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Overview

Explores how an anthropological analysis of the ‘everyday’ can elucidate the cultural underpinnings that inform, enable and hinder the exercise of power across the globe.

This paper addresses contemporary issues in culture and politics from an anthropological perspective and in doing so makes a contribution to the development of a public anthropology by fostering the critical skills required to undertake citizen-led anthropological research.

We explore how political and legal structures are influenced by the cultural environments through which they operate and the manner in which cultural groups and identities are also shaped by the political and legal power to which they are subject. Thus we interrogate concepts such as 'power', 'culture', 'politics' and 'anthropology', and students will pursue a research essay that investigates some of the local meanings attached to these terms in contemporary Aotearoa/New Zealand, Australia, Asia, the Pacific or elsewhere in the world, with specific case studies of several such intersections of 'culture' and 'power'. Together we explore the richness of anthropological explanations of these issues in order to better appreciate the points of slippage and friction between 'everyday'; taken for granted practices and the exercise of power across the globe.

About this paper

Paper title Cultural Politics
Subject Anthropology
EFTS 0.15
Points 18 points
Teaching period Semester 1 (On campus)
Domestic Tuition Fees ( NZD ) $1,103.10
International Tuition Fees Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website.
Prerequisite
18 200-level ANTH points or 108 points
Schedule C
Arts and Music
Notes
May not be credited together with ANTH326 passed in 2008.
Eligibility
This paper is suitable for students both with and without strong backgrounds in anthropology.
Contact

Dr Christiane Leurquin

Teaching staff

Co-ordinator: Dr Christiane Leurquin

Teaching Arrangements

One 2-hour lecture per week.
One 1-hour tutorial per week.

Textbooks

Required reading is from journal articles and book chapters available electronically through the library using eReserve.

Course outline

Will be available on Blackboard at the beginning of the course.

Graduate Attributes Emphasised
Global perspective.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes.
Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this paper will:

  • Extend their capacity for critical thinking through an exploration of the implications (both opportunities and pitfalls) of the culturalisation of ‘power’ and ‘politics’ and the politicisation of ‘cultures’
  • Develop advanced anthropological research skills as they undertake their individual study of a chosen political and cultural dilemma
  • Gain higher level skills in written and verbal communication
Assessment details

100% internally assessed

Overview

Explores how an anthropological analysis of the ‘everyday’ can elucidate the cultural underpinnings that inform, enable and hinder the exercise of power across the globe.

This paper addresses contemporary issues in culture and politics from an anthropological perspective and, in doing so, makes a contribution to the development of a public anthropology by fostering the critical skills required to undertake citizen-led anthropological research.

We explore how political and legal structures are influenced by the cultural environments through which they operate and the manner in which cultural groups and identities are also shaped by the political and legal power to which they are subject. Thus we interrogate concepts such as "power", "culture", "politics" and "anthropology", and students will pursue a research essay that investigates some of the local meanings attached to these terms in contemporary Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, Asia, the Pacific or elsewhere in the world, with specific case studies of several such intersections of "culture" and "power". Together, we explore the richness of anthropological explanations of these issues to better appreciate the points of slippage and friction between "everyday", taken-for-granted practices and the exercise of power across the globe.

About this paper

Paper title Cultural Politics
Subject Anthropology
EFTS 0.15
Points 18 points
Teaching period Semester 1 (On campus)
Domestic Tuition Fees Tuition Fees for 2027 have not yet been set
International Tuition Fees Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website.
Prerequisite
18 200-level ANTH points or 108 points
Schedule C
Arts and Music
Notes
May not be credited together with ANTH326 passed in 2008.
Eligibility
This paper is suitable for students both with and without strong backgrounds in anthropology.
Contact
Dr Christiane Leurquin
Teaching staff

Co-ordinator: Dr Susan Wardell

Lecturer:  Dr Christiane Leurquin

Teaching Arrangements

One 2-hour lecture per week.
One 1-hour tutorial per week.

Textbooks

Required reading is from journal articles and book chapters available electronically through the library using eReserve.

Course outline

Will be available on Aoroa at the beginning of the course.

Graduate Attributes Emphasised
Global perspective.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes.
Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this paper will:

  • Extend their capacity for critical thinking through an exploration of the implications (both opportunities and pitfalls) of the culturalisation of "power" and "politics" and the politicisation of "cultures"
  • Develop advanced anthropological research skills as they undertake their individual study of a chosen political and cultural dilemma
  • Gain higher-level skills in written and verbal communication
Assessment details

100% internally assessed

  • Tutorial participation (10%)
  • Critical reading report (15%)
  • Research proposal (5%)
  • In-class reading response (10%)
  • Essay poster (15%)
  • Poster presentation (5%)
  • Essay (40%)
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