The course combines classical anthropological theory and contemporary debates in anthropology to unpack the multiplicity of ecologies. In addition to rethink the working definitions of ecology, nature, wilderness, the course aims to show the multi-layered relationship between social distinctions and conceptions of nature. Finally, the course critically engages with drastic environmental, climatic changes and their effects on sociocultural organizations.
Vertical Tabs
Course Learning Outcomes
| Learning Outcomes |
Program Learning Outcomes |
Teaching Methods | Assessment Methods |
| 1. Develop a critical understanding of the sociocultural conceptions of nature and ecology. | 1,2,10 | 1,2,3,5 | A, D, E |
| 2. Recognize the effect of ecological relations in configuring social worlds. | 1,2,6,10 | 1,2,3,5 | A, D, E |
| 3. Become familiar with the wide variety of ecological relationships, cross-cultural systems of adaptation and subsistence. | 9,10 | 1,2,3,5 | A, D, E |
| 4. Learn about the intersections of environmental relations and social conflicts. | 6,9,10 | 1,2,3,5 | A, D, E |
| 5. Practice utilizing critical anthropological tools in analyzing the role of tradition, science, and activism in ecological relations. | 5,6,9,10 | 1,2,3,5 | A, D, E |
| 6. Develop an understanding of intersectionality in environmental studies. | 5,9,10 | 1,2,3,5 | A, D, E |
| 7. Envision an environmental future in a multispecies way. | 6,10 | 1,2,3,5 | A, D, E |
Course Flow
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COURSE CONTENT |
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Week |
Topic |
Study Materials |
|
1 |
Introduction: What is nature? What is environmental anthropology? |
McLean, Stuart. 2016. "Nature." Theorizing the Contemporary, Fieldsights, January, 21.
West, Paige. 2020. “Translations, Palimpsests, and Politics. Environmental Anthropology Now.” Ethnos 85 (1): 118–23. |
|
2 |
Discussions on the concept of “wilderness” and the dichotomy between nature and culture |
Cronon, W. 1995. "The Trouble with Wilderness; or, Getting Back to the Wrong Nature," in Uncommon Ground: toward reinventing nature. Edited by W. Cronon, 69-90. New York: WW Norton.
Milton, Kay. 2006. "Cultural Theory and Environmentalism." In The Environment in Anthropology: A Reader in Ecology, Culture, and Sustainable Living edited by Nora Haenn, and Richard Wilk, 351-354. New York, USA: New York University Press. |
|
3 |
Descriptions of ecological relations in classical anthropology: seasonal variation, adaptability and social classification |
Mauss, M., 2004. “Seasonal Morphology,” “Conclusion.” In Seasonal variations of the Eskimo: a study in social morphology, 36-52, 76-84. Routledge.
Geertz, Clifford. 1972. “The Wet and the Dry: Traditional Irrigation in Bali and Morocco.” Human Ecology 1 (1): 23–39. |
|
4 |
Descriptions of ecological relations in classical anthropology: ecology and materiality |
Evans-Pritchard, E.E., 1940. “Oecology.” In The Nuer: A Description of the Modes of Livelihood and Political Institutions of Nilotic People, 51-83. Clarendon Press, Oxford.
Harris, M., et al. 1966. “The Cultural Ecology of India’s Sacred Cattle [and Comments and Replies].” Current Anthropology 7 (1): 51–66. |
|
5 |
Ecological relations, knowledge systems and governmentality |
Wanderer, Emily. 2018. “The Axolotl in Global Circuits of Knowledge Production: Producing Multispecies Potentiality.” Cultural Anthropology 33 (4): 650–79.
Kirac, Nimet. 2021. “How Turkey’s Endangered Mountain Gazelle Was Saved from Extinction.” Middle East Eye. March 1, 2021. |
|
6 |
Nature as a frontier for capitalist extraction |
Tsing, A.L., 2005. “Frontiers of Capitalism.” In Friction: An Ethnography of Global Connection, 27-50. Princeton University Press. “An Urgent Message from Akbelen Forest Resistance – İkizköy Direniyor.” n.d. |
|
7 |
Nature and gender |
Alaimo, S., 2010. “Eluding capture: The science, culture, and pleasure of "queer" animals.” In Queer Ecologies: Sex, Nature, Politics, Desire edited by Catriona Mortimer-Sandilands and Bruce Erikson, 51-72. Indiana University Press.
Federici, Silvia. n.d. “Feminism and the Politics of the Commons | The Wealth of the Commons.” Hunt, Elle. 2020. “The Eco Gender Gap: Why Is Saving the Planet Seen as Women’s Work?” The Guardian, February 6, 2020, sec. Environment. |
|
8 |
Just environments, intersectionality and environmental racism |
Vasudevan, Pavithra. 2021. “An Intimate Inventory of Race and Waste.” Antipode 53 (3): 770–90.
