ANTH 3760R 01: Cultures:Afro-Eurasia Pol Anth

ANTH 3760R - Cultures:Afro-Eurasia Pol Anth

Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 01, CRN 43915,

Credit hours: 3

Course Meeting Times

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Instructor

Paul Kardulias

Email: pnkardulias@ysu.edu

Public Instructor Information

Instructor Title: Prof.
Instructor Professional Qualifications: BA, Youngstown State University, Anthropology and History, 1974; MA (History), YSU, 1977; MA (Anthropology), State University of New York-Binghamton, 1980; PhD, Ohio State University, Anthropology, 1988
Instructor Office Location: 457 DeBartolo Hall
Instructor Office Phone: 330-941-2359

Private Instructor Information

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Course Description

ANTH 3760 Cultures of Afro-Eurasia [Note – formerly called "Cultures of the Old World"] 3 s.h. An examination of the ethnography, cultural contributions, and achievements of Old World peoples, which may include the cultures of Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia or Australia and Oceania. May be taken up to three times for credit if the topic is different.

Course Readings

Group Title Author ISBN
Required Political Leadership among Swat Pathans Barth, Frederik 0-485-19619-0
Required Political Anthropology. 3rd edition Lewellen, Ted C. 0-89789-890-7
Required Boss. Richard J. Daley of Chicago Royko, Mike 0-452-26167-8

Chapters and articles. Access on Blackboard

Bailey, F. G. 2001. Stratagems and Spoils: A Social Anthropology of Politics. Boulder: Westview Press. Chapters 1-2, pp. 1-34.

Easton, David. 1957. The Analysis of Political Systems. World Politics, pp. 93-106. 

Fortes, Meyer, and E.E. Evans-Pritchard. 1940. Introduction. In African Political Systems, edited by M. Fortes and E.E. Evans-Pritchard, pp. 1-23. Oxford University Press, London.

Hofstadter, Richard. 1964. The Paranoid Style in American Politics. Harper's Magazine, 229:1374, pp.77-86.

Levi-Strauss, Claude. 1944. The Social and Psychological Aspect of Chieftainship in a Primitive Tribe: The Nambikuara of Northwestern Mato Grosso. Transactions of the New York Academy of Sciences, pp. 16-23.

Sahlins, Marshall. 1961. The Segmentary Lineage: An Organization of Predatory Expansion. American Anthropologist, New Series, vol. 63, no. 2, part 1, pp. 322-345.

Swartz, Marc, Victor Turner, and Arthur Tuden, eds. 1966. Political Anthropology. Aldine, Chicago. Introduction, pp. 1-41.

Weatherford, J. McIver. 1985. Tribes on the Hill. The U.S. Congress Rituals and Reality. Rawson, Wade, New York. Ch. 1-2, pp. 3-44.

The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.  

Course Learning Outcomes/Objectives/Goals

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How to Succeed in This Course

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Attendance Expectations

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Late Work Submission Policy

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Additional Course Expectations

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Artificial Intelligence Policy Statement

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Assignments/Assessments

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Grading and Grading Scale

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University Policies

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Schedule of Topics and Assignments

Day Date Reading(s) Proposed Topic Due/To Prepare for Class
Tue 8/25 Introduction. Political anthropology as a subset of the discipline
Tue 9/1 David Easton article Defining politics. An overview of political philosophy, relevant thinkers and concepts A one-page reaction paper on the Easton article
Tue 9/8 Lewellen, ch. 1 Political philosophy, continued
Tue 9/15 Fortes and Evans-Pritchard book chapter The origins of political anthropology
Tue 9/22 Barth book A cultural model for politics
Tue 9/29 1. Lewellen, ch. 2
2. Levi-Strauss article
Non-state political systems
Film: Ongka’s Big Moka
Prospectus on topic for research paper
Tue 10/6 1. Lewellen, ch 3
2. Sahlins article
Emergence of the state Book review due
Tue 10/13 Hofstadter article States and information flow Mid-term exam
Tue 10/20 1. Lewellen, ch. 5
2. Swartz et al. book chapter
Structuralism revised
The process approach
Tue 10/27 1. Lewellen, ch. 6
2. Royko book
Politics and the individual
Film: Daley: The Last Boss
Tue 11/3 Lewellen, ch. 9 Elites, Nationalism
Tue 11/10 1. Bailey book chapter
2. Lewellen, ch. 10
Game theory
Postmodernist approach to politics
Tue 11/17 1. Lewellen, ch. 4
2. Weatherford book chapter
Politics, Religion, Symbolism A one-page reaction paper on the Weatherford reading
Tue 11/24 Lewellen, ch. 8, 11 Gender in politics
Globalization
Tue 12/1 Lewellen, ch. 7 Political protest
Tue 12/8 Research paper due by noon

The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.