Aims & Objectives

Course Aims

• Encourage the systematic and critical study of: human experience and behaviour; physical, economic and social environments; and the history and development of social and cultural institutions

• Develop in the student the capacity to identify, to analyse critically and to evaluate theories, concepts and arguments about the nature and activities of the individual and society

• Enable the student to collect, describe and analyse data used in studies of society, to test hypotheses, and to interpret complex data and source material

• Promote the appreciation of the way in which learning is relevant both to the culture in which the student lives, and the culture of other societies

• Develop an awareness in the student that human attitudes and beliefs are widely diverse and that the study of society requires an appreciation of such diversity

• Enable the student to recognize that the content and methodologies of the individuals and societies subjects are contestable and that their study requires the toleration of uncertainty

• Explore the characteristics and complexities of social and cultural life

• Develop new ways of thinking about the world that demonstrate the interconnectedness of local, regional and global processes and issues

• Foster an awareness of how cultural and social contexts inform the production of anthropological knowledge

• Develop as critical thinkers who are open-minded, reflective and ethically sensitive

• Apply anthropological understanding in order to reflect on their own lives and experiences, as well as those of others, transforming their actions in the world.

Assessment Objectives

1. Knowledge and understanding (AO1)

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of anthropological concepts and theories

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of anthropological research methods and ethics

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a range of appropriately identified ethnographic materials

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of specified areas of inquiry

2. Application and analysis (AO2)

• Recognize anthropological concepts in ethnographic materials

• Use ethnographic examples and anthropological concepts to formulate an argument

• Apply anthropological knowledge and understanding to reflect on the 'big' anthropological questions

• Analyse ethnographic materials in terms of the viewpoint of the anthropologist, research methods, concepts and ethics

• Use anthropological theories to formulate an argument

• In the internal assessment task, engage in the practice of anthropology, including recognition of the position of the observer; select appropriate methods; interpret methods; interpret data; consider ethical issues

3. Synthesis and evaluation (AO3)

• Compare and contrast characteristics of specific cultures and societies

• Discuss a range of ethnographic materials and critically evaluate them utilizing appropriate conceptual frameworks

• In the internal assessment task, justify methodological choices and critically reflect on the practice of anthropology

• At HL only, to demonstrate understanding and use of anthropological theories to evaluate ethnographic materials

4. Selection and use of a variety of skills (AO4)

• Identify an appropriate context, anthropological concept and research question for investigation

• Select and demonstrate the use of methods and skills, appropriate to a specific anthropological research question, to gather, present, analyse, interpret and reflect on ethnographic data