Anthropology

Anthropology, at its core, is the study of humans and humanity in various times and places, and the ways that they make sense of and engage with their world. This course introduces students to anthropology as a discipline, specifically socio-cultural anthropology, through an exploration of various peoples and cultures and the similarities and differences that make us who we are. The course addresses what it means to be human and how to think anthropologically through the study of different cultures ranging from indigenous peoples across Africa, the Americas, and the Pacific, to modern cultures in Europe, North America, and Japan.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1) Develop and demonstrate a basic understanding of anthropology as a discipline, diverse cultures throughout the world, and some key anthropological concepts and methods.
2) Learn to critically read, interpret, and summarize anthropological texts.

3)  Learn how to investigate cultures, including their own, and interpret and analyze them using anthropological concepts.
4) Develop and practice core academic skills, such as critical reading, thought, and analysis, academic writing, and verbal communication.

This course focuses on the deep cultural learning and personal growth that can result from adjusting to life in another country. It addresses the psychology of adjusting to foreign experiences, including but not exclusive to, how experiences abroad can be either deep or shallow. The course also discusses the impact of living abroad on one’s values and identity. 

The course requires students to conduct an interview with someone about their intercultural experiences, then analyzing and presenting their findings to the group. The course aims to have students garner the most benefit from their intercultural experiences.

This course provides the necessary keys for deciphering the structure of contemporary French society as well as the issues that divide it. A multi-part focus on economic and demographic data, social systems, social issues and problems, and the societal importance of culture provides an insider's perspective on and knowledge of French society. This course in turn contributes to the overall purpose of the IFE preparatory session to prepare students to participate as fully as possible in French professional life and social and political discussion. It is a companion course to THE FOUNDATIONS OF FRENCH POLITICS, POLICIES AND INSTITUTIONS, YESTERDAY AND TODAY. The course introduces the forces that have shaped French society in the modern era, the structure and main tenets of that society, and recent phenomena and emerging trends. The first part of the course examines French society first by looking at three important structuring elements: the economy and work, education, and family; second, by providing an understanding of several key social issues. Readings and outside discussion feed class-time debates. The second part of the course takes a detailed and analytic look at the role of culture in France. This brief history of French art and culture focuses on the relationship between the arts and the State, from Renaissance kings who were patrons of the arts to contemporary public cultural policy.

The course explores history, culture, religion, social structure, relationships, and integration among ethnic groups in Thailand such as the hill tribes, Muslims, and Chinese communities through an anthropological lens.