Anthropology 101: World Cultures
Dr. MaryCarol Hopkins
246 Landrum Hall
Northern Kentucky University
Fall 1999

I. Course Objectives: NOTE: This course may be hazardous to your world view!

A liberal arts education is premised on students' openness to new ideas and information which may challenge their view of the world. A primary purpose of anthropology is to gain an understanding of peoples whose beliefs and customs are different, sometimes radically different, from ours. Although you're not obligated to change your own beliefs, you should expect to be challenged and perhaps offended by beliefs, values, and practices different from and even antithetical to your own (language, nudity, sexuality, butchering of animals, violence, etc). In this course, such topics are not isolated to certain days or units, but may come up at any time in the course of class discussion, films, reading material, etc. Much of this is unavoidable, simply inherent in the study of cultures and peoples different from ourselves. If you are unwilling or unable to tolerate such topics, you should consider withdrawal from the course before these issues arise.

The specific aims of this course are:
a. to introduce you to a wide variety of peoples and cultures around the world and to help you to understand how they live and sometimes why they live that way;

b. to develop an attitude of respect toward peoples and cultures very different from our own;

c. to analyze our own culture and its beliefs and values and lifeways, as well as its relationship to other cultures;

d. to examine a few contemporary global issues which affect the future of humanity;

e. to gain an understanding of the historic and contemporary relationships between cultures;

f. to prepare you to meet people and cultures different from your own with greater acceptance and understanding, and to prepare you to deal with other cultures in your future personal and professional life.

To help develop these ideas and understandings, we'll be reading about a small sampling of world cultures, chosen from different continents and various levels of complexity. I encourage you to contribute your own experiences as a traveler and as a member of your own culture. The first step in gaining knowledge is inquiry, so I hope you'll ask many questions, and I hope I can answer some of them.

II. Keeping in Touch:

Office: 246 Landrum, in the Sociology, Anthropology, Philosophy suite

Phone: my office: 572-5255; secretary: 572-5259

E-mail: hopkins@nku.edu

Office hours: Mon.: 2:00-3:00

Weds.: 2:00-4:00

Fri.: 2:00-4:00

and other times by appointment

III. Learning Communities:

Some of you in Section 001 are in Lealrnling Communities. Those of you in LC006 also have class with Janice Porth (231-5422) and Ron Grapsy (rongrapsy@yahoo.com); those in LC026 also have class with Kelly Harper (572-5681) and Tom Dinsmore. Please keep in touch with them.

IV. Requirements:

1. Attendance and Participation:

Regular attendance is necessary not only for you as an individual student but also for maintaining an effective learning environment. Emergencies may come up for anyone, but habitual absenteeism (more than three classes total) is disruptive to the class. You can't "make up" for not being in class, but you are responsible for knowing what has gone on in class, so make sure you get notes and handouts from someone immediately. If you return from an absence on a test or quiz day or the day an assignment is due, you are responsible for that work on time. Absence is not an excuse for not knowing assignments, policies, due dates, etc. Class time will not duplicate the reading, so you'll need to take careful classnotes--yes, during films too! Students who attend regularly always do better. Learning to work together and take responsibility are also important tasks, so you are expected to contribute actively to your study group.

2. Reading: There are four books, all required:

MaryCarol Hopkins, ed., Portraits of Culture

Aaron Podolefsky & Peter Brown, eds., Applying Cultural Anthropology, 4e Marjorie Shostak, Nisa: Autobiography of a !Kung Woman

Martha Ward, Nest in the Wind

3. Tests:

Tests will be approximately every five weeks. The first two tests will emphasize the work covered during the previous five-week period. The final exam.will cover the preceding five weeks, but also will include anthropological concepts and principles presented throughout the course. You must take tests on time. If you foresee a problem, talk with me ahead of time. Permission to take a test late (usually a different test) is not automatically granted, and in any case you will probably be penalized. Tests will generally be in a true-false and multiple-choice format, although there may occasionally be other types of questions (map, matching, etc.). Please remember to bring a pencil, and please do not wear a billed cap on test days.

4. Assignments:

There will be a written assignment or a quiz nearly every week. Scores on these, usually one or two points but occasionally more, will be added to the next test, so that you can begin each test with about 5-10% already earned. Carefully read the attached instructions on written work.

V. Classroom Comportment:

Responsible and adult behavior is expected. This includes:

1. Always bring the relevant books (check the schedule), paper, a pen, and two pencils to class.

2. Do not bring phones, beepers, etc. to class.

3. You're welcome to bring something to drink to class, but please don't bring crunchy or rattley-wrapped food.

4. Please bring private matters (questions about your tests, homework, absence, etc.) to me after class or during office hours, not during class time.

5. Please do not carry on private conversations during class time, including during films. This is disturbing to classmates and to me, and you will be asked to leave class.

VI. Study Groups:

Research shows that students who study in groups understand and retain material better and earn higher grades. I encourage you to study with classmates at least once a week but especially any time you find something difficult, if you miss a class, and before tests. I'll help initially in setting up these groups, but you'll have to meet and do the actual studying on your own.

VII. Grading:

Final course grades will depend mostly on the tests, but class participation counts too. Grades will be based on a 100-point scale (90-100=A, 80-89=B, 70-79=C, 60-69=D, below 60=F), apportioned like this:

Test 1: 30%

Test 2: 30%

Final Exam: 40%

This looks as though everything depends upon the tests, but that is not the case. You will have other assignments regularly (quizzes, homework, classwork) which will add points to the test grades. In addition, up to 10% may be subtracted from a grade for lack of preparedness for class discussion or for class disruption (more than one instance of which may result in your withdrawal from the class). See the Student Handbook on this.

VIII. Special Arrangements:

Anyone wishing an Incomplete must provide me with a formal written request, including documentation (proof of hospitalization, for example), which I must have before the day of the final exam. Incompletes must be made up by the middle of the following semester; extensions are very difficult to get. Graduating seniors may be exempted from the final exam by written petition on the last day of class. Exemption will depend upon your participation and standing in the class.

Anyone with visual or auditory problems should let me know as soon as possible. If you need special arrangements for note-taking or test-taking, you can call Student Support Services at 572-5138. Anyone wishing free tutoring in this course or in such skill areas as reading, writing, studying, or test-taking should visit the Learning Assistance Center in BEP. This isn't just for weak students! Studying with a peer or having a peer proofread your written work is good scholarly practice. Anyone wishing to tape lectures should see me for permission.

IX. Plagiarism and Cheating:

Plagiarism and cheating are contrary to both the rules and the values of this university, the department, and this course. Plagiarism on a written assignment includes copying any amount over two words directly from one of the books or from another student's work, and doing so will result in your failing all previous writing assignments. Cheating on a test includes having any prior knowledge of the test other than that given by me in class or any use during the test of any materials or information not expressly permitted by my instructions. Don't create a situation in which you look guilty: if your eyes wander during a test, or if you use a billed cap during a test, I will assume you are cheating. Any form of cheating on a test will result in failure in the course. If you have questions, see your Student Handbook.