Sociology and Anthropology (SOAN)
Chairs: Professor Beverly Nagel, fall and Associate Professor Pamela Feldman-Savelsberg, winter and spring
Professors: James F. Fisher, Beverly Nagel, Nader Saiedi, Nancy C. Wilkie
Visiting Professor: Naran Bilik
Associate Professors: Pamela Feldman-Savelsberg, Jerome M. Levi
Assistant Professor: Annette Nierobisz
Visiting Assistant Professor: Martha Anderson Easton
Joining two disciplines as it does, the Sociology and Anthropology Department at Carleton seeks to present a truly unified vision of them, both in the major as a whole and in many of the individual courses. Our principal goal is to give students a comparative perspective on human societies, exploring the vast range of similarities and differences among them in space and time.
Non-majors may take either 110 or 111. We strongly recommend, however, that students considering a major in the department take both of them (in either order) by the end of the sophomore year. Unless otherwise noted, 110 or 111 is prerequisite for courses numbered 200 and above, though juniors and seniors lacking the prerequisite may apply to the instructor for permission to enroll.
Requirements for a Major:
Sixty-six credits in the department, including 110, 111, 240, 330, 331 and 400. In addition, students must complete Mathematics 115 or 215 or earn a score of 4 or 5 on the MATH AP Stats exam. Students should plan on taking the theory courses, 330 and 331, and the research methods course, 240 in their junior year. The integrative exercise is spread out over the senior year, with most of the work falling in winter term. A maximum of 12 credits can be applied toward the major from relevant courses in off-campus programs.
In keeping with our philosophy of comparative studies and commitment to understanding human societies other than the one we live in, majors are strongly urged to develop an in depth study of a culture other than their own. This may be done through regular courses, independent study, or on off-campus programs. Early in their junior year, students should discuss ways of integrating such an in-depth study into their work in the major with their advisers.
Sociology/Anthropology Courses
SOAN 100. The Myths of Crime What is crime? Who is the typical offender? What percentage of the American population is victimized by crime? This course will examine popular answers to these and other pressing questions about crime and contrast them with sociological informed accounts. As a firstyear seminar, the course is designed to help students acquire a critical perspective on crime and more importantly, to separate fact from fiction. In the process students will learn how to locate and interpret sociological evidence, and how to assess theoretical accounts of crime. By the end of the course students will have a better sense of the larger sociological enterprise. 6 credits cr., S/CR/NC, SS, Fall—A. Nierobisz
SOAN 110. Introduction to Anthropology An introduction to cultural and social anthropology which develops the theoretical rationale of the discipline through the integration of ethnographic accounts with an analysis of major trends in historical and contemporary thought. Examples of analytical problems selected for discussion include the concepts of society and culture, value systems, linguistics, cultural evolution, structural/functional analysis of economic, social, political and religious institutions, ethnographic method and the ethical position of anthropology. 6 credits cr., SS,RAD, Fall,Winter,Spring—Staff
SOAN 111. Introduction to Sociology An introduction to sociology, including analysis of the sociological perspective, culture, socialization, demography, and social class and caste institutions in modern industrial societies and cultures; stability and change in societies of the twentieth century. Pros and cons of various theoretical strategies will be emphasized. 6 credits cr., SS, Fall,Winter,Spring—Staff
SOAN 130. Population and Food in the Global System This course focuses on issues of population growth, hunger, and world food supply. Topics to be considered include: dynamics of population growth and demographic change; food production systems and sustainable development in the Third World; sociopolitical and ecological causes of famine; and patterns of world food distribution. Special attention will be given to policies aimed at controlling population and increasing food production, and why they succeed or fail. No prerequisites. 6 credits cr., SS, Not offered in 2004-2005.
SOAN 220. Class, Power, and Inequality in America The processes, structures, and functions of stratification in advanced capitalist societies. Marxist, neomarxist, Weberian, and functionalist models of class analysis; theories of status attainment and mobility; the relationship between class, gender, and ethnicity; the relation of education to status attainment; class and socialization; models of justice and rationality; and the global stratification system. Prerequisite: Sociology 111 or consent of the instructor. 6 credits cr., SS, Not offered in 2004-2005.
