Course program
The course offers an introduction to cultural and social anthropology through the exploration of its theoretical and methodological foundations (with particular attention to fieldwork).The main theoretical paradigms that have shaped the development of the discipline will be explored – from evolutionism to functionalism, from structuralism to interpretive anthropology, and postmodernism. Some central themes in anthropological reflection will also be examined: the concepts of culture and identity, issues of cultural diversity and ethnicity, gender, development, the relationship between orality and writing, the categories of time and space, the dynamics between the local and the global, forms of cultural hybridization, and migration phenomena. The course will also include a monographic focus on the theme of cultural heritage, especially intangible heritage, and on the perspectives of anthropology applied to cultural heritage.
Prerequisites
No prerequisites required.
Books
NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS
Students who do not attend the course and wish to take the exam must study the following volume:
Barbara Miller, Cultural Anthropology, Milan, Pearson, 2019 (3rd ed.).
In addition to the textbook, 4 articles uploaded on Classroom must be studied:
Articles/Readings:
Ballacchino, Katia – Bindi, Letizia – Broccolini, Alessandra (eds.), 2020, Ri-tornare pratiche etnografiche tra comunità e patrimoni culturali, Bologna, Patron Editore: 7–44.
Broccolini, Alessandra, 2023, “Il patrimonio culturale immateriale e l’antropologia. Evoluzioni, intersezioni, mondi locali,” DPCE Online, 2: 1667–1690.
Buonvino, Michela, 2025, “L’intangibile cultura marocchina: ambivalenze politiche e poetiche della patrimonializzazione dell’immateriale in Marocco,” Lares, 3/2024: ……
Palumbo, Berardino, 2009, “Patrimonializzare,” Antropologia Museale, 8, 22: XXXVIII–XL.
ATTENDING STUDENTS
Students attending the course must prepare on the course lectures and on the following volume:
Barbara Miller, Cultural Anthropology, Milan, Pearson, 2019 (3rd ed.).
PLEASE NOTE: The contents of the course lectures will be part of the exam assessment.
Frequency
Attendance is not mandatory. However, there are differences between attending and non-attending students regarding the exam texts and the exam format.
Exam mode
ATTENDING STUDENTS. At the end of the course, there will be a midterm test covering the topics discussed in class and the assigned textbook (Miller). The test, lasting 35 minutes, consists of 30 multiple-choice questions. Each correct answer is worth one point. The test is considered passed with a minimum of 18 correct answers out of 30. Students who achieve a score of 28/30 or higher (28 included) may choose to take an oral exam in the January session to improve their grade. Information regarding the oral exam will be provided on Infostud a few days before the session.
NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS. For non-attending students, the exam is written, lasts 35 minutes, and consists of 30 multiple-choice questions on the assigned readings and exam materials (Miller, handouts). Each correct answer is worth one point. The exam is considered passed with a minimum of 18 correct answers out of 30.
Lesson mode
The course is delivered through lectures, complemented by guided discussions, case study analyses, and opportunities for debate on specific topics, in order to foster critical and participatory learning.