Cultural and social anthropology

Teacher(s)

Brackelaire Jean-Luc;

Language

French

Content

The course introduces BAC students of various orientations to the field of cultural and social anthropology (we could also say of Ethnology) from a thematic perspective allowing the student to open up to several major topics of research in the field. These themes are always illustrated by audiovisual documents, texts and accounts of research experiences of the two co-holders of the course. We mainly deal with the following topics: the ethnographic method (ethnographic field survey, participant observation, ethnographic description, etc.); person and kinship; symbolic systems and religions; donation and exchange; nature and the environment; health and healing; exile and migration; techniques; virtual worlds; development and politics.

Teaching methods

As this is an introductory and awareness-raising course, each course session (2 hours per week) is devoted to the presentation of a dimension or a thematic field of the discipline. The oral course is always accompanied by a presentation of research experiences and / or a documentary supporting the theoretical presentation and discussion with the students. To allow the student to enter into the specific and in-depth approach of anthropology, he is asked to read an anthropological monograph to be chosen from a series offered. The chosen monograph also serves as a basis for the student to appropriate the different subjects covered in the course. Given the exceptional situation resulting from the COVID-19 epidemic, the course may alternate face-to-face sessions and remote sessions according to a schedule that will take into account its evolution.

Evaluation methods

The exam is written and consists of two open-ended questions. The student is invited to articulate in his answers the content of the chosen monograph, the subjects studied in the course (including the proposed texts and the associated audio-visual documents) and his own work of appropriation and reflection.
The standard exam is a written exam in French. However, international students taking this course are provided with the opportunity to take the written exam in English.

Bibliography

Le diaporama du premier cours (accessible sur Moodle après la première séance du cours) présente plusieurs ouvrages de référence ainsi que la liste des monographies parmi lesquelles l'étudiant devra faire son choix.
Chaque thématique étudiée donne lieu sur le diaporama et sur Moodle à des références bibliographiques associées.

Teaching materials

• Diaporamas, textes associés à chaque module, documents accessibles en ligne, monographies.

Faculty or entity

> EPSY