SOAN 221. Law and Society Law has an impact on every aspect of our lives, from the conditions of our birth to the conditions of our death and everything else in between. As we enter the twentyfirst century, the pervasiveness of law continues to grow. We begin this course by exploring the ubiquity of law and the implications of this for our daytoday lives. Next we examine definitions of law, the development of law, and the extent to which law is shaped by the wider social and cultural contexts in which it is embedded. We conclude by examining specific issues such as legal consciousness, the legal profession, and law and social inequality. Readings include classic and contemporary theoretical works on law and society, and current empirical applications. 6 credits cr., SS, Fall—A. Nierobisz
SOAN 222. Working in the New Economy A "new economy" has dominated North American society since the early 1980s. Many aspects of social life have been reoriented by the new economy but its effects are most pronounced in the contractual relationship between workers and their employers. In this course we examine transitions in the relationship between these two sets of economic actors, employers and employees. Specific topics include job satisfaction, skill, worker autonomy, balancing work and family, workplace discrimination, and overwork. 6 credits cr., SS, Winter—A. Nierobisz
SOAN 224. The Gender Matrix What role does gender as a social category play in creating and maintaining our society? Why is gender difference important and powerful? Where does gender come from? This class will focus on the experience, identity, and practice of gender in Western Society. Comparing different theoretical models, we will look at how gender is learned and reinfoced, practiced and performed. Can experiences of race, class sexual identity, and body be considered separately from gender? Is there a "gender matrix?" These are th types of issues this class will consider. In addition, this class will use observations from community service learning projects outside of class. 6 credits cr., SS, Not offered in 2004-2005.
SOAN 225. Social Movements This course will cover the main theoretical and empirical aspects of social movements the cultural and policital forces behind them. There are two key dynamics to understand how mass social change occurs, and this class will focus on both. First, we will look how new ideas spread, become politicized, and become a powerful cultural force. The other aspect of social movements we will focus on are the structural forces that create, restrict, shape and allow mass political change. Throughout the course, we will apply theoretical and empirical insights to some of the most important social movements of the last three centuries. 6 credits cr., SS, Winter—M. Sehgal
SOAN 226. Anthropology of Gender This course examines gender and gender relations from an anthropological perspective. We discuss such key concepts as gender, voice/mutedness, status, public and private spheres, and the gendered division of labor, exploring the intellectual history of these terms and how they have been used. The course focuses on two areas: 1) the role of sex, sexuality, and procreation in creating cultural notions of gender, and 2) the impacts of colonialism, globalization, and economic underdevelopment on Third World women. Readings include both theoretical articles and ethnographic case studies from around the world. Prerequisite: Sociology/Anthropology 110 or 111 or permission of the instructor. 6 credits cr., SS,RAD, Fall—P. Feldman-Savelsberg
SOAN 228. Sociology of Religion The social dimension of religion and the relationship between religion and society. Sociological theories of religion; conversion and commitment; sects, churches and cults; secularization debate; institutionalization; civil religion and new religious movements; religion and politics; and social basis of religious behavior and organization. Prerequisite: Sociology 111 or consent of instructor. 6 credits cr., SS, Not offered in 2004-2005.
SOAN 230. Human Evolution and Prehistory A survey of the course of human evolution from Australopithecenes to the Upper Paleolithic. Areas of discussion include genetics, primate ethology, the role of archaeology in providing evidence for human evolution and culture, and the importance of environment and technology in the evolution of culture. No prerequisite. 6 credits cr., SS, Not offered in 2004-2005.
SOAN 234. Ecology, Economy, and Culture This course examines the ways in which economic goods are embedded in social relations. When does a thing become a commodity? What relationships exist between culture and ecology? Formulating an anthropological perspective for the interpretation of "economic facts," we will examine simularities and differences among hunter-gatherers, horticulturalists, and peasants. We will also discuss the interpretation of traders in the brokering of culture, asymmetrical articulation of local and transnational economies, gender bias in classical exchange theory, Mauss on gift-giving and Marx on "commodity fetishism." Theoretical material will be illustrated with ethnographic examples from Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. 6 credits cr., SS, Spring—J. Levi
SOAN 236. Activism, Collective Action, and Social Change This class will start by examining ideas of activism and social change, beginning at Enlightenment conceptions of self and society and following how the notion of what constitutes activism has changed through time. We will look at theoretical arguments over what motivates and hinders activism and collective action. We will compare theories of collective action and social movements, look at organizing models and practices, and evaluate social change mechanisms. This course will use community service learning to do observations of social change projects. 6 credits cr., SS, Not offered in 2004-2005.
