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Cultures of the U.S. - ANTH 5 Las Positas College **THIS COURSE IS CURRENTLY OFFERED BY DR. MICHAEL MCCAMISH** *Sign Up For ANTH 5 VO1, CRN 31819, with Professor Michael McCamish*
Instructor: Lauren Wells Hasten Email: lhasten@laspositascollege.edu (please put "ANTH 5" in the subject field) Office phone: 925-424-1210; please use email for urgent messages. Office hours: MW 10:00 - 10:50 AM and 12:30 - 1:20 PM; T 12:30 - 1:30 PM, room 2165 ** also available by appointment**
Important Dates: 9/3 - Last day for NGR; 9/21 - Last day for C/NC; 11/9 - Last day for "W".
Click here to jump to the class schedule. Course Description: Welcome to Cultures of the U.S. This course attempts to study the multi-hued American fabric, composed of people from all over the world, with a critical eye on matters of race, class, gender and ethnicity. As a course in anthropology, we'll apply a decidedly anthropological perspective to material that is more often handled by historians and sociologists. While other disciplines often take a problem-based approach, this unique perspective will allow us to appreciate the diversity of this nation as fundamentally important to its survival. In the beginning of the course, we'll explain the concepts of culture and micro-culture, social stratification, inequality and discrimination. From there we'll proceed to discuss the immigration histories of many diverse groups as well as the appropriation, in this country, of native lands. Students are expected to read the assigned pages for the week before coming to class. More than 13% of your grade will be based on class participation, and you cannot contribute to the conversation if you have not done the reading. Success in this class depends upon: (1) your consistent and on-time attendance; (deductions may be made for multiple absences) (2) your informed participation in class discussions; (13% of your final grade) (3) your participation in weekly group work; (15% of your final grade) (4) your successful completion of an oral history-based term paper, and (9% of your final grade) (5) your performance on two midterm exams and a final exam. (63% of your final grade) It is important to keep up with your assignments and come to class prepared to participate. Attendance is required; I reserve the right to drop any student absent five times or more. **Sleeping in class will not be tolerated; please stay home if you are that tired.** NO EXTRA CREDIT WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED. Plagiarism and cheating are serious academic offenses. Any time you provide information that is not common knowledge, you must tell the reader where you obtained it; if you do not, you have committed plagiarism. Plagiarism or cheating of any kind on any assignment will result in a grade of F on that assignment and a deduction of three times its point value from your total score; furthermore, plagiarism on any part of a multi-part assignment will result in the loss of any opportunity to complete that assignment. All instances of cheating or plagiarism will be reported to the Dean of Students and noted on the student's academic record.
1. Racial and Ethnic Groups, 10th Edition (or later), by Richard T. Schaefer. Pearson/Prentice Hall 2006. ISBN-10: 013192897X ISBN-13: 9780131928978 ** THIS TEXT IS AVAILABLE AS AN ONLINE 150-DAY SUBSCRIPTION (AT A REDUCED COST) AT www.safarix.com. ** Grading:
1. Totem Events (Group Work) (15% of your final grade) At the beginning of the term, you will be assigned to a group of four or more people (your clan), who will together choose a totem to represent themselves to the rest of the class. Each week the class will be given four questions to be answered by the following week; each individual clan member must assume responsibility for preparing an answer to at least one of these questions. The following week, you will work together with your clan to fill out a single answer sheet for submission - NO TEXTBOOKS WILL BE ALLOWED IN CLASS. Each individual in the clan must write an answer so there must be four different styles of handwriting on the document. A complete assignment will be awarded six points to be distributed evenly among the people of your clan (1.5 points to each, for a maximum total of 16.5 points each over the course of the term). A less than complete assignment will result in less points to be divided among the clanspeople -- including the ones who failed to participate. This means that you are responsible not only to yourself, but to your clan, for showing up to class and participating equally in all totem events; an absence means your entire clan will pay the price by having to share their already inadequate points with you. The first time you are absent from a totem event, your clan will be kind enough to share their points with you. The second time, they will give you the silent treatment (no points). When you miss your third totem event of the term, your clan may exercise their option to ostracize you (i.e., throw you out of the group). Why would they do that, you ask? Because once you are gone they may band together to answer your question for extra credit. If you are expelled from the clan, you will lose any opportunity to earn further points as a member of the group. Your only recourse will be to answer all four questions by yourself and turn them into your instructor for only one point. You can avoid this by emailing your answer to your clan in advance if you anticipate an absence. 2. Potlatching, or "What's up with the index cards?" (Individual Participation) (13% of your final grade) In this class, you are not only responsible to your clan, but you have obligations to the tribe as well. The headwoman will demonstrate her generosity and capable leadership weekly by distributing gifts (symbolic, I assure you) to all; reciprocity demands that each individual, indebted to the headwoman by her gift, attempt to repay that generosity by giving a gift in return. That gift will be your knowledge, transmitted to the tribe via the headwoman. Expect to have at least one thing to contribute to class discussion each week; you can earn up to 15 points this way. 3. The Term Paper: The Cross-Cultural Conversation Exchange (9% of your final grade) Each student is required to meet with a single conversation partner from the LPC ESL program for a minimum total of six hours; you must do so either at the Meet-and-Greet (to be arranged), or by signing up for the Cross-cultural Conversation Exchange Program at the Independent Learning Center (ILC). Since your partner will be a student in an ESL class, his or her English may not be very good; you must be patient and respectful. Click here or on the link above for detailed instructions. Click here for a GRADING RUBRIC to use as a guide for writing your paper; print it out and attach it to the front page of your final submission. Your final paper, an 8-page oral history, will be due in person, in class on: Wednesday, May 2nd -- NO EXCEPTIONS. Plagiarism in any form will result in the actions stated above.
