Course Objectives:
This course is designed to give students an in-depth introduction to cultural anthropology, a scientific discipline using diverse theories focusing on unique cultural adaptations of human populations around the world. We will explore the concept of culture, by surveying different theoretical orientations such as evolutionism, functionalism, structuralism and ecological anthropology. We will then apply these different orientations to different subsystems of culture, politics, economics, religion, kinship, health and education. Throughout the course we will examine issues of race, ethnicity, multiculturalism, nationalism, and internationalism, with a sharp focus on Hawai'i, the Pacific Islands, Asia and the Americas.
My ethnographic expertise is in Samoan and Tongan international migration and urban adaptation. My ethnological concerns center on the interaction between cultural groups within and across national borders. Below is a list of recently funded research projects, the results of which have been or will soon be published:
- 1) Samoan perceptions of work
2) Water management in ancient Hawai'i
3) Native fishing rights in the Pacific Islands
4) World War II and cultural change in the Pacific Islands
5) Models of sovereignty in western Polynesia
6) School improvement in Polynesia and Micronesia
7) HIV/AIDS Prevention Education in Hawaii's Samoan community
8) Cancer incidence and mortality in Native Hawaiian, NativeAmerican and Samoan populations
9) Transformations in Samoan Housing and Social Relationships
10) National Service Learning Movement - Civic Democracyand Civil Diversity
I have numerous references in these topic areas if you'd like to pursue one for your research paper. At Kapi'olani, I've been very active in our Asian-Pacific and Writing Across the Curriculum Emphasis.
Course competencies: Upon successful completion of this course the student should be able to:
- -Identify the major theoretical orientations in cultural anthropology, and understand how these orientations shape the fieldwork experience.
-Explain how anthropologists study economic, kinship, political and religious systems, personality development and cultural change.
-Develop a concept of culture that will be useful in analyzing cross-cultural issues in Hawai'i, the U.S. and the world.
-Differentiate cross-cultural difference and similarities in Hawaii's multicultural society.
-Use anthropological perspectives on work to shape career interests and investigate employment opportunities.
-Identify cross-cultural issues and develop a research paper using literature sources and interviews.
-Express and discuss research results in writing.
All these competencies are best achieved through SERVICE LEARNING - see below.
If you are to achieve these competencies, we must work together-- ACTIVELY, COOPERATIVELY, RESPONSIBLY. YOUAND I ARE EQUAL PARTNERS IN THIS LEARNING ADVENTURE. WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
Textbook: Peoples' and Bailey's Humanity is the textbook for the course. You should spend 4 hours per week studying the textbook. Keep pace with the reading assignments as I assume you've read the chapters before I present the lectures.
* SEE SERVICE LEARNING OPTION BELOW Outlines, Observation Exercise, and Research Paper must be submitted on or before the due date. Five points will be subtracted from the score for each day (not class period) assignments are late.
WE MUST WORK TOGETHER- ACTIVELY, COOPERATIVELY, RESPONSIBLY. YOU AND I ARE EQUAL PARTNERS IN THIS LEARNING ADVENTURE. WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
Writing Assignments:
A. Free-writing: Throughout the semester you will do non-graded free-writing that will be discussed in class in small groups.
B. Observation Exercise: The Observation Exercise will require you to participate in and observe a local cultural event. You must also conduct interviews of knowledgeable inforts at this event. You will write a 3-5 page paper on your participation, observation and interviews. Examples of cultural events include ethnic dinners and entertainment and cultural festivals. See me if you think you have identified an interesting event and I'll announce it to other students. This assignment may be turned in typed or very neatly handwritten.
C. Research Paper: You will write a research paper of between 5-10 pages in length, with bibliography. I will provide specific guides for the paper, and check your theme sentences, general and detailed outlines. The text outlining assignments are designed to help you with outlining for the research paper.
As an option to doing the Observation Exercise and the Research Paper you may do Service Learning in this course.
