Social Anthropology in Theory and Practice

Social anthropology uses empirical methods to investigate theoretical problems. This has raised several questions as to the nature of the techniques anthropologists apply. The module will focus on the relationship between theory and practice. The course will involve a short section on the history of anthropology and its methods, followed by an introduction to the basic principles of the discipline. Another section of the course will focus on various areas of study within the discipline. Students will be expected to read monographs and case studies and try to understand the role of empirical techniques in theorizing culture. A crucial part of the course will be our actual fieldtrip where we will engage ourselves in basic data collection methods.