AN454       Half Unit     Not available in 2008/09
Social Anthropology and Darwinian Theories

This information is for the 2008/09 session.

Teacher responsible

Professor Maurice Bloch

Availability

MSc Social Anthropology and MSc Anthropology and Development

Course content

The option course will consider critically the classical evolutionary anthropologists – Tylor, Morgan, Frazer – and their relation to Darwinism. It will explain why their ideas ceased to be convincing. It will then examine mid-twentieth century evolutionary theories, such as those of Leslie White. The main part of the course will examine critically recent attempts to understand culture and evolution and their implications for mainstream contemporary anthropology. 

Evolutionary anthropology and its relation to Darwinism. The rise and decline of the early evolutionary programme in anthropology. Leslie White and cultural evolution. New approaches to culture and evolution: socio-biology; co-evolution; meme theory; the epidemiological approach to culture.

Teaching

Weekly lectures MT, weekly seminars MT.

Formative coursework

Students will have an opportunity to write tutorial essays on topics from the course which will be formatively assessed.

Reading list

G. Stocking, Victorian Anthropology;

C. Darwin, The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex;
C. Darwin, The expression of the emotions in man and animals;
D. Sperber, Explaining culture: a naturalistic approach;
C. Degler, In Search of Human Nature;
R. Boyd and P. Richerson, The origin and evolution of cultures;
L. Morgan, Ancient Society;
M. Bloch, Essays on Cultural Transmission;
E. Tylor, Researches into the early history of mankind and the development of civilization

Assessment

A two-hour examination in the ST (100%).

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