ANSO 103-01 and 103-02, Introduction to Anthropology, Fall 2011

Abstract

Common sense is neither common nor sensical. Discuss. What does it mean to be human? Anthropology is the study of the almost infinite number of answers to that question. It is in exploring these answers, from the seemingly mundane to the exotic, that we can begin to comprehend alternative cultural logic that might have previously seemed illogical. At the same time, the experience of “culture shock” — of learning about a cultural practice that is novel, foreign, or incomprehensible — can make us aware of or even call into question many of the deeply-held beliefs, assumptions, and values that we take for granted. The purpose of this class is neither to shock nor exoticize, but to view the vast diversity of social forms and cultural practices that all adhere to their own common sense. This course covers the basic data, concepts, and theories of cultural anthropology placing emphasis on the foundations of human society, social organization, culture, and symbol systems.