SOAN 240. Methods of Social Research The course is concerned with social scientific inquiry and explanation, particularly with reference to sociology and anthropology. Topics covered include research design, data collection, and analysis of data. Both quantitative and qualitative methods are considered. Prerequisites: Sociology and Anthropology 110 and 111 and Mathematics 115. 6 credits cr., SS, Winter—A. Nierobisz
SOAN 244. Biodiversity Conservation, Culture, and Development How can the need for intensive human social and economic development be reconciled with the conservation of biodiversity? This course explores the wide range of actions that people take on a local, national, and international level to address this question. We will use political ecology and conservation biology as theoretical frameworks to examine the role of traditional and indigenous approaches to biodiversity conservation as well as contemporary debates about integrated conservation development across a spectrum of cultures in North America, Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Prerequisite: Sociology/Anthropology 110, 111, or permission of instructor. 6 credits cr., SS, Spring— T. Nega
SOAN 246. Archaeological Methodology A study of the methods currently employed in the retrieval, recording and interpretation of archaeological evidence. Among the topics to be covered are regional surveys, selection of sites for excavation, methods of excavation and recording, conservation of artifacts, scientific analyses of archaeological material and data, and the final publication of results. Lab course; no prerequisite. Required for the Archaeology Concentration. 6 credits cr., SS, Winter—N. Wilkie
SOAN 250. Ethnography of Latin America This course explores the historical development and contemporary experience of selected peoples and cultures of Latin America. We will examine the historical and structural processes that have shaped contact among indigenous, European, and African peoples in Latin America during Conquest and the colonial period, under conditions of global economic expansion and state formation, and in present day urban centers and extractive/agricultural "frontiers." Special attention will be given to local-level transformations and resistance. Examples will be drawn principally from Mayan, Afro-Brazilian, Aymara-Quechua, and mestizo cultures. 6 credits cr., SS,RAD, Fall—B. Nagel
SOAN 252. Middle Eastern Social Theory Modern Middle Eastern social theory is strongly influenced by both interpretations of Islam and by modern Western social theory and political philosophy. This course is divided into three parts. The first discusses classical Islamic views on culture, philosophy, jurisprudence, theology, mysticism, and politics. The second explores the Middle East as the object of Western social theory. Part three discusss the contemporary social and political structure of the Middle East and its relation to the ideas that are developed by the Middle Eastern social thinkers. 6 credits cr., SS, Winter—N. Saiedi
SOAN 254. Anthropology of South Asia This course will consider some of the methodological and theoretical problems involved in studying complex Hindu civilization. Topics such as caste, marriage and kinship, economics, politics and leadership, religion and social change will be treated, primarily as they appear at the level of selected Hindu and Buddhist villages of India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. 6 credits cr., SS, Not offered in 2004-2005.
