Course Syllabus
PEOPLES OF THE PACIFIC
Anthropology 3160 & Asian Studies 3160
Fall 2019
Tuesday & Thursday – 9:30 – 10:45 a.m
Richard Marksbury
116A Newcomb Hall
Office Hours: After Class/Appointment
504-862-3658
- 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. I spent 25 months on a small island in Micronesia (1976-1978) and I will often use the "show-and-tell" method. Students are expected to attend class on a regular basis, keep up with the readings, and submit required work on time.
- 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.
- 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.
- Coming of Age in Samoa, by Margaret Mead
- For the Good of Mankind: A History of the People of Bikini and Their Island, by Jack Niedenthal
- Faraway Familiar Place: An Athropologist Returns to Papua New Guinea by Michael F. Smith
- 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.
- Tests and Exam: There will be two tests and a final take-home exam. The first test is on September 24th and the second test is on October 3 st. The Final exam, (non-comprehensive) date if TBA at this time. Both tests and "exam" will be comprised of discussion and short answer questions. Questions will come from class lectures, films, and assigned readings. Test 1 = 30% of final grade, Test 2 = 35% of final grade, and the final exam = 35% of final grade.
Course Calendar – Topics to be discussed, test dates, research paper dates
Note: Test ,Exam, and Power-Point 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 27 ----- First Class…general introduction
August 29------ Anthropology, Ethnography, Ethnology
September 3--- Oceania, Culture Areas, Reefs, Island Types
September 5-- Humans enter Oceania, Social & Political Systems
September 10 Hunting and Gathering Bands in Australia
September 12 Australian Aborigines, Rites of Passage, Tiwi, , (Read "A Faraway Place" finish by 19 September)
September 17 Culture Area of Melanesia
September 19- Melanesia, Discussion of "A Faraway Place", t Contact)
September 24--- TEST #1
September 26-- Melanesia - Movie - " First Contact"
October 1- New Guinea - Dani and Gururumba,
October 3-- Island Melanesia - movie "Land Divers of Melanesia"
October 8-- Explorers, Traders, Missionaries
October 10 NO CLASS FALL BREAK
October 15-- Introduction to Micronesia Culture area, Colonialism
October 17-- High Islands of Micronesia
October 22-- Low Islands of Micronesia (FINISH Book "For the Good of Mankind)
October 24-- BIKINI---Discussion of Book
October 29– Bikini, Atomic Bomb - Movie "Nuclear Savage"
October 31 --- TEST #2
November 5 - Island of Yap...Island of Stone Money
November 7 Introduction of Polynesia Culture Area
November 12- Hawaii
November 19- Samoa and the Margaret Mead controversy (Have "Coming of Age in Samoa" finished
November 21- New Zealand Maori, Rapi Nui (Easter Island) ) Samoa and the Margaret Mead controversy (Have "Coming of Age in Samoa" finished
November 26--- Race and Ethnicity in Oceania
November 28 -- NO CLASS THANKSGIVING
December 3- -- New Countries, Governments, Tourism, Urban flight and Migration
December 5 --- Last Class. -- 21st Century Oceania..Challenges -- Review
FINAL EXAM ---Thursday, December 12 @ 9:00 - 12:00
Student Code of Academic Conduct
In all work submitted for academic credit, students are expected to represent themselves honestly. The presence of a student’s name on any work, including group papers or projects, submitted in completion of an academic assignment is considered to be an assurance that the work and ideas are the result of the student’s own intellectual effort, stated in their own words, and produced independently, unless clear and explicit acknowledgment of the sources for the work and ideas is included (with the use of quotation marks when quoting someone else’s words). This principle applies to papers, tests, homework assignments, artistic productions, laboratory reports, computer programs, and other assignments. All new students should familiarize themselves with this Code. Lack of familiarity with the code or with the precise application of its principles to any specific instance is not an excuse for noncompliance with it.
Please click on the following link for additional information: https://college.tulane.edu/sites/college.tulane.edu/files/HonorCode2019.pdf
Accommodations
If you believe you may encounter barriers to the academic environment due to your specific learning style or known challenges, please feel free to contact me and/or the Goldman Center for Student Accessibility. Any student with approved academic accommodations is encouraged to contact me during office hours or by e-mailing me to schedule an appointment. If you have questions regarding registering a disability or receiving accommodations, please contact the Goldman Center for Student Accessibility at 504-862-8433 or https://accessibility.tulane.edu/
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Course Summary:
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