Course Syllabus

PEOPLES OF THE PACIFIC

 

Anthropology 3160 & Asian Studies 3160

Fall 2018

Tuesday & Thursday – 9:30 – 10:45 a.m.

Office Hours - Wednesday 1:30 – 3:30  Newcomb Hall 

 

Richard Marksbury

116A Newcomb Hall

Office Hours:  After Class/Appointment

504-862-3658

rmarksby@tulane.edu

 

1. Peoples of the Pacific is an anthropological survey course of the region known as Oceania.  Oceania consists of four distinctive geographical areas which correspond to anthropological Culture Areas.  They are: Polynesia, Australia, Melanesia, and Micronesia. We will focus on the geography and history of the entire region as well as representative societies within each of these culture areas.  Although the primary emphasis of this course will focus on the cultural/social systems found within Oceania, some consideration will be given to prehistory, linguistics, and physical anthropology.  There are no prerequisites for this class.  Students are expected to attend class on a regular basis, keep up with the readings, and submit required work on time.

 

2. Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to identify island types and groups within the pacific and distinguish the four Culture Areas from one another.  With regard to island types and their unique ecosystems, students will be able to identify and distinguish among the cultural variations across Oceania.  Finally, students will be able to identify and explain the various stages of Western contact and colonialism throughout the region.

 

3. Required Texts: Given the vast area encompassing Oceania, there is no one book that can capture the region’s cultural variations.  In fact, no such book exists.  Consequently, I have selected three books which will provide you with a good overview of Pacific island cultures.  These readings complement the class lectures and will be incorporated into the tests.

 

• First Fieldwork – Pacific Anthropology 1960 – 1984 by Laura Zimmer-Takahashi
• Making Sense of Micronesia: The Logic of Pacific Island Cultures by Francis Hezel
• A Faraway Familiar Place: An Athropologist Returns to Papua New Guinea by Michael F. Smith  

 

4. Maps: A map(s) of the pacific will be distributed during the first class and also made available on the Canvas class site.  You will need to become familiar with the major island groups in the Pacific and also the location of the regions four culture areas. 

  

5. Tests and Exam: There will be two tests and a final take-home exam. The first test is on September 25^th and the second test is on October 30th.   The take-home exam will be distributed at the last class and must be turned in by 5;00 pm on Sunday, December is on Sunday, December 16^th.  Both tests will be comprised of  discussion questions, short answer, and possibly a    The take-home final will be comprised solely of discussion questions. Questions will come from class lectures, films, and assigned books. Test 1 = 25% of final grade, Test 2 = 30% of final grade, and the final exam = 30% of final grade. 

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6. Response paper: A short response paper, 1500 words, is required.  A response paper differs from a research paper. A response paper is your opportunity to write about your viewpoint from something you have read.  For this project, you will select three different chapters to compare and contrast from the book First Field Experiences. In writing your paper, you should draw upon what you have learned in the class as well as other personal experiences.  The due date for a hard copy of your paper is November 29^th.   Paper will count as 15% of final grade. 

 

 

Course Calendar – Topics to be discussed, test dates, research paper dates

Note:  Test and Exam dates will not change.  However, topics may change on any given date given class discussions, etc.  I use a lot of “show-and-tell” in class and also show ethnographic films, and slides (yes-slides!).  Otherwise, classes are lecture format and class discussion is welcome and desired.  Good note taking is necessary.

August 28 -----              First Class…general introduction

August 30------              Anthropology, Ethnography, Ethnology

September 4--              Oceania, Island Types, Culture Areas

September 6--              Humans enter Oceania

September 11--            Social/Political  Organization in Oceania

September 13—           Kinship Units & Intro Australian Aborigines

September 18---          Melanesia  Read "A FarAway Place"

September  20---         Melanesia  First Contact Australian Aborigines

September 25---          Melanesia -  Discuss A Faraway Place

September 27--            TEST #!                                                                                     

October 2--                  Melanesia -- "Land Divers of Melanesia"

October 4--                  Gururumba, Dani

October  9--                Australia

October 11---NO CLASS FALL BREAK

October 16--               Australia 

October 18--               Explorers, Traders, and Missionaries

October 23--               Introduction to Micronesia – Read Making Sense Micronesia

October 25--               Micronesia

October 30 –               Micronesia

November 1 -               TEST #2

November 6--              The island of Yap Introduction to Polynesia

November 8--              Discussion of Making Sense, World War II, Atomic Bomb, Post

                                    Colonial

November 13-             Introduction to Polynesia….East vs. West (Read First Field Exp)

November 15-             Polynesia

November 20-             Discussion of First Field Experiences

November 22---NO CLASS THANKSGIVING

November 27               Polynesia

November 29—PAPER DUE  -  Post-Colonial Polynesia

December 4 --             Dependency - Oceania in the 21^st Century

December 6 ---Last Class – Review – Take Home Exam Distributed

 

FINAL EXAM --- Due via email by 5:00 pm  DECEMBER 16

 

 

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