SOAN 256. Ethnography of Africa This course emphasizes the study of several sub-Saharan African societies so as to deal with themes that have concerned anthropologists working in Africa. The types of questions anthropologists have posed about African societies, and the role Africa has played in the development of anthropological theory is explored. Texts include two classics, The Nuer and Chisungu, as well as contemporary re-studies and ethnographic case studies by both African and Western scholars to address issues affecting the entire continent, including colonialism, gender, AIDS, local-state relations, the role of history, and debates about cultural identities. Prerequisite: Sociology/Anthropology 110 or 111 or permission of the instructor. 6 credits cr., SS,RAD, Fall—P. Feldman-Savelsberg
SOAN 259. Comparative Issues in Native North America This course examines the cultural and historical situation of indigenous groups in the United States, Mexico, and Canada to develop a comparative perspective for understanding native peoples in North America. How have indigenous peoples variously coped with continuity and change? What strategies have they employed in pursuit of political sovereignty, economic survival, and cultural vitality? In answering these questions, we will explore the politics of representation regarding "the Indian" as a symbol in national consciousness; the negotiation of identity in inter ethnic contexts; patterns of resistance; the impact of European powers and state agendas; and the resurgence of tradition. 6 credits cr., SS, Spring—J. Levi
SOAN 260. Myth, Ritual, and Symbolism Exploring the ways in which people make sense of their world through myth, ritual and symbolism, this course takes an anthropological approach to the study of comparative religion. What is the relationship between "myth" and "history?" How do animals, food, color, music, and the human body function as idioms of symbolic communication? Why is ritual credited with the ability to heal illnesses, offer political commentary, maintain cosmic harmony, and foster social cohesion through the exhibition of interpersonal tensions? Examining major theories in the anthropology of religion, students learn to record and analyze both "familiar" and "unfamiliar" myths, rituals, and symbols. 6 credits cr., SS, Winter—J. Levi
SOAN 262. Anthropology of Health and Illness An ethnographic approach to beliefs and practices regarding health and illness in numerous societies worldwide. This course examines patients, practitioners, and the social networks and contexts through which therapies are managed to better understand medical systems as well as the significance of the anthropological study of misfortune. Specific topics include the symbolism of models of illness, the ritual management of misfortune and of life crisis events, the political economy of health, therapy management, medical pluralism, and cross-cultural medical ethics. Case studies range from birth and death to epilepsy, AIDS and cancer, and from a working class neighborhood in Philadelphia, to Hmong immigrants, to South African street children. Prerequisite: Sociology/Anthropology 110 or 111 or permission of the instructor. 6 credits cr., SS, Winter—P. Feldman-Savelsberg
SOAN 272. Ethnicity and Race
This course will center on different thinking schools such as: primordialism, instrumentalism, myth-complex, and boundaries. Different notions of race and ethnicity against different locality and termporality will be compared (wht an emphasis on Chinese notions and the Western). Introduction to China's Nationality Identification Project and Affirmative Action Debate in the US Analysis should also be substantiated with field work. 6 credits cr., SS, Spring—N. Bilik
SOAN 274. Language and Culture This course will start with basic knowledge of linguistics, especially with regard to Saussure, and followed by that of semantics and pragmatics. The course will also include something about social memories or collective memories, basic color terms and linguistic relativism. The course will be taught with case support. 6 credits cr., SS, Spring—N. Bilik
SOAN 282. Anthropology of Japan This course will provide students with the genealogy of postwar anthropological knowledge on Japan beginning with Chrysanthemum and the Sword by Ruth Benedict. We will read and discuss anthropological texts and other related literature that have helped the western academy in forming images of Japan and the knowledge of her society and culture. We will also look at Japanese "national character" and cultural uniqueness by unfolding the Anthropological Other in Japan, such as Koreans. Prerequisite: Sociology/Anthropology 110 or 111 or permission of the instructor. 6 credits cr., SS, Fall—N. Bilik
SOAN 284. Anthropology of China We will read and discuss anthropological and sociological works on China; readings from other disciplines are also supplementary. This course deals with both Han and non-Han peoples in China. Students are expected to gain a holistic understanding of China with regards to its changes of politico-symbolic boundaries, its power relations, and its connection to globalization. We will also talk about "translingual practice" as represented by symbolic negotiations between the traditional, changing Chinese view and the views that come from outside. Prerequisites: Sociology/Anthropology 110 or 111 or permission of instructor. 6 credits cr., SS, Winter—N. Bilik
SOAN 302. Anthropology and Indigenous Rights This seminar examines the relationship between culture and human rights from an anthropological perspective. By asking "who are indigenous peoples?" and "what specific rights do they have?" this course introduces students to a comparative framework for understanding cultural rights discourse. Given the history of intolerance to difference, the seminar demonstrates the need to explore the determinants of violence, ethnocide, and exploitation routinely committed against the world's most marginalized peoples. At the same time, it also asks about the limits of tolerance, if human rights abuses are perpetrated under the banner of cultural pluralism. Students will analyze case studies drawn from Africa, Asia, and the Americas, as well as issues that cross-cut these regions. Prerequisite: Sociology/Anthropology 110, 111 or permision of the instructor; upper division coursework in anthropology, sociology, history or philosophy recommended. 6 credits cr., SS, Not offered in 2004-2005.
