Key Information
About the content
This course will allow you to better understand the world around you through utilising the anthropological lens. You will learn about the way in which anthropology as a discipline can shed new perspectives on current world issues, from indigeneity to migration and material culture.
We want to challenge you to reflect on your own perspective when thinking about these issues, how you see the world and how we all engage with difference and sameness on a daily basis.
We will interview notable anthropologists and follow some around the world and into their field to explore the issues, the people they work with and their place in the world.
- The basic skills of the anthropological toolkit
- How to better understand cultural differences and sameness
- How to better engage in cultural comparison
- How to see the world from a range of perspectives and points of view
- How to understand key anthropological concepts and methods
- A knowledge and understanding of current world issues relating to identity, power and everyday life as experienced in a variety of places by a variety of people
Syllabus
GETTING STARTED
EPISODE 1 - ANTHROPOLOGY 101 - I
During the first week of the course, we spend some time introducing the course content and navigation, introducing ourselves and defining anthropology and what it means to be an anthropologist.
EPISODE 2 - ANTHROPOLOGY 101 - II
This week's materials will zero in on Australia as well as migration and how it plays a role in creating multicultural societies.
EPISODE 3 - INDIGENEITY - I
In this episode, we introduce the concept of indigeneity and go into the field with Annie Ross to learn about cultural heritage.
EPISODE 4 - INDIGENEITY - II
This week we explore the Northern Gulf Country of Australia with David Trigger and Richard Martin and discuss indigenous and non-indigenous relationships.
PROJECT WEEK
EPISODE 5 - INDIGENEITY - III
In this episode we meet Diana Young, the director of the UQ Anthropology Museum, to learn about indigenous artifacts and begin work on our own museum project.
EPISODE 6 - LIVING WITHIN LIMITS - I
This week we visit Cuba with Anna Cristina Pertierra and find out what refrigerators can tell us about a family's standing.
EPISODE 7 - LIVING WITHIN LIMITS - II
In this episode we head to Chile with Sally Babidge to discuss the role of diminishing water resources in the community.
EPISODE 8 - LIVING WITHIN LIMITS - III
During this week of the course, Gerhard Hoffstaedter takes us to Malaysia to learn more about the lives of refugees.
EPISODE 9 - LIVING WITHIN LIMITS - IV
In this episode we visit the Darling Downs region of Queensland with Kim de Rijke to learn about unconventional gas mining.
Instructors
Gerhard Hoffstaedter
Associate Professor
The University of Queensland
David Trigger
Emeritus Professor of Anthropology
The University of Queensland
Anna Cristina Pertierra
Associate Professor
Western Sydney University
Annie Ross
Associate Professor in Anthropology and Archaeology
The University of Queensland
Sally Babidge
Senior Lecturer in Anthropology
The University of Queensland
Kim de Rijke
Senior Lecturer in Anthropology
The University of Queensland
Fern Thompsett
PhD Student
Columbia University
Richard Martin
Senior Lecturer in Anthropology
The University of Queensland
Diana Young
Associate Professor in Material Culture and Museum Anthropology
The University of Queensland
Content Designer
The University of Queensland is a public research university located primarily in Brisbane, the capital of the Australian state of Queensland. Founded in 1909 by the Queensland Parliament, UQ is one of six sandstone universities, an informal designation of the oldest university in each state.
Combining the three world rankings of the most established universities in 2023, the University of Queensland is ranked 2nd in Australia and 42nd in the world. UQ is also a founding member of edX, Australia's leading group of eight and the international research-intensive association of Pacific universities.
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Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of California, Berkeley, are just some of the schools that you have at your fingertips with EdX. Through massive open online courses (MOOCs) from the world's best universities, you can develop your knowledge in literature, math, history, food and nutrition, and more. These online classes are taught by highly-regarded experts in the field. If you take a class on computer science through Harvard, you may be taught by David J. Malan, a senior lecturer on computer science at Harvard University for the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. But there's not just one professor - you have access to the entire teaching staff, allowing you to receive feedback on assignments straight from the experts. Pursue a Verified Certificate to document your achievements and use your coursework for job and school applications, promotions, and more. EdX also works with top universities to conduct research, allowing them to learn more about learning. Using their findings, edX is able to provide students with the best and most effective courses, constantly enhancing the student experience.
