Wittenberg’s sociology program guides students to develop a comprehensive awareness of human society and culture. The cultural anthropology concentration teaches about other peoples and belief systems around the globe from an anthropological perspective.
Cultural anthropology is the study of contemporary human culture through an understanding of the beliefs, practices, and social organizations that make up communities in that culture. By conducting long-term fieldwork in particular communities, the cultural anthropologist seeks to understand and present the cultural perspective of the communities they study, humanely, from those communities’ points of view.
Because many communities in which cultural anthropologists have traditionally conducted fieldwork have been poor, exploited, or faced discrimination from national cultures, there is a very strong tendency in anthropological scholarship toward social justice and in providing a critical voice against discriminatory and exploitative practices and policies. This social justice perspective goes hand in hand with the general task of relaying knowledge about the cultural diversity across the globe.
At Wittenberg, cultural anthropology courses emphasize cross-cultural or global perspectives, ethnographic methods, and/or a strong social justice voice as it relates to historically denigrated groups.
Degrees Offered
- B.A.: Sociology with Cultural Anthropology Concentration
Requirements
To complete a concentration in cultural anthropology within the sociology major, students must complete the Sociology Core (SOCI 101, SOCI 307, SOCI 360, and SOCI 498); SOCI 110: Cultural Anthropology; three anthropology-designated electives; and one elective in the sociology department.
Course Listings
- Click here to read complete descriptions of the Sociology courses offered at Wittenberg.
Courses
The Sociology Core
The following courses are required for all sociology majors:
- SOCI 101: Introduction to Sociology
- SOCI 307: Research Methods
- SOCI 360: Sociological Theory
- SOCI 498: Senior Thesis
* Students who concentrate in cultural anthropology will develop a senior thesis project with an anthropological focus.
Cultural Anthropology Courses
Students concentrating in cultural anthropology must also complete SOCI 110: Cultural Anthropology; one elective from the Department of Sociology’s course offerings; and three electives from the following list:*
- SOCI 201: Japanese Cinema: Art, Culture, Self
- SOCI 215: Crime and the Media
- SOCI 220: Culture in the Classroom
- SOCI 245: Gender and Society
- SOCI 271: Anime and Japanese Youth Culture
- SOCI 285: Food Justice
- SOCI 315: Cultural Travel Writing
- SOCI 355: Juvenile Delinquency
- SOCI 380: Identity, Self and Society
* Other courses may be added in consultation with the department chair.