Anthropology of Iberian and Ibero-American Culture (Antropología cultural en el mundo ibérico e iberoamericano) 3305-AKII-21

The aim of the course is to familiarize the student with certain basic theoretical issues in the field of cultural anthropology and their practical application in analyzing cultural phenomena present in the Iberian world, both in the past and in contemporary times. Abandoning a chronological presentation of the development of anthropological thought in the twentieth century in favor of organizing the course material around thematic issues will not only allow culture to be viewed holistically, but will also enable the student to confront different anthropological theories related to the same cultural phenomenon, approach them critically, and assess their suitability for understanding cultural expressions in the twenty-first century.

The topics proposed in the course are, on the one hand, global (time, space, ritual, shamanism), but at the same time refer to the specificity of the broadly defined Iberian cultural area (susto and the concept of illness among Indigenous peoples; the quinceañera as a rite of passage). The reading of selected excerpts from texts, often enriched with film material, is intended to serve as a starting point for joint discussion and reflection, helping the student develop a critical approach to the theories presented and facilitating the acquisition of the tools necessary for the independent analysis of cultural phenomena.

Type of course

obligatory courses

Mode

Classroom

Prerequisites (description)

Students must know Spanish in order to read theoretical anthropological texts and participate actively in class discussions. Some of the texts used in class may be written in English. The materials for the classes will be made available on the Google Classroom platform. In the case of classes taught remotely, they will take place in synchronous mode (using Zoom tools) and in asynchronous mode (using the Google Classroom platform).

Course coordinators

Marta Wójtowicz-Wcisło

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, the student knows and understands the thematic and methodological specificities of cultural and religious studies relevant to the chosen specialization, which they are able to develop creatively and apply in professional activities; the basic terminology of the chosen specialization; the interrelation of Iberian studies with other fields in the humanities and social sciences; relevant aspects of culture in Spanish-speaking Latin American countries and in Spain; basic terminology, theory, and methodology in cultural and religious studies, with particular emphasis on symbolic anthropology and the anthropology of the word (K_W01; K_W03; K_W06).

By the end of the course, the student will be able to read and understand texts in Spanish on anthropological topics; present their own viewpoints and opinions, engage in debates, and give prepared presentations on cultural anthropology in Spanish; recognize different types of Spanish-language texts, place them within a general historical and cultural context, and analyze them using basic terminology and appropriate methods in cultural anthropology; independently acquire knowledge and develop skills using relevant sources from selected areas of academic disciplines and fields of study appropriate for Hispanic studies (dictionaries, lexicons, encyclopedias, source texts, monographs, etc.); write and edit a semester paper in Spanish using appropriate methods and sources relevant to the discipline of cultural and religious studies within the context of Hispanic studies; prepare oral presentations in Spanish using appropriate methods and sources relevant to the discipline of cultural and religious studies within the context of Hispanic studies; use basic theoretical approaches, research paradigms, and concepts appropriate to the discipline of cultural and religious studies (with particular emphasis on symbolic anthropology and the anthropology of the word) (K_U01, K_U02, K_U03, K_U04, K_U06, K_U07).

By the end of the course, the student is prepared to critically evaluate their own knowledge and skills and understands the need for continual improvement and development; plan and organize work, develop entrepreneurial initiative, cooperate in a team, and observe principles of professional ethics; participate actively in the culture of the studied region using various forms and means of communication, and work both in teams—assuming various roles—and independently; follow contemporary processes and phenomena occurring in the language, culture, and literature of Spain and Latin America (K_K01, K_K02, K_K03, K_K04.

Assessment criteria

The final grade is based on the result of the oral exam, which consists of three short questions on the basic concepts and terms learned during the course through the study of theoretical texts.

Bibliography

Bibliography (fragments of the texts)
Cassirer, Ernst (1967) Antropología filosófica. Introducción a una filosofía de la cultura. Fondo de Cultura Económica, México.
Csordas, Thomas J. (2010) Modos somáticos de atención. En Citro, Silvia (coord.) Cuerpos plurales: antropología de y desde los cuerpos. Buenos Aires, Editorial Biblos: 83-104.
Douglas, Mary (1973) Pureza y peligro. Un análisis de los conceptos de contaminación y tabú. México, Siglo xxi.
Eliade, Mircea (1981) Lo sagrado y lo profano. Guadarrama/Punto omega.
Evans-Pritchard, Edward (1937) Brujería, magia y oráculos entre los azande. Barcelona, Editorial Anagrama.
Frazer, James George (2006) La rama dorada. Magia y religión. México, FCE.
Freud, Sigmund (1991) Totem y tabú. Buenos Aires, Amorrortu editores.
Geist, Ingrid “Trickster huichol. Una aproximación antropológica y semiótica”. Tópicos del seminario 10. En línea: https://pl.scribd.com/document/268402712/Ingrid-Geist-Trickster-Huichol.
Gennep, Arnold van (2008) Los ritos de paso. Madrid. Alianza.
Girard, René (2005) La violencia y lo sagrado. Barcelona, Editorial Anagrama.
Goody, Jack (comp.) (2003) Cultura escrita en sociedades tradicionales. Barcelona, Editorial Gedisa.
Lakoff, George y Johnson, Mark (2009) Metáforas de la vida cotidiana. Madrid, Editorial Cátedra.
Lévi-Strauss, Claude (1970) Antropología structural. La Habana, Instituto del libro.
Levy-Bruhl, Lucién (1922) La mentalidad primitiva. Buenos Aires, Ediciones Leviatán.
Magazine, Roger (2015) EL pueblo es como una rueda. México, Universidad Iberoamericana.
Martos Núñez, Eloy; Martos García, Alberto Eloy (2013) “Deus Ludens, Deus Ridens: nuevas lecturas del trickster”. Sociedade e Cultura, vol. 16, núm. 2: 385-394. En línea: http://www.redalyc.org/pdf/703/70332866014.pdf
Olson David R. (1998) El mundo sobre el papel. El impacto de la escritura y la lectura en la estructura del conocimiento. Barcelona, Editorial Gedisa.
Ong, Walter (1987) Oralidad y escritura. Tecnologías de la palabra. México, FCE.
Radin, Paul (1956) The trickster. A Study in American Indian Mythology. New York, Philosophical Library.
Suárez, Hugo José (2013) “Cuatro rostros de la religiosidad popular urbana” Cuicuilco 20 (57): 207-227. http://www.redalyc.org/pdf/351/35130567011.pdf
Soengas, Stella Elvira y Zamorano, Silvia (2009) El cuerpo en la posmodernidad. En: I Congreso Internacional de Investigación y Práctica Profesional en Psicología XVI Jornadas de Investigación Quinto Encuentro de Investigadores en Psicología del MERCOSUR. Facultad de Psicología - Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires.
Turner, Victor (1988) Liminalidad y communitas, En: El proceso ritual. Madrid. Taurus, 101-136.
Viveiros do Castro, Eduardo (2010) Metafísicas canibales. Líneas de antropología postestructural. Madrid, Katz Editores.
Whorf, Benjamin Lee (1971) Lenguaje, pensamiento y realidad. Barcelona, Barral Editores.

Additional information

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 3305-AKII-21 in USOSweb