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Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies

 
Part II | Course not offered in 2023-24 | Convenor: Dr Paul Anderson

Course Description (2022-23)

This paper explores critical anthropological approaches to the study of economy and culture. We will consider how an anthropological perspective can contribute to, and problematize, the study of economic life.

The first half of the lecture series (classes 1 – 4) asks “what is the economy?” We will review anthropological theories of economic life, and explore in more detail the different ways that religion and economy have been co-produced in the case of Islam in the 20th and 21st centuries. The second four lectures consider the relationship between capitalist globalisation and culture in the Middle East, exploring themes of cultural production, consumption, tourism and the city. In Lent Term, students then write an extended essay with support from a supervisor. The main regional focus will be on the Middle East but the themes will also be studied comparatively, drawing on ethnographic accounts from other parts of the world. The aims of the course are to enable students to: understand anthropological concepts and approaches to the study of economic life; analyse the relations between economy, religion and culture from an anthropological perspective; and understand their connection to social and political changes in the Middle East and wider Muslim world in the 20th and 21st centuries. The course is also intended to develop students' skills in written and oral communication, analysis, and critical thinking.

 

This description is subject to change, for the latest information, students should consult the Undergraduate Handbook available on the Faculty Intranet.

Lecturers

Terms taught
Michaelmas, Lent, Easter
Michaelmas, Lent, Easter
Michaelmas, Lent, Easter