Undergraduate - UnitATS2376 - Political anthropology: Ethnic and national identities in the modern world

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Notes

Synopsis

This unit focuses on the salience of ethnic and national identities in the modern world. It examines the continuing construction of these distinct collective identities, as may seem paradoxical in an age of globalism. The unit approaches these forms of identification through an anthropological lens as socio-culturally defined forms of community, exploring their high symbolic value and propensity for violent expression. Themes include the relation of ethnic identification and nation formation to issues of power, politics, gender, religion, migration, the heritage of the colonial encounter and the differing forms of multiculturalism in case studies from around the world.

Outcomes

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

1. Draw on and deploy concepts constituting anthropological and sociological approaches to ethnic and national identification;
2. Demonstrate a grasp of key arguments in the main social science accounts of ethnic identity and nation formation;
3. Analyse the relation between ethnicity and nationalism and phenomena such as power, religion, migration, colonialism, globalism and multiculturalism.

Assessment

Written work (3500 words): 80%
Seminar participations/presentation: 20%

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Penelope Graham

Contact hours

one 2-hour seminar per week

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

Anthropology
International studies
Politics

Prerequisites

A first-year sequence in International Studies or Anthropology or History or Politics or Sociology or a cognate discipline or by permission.

Prohibitions

COS2350, ATS3376, COS3350