Instructor: Brian
Schwimmer
Office: 433 Fletcher Argue
Phone: 474-8999
email: schwimm@cc.umanitoba.ca
Contemporary international
migrations and communications are
bringing us into direct contact with peoples of many regions with
different values and ways of life. We are, accordingly, faced with the
challenge of tolerating and appreciating other cultural perspectives in
order to avoid the dismal alternatives of increased ethnic nationalism,
hostility, and violence. In this course you will be introduced to the
basic concepts and findings of cultural anthropology, the systematic
and comparative study of human institutions and behaviour, and will
achieve an understanding of the cultural diversity with which we are
increasingly confronted and the common humanity that runs through it.
We will be covering the major specializations within cultural
anthropology with an emphasis on the comparative study of contemporary
cultures. Over the next few months, you will learn to understand and
appreciate the wide array of cultural differences that have developed
throughout the world and gain new insights into the patterns and
dynamics of your own traditions.
- describe the main principles of the anthropological analysis of culture and behaviour;
- apply anthropological concepts and theories to specific ethnographic case studies;
- evaluate competing theoretical approaches and interpretations;
- develop a knowledge and appreciation for cultural orientations other than your own;
- understand your own cultural background from a comparative perspective