Social And Cultural Anthropology

Social and cultural anthropology is the comparative study of culture and human societies and the exploration of the general principles of social and cultural life. The course places emphasis on comparative perspectives that make cultural assumptions explicit and contributes to an understanding of contemporary real-world issues such as war and conflict, the environment, poverty, injustice, and human rights. Social and cultural anthropology is distinct from other social sciences in its research tradition of participant observation and in-depth, empirical study of social groups. Areas of anthropological inquiry in this course are: belonging; classifying the world; communication, expression and technology; conflict; development; health, illness, and healing; movement, time, and space; production, exchange, and consumption; and the body. These areas are explored through the key anthropological concepts of belief and knowledge, change, culture, identity, materiality, power, social relations, society, and symbolism. The course engages students with the concepts, methods, language, and theories of the discipline. At the heart is the practice of anthropologists and the insights they produce in the form of ethnographic material. Through authentic anthropological practice, students engage with anthropological approaches and develop critical, reflexive knowledge. It contributes a distinctive approach to intercultural awareness and understanding, which embodies the essence of an IB education and fosters the development of globally aware, internationally minded, and ethically sensitive citizens.