Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook
This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.

Postgraduate Handbook 2012-2013 (archived)

Module ANTH44015: Thinking Anthropologically

Department: Anthropology

ANTH44015: Thinking Anthropologically

TypeLevelCreditsAvailabilityModule CapLocation
Tied 4 15 Available in 2012/2013 None. Durham

Tied To

Pre-requisites

  • None

Corequisites

  • None

Excluded Combinations

  • None

Aims

  • To explore some of the recent developments in the theory of socio-cultural and medical anthropology
  • To enable students to assay critically current theoretical debates in socio-cultural and medical anthropology and to engage with them in their research
  • To enable students to understand how anthropological fieldwork is influenced by the researcher's theoretical orientation

Content

  • Selected current issues in the theory of socio-cultural and medical anthropology

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge
  • In-depth knowledge of selected current issues in the theory of socio-cultural and medical anthropology
  • In depth knowledge of the history of symbolic, interpretive, phenomenological and critical perspectives and how these approaches have been employed in a range of cultural settings.
  • An understanding of how anthropological fieldwork is influenced by the researcher's theoretical orientation
Subject-specific Skills
  • To develop ability to formulate theoretically informed research aims
  • To develop ability to present an effective argument (both orally and in writing) that demonstrates an awareness of the complexity of selected theoretical issues
Key Skills
  • Communication: students will be taught how to communicate clearly (both orally and in writing) their understanding of the material they have read
  • Improving their own learning and performance: students will learn to use a variety of web tools for searching the primary and secondary literature

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • weekly seminar throughout the year

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

ActivityNumberFrequencyDurationTotal HoursAttendance Monitored
Lectures 11 weekly 1 hour 11
Seminars 5 fortnightly 1 hour 5
Preparation and Reading 134
Total 150

Summative Assessment

ComponentComponent WeightingElementLength/DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Essay 100% Essay 3000 words 100%

Formative Assessment

formative feedback on Seminar presentations


Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University.