University of Essex

SC386-6-AU-CO:
Anthropology of Race and Racism

The details

Year: 2023/24

Department: Sociology

Campus: Colchester Campus

Term: Autumn

Level: Undergraduate: Level 6

Status: Current

Start date: Thursday 05 October 2023

End date: Friday 15 December 2023

Credits: 15

Last updated: 18 July 2019

Requisites for this module

Pre-requisites: (none)

Co-requisites: (none)

Pre and / or co-requisites: (none)

Prohibited modules: (none)

Key module (requisite for): (none)

Key module for

BA LL36 Social Anthropology,
BA LL3P Social Anthropology (Including Year Abroad),
BA LL6P Social Anthropology (Including Placement Year),
BA LL37 Social Anthropology with Human Rights,
BA LL38 Social Anthropology with Human Rights (Including Year Abroad),
BA LL39 Social Anthropology with Human Rights (Including Placement Year)

Module description

This module introduces students to the anthropology of Latin America, focusing on issues surrounding race, gender and sexualities. We will briefly cover the history of race and ethnicity in Latin America before looking at more contemporary issues. We will look at how different people see various identities in sometimes radically different ways.

Module aims

To gain an understanding of contemporary Latin America through anthropology

To be familiar with a range of societies and cultures in Latin America

To have in-depth knowledge of how issues of identity, race and gender are interconnected.

To have an appreciation of culture as processual, historical and contested

A familiarity of the racial dynamics of contemporary Latin America
2. An understanding of various ways social difference can be racialised .
3. A grasp of the ways racism is internalised by groups in Latin America.
4. To be familiar with a range of societies and cultures in Latin America
5. To have in-depth knowledge of how issues of identity, race and gender are
interlaced.
6. To have an appreciation of culture as processual, historical and contested

Module learning outcomes

1. A familiarity of the racial dynamics of contemporary Latin America
2. An understanding of various ways social difference can be racialised .
3. A grasp of the ways racism is internalised by groups in Latin America.
4. To be familiar with a range of societies and cultures in Latin America
5. To have in-depth knowledge of how issues of identity, race and gender are interlaced.
6. To have an appreciation of culture as processual, historical and contested

Module information

Please note that assessment information is currently showing for 2018-19 and will be updated in August 2019

Learning and teaching methods

Two hour seminar which typically involves lecture, discussion, group work and plenary discussion. There is a particular focus on learning through discussion in pairs, small groups and plenary discussion. On some occasions there will be debates, films and independent learning.

Bibliography

Gruzinski, S. and Wachtel, N. (1997) ‘Cultural Interbreedings: Constituting the Majority as a Minority’, Comparative Studies in Society and History, 39(2), pp. 231–250. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0010417500020600.
Wachtel, N. (1977) The vision of the vanquished: the Spanish conquest of Peru through Indian eyes, 1530-1570. Hassocks [Eng.]: Harvester Press.
Collier, G.A., Rosaldo, R. and Wirth, J.D. (1982) The Inca and Aztec states, 1400-1800: anthropology and history. New York: Academic Press.
Swanson, P. (ed.) (2014) Companion to Latin American Studies. Annotated edition. Routledge. Available at: https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/186790.
Thomson, S. (2002) We alone will rule: native Andean politics in the age of insurgency. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press.
Friedlander, J. (2006b) ‘What It Means to be Indian in Hueyapan (1969-1970)’, in Being Indian in Hueyapan. 2nd ed. New York: St. Martin’s Press, pp. 67–94. Available at: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9780230601659_5.
Allen, C.J. (1988a) ‘Coca and cultural identity’, in The hold life has: coca and cultural identity in an Andean community. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press.
Benjamin S. Orlove (no date) ‘Down to Earth: Race and Substance in the Andes’, Bulletin of Latin American Research [Preprint]. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3339229.
Canessa, A. (1998) ‘Procreation, Personhood and ethnic difference in Highland Bolivia’, Journal of Anthropology, 63(2), pp. 227–247. Available at: https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/00141844.1998.9981573.
La Cadena, M. de (2000) ‘Insolent Mestizos and Respeto: The Redefinition of Mestizaje’, in Indigenous Mestizos: the politics of race and culture in Cuzco, Peru, 1919-1991. Durham, NC: Duke University Press. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/reader.action?docID=3007820&ppg=192.
Nelson, D.M. (1999a) ‘Bodies that Splatter: Gender, "Race” and the Discourses of Mestizaje’, in A finger in the wound: body politics in quincentennial Guatemala. Berkeley: University of California Press. Available at: https://search-ebscohost-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=41942&site=ehost-live&authtype=sso&custid=s9814295&ebv=EB&ppid=pp_206.
Canessa, A. (2012) Intimate indigeneities: race, sex, and history in the small spaces of Andean life. Durham, NC: Duke University Press. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=1173254.
Weismantel, M.J. (2001b) Cholas and pishtacos: stories of race and sex in the Andes. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's reading list.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam	Description	Deadline	Coursework weighting
Coursework	Reading assignment 1	19/10/2023
Coursework	Reading Assignment 2	26/10/2023
Coursework	Reading Assignment 3	09/11/2023
Coursework	Short test	16/11/2023	7.2%
Coursework	Reading Assignment 4	23/11/2023
Coursework	Reading Assignment 5	30/11/2023
Coursework	Reading Assignment 6	14/12/2023
Coursework	Book Review or Essay	18/01/2024	35.7%
Exam	Main exam: In-Person, Open Book, 60 minutes during Summer (Main Period)
Exam	Reassessment Main exam: In-Person, Open Book, 60 minutes during September (Reassessment Period)

Exam format definitions

Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

Coursework	Exam
70%	30%

Reassessment

Coursework	Exam
70%	30%

Module supervisor and teaching staff

Supervisor: Prof Andrew Canessa, email: canessa@essex.ac.uk.

Teaching staff: Professor Andrew Canessa

Contact details: Jane Harper, Student Administrator, Telephone 01206 873052, email jharper (Non Essex users should add @essex.ac.uk to create the full email address)

Availability

Available to incoming Essex Abroad / Exchange students: Yes

Available to Outside Option: Yes

Available to Audit: Yes

External examiner

Name: Dr Aneira Edmunds

Institution: School of Law, Politics & Sociology

Academic role: Senior Lecturer

Resources

Teaching materials: Available via Moodle

Lecture recording: Of 18 hours, 18 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.

Further information

Department website: Sociology

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Module Directory

SC386-6-AU-CO:Anthropology of Race and Racism