Social Anthropology: Contemporary Social Anthropological Debates

<p>From global change to everyday life, social anthropology helps us understand the world through the lens of human experience. This course introduces you to topical thinking in the field and shows how new ideas grow from classic theories.</p><p>This course introduces you to topical research and key theoretical discussions in social anthropology. Anthropologists develop new ways of thinking by building on earlier theories and methods. You'll explore how these ideas relate to real-world changes in society, culture and global dynamics. </p><p>Through reading, discussion and writing, you will practise analysing important texts and arguments. A theoretical theme of your choice becomes the focus for deeper exploration, where different perspectives are examined and their strengths and weaknesses considered. </p><p>In this course, you will explore topics such as: </p><ul><li>Current trends and debates in social anthropology </li><li>How new theories build on older approaches </li><li>Key arguments and assumptions in the field </li><li>The relationship between theory and social change </li><li>Critical analysis of texts, both in writing and discussion</li><li> Independent exploration of theoretical themes </li></ul><p>This is the first course in the Master’s Programme in Social Anthropology (SASAN), but it’s also open as a stand-alone course. </p>