Course Outline for Applied Anthropology, A-301

Department Anthropology, Quaid e Azam University Islamabad

Applying Instructor Sohaib Riaz (Author Name, Sohaib Bodla)

Course Outline for Fall Semester 2017

Week No. Dates Topics, Readings, Class Assignments

1 Introductions. Discussion on the Course Outline, plan of
semester, setting of the deadlines and a small home
assignment, Documentary: Secrets of the Tribe. One central e-
mail of the class would be set up to disseminate/submit
material and assignments. All the readings mentioned in the
outline would be provided by instructor this day.
2nd Lecture Topic: Colonialism and Anthropology: A prelude to
Applied Anthropology. The lecture would be primarily (but not
limited to) based on Talal Asad’s introduction in Anthropology
and Colonial Encounter (Asad 1975). Reading this chapter is
optional but it is encouraged to read optional material. 40
minutes lecture and 20 minutes Qs and As. Last twenty
minutes of the class would be, most of the times, reserved for
preparing for next class, a small relevant
video/audio/pictorial/poster presentation or covering of a
sub-topic from instructor or students. The list of
documentaries and short films would also be shared.

2 Lecture: What is Applied/Practicing/Engaged/Action

Anthropology? Definitions, boundaries, Confusions, Evolution
and history, Its scope and roles of anthropologists. A short
exercise and lecture about ‘How to read an academic text’.
First written assignment to be given this day
2nd Class. Debate on Orientalism and Applied Anthropology,
ethical issues surrounding Applied Anthropology. Discussion
on the ethical issues encountered during fieldwork and
writing of an ethnography.
3 This whole week is dedicated to Theories and concepts in
Applied Anthropology. There would a general introduction to
 main theoretical currents in anthropology in general and
specific references to theories in applied Anthropology, and
the relation between theory and its praxis would be analyzed
in class discussion. There would be a short quiz at the end of
second lecture in this week.
Reading: Theories of Practice in Anthropology: A critical
appraisal (Baba 2000)
4 Methods in Applied Anthropology: How ethnography,
participant observation and other applied methods have and
are making difference in production of case studies, policies
and outcomes. Lecture and Discussion continues in next class.
Reading: A Dispute in Donggo: Fieldwork and Ethnography
(Monghan and Just 2000)
5 First Sessional. Screening of a film ‘An Idiot Abroad-China’ This
depends upon the possibility of the availability of media and
required sounds in class, If this could not be materialized,
alternative ways to watch can be negotiated. 2nd Class would
be a guest lecture by a practicing anthropology under the title
of “Putting Anthropology in Practice: Advantages, challenges
and Possibilities”
6 Lecture: Culture and Globalization. What is culture and
Globalization? How it is relevant in today’s globalized world,
Anthropology in 21st century. 2nd class of this week would
focus on to discover how fields of Anthropology i.e.
Archeology, Linguistics, and Physical Anthropologists have
applied anthropology.
(Readings for this week are under consideration)
7 Domains of Application: Development Anthropology in the
times of Globalization. 2nd lecture topics, Anthropology of
Development, how not to be a development Anthropologist.
Compulsory reading, Development, Devolution and Discourse
in The Applied Anthropology of Globalization (Lewellen 2002).
Optional Reading: Identity, Power, and Development: The
Kondhs in Orissa, India. (Xaxa 2012) In, The Politics of
Resource Extraction pp 180-203. Ed. (Sawyer and Gomez
2012). Anti-Politics Machine: Development and Political
Power in Lesotho (Ferguson 1994)
Case Studies: 1. Trees in Haiti. 2. Economic Development in
Honduras

8 Presentations Week. Group Presentations based on Handbook

of Practicing Anthropology (Nolan 2013). Each group would be
assigned chapters of the book for presentation, the book will
be provided timely. It is up to groups to select the format of
 presentation like, Whiteboard/Oral/Poster/Multimedia
9 Domains of Application: pedagogy and education.
Reading: Article by Brian McKenna, Paulo Freire’s Blunt
challenge to Anthropology: Create a Pedagogy of the
Oppressed for Your Times. (McKenna 2013).
Education And Development in The Karakorum: Educational
Expansion And its Impacts in Gilgit Baltistan
(Benz 2012)
Case Study: 1. Education in Northern Pakistan 2. Schools in
Hawaii

10 Applied Anthropology and health, Nutrition, medicine and

changing dietary patterns of homo sapiens.
Reading: Book Chapter, Salt, Sugar, Fat and Sloth in The
World Until Yesterday (Diamond 2012)
Medicine at the Margins: Conflict Sectarianism and Health
Management in Gilgit Baltistan. (Varley 2014)
Case Study. Diabetes in Mexico. 2. AIDS and Anthropology
research in South Africa. Results of First Written Assignment
and topics/readings for second written assignment
11 Second Sessional. Short lecture and discussion on New Dimensions
in Applied Anthropology, (Reading to be decided). 2nd class Applied
Anthropology and the question of gender in south Asia. A Quiz
12 Applied Anthropology and Visual Anthropology
Compulsory Reading: Applied Visual Anthropology: Social
Intervention, Visual Methodologies and Anthropology (Pink
2001)
Handing over of 2nd writing Assignment
13 . How Anthropology is applied in the field of Politics, Gender
and economy. The reading for this class will be decided before
the start of first lecture. Case Studies. The gender question in
Pakistan. 2. Mediation with Trukese Villagers.
14 Anthropology and Environment/ecology in Globalized world.
How Anthropology is being used to address the global
warming and environment issues.
Reading. The New Ecological Anthropology (Kottak) in, The
Environment in Anthropology: A Reader in Ecology, Culture,
and Sustainable Living (Haenn and Wilk 2006)
15 Proposal Writing workshop. The last class is dedicated to
proposal writing, where with certain exercises students would
learn and make a short research proposal.
16 Academic activities would be planned for the first class after
consultation with the class throughout the semester, for
example this could include how to find a job/work using
 Anthropology, Or another guest lecturer/ film or covering of
less discussed topics etc. Last class of semester would be
declaring of results, discussion on grades, Discussion on the
syllabus for Terminal exam. End of semester.

Grading

Two Sessional Each consisting of 15 Marks (total 30 Marks)

Attendance and discussion in class 5 Marks
Two Individual Writing Assignments Each having 10 Marks (20 Marks)
Presentation 10 Marks
Surprise and announced quizzes 10 Marks. The breakup of these marks is
situational
Total 75 Marks