Indigenous Peoples of Lowland South America (U04221)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : SPS-3-IPLSA

This course aims to present an ethnographic vision of indigenous peoples of lowland South America as authors of their own lives, as opposed to previous anthropological approaches which frequently viewed indigenous peoples as determined by either the environment or European colonialism. In doing so, it builds upon a body of recent ethnographic work which has sought to understand practices of kinship, historical memory, politics, subsistence, language, and shamanism from the perspective of indigenous ontologies, or reflections on the nature of being in the world. Such an approach provides a framework for an understanding of both broad regional similarities, but also important differences and particularities within the region.

Entry Requirements

none

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Social Anthropology, (School of Social and Political Science, Schedule J)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 3rd year

? Delivery Period : Semester 1 (Blocks 1-2)

? Contact Teaching Time : 1 hour(s) 50 minutes per week for 10 weeks

First Class Information

Date	Start	End	Room	Area	Additional Information
23/09/2008	14:00	15:50	Room G.02, William Robertson Building	Central

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Tuesday	14:00	15:50	Central

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

? Analyse broad regional similarities in indigenous ways of life and modes of thought.

? Analyse differences and particularities in ways of life and modes of thought within the region.

? Recognize the complexity of relations between indigenous peoples and nation-states

? Critically evaluate the development of ethnography of lowland South America and its relevance to the development of anthropology as a discipline.

? Demonstrate the relevance of indigenous thought to the critical evaluation of European epistemologies

Assessment Information

The course will be assessed entirely through coursework. The coursework consists of a short essay of 1,000 words (20%)and a long essay of 3,000 words (80%).