INSTRUCTOR DESCRIPTION TEXT EVALUATION GOALS SCHEDULE

ANTH 370D WOMEN IN CROSS-CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE Spring 2008 Fridays 1000-1350 HSS 110B

We are concerned with women's lives: how they are different and how they are similar in diverse cultures around the world. Our perspective is anthropological, our scope is global and our emphasis is contemporary, although we will explore some evolutionary and historical precedents. A basic familiarity with anthropology is assumed, along with the knowledge and skills to write a documented research paper and a commitment to contribute to every class discussion. ANTH 216 or the equivalent is a prerequisite and upper division standing is recommended.

If we are to achieve a richer culture, rich in contrasting values, we must recognize the whole gamut of human potentialities, and so weave a less arbitrary social fabric, one in which each diverse human gift will find a fitting place. Margaret Mead Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive Societies 1935

1) Articles and chapters will be made available via WOU Online.

2) Each student will acquire and review a recent anthropological monograph focused on the lives of women in a non-North American culture.

I long to speak out the intense inspiration that comes to me from the lives of strong women. Ruth Benedict, quoted in An Anthropologist at Work by Margaret Mead 1951.

1. PARTICIPATION: 20%
Based on a combination of attendance, in-class writing, presentations, and spontaneous contributions. You can't participate if you're not in class and you can't contribute if you're not prepared.  Always bring written notes and questions on assigned readings to class with you. Read the syllabus carefully. Normally we will begin with a topic summary, then a discussion of the first one or two articles and, if scheduled, a film. During the second half of the meeting, we discuss a pair of articles you've responded to in a formal response essay.

Films focusing on women in a variety of cultures will be screened during class. The point is to provide images and examples to juxtapose or complement readings, thereby stimulating discussion. Watch intently and take brief notes during films. Many of these films do not belong to WOU; film screenings and discussion can't be "made up."

2. ARTICLE RESPONSES: 40%
Shared in class, in person, on the day for which the articles is assigned. A pair of articles, intended to be comparable, contrastive, or complementary, are assigned each week. Follow guidelines below in preparing your review.  Make a point of sharing ideas from your review during class. Please do not turn in responses from previous classes or classes you have missed. Please do not turn in a response if you have not shared your ideas. [5% each, do at least 8]

3. RESEARCH PAPER: 20%
The research paper (10-12 pages) is a critical* review of a recent ethnography that highlights the lives of women in a contemporary culture that is different from your own and located outside the U.S. The book is selected in consultation with your professor; the paper must reflect research conducted over the term and issues discussed in class. Several progress report deadlines must be met to be eligible for full credit on this assignment; more detailed instructions are provided seperately. Due in final form Friday June 6th.[*critical means thoughtful, analytical, applying anthropological perspectives, etc. It does not mean negative, nasty, mean, picky, opinionated, etc.]

4. PROGRESS REPORTS: 10%
To keep things moving along, progress reports on your research are required and rewarded if submitted on time. These are opportunities for me to give you feedback as your paper develops. Take advantage of them.

4. FINAL EXAM: 10%
A 10-20 minute presentation of your research during the final exam period. You will also participate in evaluation of colleagues' presentations.

Fourty percent of your grade is based on timely sharing and submission of a series of article responses for the assigned readings.

Respond to ideas in the articles that strike you as important, insightful, and/or the product of application of anthropological methods and theories. Look for a connection betwen the paired articles, but also make connections with ideas discussed in class and with previous readings and films.   Test your understanding of these ideas by applying them to new materials. Include at least one question for your colleagues.

Your response should be presented in standard prose (not outline or list format), although enumeration is encouraged so that important points are not overlooked. Test the clarity of your ideas by reading aloud; you are likely to read for the class, so this is a good rehearsal. Aim for 1-2 pages.  Type up and edit your work.  Please staple your pages together or (greener option) print on both sides.

Please note:
It's not enough to simply say you "liked" an article or found it "interesting." Say WHAT you liked, or WHY it was interesting! I assume you enjoy this type of material or you wouldn't be in the course.  You may asssume that your professor, the journal editor, and a significant number of professional anthropologists found the article valuable, well-researched, and relevant, or it wouldn't have been published.

Similarly, it's not helpful to say you "didn't understand" an article or found it "too complex." That usually reveals more about the reader than the article (a lack of effort? or perseverence?). If you don't have to work, strive, and struggle to understand, you won't grow any stronger or more broad-minded!  But if you feel lost, be assured it is valuable to ask questions in class--to say "I was puzzled by..." or "I could use more information on..." or "Help me understand what she means by..."  Read and take notes on each article; write down your questions! But don't hide these questions in your notes. SHARE IN CLASS!

Responses are due at the beginning of class of the day for which an article pair is assigned; late submissions are not accepted. Since the major purpose of this writing is to enhance discussion, you must be present in class and share your work to submit a response.

I hope the work we do in this class will help us each:

• To better understand our own cultures by looking at other ways of constructing reality. In the words of Eleanor Leacock: "one aims as best one can to understand the constraints within which one lives, and to define realistically the actual alternatives one has to choose among."
• To build a sense of connection with people in other cultures by seeking out human universals and observing the range of creative responses to life in a variety of cultures.
• To understand how features of women's and men's lives are the product of sex, gender, or individual desire, or the complex interworking of these forces.
• To get to know one culture in detail through a close reading of an ethnography.
• To strengthen critical reading, writing, speaking, listening, and thinking skills.
• To practice respectful discussion of cultural differences, especially when the subject is a difficult or disturbing aspect of human behavior.
• To enjoy the incredible creativity of human beings in their cultural responses to Mother Nature's richest gift and best joke: sex.