Response Papers for Leach, Anderson, Jonsson, Smalley, and Mueggler

 

For each of these books, you will write a response paper of no more than 1200 words. This short response should give a summary of the overarching argument of the book, including at least one salient ethnographic example that helps clarify the theoretical argument that the author puts forward in the book. The response must also include a brief critical engagement with the overarching argument. Important note: ‘critical’ engagement in academic work does not simply mean a ‘negative’ engagement with the work. Rather, critical engagement entails going beyond the argument as stated by the author to consider any of the implications, strengths, or problems with the argument. This may entail analyzing the unstated assumptions of the argument, considering the broader implications of the argument, explaining how the argument articulates with other theorists or ideas, or, indeed, problems inherent in the argument. The response paper should be roughly divided between summary and critical engagement, and it should demonstrate that you have read, understood, and engaged meaningfully with the material in each monograph.

 

Each response paper is due before class on the last discussion day for each book, as laid out in the syllabus. These will be turned in via Box, uploaded as a single-spaced PDF, beginning with a cover page that includes 1) your full name, 2) date, 3) the name of this class (ANTHR 341), 4) the title of the book being reviewed, and 5) a word count of the essay. The uploaded PDF filename should include your LastName_FirstName-AUTHOR_Response in the file name, as in the following example: “Hickman_Jacob-LEACH_Response.pdf”

 

 

 

Short Papers

 

You will write three short papers, in response to three prompts provided below. Specific parameters for each paper will be provided with the prompt. These papers should consist of novel analyses based on your own comprehensive research, as opposed to simple reviews of a single book or source. This may include an extensive literature review, analyzing primary or secondary sources (the internet provides an abundance of each) relevant to the phenomenon in the prompt, and producing an original analysis from this research. The third paper will overlap with the presentation that you give in the final weeks of class.

 

Each paper will be due by 11:59pm on the last day of each month of the semester—September, October, and November, respectively. These will be turned in via Box, uploaded as a single-spaced PDF, beginning with a cover page that includes 1) your full name, 2) date, 3) the name of this class (ANTHR 341), 4) “Short Paper 1:” followed by your title for the paper, and 5) a word count of the essay. The uploaded PDF filename should include your LastName_FirstName-Paper1/2/3 in the file name, as in the following example: “Hickman_Jacob-Paper1.pdf”.

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Click here to view the current paper prompt.

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Additionally, here is a brief rubric that will be used to grade the short papers.

 

 

Final Presentation

 

After the Thanksgiving break (if not sooner!), all classes on campus will be pushed online. In order to make the most of the Zoom format, rather than trying to force a seminar-style discussion, which is less than ideal, we will rather spend this time divided among student final presentations. This will either be an oral or video presentation that is an extension of the third short paper. I would encourage you to get creative in this presentation or video production. Rather than giving a one-dimensional presentation, consider how you might make the content engaging for the rest of the class. This may include producing a video that cuts together interesting clips, animations, or narration, like a mini-documentary. It may include artistic or musical elements that portray some significant element of the movement(s) that you have been researching. It may include a photo essay (original photos or curated photos). Please use your imagination, and get creative as you consider how to provide a culminating presentation of your research on some dimension of human ethnonationalism. We will take turns presenting these products on Dec. 1, Dec. 3, and Dec. 8 via Zoom. You will be allotted a period of time, and you can do whatever you like with that time. If you choose to pre-circulate some material, for example, you could take the time to foster a discussion based on that material that you produced. Or you could screen a short video or walk us through a photo essay that you produced, or whatever you decide to do, that period of time is yours. You will have approximately 10 minutes each.