Genealogies of Anthropological Thought

This subject is not offered in 2016.

85 hours

Admission into DR-PHILART Doctor of Philosophy in Arts or 101AA Ph.D.- Arts.

Demonstrated background in Anthropology.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject will enhance students’ knowledge of and critical engagement with the discipline of Anthropology, through analysing the genealogies of theory and ethnography that frame key debates in contemporary anthropology. Focal debates and concepts will be selected, each year, in consultation with students. With its focus on genealogies within debates, the subject will introduce students to the different trajectories of British, American and European anthropology, and the emergence of World anthropologies. Through exploring the role that different ethnographic foci have played in shaping those trajectories, students will develop understanding of the ways that anthropological argument is deeply embedded in, and builds on, empirical evidence. This will enhance their abilities to conduct and interpret their own research.

On successful completion of this subject, students should have:

• enhanced knowledge of the topic or area of scholarship taught in the module;
• an ability to reflect upon their own research work in relation to the content of the module; and
• enhanced engagement with leading-edge research in Arts today.

1. One 500-word essay proposal (20%), due during the teaching period.
2. One 2,000-word essay (80%), due at the end of the assessment period.

Hurdle Requirement: Students are required to attend a minimum of 80% of classes in order to pass this subject.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

The subjects will contribute, through teaching and discussion with academic staff and peers, to developing the skills and capacities identified in the University-defined Graduate Attributes for the PhD, in particular:

• the capacity to contextualise research within an international corpus of specialist knowledge;
• an advanced ability to evaluate and synthesise research-based and scholarly literature; and
• an advanced understanding of key disciplinary and multi-disciplinary norms and perspectives relevant to the field.