Learning outcomes

Through various different teaching methods (lectures, discussions, meetings with experts, films), the course aims to introduce students to a critical understanding of key concepts of the discipline and to some open issues within the contemporary ethnographic and theoretical contexts, with particular reference to the theme of cultural heritage, and highlighting the peculiar sensitivity and the potential of an the anthropological approach .

Program

The course introduces students to some of the central concepts of the discipline such as culture, identity, tradition, memory, heritage and the methodological and theoretical issues to which they refer. The area of tangible and intangible cultural heritage and processes of “patrimonializzazione” (heritage-making) by which cultural production are defined as heritage will be discussed through an in-depth knowledge analysis /exploration of specific ethnographic cases.

Course Readings:
- F. Dei, 2012, Antropologia culturale, il Mulino, Bologna
- A. Paini, M. Aria, a cura, 2014, La densità delle cose. Oggetti ambasciatori tra Europa e Oceania, Pacini editore, Pisa.

One of the following articles:
- M. Jolly, 2011, “Oggetti in movimento: riflessione sulle collezioni d’Oceania”, in A. Paini, E. Gnecchi Ruscone, a cura, numero monografico La ricerca folklorica, 63, pp.29-50.
- L. Turgeon, 2007, "La memoria delle cultura materiale e la cultura materiale della memoria", in S. Bernardi, F.Dei, P.Meloni, a cura, La materia del quotidiano. Per un'antropologia degli oggetti ordinari, Pacini editore, Pisa, pp. 103-124.

Examination Methods

Final oral exam.

For those attending classes : class participation, in-class presentation and reports/papers .

Erasmus and international students may study the texts and take the final exam in English or French.