ARS12001 Anthropology of the Contemporary World I

Hiroshima University Syllabus

Japanese

Academic Year 2025Year School/Graduate School School of Integrated Arts and Sciences Department of Integrated Global Studies

Lecture Code ARS12001 Subject Classification Specialized Education

Subject Name Anthropology of the Contemporary World I (現代世界の人類学 I)

Subject Name
（Katakana）ゲンダイセカイノジンルイガク I

Subject Name in
English Anthropology of the Contemporary World I

Instructor To be announced.

Instructor
(Katakana) タントウキョウインミテイ

Campus Higashi-Hiroshima Semester/Term 2nd-Year,  Second Semester,  3Term

Days, Periods, and Classrooms (3T) Fri7-8：IAS K209

Lesson Style Lecture Lesson Style
(More Details) Face-to-face

Credits 1.0 Class Hours/Week 2 Language of Instruction E : English

Course Level 2 : Undergraduate Low-Intermediate

Course Area（Area） 23 : Arts and Humanities

Course Area（Discipline） 11 : Cultural Anthropology

Eligible Students

Keywords cultural anthropology, ethnography, fieldwork, observation, ethics, representation

Special Subject for Teacher Education 　 Special Subject 　

Class Status
within Educational
Program
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Criterion referenced
Evaluation
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students) Integrated Global Studies
（Knowledge and Understanding）
・The knowledge and understanding to fully recognize the
mutual relations and their importance among individual
academic disciplines.
（Abilities and Skills）
・The ability to summarize one's own research in reports or academic papers, deliver presentations at seminars or research meetings, and explain it in an easy way so that people in different cultures and areas of specialization understand.
（Comprehensive Abilities）
・The ability to conduct research proactively by combining knowledge,  understanding, and skills for the tasks, based on flexible creativity and imagination.

Class Objectives
/Class Outline In this course, students will learn the basics of ethnographic fieldwork: a critical method and attitude to explore the contemporary world anthropologically. After learning essential ideas, ethics, and case studies, students will practice ethnographic observations. Ethnographic fieldwork has been applied to many fields, including education, medical practices, and the business world. Through practical fieldwork training, this course will help students: 1) make detailed observations, 2) relativize familiar views, and 3) gain anthropological perspectives.
Participants are also encouraged to take the subsequent course, “Anthropology of the Contemporary World II,” which focuses on ethnographic interviews and data analysis.

Class Schedule Lesson 1: Guidance
Lesson 2: Ideas of ethnographic fieldwork
Lesson 3: Case studies of ethnographic fieldwork
Lesson 4: Fieldwork ethics: essentialization of the other and the violence of representation
Lesson 5: Observing symbols and materials
Lesson 6: Campus observations and reflections: making the familiar strange
Lesson 7: Photo observation: presentation and discussion 1
Lesson 8: Photos observation: presentation and discussion 2

Text/Reference
Books,etc. Necessary readings and materials will be shared in class.
Further readings for your reference:
Lareau, Annette. 2021. Listening to People: A Practical Guide to Interviewing, Participant Observation, Data Analysis, and Writing It All Up. University of Chicago Press.
James P. Spradley. 2016 (1979). The Ethnographic Interview. Waveland Press Inc.
James P. Spradley. 1980. Participant Observation. Waveland Press Inc.

PC or AV used in
Class,etc. Text, Handouts, Audio Materials, Visual Materials, Microsoft Teams

(More Details)

Learning techniques to be incorporated Discussions, Paired Reading, Fieldwork / Survey, Project Learning

Suggestions on
Preparation and
Review Read the assigned reading materials and prepare comments and questions for classroom discussion. Engage with fieldwork (observation) assignments outside the class periods.

Requirements Students who wish to take this course must attend the first class.
English is used as the main medium of communication, but Japanese can be used supplementarily.
No prior knowledge of cultural anthropology is required.

Grading Method Class contribution, engagement with the assignments, presentations, and essays will be graded comprehensively.

Practical Experience

Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it

Message Participants are also encouraged to take Anthropology of the Contemporary World II.

