Module ANTH3457: The Anthropology of Care

Department: Anthropology

ANTH3457: The Anthropology of Care

Prerequisites

• Students must be studying at Level 3.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To give students a firm grounding in key theorizations of care and as applied to social and medical anthropology.
• To interrogate a range of ethnographic texts dealing with practices and understandings of care in both 'industrialised' and 'developing' contexts.
• To encourage students to explore core concepts in anthropology through the lens of care, eg including kinship, relatedness, labour, health and well-being.

Content

• This module comprising of 10 lectures and 5 classes consists of an analysis of significant anthropological research carried out on the topic of care.
• Content includes a thorough review of ethnographic literature on institutions and practices of care in a range of international contexts.
• Key areas of theory (including e.g. care of the self, ethic of care)
• Application of theories of care to key current issues in social and medical anthropology. Specific topics will vary from year to year, but are likely to include some of the following: care in health care, welfare, commodification of care, caring institutions, technology and care, care and kinship.

Learning Outcomes

• A critical appreciation of the major theories of care for medical anthropology and social anthropology and the importance of care as a disciplinary topic.
• An appreciation of the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to the study of care which combines insights from social and medical anthropology.
• Knowledge of key ethnographic and theoretical contributions.

• Ability to apply theorizations of care to a range of key contemporary issues in anthropology.
• Ability to evaluate critically themes and practices which cut across the sub-disciplinary boundaries of medical and social anthropology.
• To compare and contrast relevant ethnographic case studies.

• Ability to read and critically evaluate academic literature.
• Academic essay-writing skills.

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

• Themes are developed in lectures and are complemented by classes that go into selected topics in more depth.
• Seminar activities will promote group problem solving, examine case studies and incorporate some group and individual presentations. Students will therefore be able to comment on content of lectures and classes, as well as facilitating each other's learning while guided by the tutor.
• Audio visual aids including ethnographic film will be used where appropriate.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Presentation with accompanying 500 word essay plan.

■ 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