Learning objectives
To acquire the fundamental concepts of cultural anthropology; to broaden their horizons and vision of the world; to develop reflexivity; to develop critical thinking; to become accustomed to listening to others.; to foster attention to forms of difference in the medical-health field.
Prerequisites
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Course unit content
The course aims to briefly present cultural anthropology, its methods and objects of study, highlighting the complexity and the peculiarity of anthropological discourse as a critical tool to read the different social processes. After analyzing some fundamental concepts such as culture, cultural translation, reflexivity, cultural relativism and ethnocentrism, the course will address death and birth rites of passage. The last part of the course will focus on new forms of kinship and motherhood in contemporary Italy between biology and culture.
Full programme
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Bibliography
Bibliography:
A) Siniscalchi Valeria, Antropologia culturale, Carocci editore, 2012 (Parte prima: 1) L’antropologia sociale e culturale, paragrafi: L’antropologia e gli altri; Nascita e consolidamento dell’antropologia; Metodi e oggetti di studio. 2) I concetti di base dell’antropologia, paragrafi: la cultura; l’identità e la differenza. Parte seconda: 4) La nascita e la morte: ambiti di confine, paragrafi: Morte pratiche e rituali funebri; La nascita e il parto).
B) Un saggio a scelta più l’introduzione del libro Giuffré M. ( a cura di), Essere madri oggi tra biologia e cultura. Etnografie della maternità nell’Italia contemporanea, Pacini, 2018.
Teaching methods
The course will consist of in-class lectures during which the teacher will explain in detail the content of the exam texts and provide insights and examples with the aid of PowerPoint. I will also lead the students in group discussions on specific topics and exercises, to be decided on together with students.
Assessment methods and criteria
Oral Exam. Intermediate test possibility. The exam will focus on the entire exam program indicated, including both the theoretical and monographic components. Students are invited to engage with the materials in a way that connects their chosen article with the theoretical component. The evaluation will be the following: the student will answer the questions correctly using an appropriate language, communication skills, and showing an excellent ability to apply, make connections, autonomy of judgment and critical re-elaboration of concepts (from 28 to 30 e Lode); the student will answer correctly the questions using an appropriate language, communication skills, and showing a good ability to apply, sufficient autonomy of judgment and critical re-elaboration of the concepts (from 25 to 27); the student will answer the questions correctly using a sufficiently appropriate language (from 21 to 24); the student will answer correctly at least a part of the essential questions using a sufficiently appropriate language (from 18 to 20).
Other information
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2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
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