An introduction to the anthropology of contemporary Pacific cultures with reference to how ethnography and theory address representation, social and environmental change in the region.
Pacific cultures have been scrutinised, represented and overdetermined by anthropologists
and others both within and outside of the Pacific region for many decades. This paper
challenges us to reconstruct this legacy of work through a critical study of contemporary
representations of the Pacific and the various entanglements of these representations
with indigenous, perceived traditional, and colonial pasts.
We consider
the notions of belonging and identity for peoples of the Pacific and the challenges
in negotiating these identities both collectively from the earliest migrations of
Pacific peoples across expansive oceans to individually tracing one's ancestry
through time and space. We also examine the Pacific's history of indentured labour
and forced migration, the impacts of which are still being felt today. Gender issues
in the contemporary Pacific will be a recurring theme throughout this paper, and we
will consider how contemporary globalisation impacts upon a variety of women and their
family structures.
We use selected case studies drawn from various national
identities and ethnicities in order to explore their relationship with human rights,
military bases, resources, poverty, gendered violence and resilience.
| Paper title | Anthropology and the Contemporary Pacific |
|---|---|
| Paper code | ANTH205 |
| Subject | Anthropology |
| EFTS | 0.15 |
| Points | 18 points |
| Teaching period | Semester 1 (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees (NZD) | $955.05 |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Prerequisite
- ANTH 103 or ANTH 105 or 54 points
- Schedule C
- Arts and Music
- Eligibility
Suitable for all undergraduate students. Very suitable for students in Anthropology and Archaeology. This paper can also be taken as part of the major or minor in Pacific Studies. It is an approved paper in the Bachelor of Arts majoring in Indigenous Development.
- Contact
- More information link
Please visit the Programme of Social Anthropology
- Teaching staff
Co-ordinator: Dr Christiane Leurquin
- Paper Structure
ANTH 205 surveys contemporary Pacific cultures from an anthropological perspective. The paper also locates Pacific cultures against the Pacific's colonial history and contemporary globalisation. Modules that may be covered include:
- Representing and Reconstructing Pacific Cultures
- Belonging and Identity
- Labour and Forced Migration
- Gender
- Human Insecurity
- Ethnicity and National Identity.
- Teaching Arrangements
Lectures and tutorials. Lectures are podcast.
- Textbooks
- Key readings will be on e-reserve. There is no textbook.
- Course outline
Will be available on Blackboard at the beginning of the course.
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Global perspective, Interdisciplinary perspective, Lifelong learning, Scholarship,
Communication, Critical thinking, Cultural understanding, Information literacy, Research,
Self-motivation.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
- An awareness of the diversity of Pacific cultures and an understanding of the historical and contemporary issues faced by Pacific societies
- An introduction to anthropological understandings and ethnographies of Pacific peoples
- A critical understanding of the complex problems faced in the contemporary Pacific
- Challenging stereotypes and representation about Pacific peoples and Oceania
- Developing the ability to critically read, assess literature and synthesise this into concise arguments
- To gain confidence and excellent skills in essay writing
- Preparation for higher level papers in anthropology and the humanities
