Syllabus

Course Meeting Times

Lectures: 2 sessions / week, 1.5 hours / session

Course Description

This subject looks at the evolution of the concepts of ethnic and national identity over time, in both social science and everyday life. Students are introduced to the substantial cross-cultural variation in how personhood and social identity are conceptualized. We explore the history of notions about what constitutes a "nation," in the sense of a "people," looking at what the term meant prior to the European nation-state and imperial projects of the 19th and early 20th centuries, and at what it means in the present era of multiculturalism, postmodernity, globalization, and transnational trends such as migration. We examine how both ethnic and nation-state nationalism create narratives about the past that are intended to help solve present-day problems. We also look at the related concepts of race, religion, gender, and culture, examining how each one entails the others. We also study how ethnic and national identity in the West are seen in terms of shared biological legacies, shared histories, and shared cultural content, conceived in terms of 1) shared patterns of behavior — music, dress, food styles, embodied habits (e.g., posture), etc., and 2) inner qualities such as character, personality, or talent. Language ideologies are also briefly discussed, with an emphasis on how linguistic features (lexicon, phonology) serve non-linguistic purposes, for instance, signaling ethnic or national identity.

Requirements

In addition to written work, students are expected to keep up with all assigned readings (approximately 150 pp. a week for the books; 100 pp. a week for articles). Students must attend class and participate; this part of the course, coupled with Reader Responses, will account for 10% of the grade. Students who miss more than 3 classes will lose credit. Students write 3 papers, each counting 30%.

Weekly Reader Responses

Consist of a few sentences describing your reaction to one of the readings for that session. Do not provide an analysis or summary, give us your response to it. These should take no more than 10 minutes to write and post on the class Web site "Forum" before class meets either on Tuesday or Thursday. While these are not graded, they are required.

Exams

There is no final examination.

Papers

You will write three papers, 7 or more pages (roughly 2000 words) each. You must rewrite the first two papers in light of the comments you receive. The revised draft is the version that will be graded. Rewriting the third paper is optional, but highly recommended.

You will also be expected to participate in class discussions and presentations. If a student does not regularly volunteer, she or he will be randomly called upon to speak. Students will present their third paper in class.

The first paper is due in Ses #9. You will get it back one week later, in Ses #11, and must submit your rewrite one week later, in Ses #13. The first draft of the second paper is due in Ses #15. You will get it back one week later, in Ses #17, and must submit your rewrite one week later, in Ses #19. If you plan on revising the third paper, the first version must be handed in Ses #20, and will be handed back in Ses #22. The final version of the third paper is in Ses #24.

The first class hour will be lecture, followed by 1/2 hour discussion.

Required Texts

Eriksen, Thomas Hylland. Ethnicity and Nationalism: Anthropological Perspectives. Sterling, VA: Pluto, 2002. ISBN: 9780745318875.

Gladney, Dru. Ethnic identity in China: The making of a Muslim minority nationality. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2003. ISBN: 9780534066987.

Nagel, Joane. American Indian Ethnic Renewal: Red Power and the Resurgence of Identity and Culture. New York, NY: Oxford, 1997. ISBN: 9780585361598.

Wade, Peter. Race, Nature, and Culture. Sterling, VA: Pluto, 2002. ISBN: 9780745314549.

Other readings are available on the class Web site. The following videos/DVDs will be shown in class.

MacQueen, Angus. "Master Race (1933)." Episode 9 of People's Century: 1900-1999. London, UK: BBC, 1995. [View the episode guide]

Aghion, Anne. Gacaca: Living Together Again in Rwanda? Brooklyn, NY: First Run/Icarus Films, 2007.

Johnson, Darlene, and Tom Zubrycki. Stolen Generations: Genocide and the Aborigines. Princeton, NJ: Films for the Humanities & Sciences, 2004.

Macy, Terry, and Daniel Hart. White Shamans and Plastic Medicine Men. Bozeman, MT: Native Voices Public Television, 2006.

Wilson, James, and Ken Kirby. "Civilization." Part 2 of Savagery and the American Indian. Princeton, NJ: Films for the Humanities & Sciences, 2000.

Griffith, Gerald, and Misha Griffith. Without Due Process: Japanese Americans and World War II. Eugene, OR: New Dimension Media, 1992.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism comes in two forms. The first involves using the words of a source, exactly or in very close paraphrase, without quotation marks. If you use the phrases from the original, you must use quotation marks. If you paraphrase, you must indicate the source, including page number(s). The second form involves taking ideas from a source without indicating the source. Although sanctions for plagiarism depend on its severity, failing the subject is a distinct possibility (I have failed students in the past).