History of Reflections on Culture 3224-D2HISMK
Within the lecture, the individual thematic blocks will refer to key issues of the intellectual tradition, highlighting their historical context. The classes will be illustrated with concrete examples of concepts, authors, and research practices, which will enable a deeper understanding of the evolution of thinking about culture.
Proposed thematic blocks of the course:
1) Introductory issues (the concept of culture, the nature–culture opposition, criteria for classifying currents of cultural theory, periodization)
2) The myth of Prometheus, Herodotus and the ethnography of “barbarians,” Renaissance anthropocentrism, the concept of the state of nature
3) The Enlightenment and Romanticism and the debates on nature and culture (Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Johann Gottfried Herder)
4) Classical evolutionism (including Lewis Henry Morgan, Edward Burnett Tylor, James George Frazer)
5) Diffusionism (cultural inventions, cultural conflict, cultural encounters)
6) Functionalism (social anthropology, fieldwork)
7) Practical/workshop session
8) Sociologism (prelogical thinking, participation, collective representations, social facts; Émile Durkheim and his students)
9) Franz Boas (historical research, cultural relativism)
10) Marxism (class struggle, alienation, ideology; Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels)
11) Configurationalism (Ruth Benedict, patterns of culture)
12) Psychoculturalism
13) Anthropology of ritual (ritual process, social drama)
14) Ecological anthropology
15) Economic anthropology
Student workload:
Classroom participation – 30 hours (1 ECTS)
Preparation for classes – 30 hours (1 ECTS)
Preparation of the final assignment – 30 hours (1 ECTS)
Type of course
Mode
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge
Upon completing the course, the student knows and understands:
- at an advanced level, the student understands the theoretical and methodological approaches of the humanities, primarily cultural studies (with particular emphasis on its interdisciplinary character); recognizes their interconnections and mutual inspirations, and possesses elementary knowledge of schools and research directions, with reference to cultural heritage as well as historical and contemporary socio-political conditions of Central and Eastern Europe (K_W01)
- at an advanced level, the student is familiar with the terminology of cultural studies, taking into account the research perspective of Central and Eastern Europe (directions, texts, researchers in the field of cultural studies) and the specifics of the development of these sciences in the countries of the region; the student also has the knowledge of the terminology of related disciplines, necessary for understanding cultural phenomena in the countries of the region (K_W02)
- at an advanced level, the student understands the specifics of various models of culture in an anthropological perspective (traditional, noble, bourgeois, mass), their processes of transformation, mutual relationships, and their manifestations in symbolic and semiotic spheres, i.e., in the realms of culture and art, literature, and the history of Central and Eastern European countries (K_W03)
- at an advanced level, the student has broad knowledge of the intercultural context; understands humans as agents constructing social structures and cultural products, is aware of the principles governing them, and understands the resulting differences in social perception among representatives of different nationalities, ideological and religious groups, and variously defined minorities (K_W07).
Skills
Upon completing the course, the student is able to:
- search for, select, analyze, and use information from various sources in the field of cultural history of the Central and Eastern European region (K_U01)
- formulate and analyze research problems, select research methods and tools, and, under the supervision of an academic advisor, conduct simple research in cultural studies and related disciplines concerning the Central and Eastern European region (K_U02)
- develop research skills, independently acquire knowledge while utilizing the support of an academic advisor; to formulate thoughts clearly and present research results in oral or written form (of various types) on topics related to cultural history (K_U03)
- apply theoretical approaches, research paradigms, and concepts specific to cultural studies in typical professional situations (K_U04)
- independently prepare written and oral presentations, in Polish and a foreign language, on selected topics in the theory of culture and issues of the countries of the region (culture; political, social, and economic sources; consequences and contexts of cultural phenomena; literature and language as media and testimonies of culture; audiovisual and electronic media; social and religious relations and bonds, etc.), and to present the results of their work to the group (K_U08).
Social competences
Upon completing the course, the student is prepared to:
- critically evaluate their own knowledge, pursue continuous learning, and supplement their acquired knowledge (K_K01)
- communicate effectively and participate in society, including societies culturally different from their own; work in groups; handle typical professional situations; verify their views through reasoned discussion; and evaluate their own knowledge (K_K02).
Assessment criteria
1. Organization of classes
1) Attendance at classes included in the curriculum is mandatory.
2) Classes cannot be retaken if failure to pass was due to not meeting the attendance requirement. In such cases, the student may be conditionally enrolled in the next stage of studies and must repeat the failed course.
3) For classes with a total of 30 hours per semester, it is permissible to miss 2 sessions without justification; missed classes must be made up in accordance with the instructor’s requirements. These requirements will be provided by the instructor during the first class.
Schedule conflicts do not constitute a valid reason for excused absences.
2. Assessment methods
The course is completed with a written test graded on a scale. The test verifies knowledge of the material covered during the semester through a set of questions.
3. Grading criteria
The final grade consists of: the test result (100%).
A failing grade may only be given due to unsatisfactory academic performance, confirmed by the test result.
4. Grading scale:
0%-49% – 2 (Fail)
50%-60% – 3 (Satisfactory)
61%-70% – 3+ (Satisfactory Plus)
71%-80% – 4 (Good)
81%-90% – 4+ (Good Plus)
91%-100% – 5 (Very Good)
Additional knowledge – 5+ (Excellent Plus)
Bibliography
Barnard A., Antropologia. Zarys teorii i historii, tłum. S. Szymański, Warszawa 2006 (lub późniejsze wydania).
Historia antropologii. Szkoły, autorzy, teorie, tłum. K. Marczewska, Warszawa 2011.
Barnard A. i Spencer J. (red.), Encyklopedia antropologii społeczno-kulturowej, tłum. M. Barbaruk-Fereńska, Warszawa 2012.
Barth F., Gingrich A., Parkin R., Silverman S., Antropologia. Jedna dyscyplina, cztery tradycje: brytyjska, niemiecka, francuska i amerykańska, tłum. J. Tegnerowicz, Kraków 2007.
Fereński P. J., Gomóła A., Wójcicka M., Zdrodowska M., (red.) Kulturoznawstwo polskie. Przeszłość, przestrzeń, perspektywy, Wydawnictwo Naukowe Katedra, Gdańsk 2018.
Mencwel A., Wstęp: wyobraźnia antropologiczna, [w:] Godlewski G., Kolankiewicz L., Mencwel A., Rodak P., Antropologia kultury. Zagadnienia i wybór tekstów, Warszawa 2005, s. 9-20.
Mencwel A., Godlewski G., Kołakowski A. i inni (red.), Kulturologia polska XX wieku, tom 1: A-K, Warszawa 2013.
Mencwel A., Godlewski G., Kołakowski A. i inni (red.), Kulturologia polska XX wieku, tom 2: L-Ż, Warszawa 2013
Szacki J. Historia myśli socjologicznej, Warszawa 2002.
The classes are conducted in a lecture format. A detailed bibliography for individual topics will be provided during the sessions, if needed.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: