Bachelor Essay - Social Anthropology

How do you write an anthropological text? In this course, you are challenged to transform the knowledge and skills from the various parts of the bachelor's study into a scientific text. You are free to choose the topic for your bachelor's thesis. However, the assignment must be literature-based, without fieldwork.

The main objective of the course is to apply the skills and knowledge you have learned throughout your studies in an academically fruitful way. You must justify your choice of topic based on what anthropologists have already done in the field, with reference to certain syllabus texts and/or lectures that are part of the bachelor's program in social anthropology. A significant part of the learning outcome for the course is linked to the actual writing and research process. Among other things, this also entails making use of guidance and critical input during the work and giving constructive criticism to others. Together with the disciplinary grounding and the writing experience itself, you will find that the experience in giving and getting constructive feedback on text drafts is useful in your later work.

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

Knowledge

• have knowledge of central social anthropological concepts and theories in the study of culture and society.
• understand the elementary steps in anthropological argumentation and analysis.
• understand the relationship between analysis and theoretical orientation.
• are familiar with both general norms for the use of written sources and the disciplinary citation and reference practices.

Skills

• have developed basic skills to formulate a research question.
• can organize the different elements in an anthropological analysis.
• have the ability to identify and review literature relevant for the topic.
• know how to apply comments and constructive critisism to improve your own text.
• give comments on other student texts in different stages of the writing process.
• have experience with presenting your work orally.

General knowledge

• ability to think independently, critically and logically.
• ability to carry out a scientific analysis.
• developed ability to critically read both finished texts and work in progress.
• know how to present disciplinary knowledge in an orderly manner, both orally and in writing.

Lectures, seminars and supervision. After you have decided which topic you want to write about in your essay, you will get a supervisor from the department that will help and guide you in developing your project further and all the way to the finish product.

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