Phillips Stevens, Jr.
APY 513: Culture Change
Anthropology 513, Fall 2004 Mon, Fri. 11:00-12:20; P. Stevens
New in 2004: This year we will emphasize two new themes: 1) Anthropological implications of the post-invasion situation in Iraq, as the framework for the study of directed cultural change; and 2) Anthropological implications of globalization.
General Topics: Culture will be considered as a dynamic system.
Topics include:
I. Major theoretical considerations of culture change to the present
- the 18th century background;
- 19th century evolutionism: Marx, Engels, Spencer, Tylor, Morgan;
- reactions to evolutionism, diffusion, historicism, functionalism, etc.;
- cultural ecology and 20th century evolutionism;
- the myth of assimilation, the nature of acculturation;
- colonialism and other forms of forced acculturation (e.g., pre-emptive war, intent to change political structures);
- World Systems, globalization, urbanization, modernization, Westernization, development;
- immigrants and refugees.
II. Specific cultural systems under stress:
- the social, religious, economic, political, etc.;
- cultural impact of natural disaster and epidemic;
- revitalization movements and witch hunts;
- syncretism.
III. What's going on, and how do we know?
- methods of social science research and theory construction.
IV. The social psychology of cultural stress
- recognizing certain contemporary social sentiments, concerns and behaviors as culture change phenomena, such as: domestic violence;
- drug addiction, alcoholism, compulsive gambling;
- social concerns about teen pregnancy and parenthood, abortion, homosexuality, cloning and embryonic stem cell research;
- multiculturalism;
- conspiracies, racism, anti-Semitism, xenophobia, "hate-crimes;
- "alternative" religions, alternative medicine, "New Age" ideologies, militant Islam;
- "cults;" "militias";
- youth gangs;
- satanism, new forms of witchcraft and other "occult" and "alien" fears;
- religious visions, fundamentalism, political conservatism;
- and many others.
Required readings
Bee, Robert L., Patterns and Processes: An Introduction to Anthropological Strategies for the Study of Sociocultural Change. Macmillan, 1974;
Friedman, Thomas, The Lexus and the Olive Tree. Expanded ed. Anchor Books,
2000. Langness,
L.L., The Study of Culture. 3rd. ed., Chandler & Sharp, 2005;
plus some articles on online reserve.
Requirements
1) regular attendance and participation;
2) a short paper early in the semester;
3) a test on concepts about 2/3 through the semester;
4) periodic submission of notes on the assigned readings and on the materials
read for a term project on which the student will
5) make a class presentation and
6) submit a paper of c. 3000 words.
The term project must be on a aspect of cultural change, and must apply
social science theory to the understanding of a real situation; it should
be of some longer-term benefit to the student's career; it
may be based on the student's degree thesis research. One class will be
conducted in Lockwood Library by a member of their staff, focusing on
the nature and use of social science databases.
This is a Core course in our Graduate Program. Further information: Professor Phil Stevens, 839-3357, 645-2414, ext. 132; pstevens@buffalo.edu