Resources for Assignments (Fall 2017)

For general information on requirements for the course, click HERE.

Late Paper Policy: Deadlines are strict. Barring personal crisis, family emergency, or severe illness (please let me know ahead of time), all late papers will be subject to one half grade off per day late. Except for abrupt crises, no requests for extensions will be heard within 48 hours before the deadline (that includes for reasons of computer malfunctioning, minor illnesses or being "behind").

  • Avoid Plagiarism!
    Plagiarism is a big deal, yet you can be doing it without even knowing it. Click here to learn more about what it is and to avoid it through proper citation practices.

  • Critically Assessing Information on the Web
    Remember that materials on the web MUST be evaluated as critically as any other texts we consider in this course. See this page at UC Berkeley's library for brief guidelines on thinking critically about the web.

  • Citation Practices for Anthropology Papers
    Anthropologists use a different style of citation than many other disciplines. You will be expected to learn and use it in your assignments for this course. Click here for detailed information.

Written Assignments

  • Midterm Paper: Performativity on Film
    In this paper you apply theories from the first half of the course to an anthropological analysis of a film selected from the course database.

  • Film database for Midterm paper
    Go to this website to search the course database for a film to analyze. Search by keywords by country, area or general topic, or browse through all. All films in this database are available in the Reed film and video library. Chosen films must come from this list. If you know of another in the library that would be suitable, please see me.

  • Transcription Exercise
    This exercise gives you a chance to try your hand at transcribing a brief film clip of an interaction from the 1992 documentary film "Paris is Burning".

  • Final Paper: Ethnography of Performativity
    In this paper you address the implications of performativity theories and debates for anthropological analysis and ethnographic practice.