SOAN 303. Criminology: Classical and Contemporary Perspectives This course is designed to familiarize students with sociological approaches to the study of crime and criminal behavior and criminal justice responses to criminal activity. Students will learn dominant sociological theories of crime, understand how social forces play a key role in crime and reactions to crime, and understand how sociological theory and research can prevent criminal activity. 6 credits cr., SS, Spring—A. Nierobisz
SOAN 312. Actors and Issues in Contemporary Third World "Development" This course focuses on the processes known as "development," the roles of various social actors in these processes, and the social, environmental, and human rights implications of these processes. We discuss the concept of development, the construction of an ideology of development, and the various theoretical perspectives on development within the fields of sociology and anthropology. Specific issues that we examine include: the political economy of agrarian change; gender issues in development; international development actors and institutions, and their roles in shaping the social and environmental impacts of development; the role of social movements and grassroots organizations in contesting development activities and in shaping new models and meanings of development; and strategies for sustainable, democratic development locally, nationally, and internationally. 6 credits cr., SS, Not offered in 2004-2005.
SOAN 330. Sociological Thought and Theory Classical sociological theory has been concerned with at least three fundamental questions. They are the nature of the historic transition from feudalism to capitalism, the appropriate method of social studies, and the form of a rational society. Beginning with the Enlightenment and romanticism, we study nineteenth century positivism, liberalism, Marxism and nihilism, and investigate the ideas of Weber and Durkheim at the turn of the century. 6 credits cr., SS, Fall—N. Saiedi
SOAN 331. Anthropological Thought and Theory A systematic introduction to the theoretical foundations of social and cultural anthropology with special emphasis given to twentieth century British, French and American schools. The course deals with such seminal figures as Morgan, Boas, Malinowski, Radcliffe-Brown, Levi-Straus, Harris, Sahlins, Bourdieu, and Geertz. The reading strikes a balance between ethnographic accounts and theoretical statements. Prerequisites: Sociology/Anthropology 110 and 330 or consent of the instructor. 6 credits cr., SS, Spring—J. Fisher
SOAN 332. Contemporary Social Theory A basic overview of the major debates in contemporary sociological theory, from 1920s to the present. Unlike the classical sociological theory in which both grand models and substantive theories are addressed by the same writer, there is a division of labor in the contemporary social theory. Thus some theorists emphasize the foundational grand categories (like Lukacs, Habermas, Sombart, Marcuse, Mead, Foucault, Wallerstein, Gadamer, Sorokin, Parsons, Lyotard and others), whereas others have contributed substantive ideas to a a specific field (Moore, Skocpol, Wright, Collins, Manheim, Olson, Smith, Kohn, Bernstein, Bell and others). We will explore both directions of contemporary social theory. 6 credits cr., SS, Spring—N. Saiedi
SOAN 395. Ethnography of Reproduction This seminar explores the meanings of reproductive beliefs and practices in comparative perspective. It focuses on (but is not limited to) ethnographic examples from the U.S./Canada and England and from sub-Saharan Africa (societies with relatively low fertility and high utilization of technology and a set of societies with mostly high fertility and low utilization of technology). Topics examined include fertility and birth, fertility rites, new reproductive technologies, abortion, population control, infertility, child survival and child loss. Prerequisites: Sociology/Anthropology 110 or 111; 226, 260, or 262 is recommended; or permission of the instructor. 6 credits cr., SS, Spring—P. Feldman-Savelsberg
SOAN 400. Integrative Exercise The integrative exercise in Sociology and Anthropology consists of carrying out and presenting a major piece of research, and in sharing and discussing the work-in-progress with a group of others engaged in the same process, under the guidance of a faculty supervisor. Please consult the Sociology/Anthropology Handbook for Majors for a full description. 6 credits cr., S/NC, ND, Fall,Winter,Spring—Staff