Cultural Anthropology a.y. 2025-2026 – Corso di laurea magistrale in Scienze pedagogiche

CFU: 6
Course code: 8047765
SSD: SDEA-01/A
Master’s Degree: Scienze pedagogiche
Language: Italian

Period: I semestre
Course delivery modalities: in-presence
Attendance: Optional
Assessment method: Oral examination

Pre-requisites:
Having taken at least 12cfu in the field M-DEA/01 in previous years. The course is to all intents and purposes an advanced course and cannot be taken by anyone who does not already have a general knowledge of cultural anthropology. Those who have not already completed 12 cfu of Cultural Anthropology will complete the syllabus of Module B of the Cultural Anthropology 2023/24 course.

Program:
Evolutionary anthropology: the biosocial foundations of cultural life.

Text books:
1 – Reader containing selected articles by Marvin Harris, Marshall Sahlins, Robert Axelrod, Karl Polanyi, and Fabio Dei with Matteo Aria. 2 – Harvey Whitehouse, The Ritual Animal: Imitation and Cohesion in the Evolution of Social Complexity, Rome, Castelvecchi, 2025.

Bibliography:
– Sahlins, Marshall. L’economia dell’età della pietra. Milano: Elèuthera, 2020. – Polanyi, Karl. La grande trasformazione : le origini economiche e politiche della nostra epoca. Torino: Einaudi, 2010. – Aria, Matteo, e Fabio Dei, a c. di. Culture del dono. Roma: Meltemi, 2008. – Harvey Whitehouse, The Ritual Animal: Imitation and Cohesion in the Evolution of Social Complexity, Rome, Castelvecchi, 2025. – Henrich, Joseph Patrick. The secret of our success: how culture is driving human evolution, domesticating our species, and making us smarter. – Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2016.

Bibliography:

– Sahlins, Marshall. L’economia dell’età della pietra. Milano: Elèuthera, 2020.
– Polanyi, Karl. La grande trasformazione : le origini economiche e politiche della nostra epoca. Torino: Einaudi, 2010.
– Aria, Matteo, e Fabio Dei, a c. di. Culture del dono. Roma: Meltemi, 2008.
– Harvey Whitehouse, The Ritual Animal: Imitation and Cohesion in the Evolution of Social Complexity, Rome, Castelvecchi, 2025.
– Henrich, Joseph Patrick. The secret of our success: how culture is driving human evolution, domesticating our species, and making us smarter.
– Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2016.

Educational goals and expected learning outcomes:
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Understanding of the advanced forms of anthropological reflection, on an epistemological and methodological level. At the end of the course, students will be able to elaborate a specific reflection on the symbolic component of associated life with a focus on cultural evolution and economics. KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING: The ability to understand and memorise the basic concepts of evolutionary anthropology is required. APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING: you are asked to apply methods and procedures described in the lecture, recognise the areas of applicability MAKING JUDGEMENTS: you are asked to justify the tools used and provide analysis of the concepts presented, as well as being able to integrate and provide appropriate links with other concepts learned in other educational contexts. COMMUNICATION SKILLS: The ability to acquire and competently use the specific technical language of the discipline is required. LEARNING SKILLS: You are asked to be able to read and understand the technical descriptions in the study texts, to be able to select and correlate the topics studied and to be able to ask questions appropriate to the cognitive stimuli gathered.

Educational goals and expected learning outcomes:

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Understanding of the advanced forms of anthropological reflection, on an epistemological and methodological level. At the end of the course, students will be able to elaborate a specific reflection on the symbolic component of associated life with a focus on cultural evolution and economics.
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING: The ability to understand and memorise the basic concepts of evolutionary anthropology is required.
APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING: you are asked to apply methods and procedures described in the lecture, recognise the areas of applicability
MAKING JUDGEMENTS: you are asked to justify the tools used and provide analysis of the concepts presented, as well as being able to integrate and provide appropriate links with other concepts learned in other educational contexts.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS: The ability to acquire and competently use the specific technical language of the discipline is required.
LEARNING SKILLS: You are asked to be able to read and understand the technical descriptions in the study texts, to be able to select and correlate the topics studied and to be able to ask questions appropriate to the cognitive stimuli gathered.

