Course: Anthropology through film

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Course title Anthropology through film
Course code KSA/ATF
Organizational form of instruction Seminar
Level of course Bachelor
Year of study 3
Semester Winter and summer
Number of ECTS credits 4
Language of instruction English
Status of course unspecified
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Havlíček Jakub, Mgr. Ph.D.
Course content
1. What is anthropology?; 2. Defining culture; 3. Cultural categories, organizing and categorizing the universe; 4. Doing fieldwork, practice of research, ethics; 5. Language and symbols in cultural anthropology; 6. Anthropology of religion: magic and religion, ritual; 7. Production, distribution consumption and exchange; 8. Social organization, family, kinship; 8. Gender and sexuality; 9. Power, politics, colonialism, orientalism; 10. Global and local identities, plurality of identities, individual and collective identities; 11. Anthropology of the body; 12. Culture change; 13. Anthropology applied: cultural anthropology in the world today.

Learning activities and teaching methods
Lecture, Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming), Methods of Written Work, Projection (static, dynamic)
  • Attendace - 24 hours per semester
  • Homework for Teaching - 20 hours per semester
  • Semestral Work - 12 hours per semester
Learning outcomes
The course aims at providing introduction to the ways of critical reflection, analysis and evaluation of visual material such as documentary films and movies, from the point of view of cultural anthropology. The course is based on commented screenings of selected ethnographic and anthropological documentary films and popular movies, on class discussions, and on reading of selected anthropological and ethnographic writings. We will examine the diversity of ways the filmmakers and ethnographers portray different cultures. We will also focus on the diversity of approaches towards seeing and representing various anthropological topics through documentary films and cinema. Several issues will be discussed: orientalism, colonialism, power relations, intercultural exchange, religion and ritual, social identity, traditional theatre, music and dance, etc. The lectures of the course are given in English.
The course aims at providing introduction to the ways of critical reflection, analysis and evaluation of visual material such as documentary films and movies, from the point of view of cultural anthropology. After the successful completion of the course students understand the diversity of approaches towards representing anthropological topics through film; discuss the issues of portraying other cultures in cinema; identify the topics of orientalism, power relations or intercultural exchange as portrayed in cinema and ethnographic documentary films; evaluate various concepts and methods of filmmaking from the point of view of cultural anthropology.
Prerequisites
The lectures of the course are given in English, it presupposes the knowledge of English on sufficient level.

Assessment methods and criteria
Written exam, Essay, Seminar Work

Students are required to attend the lectures of the course (the course cannot be completed succesfully, if you miss more than 25% of classes, this does not apply to significant life events or ducumented emergencies), participate on discussions, study the assigned readings, submit the final essay.
Recommended literature
  • Hendry, J. (2008). An introduction to social anthropology: sharing our worlds. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Kottak, C. P. (1991). Cultural anthropology. 5. vyd. New York: McGraw-Hill.
  • Rosman, A., & Rubel, P. G. (1989). The tapestry of culture: an introduction to cultural anthropology. New York: Random House.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester