Anthropology (ANTH) 434
The History of Anthropological Thought (Revision 3)

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Delivery Mode: Individualized study online. Video component.*
*Overseas students, please contact the University
Library before registering in a course that has an audio/visual component.
Credits: 3
Area of Study: Reading course - Social Science
Prerequisite: ANTH 275 and 3 other credits in anthropology at the 300 or 400 level.
Precluded Course: ANTH 334. ANTH 434 cannot be taken for credit if credit has already been obtained for ANTH 334.
Faculty: Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences
Anthropology Studies home page
ANTH 434 is not available for Challenge.
Overview
ANTH 434: The History of Anthropological Thought, is a senior-level course that examines the range of responses to the fact of human diversity through the ages, with emphasis on Modern and Postmodern anthropology.
Outline
The course consists of the following twelve units.
Unit 1: Anthropological Thought to the 19th Century
Unit 2: Nineteenth Century Evolutionary Thought
Unit 3: The Formation of General Theories
Unit 4: Culture Change—Diffusion, Migration
Unit 5: Psychological Anthropology; Culture and Personality
Unit 6: Functionalism
Unit 7: Structuralism
Unit 8: Materialist Explanations of Culture Change
Unit 9: Cognitive Anthropology
Unit 10: The Individual and Society
Unit 11: Postmodernism
Unit 12: Feminist Theory
Evaluation
To receive credit for ANTH 434, you must achieve a composite course grade of at least “D” (50 percent), and a grade of at least 50 percent in the examination. The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:
| Telephone quiz | Essay 1 | Research Paper | Essay 2 | Final Exam | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6% | 22% | 25% | 22% | 25% | 100% |
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.
Course Materials
Textbooks
Erickson, Paul A. and Liam D. Murphy. 2008. A History of Anthropological Theory. 3rd edition. Peterborough, ON: Broadview Press.
Layton, Robert. 1997. An Introduction to Theory in Anthropology. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press.
Other materials
The course materials also include a student manual, study guide, and a reading file.
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized-study counterparts.
Opened in Revision 3, April 20, 2011.
View previous syllabus
Last updated by SAS 01/31/2013 13:29:42