The Service Learning Option: In this course you do Service Learning by providing at least 20 hours of service in the community. See me to review the KCC Service Learning Opportunities Handbook. You should be performing your service work by September 16.
You must keep a journal in which you reflect on the personal meaning of your service. You also need to "make connections" between your service experience (fieldwork/participant observation) and course concepts in your reflective journal writings. I will review your journal entries every two weeks beginning on September 24, and will then meet with you to discuss your journal entries. By October 15 you should have identified library references which will help you reflect on the anthropological significance of your service experience. Your final journal entry should be a TYPED 3-5 page social science reflective essay with bibliography. Total Maximum points is 200 (100 points for the journaling which should demonstrate commitment to the service activity, thoughtful personal reflection and the ability to make connections to course concepts; and 100 points for the quality of your library research and the integration of the service experience into the research paper).
Special service learning arrangements can be made with the Waikiki Health Center where you will work on the HIV/STD Information Hotline telephone. Last semester students found this to be a very rewarding educational experience. Other HIV prevention service-learning opportunities can be arranged with the professor.
If you are a fluent Samoan speaker you can also work with Fetu Ao, a Samoan organization which has developed very successful health promotion, HIV prevention, and youth development programs for the local Samoan community.
WE ARE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN HELPING TO DEVELOP OUR COMMUNITIES IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS:
- 1) CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION - HELP LONG-TIME HAWAI'IRESIDENTS IN THE CHINESE COMMUNITY BECOMEAMERICANS BY PROVIDING CITIZENSHIP TUTORINGSERVICES.
2) TEACHER-LEADER - Tutor at local schools while meeting the UH College of Education's field experience requirement. A great opportunity for students thinking about teaching as a career.We also need tutors for after school general tutoring at Jarrett and Kaimuki Intermediate, and Kaimuki High.
3) ADOPT AN AHUPUA'A - Take care of the land, coastline and sea in the Waikiki-Diamond Head to Makupuu na ahupua'a.
4) TEEN AND EARLY LITERACY - Take care of "created kin." Develop reading for fun skills in teenage and younger siblings, "brothers, sisters and cousins." Also a great opportunity for future teachers.
5) LONG-TERM CARE - Become like an "extended "family member" by helping to meet the needs of the growing number of Hawaii's multicultural elderly. A great opportunity for future nurses and health care specialists.
6) JOURNALISM IN SERVICE "Represent, Construct Deconstruct, Problematize" the service-learning events above for the campus paper and other student publications. Don't like the news -- then begin telling the story the way you see it. We 60's type say -- tell it like it is!!
I am also particularly interested in finding students who are concerned about social and gender issues relating to domestic violence. If you have good computer skills as well, and a willingness to tutor mothers and young children, see me about this special service learning opportunity.
If you have Hawaiian, Samoan, Tongan, Chamorro, Japanese, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Ilocano or other language skills please let me know. You possess many cultural skills that can be used to serve the community and to help you learn cultural anthropology better. Your life experience is valuable. Use it as a tool, don't view it as a barrier.
With the end of big government, we're going to need big citizens. Don't just whine about social problems, do something about them!
Exams: All exams are a combination of true/false, multiple choice, and short essay questions. Makeup exams must be arranged before the scheduled exam period. Students who do not inform me of their absence, in advance of the exam date, will NOT be given a makeup exam, thereby losing 100 possible points. As the semester progresses I expect you to understand how ethnographic data infoms anthropological inquiry, that is, you should see how research on a specific cultural group contributes to an understanding of all humanity.
Rationale for Course Assignments: Research in educational anthropology has shown that in the 21st the three most important personal characteristics necessary for attaining meaningful careers are:
- 1) Self-motivation and self-direction
2) Self-presentation skills, including writing and computing proficiency, and the ability to work effectively in diverse groups.
3) A future orientation and a global perspective
"If you find a rewarding CAREER, you'll never WORK another day in your life."