Learning objectives

Through various teaching methods (lectures, discussions, case studies, meetings with experts), the course aims to introduce students to a critical knowledge of some key concepts of the discipline and to its methodology; it also introduces them to some open debates within contemporary theoretical and ethnographic contexts with reference to ethnographic material and immaterial cultural heritage, highlighting the sensibilities and potentialities of an anthropological perspective. By the end of the course the student is expected to: a) have acquired knowledge of the main categories used within anthropology and become acquainted with anthropological research practices b) be capable of distinguishing and connecting the concepts of tangible and of intangible ethnographic cultural heritage; c) be capable of making use of the acquired tools to approach contemporary cultural and intercultural processes and of addressing cultural differences.

Prerequisites and basic notions

No particular requirements needed

Program

The contents of the course will cover:
- Basic concepts of cultural anthropology (e.g. concept of culture in its dynamic, procedural, relational aspects and in its material and immaterial components; constructions of otherness: borders, practices and "other" knowledge; ethnocentrism and cultural relativism)
- Approaches and methods of cultural anthropology: ethnographic fieldwork
- Introduction to heritage from an anthropological point of view; critical approaches to heritage.
Texts:
1. Dei, Fabio (2016). Antropologia culturale, Bologna, Il Mulino (seconda edizione).
2. Harrison, Rodney (2020). Il patrimonio culturale. Un approccio critico. Milano, Pearson.

Bibliography

Didactic methods

Lectures in presence, in streaming and recordered, in which numerous ethnographic examples will be presented to support the teaching/learning of the discipline's basic concepts and methods.

Learning assessment procedures

Learning levels will be assessed by a written examination ( 3 open questions). The written examination will last for 1 hour. The assessment method will be NO different for attending and non-attending students.

Evaluation criteria

The student must be able to demonstrate:
- to have understood the important elements of the discipline's main theoretical arguments;
- to be able to express their own reasoning in a precise manner and in a limited amount of time, identifying and selecting the essential elements;
- to be able to critically analyze and connect the ethnographic examples studied to the theory.

Criteria for the composition of the final grade

The assessment test will be in marked in thirtieths.

Exam language

Italiano