Other

Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes.
Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

Academic Year	2025Year	School/Graduate School	School of Integrated Arts and Sciences Department of Integrated Global Studies
Lecture Code	ARS12001	Subject Classification	Specialized Education
Subject Name	Anthropology of the Contemporary World I (現代世界の人類学 I)
Subject Name （Katakana）	ゲンダイセカイノジンルイガク I
Subject Name in English	Anthropology of the Contemporary World I
Instructor	To be announced.
Instructor (Katakana)	タントウキョウインミテイ
Campus	Higashi-Hiroshima	Semester/Term	2nd-Year, Second Semester, 3Term
Days, Periods, and Classrooms	(3T) Fri7-8：IAS K209
Lesson Style	Lecture	Lesson Style (More Details)	Face-to-face

Credits	1.0	Class Hours/Week	2	Language of Instruction	E : English
Course Level	2 : Undergraduate Low-Intermediate
Course Area（Area）	23 : Arts and Humanities
Course Area（Discipline）	11 : Cultural Anthropology
Eligible Students
Keywords	cultural anthropology, ethnography, fieldwork, observation, ethics, representation
Special Subject for Teacher Education		Special Subject
Class Status within Educational Program (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Criterion referenced Evaluation (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)	Integrated Global Studies （Knowledge and Understanding）・The knowledge and understanding to fully recognize the mutual relations and their importance among individual academic disciplines. （Abilities and Skills）・The ability to summarize one's own research in reports or academic papers, deliver presentations at seminars or research meetings, and explain it in an easy way so that people in different cultures and areas of specialization understand. （Comprehensive Abilities）・The ability to conduct research proactively by combining knowledge, understanding, and skills for the tasks, based on flexible creativity and imagination.
Class Objectives /Class Outline	In this course, students will learn the basics of ethnographic fieldwork: a critical method and attitude to explore the contemporary world anthropologically. After learning essential ideas, ethics, and case studies, students will practice ethnographic observations. Ethnographic fieldwork has been applied to many fields, including education, medical practices, and the business world. Through practical fieldwork training, this course will help students: 1) make detailed observations, 2) relativize familiar views, and 3) gain anthropological perspectives. Participants are also encouraged to take the subsequent course, “Anthropology of the Contemporary World II,” which focuses on ethnographic interviews and data analysis.
Class Schedule	Lesson 1: Guidance Lesson 2: Ideas of ethnographic fieldwork Lesson 3: Case studies of ethnographic fieldwork Lesson 4: Fieldwork ethics: essentialization of the other and the violence of representation Lesson 5: Observing symbols and materials Lesson 6: Campus observations and reflections: making the familiar strange Lesson 7: Photo observation: presentation and discussion 1 Lesson 8: Photos observation: presentation and discussion 2
Text/Reference Books,etc.	Necessary readings and materials will be shared in class. Further readings for your reference: Lareau, Annette. 2021. Listening to People: A Practical Guide to Interviewing, Participant Observation, Data Analysis, and Writing It All Up. University of Chicago Press. James P. Spradley. 2016 (1979). The Ethnographic Interview. Waveland Press Inc. James P. Spradley. 1980. Participant Observation. Waveland Press Inc.
PC or AV used in Class,etc.	Text, Handouts, Audio Materials, Visual Materials, Microsoft Teams
(More Details)
Learning techniques to be incorporated	Discussions, Paired Reading, Fieldwork / Survey, Project Learning
Suggestions on Preparation and Review	Read the assigned reading materials and prepare comments and questions for classroom discussion. Engage with fieldwork (observation) assignments outside the class periods.
Requirements	Students who wish to take this course must attend the first class. English is used as the main medium of communication, but Japanese can be used supplementarily. No prior knowledge of cultural anthropology is required.
Grading Method	Class contribution, engagement with the assignments, presentations, and essays will be graded comprehensively.
Practical Experience
Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it
Message	Participants are also encouraged to take Anthropology of the Contemporary World II.
Other
Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes. Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

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