understanding of your own perspective, | Your participation in discussion is, in that sense, something you do for your fellow students. By offering your views, especially to people who disagree with you, you help them to reflect critically on their own reasoning. Likewise, when you seek out the perspectives of other people, you are able to become aware of your own thought processes. This is ultimately what you will take away from this class: an understanding of your own perspective, | ||
- | I will not give any lectures in this class, although I can take the floor and give a brief overview of background information relevant to understanding a particular topic or reading.((And since there are no lectures, there are also no lecture recordings for this class either. | + | I will not give any lectures in this class, although I can take the floor and give a brief overview of background information relevant to understanding a particular topic or reading.((And since there are no lectures, there are also no lecture recordings for this class either.)) My job in the seminar is to facilitate an open discussion in which everyone makes a contribution and is heard. Each week we will come together to help each other understand a set of readings better. Each week’s readings represent the work of one important scholar who is making a contribution to a debate about how to answer deep questions about the nature of human societies and their diversity. Our job is to find out all the different ways that these ideas can be interpreted, |
- | )) My job in the seminar is to facilitate an open discussion in which everyone makes a contribution and is heard. Each week we will come together to help each other understand a set of readings better. Each week’s readings represent the work of one important scholar who is making a contribution to a debate about how to answer deep questions about the nature of human societies and their diversity. Our job is to find out all the different ways that these ideas can be interpreted, | + | |
Many students are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with speaking in public, or with participating in a class discussion. Discussion is important to this class, and it is a part of your grade, but I am not assuming that it will come easy to everyone. What I expect is that each person try their best, and keep trying. | Many students are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with speaking in public, or with participating in a class discussion. Discussion is important to this class, and it is a part of your grade, but I am not assuming that it will come easy to everyone. What I expect is that each person try their best, and keep trying. | ||
- | What you can expect from me and from your fellow students is that we will all help make the class comfortable and welcoming to everyone’s participation. One way we can achieve this is by using various formats for class discussion, including small work groups, discussion with a partner, and in-class writing. If your active verbal class participation is not possible, you can also talk to me about other ways you can participate in class. | + | What you can expect from me and from your fellow students is that we will all help make the class comfortable and welcoming to everyone's participation. One way we can achieve this is by using various formats for class discussion, including small work groups, discussion with a partner, and in-class writing. If your active verbal class participation is not possible, you can also talk to me about other ways you can participate in class. |
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- | To help each student prepare for their participation in class discussion, each week you will submit a short reflection on an open question about the week’s topic. While each of these are graded, they are not meant to be tests and the questions do not have a single right answer. You receive points for doing a good, thorough job of reflecting on your own ideas and elaborating them in a paragraph or two. If you write in complete sentences and show that you have put some effort into developing your thinking (for example, by citing relevant information in the week’s reading and including a correct reference), you will be doing well. You have space to go out on a limb and say something that you are not entirely sure about. | + | |
- | To make sure that everyone has a chance | + | One way we will make it easier for people |
- | Our discussions in class will also help prepare you to develop arguments about cultural theory and the nature of anthropology. | + | Your work with your group to lead class discussions in class will also help prepare you to develop arguments about cultural theory and the nature of anthropology. |
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