Unit Socio-cultural Anthropology
- Course
- Social work
- Study-unit Code
- 10990109
- Curriculum
- In all curricula
- Teacher
- Aurora Massa
- Teachers
-
- Aurora Massa
- Hours
- 63 ore - Aurora Massa
- CFU
- 9
- Course Regulation
- Coorte 2023
- Offered
- 2025/26
- Learning activities
- Base
- Area
- Discipline storico-antropologiche-filosofico-pedagogiche
- Academic discipline
- M-DEA/01
- Type of study-unit
- Obbligatorio (Required)
- Type of learning activities
- Attività formativa monodisciplinare
- Language of instruction
- Italian
- Contents
- The course aims to provide students with a general understanding of the main theories and methodological approaches of cultural anthropology, and to promote the integration of an anthropological perspective into the professional practice of social work. In particular, the following topics will be addressed: • Culture, cultural diversity, cultural relativism • Identity, “race,” ethnicity • Family and kinship • Sex, gender • Body, embodiment, illness • Pure/impure, contamination, perception of risk • Migration processes • Education Special attention will also be given to the presentation and collective discussion of anthropological perspectives on the field of social services
- Reference texts
- TESTI OBBLIGATORI - Dei F., Antropologia culturale, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2016, seconda edizione (esclusi i cap. VI, VII, VIII, X, XIII, XIV) - Riccio B., Tarabusi F., Antropologia ed Etnografia per i servizi socio-educativi, Edizioni Junior-Bambini S.r.l., Reggio Emilia, 2024 (solo la seconda parte) UN TESTO A SCELTA TRA - Marasco M. Spacciati rabbiosi coatti: periferia romana e costruzione del panico morale, Ombre Corte, Verona, 2021 - Urbano L. Scegliere la malattia. Responsabilità e riflessività nella riabilitazione della tossicodipendenza, Argo, Lecce, 2023 - Castellano V. Revolving door. I servizi sociali e la riproduzione delle disuguaglianze a New York, Junior, Bergamo, 2018 NON FREQUENTANTI - Riccio B., Tarabusi F., Antropologia ed Etnografia per i servizi socio-educativi, Edizioni Junior-Bambini S.r.l., Reggio Emilia, 2024 (anche la prima parte) - Gallotti C., Tarabusi F. (a cura di), Antropologia e servizi: intersezioni etnografiche fra ricerca e applicazione, Ledizioni, Milano, 2024 (Introduzione più due delle tre parti in cui il volume è ripartito)
- Educational objectives
- This course aims to provide students with an anthropological perspective on the contemporary world. It will offer an introduction to the fundamental concepts, theoretical paradigms, and main research methodologies that have shaped anthropological debate from the nineteenth century to the present day. Students will be equipped with the conceptual tools necessary to develop independent judgments on the topics addressed, as well as self-critical and reflective abilities in relation to the relational and institutional structures of their daily lives—particularly within their future professional practice. Through class participation and individual study, students will learn to apply the theoretical and methodological tools of anthropology to the world around them, with specific reference to the field of social work. The course will also support the deconstruction of the presumed natural character of concepts related to identity, culture, sex, the body, family, and kinship, recognizing their conventional, constructed, and cultural dimensions. Additionally, students are expected to demonstrate the ability to interact effectively with peers and the instructor on the topics discussed, as well as to develop communication skills in both general and discipline-specific language and terminology.
- Prerequisites
- Nessuno
- Teaching methods
- The course will be conducted primarily through lectures, supported by video and photographic materials. Experts in the field will be invited to present their research. Some sessions will be dedicated to group presentations and practical exercises.
- Learning verification modality
- The final assessment will consist of an oral examination, structured as an interview with questions aimed at verifying students’ understanding and knowledge of the topics discussed during the course and covered in the required readings. In addition to the accuracy and completeness of the responses and the clarity of presentation, the evaluation will consider students’ ability to construct arguments, make connections, and use appropriate disciplinary terminology. The duration of the examination may vary depending on how the discussion develops. Students with disabilities and/or specific learning disorders (SLD) are encouraged to contact the instructor in advance to arrange appropriate accommodations and exemptions.
- Extended program
- The course aims to provide a general introduction to the disciplines of cultural and social anthropology (demo-ethno-anthropology), including their historical development, research methodologies, and theoretical frameworks, as well as their relationships with other human and social sciences. The core focus of the course is on how the study of cultural diversity has contributed to humanistic and social knowledge from the late 19th century to the present. The course is divided into two parts: The first part is dedicated to general cultural anthropology. The second part focuses on issues related to social and educational services in multicultural contexts. More specifically, the first part on general cultural anthropology is itself divided into two sections: The first section focuses on the foundations of the discipline, exploring key methods (such as ethnography and fieldwork), central concepts (including culture, race, and ethnicity), and core assumptions (ethnocentrism, relativism, holism). It will also examine the relationship between anthropology and other social and human sciences (such as sociology, history, and linguistics), and provide an overview of the history of anthropological studies from the late 19th century to contemporary schools of thought. The second section concentrates on contemporary anthropology, addressing major themes that are central to the discipline and essential for understanding many global dynamics. Topics include the diversity of kinship, economic, and political systems; religious pluralism; gender and generational relations; and cultural conceptions of health and illness. The second part of the course offers an introduction to the anthropological contribution to the analysis of local welfare services. The aim is to foster a critical approach to welfare policies and to facilitate the practical application of anthropological and ethnographic knowledge in social and educational work.