Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2008-2009 (archived)
Module ANTH3081: MATERIAL CULTURE
Department: Anthropology
ANTH3081:
MATERIAL CULTURE
Type |
Tied |
Level |
3 |
Credits |
20 |
Availability |
Available in 2008/09 |
Module Cap |
30 |
Location |
Durham
|
Tied to |
L602 |
Tied to |
LF64 |
Tied to |
LMV0 |
Tied to |
CFG0 |
Tied to |
L600 |
Tied to |
L620 |
Tied to |
L690 |
Tied to |
LL36 |
Prerequisites
- Political & Economic Organization (ANTH2051) OR Kinship & Belief Systems (ANTH2041) (Durham). HUSS 2111 Methods & Analysis II (Queen's)
Corequisites
Excluded Combination of Modules
Aims
- To study material culture in an anthropological context and address some theoretical issues applied to artefact studies.
- The module prepares students for employment in related areas such as museum ethnography, media and related artistic fields.
Content
- 1.
- Introduction to material culture studies.
- 2.
- The development of material culture studies in anthropology.
- 3.
- Material culture studies and anthropological theories.
- 4.
- Aesthetics and art in material studies.
- 5.
- The documentation of technology.
- 6.
- Museums and anthropology.
- .
Learning Outcomes
- Factual Material: Introduction to material culture studies in anthropology, and its history including an overview of various theoretical perspectives as these apply to the study of technology and material assemblages.
- Acquire familiarity with the key methods and concepts of anthropological analysis as these apply to material culture studies.
- Gain an anthropological perspective and understanding of some of the important issues which effect ethnographic collections.
- Subject-Specific Skills: Acquire some knowledge of material culture from around the world.
- and the history of its study including ethnographic collections.
- Understand something about the ethics of ethnographic collection and issues of aesthetics.
- Familiarity with fieldwork methods, as applied to techniques of material culture.
- Use academic literature effectively to retrieve, sift and select ethnographic information.
- Ability to plan, prepare and mount exhibitions.
- Structure and communicate ideas effectively using visual, bibliographic and electronic sources based on artefact study.
- Use a range of graphic, photographic, drawing, and electronic techniques.
- Work effectively on individual projects as well as co-ordinating with others.
- Co-ordinate projects within the broader exhibition context.
- Understand technical vocabularies as applied to material culture studies.
- Design, use and evaluate various research and practical approaches to the subject.
- Use information technology and associated computer programmes (graphics, web-pages, search engines, museum databases etc.).
- Plan, undertake and report a bibliographically-based assignment.
- Plan work schedules and manage time.
- Work independently and be self-reliant.
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to
the learning outcomes of the module
- Students are required to attend a practical series and complete a project in lieu of tutorials, essays and examinations.
- Visits to museums supplement the learning outcomes of this module.
- Teaching is via lectures, and practicals where the lectures relate to the topics of the practicals and to the projects undertaken by students.
- Lectures provide a traditional method of communicating not only fact but clear understandings of process and the relationship between issues.
- They are used for the primary delivery of material in material culture because they allow clear transmission of information in an active learning environment where students can question and seek clarification.
- For anthropology students this medium cannot simply be replaced by texts or websites, though both are important adjuncts.
- The practical series is concerned with techniques of studying and documenting a group of artefacts, and researching and displaying them Students are required to submit one project and Museum display work), which contribute 50% each towards the mark for the module.
- This Project involves: research and arrangement of ethnographic displays, and is based on a series of practicals in which students gain practise and experience in the display of ethnographic objects and material.
- Students are required to complete a show case display of artefacts from the University's various collections, and produce a report on the display of around 5000 words.
- The project consists of two stages, the first of which provides formative feedback.
- For the project, students are required to select a related series of artefacts and produce a folder of work documenting them.
- The artefacts are selected from museums and collections visited during the first half of the module.
- The first submission concerns: the study of a material assemblage (submitted at the beginning of the Epiphany Term), and is a portfolio based on the first series of practicals, in which students develop the skills necessary for the description and documentation of a material assemblage.
- Formative assessment also includes a review of project plans for display work.
- An additional medium for tutorial discussion is asynchronous e-mail through module mail-lists.
- E-mail discussion brings its own constraints (and gender biases) but it can be a very supportive medium for students who are reticent in front of their colleagues, or who prefer to offer opinions formulated after reflection.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
Activity |
Number |
Frequency |
Duration |
Total/Hours |
|
Lectures |
22 |
1 per week as part of practical |
1 hour |
22 |
|
Practicals |
22 |
1 per week with lecture |
1 hour |
22 |
■ |
Preparation and Reading |
|
|
|
156 |
|
Total |
|
|
|
200 |
|
Summative Assessment
Component: Project |
Component Weighting: 50% |
Element |
Length / duration |
Element Weighting |
Resit Opportunity |
Students are required to produce a report on the display of around 5000 words. |
|
100% |
No |
Component: Display Case |
Component Weighting: 50% |
Element |
Length / duration |
Element Weighting |
Resit Opportunity |
Students are required to complete a show case display of artefacts from the University's various collections. |
|
100% |
No |
The project consists of two stages, the first of which provides formative feedback. For the project, students are required to select a related series of artefacts and produce a folder of work documenting them. The artefacts are selected from museums and collections visited during the first half of the module. The first submission concerns: the study of a material assemblage (submitted at the beginning of the Epiphany Term), and is a portfolio based on the first series of practicals, in which students develop the skills necessary for the description and documentation of a material assemblage. Formative assessment also includes a review of project plans for display work.
■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University