Learning outcomes

To further the knowledge of epistemological and hermeneutic basics by taking another look at the main partitions of general anthropology in order to broaden anthropological know-how.

Program

Several topics, from the most classic (such as the concept of politics, economy, ritual, cosmology, etc.) to those most currently under debate (like development, computerisation, environmentalism, the media, etc) will be selected and discussed in detail. The importance of the peculiarities of anthropological subjects, the way that analysis is developed and the characteristics of the social fields in which they appear will be highlighted in regard to all of these topics. The philosophical connections with the various threads of anthropological analysis studied will be the common denominator throughout the lessons.

Texts:

Compulsory text:

M. Herzfeld, Antropologia. Pratica della teoria nella cultura e nella società, SEID, Firenze, 2006

One of the following:

C. Geertz, Antropologia e filosofia. Frammenti di una biografia intellettuale, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2001 (or later editions).
L. Piasere, L’etnografo imperfetto. Esperienza e cognizione in antropologia, Laterza, Roma e Bari, 2002 (or later editions).
F. Remotti, Noi, primitivi. Lo specchio dell’antropologia, Bollati Boringhieri, Torino, 2009 (only the new, larger edition).

Examination Methods

Oral exam.