Anthropology

Climate change exemplifies the sort of planetary challenge facing humankind in the 21st century. In this course, students explore how that kind of challenge can be understood as a scientific, political, social, and moral problem, to better understand our place in the world under conditions of multiple and interlocking crises. The course introduces the Anthropocene, as both a proposed geological phenomenon and a critical tool to rethink the relationship between humans and the planet. Pursuing this question require students to question some established distinctions—between human/animal, nature/culture, biology/society, life/nonlife, and Globe/Earth. Through anthropological materials, historical and contemporary accounts of life in the aftermath of industrial transformation, colonization and anthropogenic change, the course considers the types of knowledge, forms of collaboration, political engagement, and social practice that might help us better apprehend the fragility of the planet and articulate a shared responsibility to its future.  

This course analyzes the cultural construction of reality through different symbolic manifestations. It discusses contributions of symbolic anthropology to the understanding of cultural manifestations and processes, as well as the relationship between their material and symbolic dimensions. This course reflects on symbols, rituals, representation, expressiveness, worldview, mythology, magic, and the imaginary to understand the cultural and social processes of human groups.

This is an introductory course to Anthropology. Anthropology is explored through four contingent entry points: "Words" focuses on intra- and cross-cultural meaning making; "Deeds" examines the individual's agency within social contexts; "Things" analyses interaction with objects and "Bones" introduces basic principles of archaeology. The course privileges hands-on immersion into anthropology and provides an overview of its complex history. As an introductory course, we use content that engages the diversity of students’ life worlds and is cognizant of our African location. We employ innovative teaching and delivery methods, including multilingual pedagogies and digital literacy, which allow more time for active engagement and the development of critical reading and writing skills in the Humanities. DP requirements: Attendance at tutorials and submission of all written work, plus class test. Assessment: Continuous assessment (essays, projects, class tests) counts 100%.

Anthropological studies on China emerged from various directions in the last century. This course is designed to gain a deeper understanding of China through various anthropological lenses, including studies on the Han nationality, which focuses on ancient poetry; village community and economic life; familism; clan; folk religion; private life, and also studies on ethnic minorities conducted by multiple anthropological methods. The works of these anthropologists also mirror the evolution of the anthropology discipline and its changing paradigms during the 20th century. Through reading and discussing these anthropological works with different focuses, students are expected to form a comprehensive understanding of both China and anthropology. 

This course explores the intersection between food cultures and food politics, with an eye towards arguments and debates that have animated French culinary culture, and diverse interdisciplinary approaches to the scholarly study of food. How is food a portal for studying the changing dynamics of cities, global systems, and national identity? In what ways has food been employed to construct notions of community and belonging, and, inversely, exclusion? Through discussions of interdisciplinary course readings, analytic and ethnographic writing assignments, and excursions around the city of Paris, the course considers how food structures identities, everyday practices, and political lives in contemporary France.

This course is part of the Laurea Magistrale degree program and is intended for advanced level students. Enrollment is by permission of the instructor. This course examines archaeological research on the human body and dress in ancient civilizations, in terms of clothing, ornamentation, and body modification. The course considers different approaches and sources to define the topic and explores the way and extent to which these matters contribute to our understanding of ancient societies. By integrating textual sources, iconographic documents, and archaeological evidence, the course delves into dress as a dynamic index in the construction of identity and instrumental in mediating social, political, and ritual relationships within the cultural environment. Through the study of various case studies across the Mediterranean, students acquire theoretical and practical knowledge of the discipline and are able to critically engage with the current debate in relation to wider social processes. By the end of the course students will have verified the procedures used in archaeological research, ranging over the entire process from discovery to publication; they will be au fait with the state of knowledge on field work, on responsible technical and scientific productions and on designing international research. The skills acquired equip them to tackle the requirements of research, conservation, and protection of the archaeological heritage within their own competences.

This course explores anthropological approaches to large-scale matters of concern. Looking at, for example, the wars in Syria and Ukraine, the pandemic, climate change, and emerging authoritarianism, it analyzes intensifying and interconnected critical states and investigates their local implications. It does this by examining the concept of crisis within anthropology and questioning how critical aspects of power, politics, and globalization affect our contemporary world. The course is divided into 14 seminars with the following thematic orientations focused on the anthropology of emergencies, crises, and chronicities; conspiracy; authoritarianism; pandemics; climate change; migration; de-, post, and neo-colonialism; extractivism. 

This course covers basic evolutionary biology as applied in biological anthropology, covering evolutionary theory, socio-biology, and primate behavior. The course combines weekly lectures with tutorials, where students discuss key readings linked to issues presented in the lectures, gain scientific comprehension skills, and learn how to communicate scientific findings in biological anthropology to the public. Major topics covered include a summary of the history of the theory of evolution, genetics and heredity, sexual selection, nature and nurture, and human biological diversity; and an outline of the taxonomy, anatomy, ecology and behavior of primates, as well as primate conservation.

The Czech Republic is known for its rich cultural heritage, and its cuisine is an integral part of its identity. This course examines the historical, cultural, and social influences that have shaped Czech cuisine, and how this cuisine reflects the country’s culture and values. In addition to exploring the traditional Czech cuisine, its ingredients, and the methods used in preparing them, the course analyzes their nutritional value and impact on the overall health of the population, looks into recent food and consumption trends, food marketing, tourism, and sustainability. Throughout the course, students engage in critical thinking and analysis, as well as hands-on activities such as food preparation and field trips.