Course outline

Part I: Anthropology and Its Relevance

Class 1: Introduction
Class 2: Overview of anthropology with special focus on language
Class 3: Group presentation on topic of cultural diversity
Class 4: Group presentation on topic of cultural heritage and creativity
Class 5: Multiculturalism


Part II: Applying Anthropology through Participation

Class 7: Anthropology and fieldwork
Class 8: Fieldwork and paticipant-observation
Class 9: Doing anthropology and fieldwork ethics
Class 10: Anthropology applied
Class 11: Culture through the Visual
Class 12: Group presentation/ performance



Part III: World Capitalism, Transnationalism, and Chinese Business Network

Class 13: Economic Anthropology and World Capitalism
Class 14: Globalization
Class 15: Transnationalism, Localization and Anti-Globalization
Class 16: Chinese Ethnic Business
Class 17: Culture in Business Management
Class 18: Conclusion

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Class 1

Introduction to Cultural Anthropology

What is Anthropology?
Why you need to know Anthropology?

Introduction to Cultural Anthropology

Introduction to Cultural Anthropology

Instructors: Shaw-wu Jung, Hui-yu Mei, Yu-tsuen Hsu

Description

It has commonly claimed that cultural anthropology can contribute to people’s understanding of the contemporary world. Specifically, the globalization of capitalism, the increasing mobilization of the world’s people and goods, the recent financial meltdowns, and the rise of the Chinese economy have in past decades reshaped the world. What does it mean to think in terms of culture? How is culture formed? What is the relationship of culture to the contemporary world? How does culture matter to the contemporary questions such as above? As a study of culture, anthropology helps us to examine such questions in the light of its cross-cultural and participatory nature. The goal of this course is hence to understand the concept of culture and its role in contemporary society.