An Anthropological Perspective. Representation, Modernity, and the Contemporary

Timetable

Wednesday, 15:00-16:30

89 Szamarzewskiego Str., Building C, Room 1

Module aim (aims)

The aims of the course are to acquire: (1) knowledge of the frames and consequences of taking an anthropological perspective as defined by the crisis of representation and the related problems of cultural and/or social anthropology praticed in US after C. Geertz until the 21st century; (2) skills of critical analysis of the perspective in question; (3) social competence of orientation within a discourse developed by the human sciences.

Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences (where relevant)

Good command of English

Syllabus

Week 1: Introduction             

Week 2: Geertz on perspectives                     

Week 3: Context of the problem of perspective                      

Week 4: Marcus, Fischer and the crisis of representation                   

Week 5: Nietzsche on lie                    

Week 6: Abu-Lughod on culture                     

Week 7: Abu-Lughod’s stategies                    

Week 8: Limón and precursory ethnography              

Week 9: Modern vs. postmodern                    

Week 10: Rabinow on the contemporary        

Week 11: Faubion’s triad        

Week 12: Self-awareness       

Week 13: Complexity  

Week 14: (Wo)man     

Week 15: Conclusion  

Reading list

Abu-Lughod L., “Writing Against Culture”, in: Recapturing Anthropology. Working in the Present, ed. by R.G. Fox, Santa Fe: School of American Research Press, 1991, pp 137-162.

Geertz C., “Religion as a Cultural System”, in: The Interpretation of Cultures, by C. Geertz, New York: Basic Books, 1973, pp 87-125.

Limón J.E., “Representation, Ethnicity, and the Precursory Ethnography: Notes of a Native Anthropologist”, in: Recapturing Anthropology. Working in the Present, ed. by R.G. Fox, Santa Fe: School of American Research Press, 1991, pp 115-135.

Marcus G.E., Fischer M.M.J., Anthropology as Cultural Critique. An Experimental Moment in the Human Sciences, Chicago – London: The University of Chicago Press, 1986.

Rabinow P., Stavrianakis A., Demands of the Day. On the Logic of Anthropological Inquiry, Chicago – London: The University of Chicago Press, 2013.

Zaporowski A., “An Anthropological Perspective. A Particular Case”, in: Przegląd Kulturoznawczy, 2021, 2(48), pp 319-338.