4. Exams (Two Midterms and One Final Exam: 63% of your grade) Midterm and final examinations are predominantly short answers; the final examination focuses exclusively on material covered after the midterm exam.
Class Policies: No late papers or make-up exams will be granted except in cases of extreme need or emergency. • Please make every effort to arrive on time and remain seated until the class is over. Students who arrive late and/or leave early 5 times or more will have their final scores cut by 10 points. • You must inform me in advance if you anticipate that you will be leaving early; please take a seat close to the exit so as not to distract your fellow students. • Once you have arrived in class you are expected to remain seated for the duration. Students who sign the attendance sheet and then leave without informing me will be counted as absent. • Regular attendance is required; I reserve the right to drop any student who has missed five or more classes. If these absences occur after the "W" date, you will lose 10 points from your final score. • Please turn off all cell phones and beepers during class time. • Any student who arrives for an exam after most of the other students have taken it will not be allowed to take it.
(34 Classes over 17 Weeks)
WEEK 1: Course Introduction Week of 1/15 - First Week of Class; Course Introduction MONDAY, January 15th, MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY -- NO CLASSES
WEEK 2: Understanding Race and Ethnicity, part one [Discussing Chapter 1] Week of 1/22 - Totem Event #1 -- Click Here for Assignment
WEEK 3: Understanding Race and Ethnicity, part two [No written assignment.] Week of 1/29 - No Totem Event -- Click Below for Readings. Historian Barbara J. Fields on the Emergence of Racial Ideology Thomas Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia (excerpts) Film: Race: The Power of an Illusion, Episode Two, "The Story We Tell"
[Discussing Chapter 2] Week of 2/5 - Totem Event #2 -- Click Here for Assignment Film: The Distorted Image
[Discussing Chapter 3] Week of 2/12 - Totem Event #3 -- Click Here for Assignment
WEEK 6: Immigration and the United States [Discussing Chapter 4] Week of 2/19 - Totem Event #4 -- Click Here for Assignment MONDAY, February 19th, PRESIDENT'S DAY -- NO CLASSES
WEEK 7: Ethnicity and Religion [Discussing Chapter 5] Week of 2/26 - Totem Event #5 -- Click Here for Assignment Click Here for Amish Video
WEEK 8: MIDTERM # 1 [No assignment.] Week of 3/5 - Midterm Review (Chapters 1- 5) and Exam #1
[Discussing Chapter 6] Week of 3/12 - Totem Event #6 -- Click Here for Assignment
WEEK 10: The Making of African Americans in a White America [Discussing Chapter 7] Week of 3/19 - Totem Event #7 -- Click Here for Assignment
WEEK 11: The Civil Rights Movement [No written assignment.] Week of 3/26 - No Totem Event -- Click Below for Readings.
**WE ARE SKIPPING CHAPTERS 8 and 9.**
WEEK 12: Mexican Americans and Puerto Ricans [Discussing Chapter 10] Week of 4/2 - Totem Event #8 -- Click Here for Assignment
**SPRING BREAK WEEK - - APRIL 9 - 14 -- NO CLASSES**
WEEK 13: MIDTERM # 2 [No assignment.] Week of 4/16 - Midterm Review (Chapters 6, 7, and 10) and Exam #2
WEEK 14: Muslim and Arab Americans: Diverse Minorities [Discussing Chapter 11] Week of 4/23 - Totem Event #9 -- Click Here for Assignment
**WE ARE SKIPPING CHAPTER 12.**
WEEK 15: Chinese Americans and Japanese Americans [Discussing Chapter 13] Week of 4/30 - Totem Event #10 -- Click Here for Assignment FINAL PAPERS DUE WEDNESDAY, 5/2!
WEEK 16: Jewish Americans: Quest to Maintain Identity [Discussing Chapter 14] Week of 5/7 - Totem Event #11 -- Click Here for Assignment
WEEK 17: Course Wrap-up Week of 5/14 - Final Exam Review (Chapters 11, 13, and 14)
FINALS BEGIN MONDAY, 5/21!
FINAL EXAM: V01 (MW) - Monday, May 21, *11:30 AM*
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Cultural Pluralism Links - still under construction; here's a start. Please submit links! The Textbook Companion Site to Racial and Ethnic Groups - Use this site to review topics and study for exams.
Discrimination and Prejudice: Hate Groups Map - from the Southern Poverty Law Center: "In 1981, the Center began investigating hate activity in response to a resurgence of groups like the Ku Klux Klan. Today the Center's Intelligence Project monitors hate groups and tracks extremist activity throughout the US"
IQ: Cultural Bias in Intelligence Testing - a page from an undergraduate psychology class with links to various alternative intelligence tests. Excerpts from the Chitling Intelligence Test - sample questions from Adrian Dove's masterly demonstration of cultural relativism. Test questions like this: "Cheap chitlings (not the kind you purchase at a frozen-food counter) will taste rubbery unless they are cooked long enough. How long can you quit cooking them to eat and enjoy them?"
Women: The Makeover Revealed - click through a step-by-step transformation from cover girl to real world. Given to us by G!rlpower, a project of the Swedish Ministry of Health and Social Affairs.
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