Introduction to Urban Anthropology 3500-FAK-ANMI-OG

Urban Anthropology, on the one hand, grows from the search for a holistic approach to the processes of manufacturing and living urban spaces, on the other hand from the application of qualitative methods to the study of small social systems in urban environments. Its special value is to look at the city and its inhabitants from a cultural, interior perspective, taking into account differences and details escaping to other social sciences. Both perspectives - a broad, comparative and case-oriented will be of interest to us during the course.
The lecture introduces into the history of discipline and the concepts developed within it. Literature discussed in the classes will show various social phenomena rooted in a specific ecological tissue such as: ghettoisation, migration and adaptation, gentrification. It will also be the starting point for seeking answers to the question of what a city is and whether its universal definition is possible. Some examples of ethnographic research on urban communities will be discussed.
The particular value of the anthropology of the city is the glimpse of city dwellers from a cultural, internal perspective, taking into account differences that escape other social sciences. At the beginning of the course will discuss the context of the birth of anthropology of the city, the first urban theories and urbanization, and the classic literature characterizing urban centers belonging to different cultural circles. Next block of classes will be concerned with socio-cultural processes of space production? The city will also be discussed from a micro perspective - as a social theater and everyday life arena. Classes will show various social phenomena rooted in a particular ecological tissue - such as ghettosis, migration and adaptation, gentrification of the etcetera. We will follow how small urban communities transform the tissue of their environment and affect the functioning of individuals and small social systems - the family and the neighborhood.
We will also be interested in the specifics of socialist cities and their state after the fall of socialism and the processes of transformation into capitalist cities.
A separate block of space will be devoted to space in terms of humanism and urban symbolism: the life of urban cultural areas, monuments and monuments.
The aim of the course is to familiarize students with the problems of anthropology of the city, its subject and research methods, and the characteristics and analyzes of spatial urban systems in different civilizations and cultures.

Type of course

general courses

Mode

Classroom

Course coordinators

Barbara Bossak-Herbst

Learning outcomes

K_W13 Is aware of the importance of a reflective and critical approach to the results of social research, analyses and research procedures
K_U01 Can identify causes and predict potential effects of past and current social events; can form critical judgments about current and past social events
K_U03 Can perform a critical analysis of social phenomena and processes, particularly those concerning contemporary Polish society
K_U04 Can critically select information and materials for academic work, using various sources in Polish and a foreign language as well as modern technologies
K_U05 Can independently form and verify judgments about the causes of selected social phenomena
K_U06 Can use theoretical categories and research methods in the description and analysis of social and cultural changes in modern societies, as well as their consequences

Assessment criteria

Exam, presentation

Bibliography

Simmel G. Socjologia, r. „Mentalność mieszkańców wielkich miast PWN, Warszawa, 1975 s. 513-531.
Wirth L. On Cities and Social Life, r „Urbanism as a way of life” The University of Chicago Press, 1964, s. 60-83.
Wallis A. r. „Przestrzeń jako wartość”, r. „Obszar kulturowy”, r. „Pojęcie centrum”, w: Socjologia przestrzeni, Niezależna Oficyna Wydawnicza, 1990, s. 19-32, s. 99-110, s. 123-131.
Auge M. „Nie-miejsca. Wprowadzenie do antropologii hipernowoczesności”, PWN, Warszawa, 2012, r. „Od miejsc do nie-miejsc” s. 51-80.
Mike D. Planeta slumsów, r. 2 „Wszechobecność slumsów”, Instytut Wydawniczy Książka i Prasa, 2009, s. 34-75.
Jakubowska L., "Paradoks nowoczesności: poligamia wśród zurbanizowanych Beduinów", w: (red.) Pakszys E. Międzykulturowe i interdyscyplinarne badania feministyczne. Daleki - Bliski Wschód, Wydawnictwo Naukowe UAM, Poznań, 2005.
Pessel W. Antropologia nieczystości. Studia z kultury sanitarnej Warszawy, rozdział III, Trio, Warszawa, 2010, s. 119-147.
Pessel W. Antropologia nieczystości. Studia z kultury sanitarnej Warszawy, r. I, Trio, Warszawa, 2010 s.15-56.
Wirth L. “The Getto” w: On Cities and Social Life, The University of Chicago Press, 1964, s. 84-98.
E. Blakely, N. Snyder p. „Forting Up”, „The Search of Community” s. 1-45, Fortress America, Brookings Institution Press, 1999.
Caldeira T. “Fortified enclaves: the new urban segregation” (ed.) Low S. Theorizing the City. The new urban anthropology reader, 2005, s. 83-106.
Anderson E.Street Wise. Race, Class and Change in an Urban Community, p. “Street Etiquette and Street Wisdom”, The University of Chicago Press ,1990, s. 207-236.
Anderson E. Street Wise. Race, Class and Change in an Urban Community, p. “The Black male in public” The University of Chicago Press ,1990, s. 190-206 .
Nas P, Samuels A. r. “Urban Symbolic Ecology and the Hypercity: State of the art and Challenges for the Future” w: Hypercity. The Symbolic Side of Urbanism, Kegan Paul, London, 2006, s. 1-20.
Tazbir J. „Wojna na pomniki i o pomniki”, w: Kultura i Społeczeństwo, nr 1, 1997.
Krajewski M. (red.) „Nie-widzialne miasto”, Krajewski M. „ Niewidzialne miasto – uspołeczniająca moc fotografii”, Drozdowski R. r. „Agory i kluby – społeczny pomysł na uspołeczniające miasto”, Bęc Zmiana, Warszawa, 2012, s. 9-22, s. 47-61.
Krajewski M. (red.) „Nie-widzialne miasto”, r. Kietlińska B. „niewidzialnomiejskie estetyki”, Rosińska M. „Projektując niewidzialne miasto..”, Bęc Zmiana, Warszawa, 2012, s.147-165.
Jacyno M. „Mieszkanie i moralna architektura” kultury indywidualizmu w: (red.) G. Woroniecka „Co znaczy Mieszkać?”, TRIO, 2007.
Łukasiewicz J.„Dom jako społeczne minimum. Spojrzenie na okres okupacji” w: (red.) Siciński A. Dom we współczesnej Polsce. Szkice, 1990, WIK, Warszawa.
Cichomski M. r. „Dziś obcy rzadko się tu zapuszczają …” lata dziewięćdzisiąt…” w: Kurczewski, Cichomski, Wiliński Wielkie bazary warszawskie, TRIO, 2010 89-126.
Cichomski M. r. 4 „Bazarowa społeczność – przemiany struktury społecznej na Bazarze Różyckiego w latach 1987-2007” w: Kurczewski, Cichomski, Wiliński Wielkie bazary warszawskie, TRIO, 2010 89-126.
Przybył E. Pałac Kultury i Nauki jako socjalistyczna sakralizacja przestrzeni w: (red.) Zuzanna Grębocka, Jakub Sadowski „Pałac Kultury i Nauki. Między ideologią a masową wyobraźnią”, Nomos, 2007, s. 89-124.

Additional information

Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes:

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

Description of 3500-FAK-ANMI-OG in USOSweb