Methods and criteria for verifying the learning:
Oral exam on the assigned readings. The oral examination aims at assessing the student’s overall preparation, the ability to combine knowledge about each part of the syllabus, the coherence of argumentation, the analytical ability, and the autonomy of judgment. In addition, the student’s command of language and clarity of presentation are also assessed, in adherence with the Dublin descriptors (1. knowledge and understanding; 2. applying knowledge and experience; 3. making judgments; 4. learning skills; 5: communication skills). The final grade will be based 70% on the student’s depth of knowledge and 30% on the student’s ability for expression (written and oral) and independent critical thinking. The exam will be evaluated according to the following criteria: – Failed: significant deficiencies and inaccuracies in the knowledge and the understanding of the subject matter; poor analytical and synthesizing skills, recurrent generalizations, limited critical and judgmental skills; the arguments are exposed inconsistently and with inappropriate language. – 18-20: Knowledge and understanding of topics barely adequate, with occasional generalizations and imperfections possible; sufficient capacity for analysis synthesis and autonomy of judgment, the arguments are frequently exposed in an incoherent manner and with inappropriate/non technical language. – 21-23: Fair knowledge and understanding of the subject; proper analysis and synthesis skills with coherent, logical argumentation, but with language that is often inappropriate/non technical. – 24-26: Moderate knowledge and understanding of the subjects; good analytical and synthesis skills with arguments expressed rigorously but with language that is not always appropriate/technical. – 27-29: Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the subjects; remarkable analytical and synthesis skills. Good autonomy of judgment. Topics expounded rigorously and with appropriate/technical language. 30-30L: Excellent level of in-depth knowledge and understanding of the subjects. Excellent skills in analysis, synthesis, and independent judgment. Arguments are expressed in an original way and with appropriate technical language.

Methods and criteria for verifying the learning:

Oral exam on the assigned readings. The oral examination aims at assessing the student’s overall preparation, the ability to combine knowledge about each part of the syllabus, the coherence of argumentation, the analytical ability, and the autonomy of judgment. In addition, the student’s command of language and clarity of presentation are also assessed, in adherence with the Dublin descriptors (1. knowledge and understanding; 2. applying knowledge and experience; 3. making judgments; 4. learning skills; 5: communication skills).
The final grade will be based 70% on the student’s depth of knowledge and 30% on the student’s ability for expression (written and oral) and independent critical thinking.
The exam will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
– Failed: significant deficiencies and inaccuracies in the knowledge and the understanding of the subject matter; poor analytical and synthesizing skills, recurrent generalizations, limited critical and judgmental skills; the arguments are exposed inconsistently and with inappropriate language.
– 18-20: Knowledge and understanding of topics barely adequate, with occasional generalizations and imperfections possible; sufficient capacity for analysis synthesis and autonomy of judgment, the arguments are frequently exposed in an incoherent manner and with inappropriate/non technical language.
– 21-23: Fair knowledge and understanding of the subject; proper analysis and synthesis skills with coherent, logical argumentation, but with language that is often inappropriate/non technical.
– 24-26: Moderate knowledge and understanding of the subjects; good analytical and synthesis skills with arguments expressed rigorously but with language that is not always appropriate/technical.
– 27-29: Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the subjects; remarkable analytical and synthesis skills. Good autonomy of judgment. Topics expounded rigorously and with appropriate/technical language.
30-30L: Excellent level of in-depth knowledge and understanding of the subjects. Excellent skills in analysis, synthesis, and independent judgment. Arguments are expressed in an original way and with appropriate technical language.

Attendance modalities:
Lecture, group discussion of topics and texts. Attending and participating to topic discussions.