Berger, Jamie. 2022. “How Black North Carolinians Pay the Price for the World’s Cheap Bacon.” Vox. April 1, 2022. |
|
9 |
Settler colonialism, ecology and environmental injustice |
Whyte, Kyle. 2018. “Settler Colonialism, Ecology, and Environmental Injustice.” Environment and Society 9 (1): 125–44.
Murphy, Michelle. 2017. “Alterlife and Decolonial Chemical Relations.” Cultural Anthropology 32 (4): 494–503.
Lucchesi, Annita. 2020. “Our Bodies Are the Front Lines: Responding to Land-Based Gender Violence.” Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly. March 23, 2020. |
|
10 |
Biodiversity, sustainability and violence |
Bocci, Paolo. 2017. “Tangles of Care: Killing Goats to Save Tortoises on the Galápagos Islands.” Cultural Anthropology 32 (3): 424–49.
Smith, Helena. 2019. “Cyprus Begins Lionfish Cull to Tackle Threat to Mediterranean Ecosystem.” The Guardian, May 29, 2019, sec. Environment. |
|
11 |
Envisioning environmental futures: What is the Anthropocene? |
Tsing, Anna L., et al., 2020. “What is the Anthropocene?” In Feral Atlas: The More-Than-Human Anthropocene.
Hetherington, K., 2020. “Introduction: Governing the Anthropocene.” In The Government of Beans: Regulating Life in the Age of Monocrops, 1-18. Duke University Press. |
|
12 |
Anthropocene, Capitalocene, Plantationocene |
Haraway, D., 2016. “Tentacular thinking: Anthropocene, capitalocene, chthulucene.” In Staying with the trouble: making kin in the Chthulucene, 30-57.
Haraway, Donna, and Drew Endy. 2019. “Tools for Multispecies Futures.” Journal of Design and Science, no. 4 (October). |
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13 |
Ecological possibilities of life amidst capitalist destruction |
Tsing, A.L., 2015. “Arts of Noticing,” “Contamination as Collaboration,” “Working the Edge,” “Spore Trail.” In The Mushroom at the End of the World: On the Possibility of Life in Capitalist Ruins,17-26, 27-36, 61-70, 285-288. Princeton University Press. |
|
14 |
Taking responsibility for the environmental futures |
Nünning, Ansgar. 2020. “Taking Responsibility for the Future: Ten Proposals for Shaping the Future of the Study of Culture into a Problem-Solving Paradigm.” In Taking Responsibility for the Future: Ten Proposals for Shaping the Future of the Study of Culture into a Problem-Solving Paradigm, 29–65. De Gruyter.
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Recommended Sources
| RECOMMENDED SOURCES | |
| Textbook | |
| Additional Resources | |
Material Sharing
| MATERIAL SHARING | |
| Documents | YULearn |
| Assignments | YULearn |
| Exams | YULearn |
Assessment
| ASSESSTMENT | ||
| In-Term Studies | Number | Percentage |
| Presentation | 1 | 10 |
| Assignment | 2 | 40 |
| Final Exam | 1 | 50 |
| Total | 100 | |
| Contribution of Final Examination to Overall Grade | 50 | |
| Contribution of In-Term Studies to Overall Grade | 50 | |
| Total | 100 | |
Course’s Contribution to Program
| COURSE'S CONTRIBUTION TO PROGRAM | ||||||
| No | Program Learning Outcomes | Contribution | ||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 1 | Acquires the basic terms, theoretical point of views and the historical evolution of anthropology. | X | ||||
| 2 | Gains insight into the subfields of anthropology and the unique methods and applications of these fields. | X | ||||
| 3 | Possess knowledge about conducting ethnographic study, which is the basic research method of anthropology, and designs fieldwork accordingly. | X | ||||
| 4 | Formulates questions and evaluates research findings through analytical, critical and creative thinking by utilizing the knowledge and skills of anthropology. | X | ||||
| 5 | Demonstrates adherence to scientific and ethical values in fieldwork and academic research and acts in accordance with these values. | X | ||||
| 6 | Identifies social problems and develops social projects using anthropological theory and research methods. | X | ||||
| 7 | Effectively utilizes current databases, information resources, and information technologies. | X | ||||
| 8 | Designs interdisciplinary studies and participates in study groups by integrating disciplines alongside anthropology. | X | ||||
| 9 | Exhibits social awareness and responsibility, approaching individual and cultural diversities with impartiality. | X | ||||
| 10 | Acquires the ability to think, read, write and orally express English at an academic level. | X | ||||
ECTS
| ECTS ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD BY THE COURSE DESCRIPTION | |||
| Activities | Quantity |
Duration (Hour) |
Total Workload (Hour) |
| Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16x Total course hours) | 14 | 3 | 42 |
| Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice) | 14 | 3 | 42 |
| Assignments | 2 | 15 | 30 |
| Presentation | 1 | 10 | 10 |
| Final examination | 1 | 30 | 30 |
| Total Workload | 154 | ||
| Total Workload / 25 (h) | 6,16 | ||
| ECTS Credit of the Course | 6 | ||