Anthropology 240: Peoples of Africa
Dr. MaryCarol Hopkins
Northern Kentukcy University
Fall 1999

SCHEDULE OF TOPICS AND ASSIGNMENTS

The following schedule is a general guide to the topics we'll discuss and the pace we'll keep, not a calendar written in stone. If necessary, we'll slow the pace to cover certain topics in greater depth. We may not see all the films, and certainly not always at the noted dates; they are listed here merely to give you an idea of the things we might be doing. Consider the test dates and reading dates here as approximate, but the final exam dates are firm.

1. Aug. 25 Introduction to the Course
begin Achebe's Things Fall Apart

2. Aug. 30 Backgrounds of Culture: Geography and Demography

read Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart through Chapter 12
lectures on geography and demography

film: Davidson, Different But Equal

3. Sept. 8 Backgrounds of Culture: Language No classes Monday, Sept. 6: Labor Day
finish Achebe, Things Fall Apart
quiz: geography
film: Davidson, Caravans of Gold

4. Sept. 13 Backgrounds of Culture: Prehistory Sept. 14–last day to withdraw without a grade
test: Things Fall Apart, etc.
film: Davidson, Kings and Cities

5. Sept 20 Backgrounds of Culture: History
read Tepilit ole Saitoti, Worlds of a Maasai Warrior
film: Davidson, The Bible and the Gun or The Magnificent African Cake

6. Sept. 27 African Culture and Culture Area
finish Saitoti, Worlds of a Maasai Warrior
film: The Hunters or N!ai or other

7. Oct. 4 Subsistence and Material Culture
film: Maasai Women or The Women's Olalmal or other
test: Worlds of a Maasai Warrior, etc.

8. Oct 11 Subsistence and Material Culture
read Jean Davison, Voices from Mutira through p. 107
film: Davidson, Mastering a Continent

9. Oct. 18 Social Organization: Kinship Oct. 19–last day to drop with a grade of W and remove incompletes from spring and summer.
finish Davison, Voices from Mutira

10. Oct. 25 Social Organization: Political, Economic, and Other Systems
test: Voices from Mutira, etc.
film: James Gibbs, Cows of Dolo Ken Paye

11. Nov. 1 Ideology: Religion
read Jean Dettwyler, Dancing Skeletons through p. 89
film: Roy Sieber, A Great Tree Has Fallen

Nov. 5-6: Anthropologists and Sociologists of Kentucky Annual Meeting; majors are strongly encouraged to attend.

12. Nov. 8 Ideology: the Arts
finish Dettwyler, Dancing Skeletons
Nov. 13: trip to Indianapolis or Cincinnati Art Museum?

13. Nov. 15 Issues for Modern Africa: Colonialism and the Independence Movements
test: Dancing Skeletons, etc.
film: Davidson, The Rise of Nationalism

No class Nov. 19–American Anthropological Association Annual Meeting in Chicago; majors are encouraged to attend.

14. Nov. 22 Issues for Modern Africa
begin Chinua Achebe, No Longer at Ease
Mon., Nov. 22—typed paper draft due, to be read and discussed in class
Weds., Nov. 24 & Fri., Nov 26: no classes–Thanksgiving holiday

15. Nov. 29 Issues for Modern Africa
finish No Longer at Ease
Weds., Dec. 1–final version of papers due in class.
(oral presentation of final papers?)
film: Davidson, The Legacy

16. Dec. 6 Final Week of Classes—Summation

FINAL EXAM: Wednesday, Dec. 15, 10:10-12:10

test: No Longer at Ease (etc.)

Be sure to check your Fall 1999 Academic Calendar (printed on page 2 of your Schedule of Classes) for other important dates. The Schedule of Classes also has the whole Final Examination Schedule.