Introduction to Cultural History and Anthropology

Teacher(s)

Sappia Caroline;

Language

French
> English-friendly

Main themes

This unit introduces students to the field of cultural history and to the questions raised by the different approaches of the anthropological discipline to the humanities.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	situate chronologically the different anthropological approaches;
2	identify the issues at stake;
3	make links between these approaches and the historical approach;

Content

This teaching unit aims to introduce students to cultural and anthropological history.
"Cultural history is understood as the set of collective representations specific to a society" (Pascal Ory).
The aim is to give students an introduction to the major themes of cultural history through a dialogue with key concepts in the social sciences (anthropology and sociology).
The course is based on two main themes: 1) The cultural history of waste and pollution; 2) Citizenship and coloniality in Latin America.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:

•     Define what cultural history is, its evolution and its themes.
•     Position cultural history in French-speaking historiography (R. Chartier, A. Corbin, Vigarello, Pastoureau, M. Perrot, etc.) and Anglo-Saxon historiography (P. Burke, N. Z. Davis).
•     To make links between the historical discipline and various authors and concepts in the social sciences: É. Durkheim, M. Mauss and the gift, M. Douglas and defilement, C. Geertz and dense description, P. Bourdieu and cultural capital, post- and de-cononialism, Subaltern studies - R. Guha, E. Saïd... -Coloniality - A. Quijano, Mignolo, Walsh, Lugones...
•     Describe and analyse the many sources and methodologies used in cultural history.
•     Describe and analyse sources in relation to the examples seen in class.

Teaching methods

Ongoing evaluation of the course through work groups requires active participation by students.
Readings and various teaching resources (videos, podcasts) available to students via the course Moodle.
Assignments or tasks may be requested from one course to the next.
A field day is planned in connection with one of the themes covered during the course.

Evaluation methods

This course is based on continuous evaluation through group work (number of students per group depending on the number of students taking the course):

1. A first stage of work due in week 8 ;
2. An oral presentation by each group at the end of the semester;
3. Written work due on Friday 22 December.

Assessment instructions and deadlines will be specified during the first class sessions.
Second session (August):

• Depending on the case, the group concerned will represent the improved written work (due on the first day of the second session) and present it in an oral exam.
• Or, in exceptional cases, individual work may be required ( due on the first day of the second session). This work must be presented orally.

Other information

Depending on the year, the organisation of an activity linked to the course and as an integral part of the course is possible: visit of an exhibition, conference, debates or screening of a film or documentary.

Online resources

• The pdf files of the Powerpoint slideshows presented in class
  
• The authors' reference texts are shared online.  
  
• Online videos
  

The teaching material is available on Moodle.

Bibliography

Le cours est basé notamment sur les ouvrages suivants / The course is based in particular on the following books:

• Peter Burke, What is Cultural History?, Polity, New York, 2008.
• Peter Burke, Qu'est-ce que l'histoire culturelle?, Belles Lettres, Paris, 2022.
• Peter Burke, Varieties of Cultural History, Polity, New York, 1997.
• Pascal Ory, L'histoire culturelle, PUF, 5e édition corrigée, Paris, 2019 (Que sais-je, n°3713).
• Philippe Poirrier, Les enjeux de l'histoire culturelle. L'histoire en débats, Éditions du Seuil, Paris, 2004.
• Laurence van Ypersele (dir.), Questions d'histoire contemporaine. Conflits, mémoires et identités, PUF, Paris, 2006.
• Jay Winter, The Cultural History of War in the Twenthieth Century and After, Cambridge Universtiy Press, Cambridge, 2022.

(Voir sur la page Moodle du cours pour une bibliographie plus développée / See the Moodle page of the course for a more extensive bibliography)

Faculty or entity

EHAC