Key Concepts in Social Anthropology

How we perceive and represent reality depend on the concepts and notions we employ to interpret and describe it. What are the differences using folk concepts and scientific concepts in describing, interpreting and debating society and culture? In this course, you acquire a basic conceptual framework to make an anthropological argument and explanation. Through course work, you are challenged to employ anthropological concepts to explain current societal and cultural issues.

A student who has completed this course should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

• has an overview of the ongoing debate on concepts, methods and theories within the discipline.
• has basic knowledge about central concepts in social anthropology and can apply these to interpret current cultural and social phenomena.

Skills and general competence

• is able to reflect on the relationship between multi-human and cultural experiences
• has developed a consciousness about the dynamic approaches to differences and similarities in peoples social life, and on the basis of this are able to interpret and produce ethnographic knowledge.

Lectures and seminars. Some of the lectures may be given in English.

Please note that mandatory activities and lectures may start prior to the registration deadline.