One of the central concerns of Anthropology is the representation of other cultures. We are going to explore some of the issues and dimensions of this topic. Weeks 1-2.

Then we will focus on only a few particular cultures representative of certain new types of cultures Anthropologists work with today: Indigenous Peoples, Diasporas, and Refugees. These communities are products of our times, and the Internet is especially important to them. Here we will be able to actually drop into these communities and participate in their chatrooms, listserves, discussion forums, and the like. Weeks 3-4 and 6.

We will take time during week 5 to consider what you will need to do to create your web-essay and critique some similar webessays done by others.

We will then visit some community sub-cultures here in America which have a Virtual Life of their own. Week 7.

Finally, we will look at how Anthropology itself is represented on the Internet. Week 8. Week 9 will consist of a summary of what we have covered in this course, and by Week 10, hopefully, your essays will begin appearing on the web where we can discuss them.

Throughout all of this you will keep in mind ideas for your final "paper": a Web essay on a culture of your choice, which you will hand in (that is, put on the Web) the last day of regular classes. Your grade will be based primarily on this. You will have most of Weeks 9 and 10 to work on this. We will help one another with problems and techniques.

Sounds like fun, but can I handle this?
 

Office Hours: Tu-Th 12:30 to 1:50

Room: MI 3120

Telephone: 885-3540 (Anthropology Main Office: 885-3168)