Introduction to Applied Anthropology  (Anthropology 2700, Section 9074)

Tuesdays, 1:55 pm – 2:45 pm (period 7), Thursdays, 1:55 pm – 3:50 pm (periods 7-8), Lit 011

Instructor:  Dr. Willie L. Baber

Office Hours:  Tuesdays, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm, Thursdays 4:00 - 5:00 pm, or by appointment.
B133 Turlington Hall

E-mail: wbaber@anthro.ufl.edu

This course will use e-learning resources (similar to WebCT):  http://lss.at.ufl.edu/

Course Description:

Applied anthropology may be defined as “anthropology put to use,” or the application of anthropological skills and knowledge.

While applied anthropology continues to grow and change rapidly, it has had a long and sometimes controversial history within the discipline of anthropology, and social sciences generally.  For example, (anthropological) science is defined frequently as the acquisition of knowledge that is, or should be, independent of “practice,” or policy. This distinction is noted in the Belmont Report, a reading assignment that you will complete.  Notice also that anthropological knowledge and practice overlap in the roles of an applied anthropologist, who is interested in a specific benefit to a client.

Understanding the roles of an applied anthropologist means knowing the goals of basic research, plus knowing the goals of applied research, and appreciating the human and professional motivations that surface in a world full of social problems and issues.

The goals of this course are, therefore, threefold:  to introduce you to the history, methods, and aims of anthropology including the nature of the roles associated with the work that applied anthropologists do; to introduce you to a few of the content areas of applied anthropology; and to introduce you to how the research process may involve policy, including the ethics of all research.

Outcomes:

At the conclusion of this course you will have learned the following:

1.     commonly referred to domains in which applied anthropology is carried out;

2.   the roles of applied anthropologists in their workplace;

3.   the history of applied anthropology in the US;

4.   specific ways in which applied anthropologists employ anthropological research methods;

5.    illustrations of how the work of applied anthropologists often assume basic anthropological concepts, perspectives, or theories.

6.    the ethical issues involved in applied anthropology and familiarity with ethics in research.

Required Texts

Alexander M. Ervin, Applied Anthropology:  Tools and Perspectives for Contemporary PracticeBostonAllyn and Beacon, 2000.

James H. McDonald, The Applied Anthropology Reader, BostonAllyn and Bacon, 2002.

TEXTS:  Orange & Blue Textbooks,  309 NW 13th Street, Gainesville, FL  32601 352-375-2707

Requirements and Grading

Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act (HIPAA) Training (Ethics)

Level 1 training

http://privacy.health.ufl.edu/training/hipaaPrivacy/instructions.shtml   ..........10

Level 3 training

http://privacy.health.ufl.edu/training/research/online.shtml……………………..............................10
Note: Level 3 training requires you to read the Belmont Report and Code of Federal Regulations.

Note: Complete training Levels 1 and 3 by January 29 (Tuesday), 2008 for full credit.   Late  completitons will be
accepted with a 3 point penality.

IRB (UF Institutional Review Board) documents:

Read the Belmont Report and answer the following question in no more than 2 type-written pages, double-spaced:  How is the distinction between research and practice related to ethics and the protection of human subjects?  Due February 14 (Tuesday), 2008.........10   Later papers will be accepted with a  3 point penality.

In addition to reading the Belmont Report, please take note that Code of Federal Regulations contained on the UF IRB website…. http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/45cfr46.htm

Read about the responsibilities of a researcher (http://irb.ufl.edu/researcherresponsibilities.htm)

Select an article from the journal Human Organization or an article in the McDonald text that was NOT assigned and provide a critique of the article (4 pages) (based upon what you have learned thus far)………………………………………………………………..........10

Critique is due April 8, 2008
Note:  late papers will be accepted with a 3 point penality

First exam…..………………………………………………… ……………….   100

Second exam.………………………………………………… ……………….   100

Four “pop” Quizzes, attendance check…………………….…   40 (There will be 6 of these, in class, no “make-up” possible)

Total Points……………………………………………………… ………………  280

Grading scale:  90-100% =A, 88-89% = B, 80-87% = B, 78-79% = C+, 70-77% = C, 68-69% = D+, 60-67% = D.

Attendance Policy: students are expected to attend all sessions of this course.

Make-up exam policy: You must have a legitimate excuse, such as a doctor’s note, if you miss an exam.  All make-up exams will be essay format.

Cell phone policy: Please turn off or use “manners” mode on all cell phones.

Note:  Students requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of Students Office. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the Instructor when requesting accommodation.

Part I:  Praxis, Ethics, and Anthropology

January 8/10: Orientation and Overview

Read the preface in each of your textbooks, listed above.
What is (applied) Anthropology, how does it differ from basic Anthropology?—the concept of Praxis and Ethics

Ervin, chapter 1 and McDonald, pp. 1-9 (the introduction and thoughts on “roles”).                                                                                                         
January 15/17: A brief History of Applied Anthropology—the concept of decolonization.

Ervin, chapter 2, McDonald, selection #1 (by Laura Thompson)

January 22/24: Ethics and Research

Ervin, chapter 3, McDonald, pp. 24-25 on ethics and selection #3 (by Philippe Bourgois). 

Also, review the ethics statements of the American Anthropological Association (www.aaanet.org) and the Society for Applied Anthropology, www.sfaa.net.

January 29/31:  Applied research and cultural anthropology

Ervin, chapters, 11 and 13, McDonald, pp. 61-62, and selection #8 (by Merrill Singer).

Part II: Policy Analysis and Dimensions of Practice

February 5/7:  What is Policy?

Ervin, chapter 4, McDonald pp. 105-106, and selection # 9 (by Timothy J. Finan)

February 12/14:  Policy and basic anthropological constructs

Ervin, chapter 5

February 19/21:  Needs Assessment

Ervin, chapters 6 and 14, McDonald selection #7 (by James Beebe)

February 26/28:  Program Evaluation

Ervin, chapter 7

First exam February 28, 2007

March 4/6: Social Impact Assessment

Ervin, chapter 8, and McDonald selection #11 (by Benita J. Howell)

Spring Break, March 8-15

Part III:  Selected Domains of Practice

March 18/20:  Beyond Policy?  Advocacy Anthropology, Participatory Research, and Real Time Applied Anthropology

Ervin, chapters 10, 15, and 16

March 25:  Environmental Anthropology

Ervin, Chapter 9, McDonald pages 298-299 and selection #24 (by Edward Liebow)

Note:  Class March 27th is cancelled.  I will attend the Society for Applied Anthropology Conference during the week.

April 1/3:  Medical Anthropology

McDonald, pp. 172-173, selection #16 (by George M. Foster) and selection #17 (by Merrill Singer, and others)

April 8/10: Anthropology and Education

McDonald, readings: pp. 329-30, and selection #30 (by James Diego Vigil)

April 15/17:  Development Anthropology

Ervin, chapter 17, McDonald pp. 248-249, and selection #22 (by Daniel R. Gross)

The April 17th session will include course evaluation, and a review for the second exam.

April 22, Second exam (this is not a "final exam," but rather a second exam covering material covered since the first exam).