Bi1221 History of Anthropology

Faculty of Science
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
RNDr. Robin Pěnička, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Paride Bollettin, MSc., Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
RNDr. Robin Pěnička, Ph.D.
Department of Anthropology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: RNDr. Robin Pěnička, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Anthropology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Prerequisites
Do not require
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course introduces students to the history and present of major anthropological theories and paradigms in the context of general (bio-socio-cultural) anthropology. At the end the course, students should be able to orient themselves in the basic paradigms of anthropological theory and research of man and his world, they should be able to define different approaches to man as biocultural entities, culture and human nature, including orientation in contemporary trends in general anthropology.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
• identify and summarize important features of individual anthropological paradigms;
• identify and describe contemporary trends in general anthropology;
• orientate oneself in the issues of a globalized society;
• to propose a suitable research method for the phenomena of a globalized society.
Syllabus
  • Lectures:
  • 1. What is anthropology? Introduction to the history of anthropological thinking.
  • 2. What means to be a human? A view of man from antiquity to the present.
  • 3. Culture. Basic definitions, approaches and explanation of the term.
  • 4. Man, nature and culture. The influence of the ecosystem on the cultural manifestations of man and society (March 10, 2022). 5. Exchange, donate and buy. Economic behavior of the individual and society, socio-economic exchange (gift, kula, social exchange theory).
  • 6. Language, culture and society. The influence of language on the thinking and behavior of the individual and society.
  • 7. Family, descendants and origin. Genealogy and kinship research in human societies.
  • 8. Childhood, education and emotions. Human behavior under the dictates of culture - cultural determinism, cultural relativism.
  • 9. Witchcraft, magic and ritual. The role of faith and religion in human society, "rite de passage".
  • 10. Anthropology and archeology. Diverse relationship between anthropology and archeology, basic theses of archaeological anthropology.
  • 11. Anthropology and race.
  • 12. Contemporary trends in human and cultural research. Changes in the concept of culture, culture and society in a globalized world, the involvement of natives and anthropologists in solving contemporary problems of a globalized society.
  • 13. Field anthropology: research methods, reflexivity, ethnographies. Basic thesis of field research in anthropology, changes in the approach to the subject of research, anthropology at home.
Literature
  • BENEDICT, Ruth. Patterns of culture. Edited by Margaret Mead. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1959, xvi, 290. info
  • BOAS, Franz. Race, language and culture. New York: Macmillan Company, 1940, xx, 647. info
  • SOUKUP, Václav. Dějiny antropologie : (encyklopedický přehled dějin fyzické antropologie, paleoantropologie, sociální a kulturní antropologie). Praha: Karolinum, 2004, 667 stran. ISBN 8024603373. info
  • BOUKAL, Tomáš. Ekologická antropologie : kapitoly z dějin oboru. Vyd. 1. Pardubice: Univerzita Pardubice, 2012, 197 s. ISBN 9788073954758. info
  • MEAD, Margaret. Coming of age in Samoa : a psychological study of primitive youth for western civilisation. 1st print. New York: Mentor book, 1949, 192 s. info
  • LÉVI-STRAUSS, Claude. Strukturální antropologie. Translated by Jindřich Vacek. Vyd. 1. Praha: Argo, 2006, 374 s. ISBN 8072037137. info
  • SOUKUP, Martin. Základy kulturní antropologie. 2. rozšířené vydání. Červený Kostelec: Pavel Mervart, 2015, 273 stran. ISBN 9788074651861. info
  • WOLF, Josef. Kulturní a sociální antropologie. Vyd. 1. Praha: Svoboda, 1971, 354 s. info
  • BUDIL, Ivo T. Mýtus, jazyk a kulturní antropologie. Vyd. 4. Praha: Triton, 2003, 487 s. ISBN 8072543210. info
  • MALINOWSKI, Bronisław. Argonauts of the Western Pacific : an account of native enterprise and adventure in the archipelagoes of melanesian New Guinea. Edited by James George Frazer. [London: Lightning Source UK, 2009, xxxi, 527. ISBN 9781406752564. info
  • MALINA, Jaroslav. Encyklopedie antropologie (Encyclopaedia of Anthropology). 2. aktual. vyd. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2011. Elportál. ISBN 978-80-210-5716-6. URL info
  • GEERTZ, Clifford. Interpretace kultur : vybrané eseje. Translated by Hana Červinková - Václav Hubinger - Hedvika Humlíčková. Vydání první. Praha: Sociologické nakladatelství, 2000, 565 stran. ISBN 8085850893. info
Teaching methods
Theoretical preparation, class discussion, group activities, reading papers.
Assessment methods
To earn credits, presence at lectures is recommended; the course is concluded with written exam - to pass the exam successfully the student must prove good knowledge of the issues discussed during lectures and in the required reading.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2007 - for the purpose of the accreditation, Autumn 2010 - only for the accreditation, Autumn 2003, Autumn 2004, Autumn 2005, Autumn 2006, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2008, Autumn 2009, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2011 - acreditation, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, autumn 2017, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/spring2025/Bi1221