Anthropology 203

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Caribbean Transformations from "Cannibals" to Reggae

ANTH 203, 203 H (3 units)

 

Latin and North America began in the Caribbean. Many early Spanish and Portuguese territories were eventually taken by the English, Dutch, and French; however, basic social, historical, and ecological processed had been set into motion by the early 1500. This course looks at the settlement and occupation of the Caribbean with special reference to those processes which seem to most frame contemporary society and public issues. First hand research observations will be provided for Haiti, Dominican Republic, Bahamas, Antigua, Saint Lucia, and Barbados. Other island areas and topics will be covered through directed readings and guest faculty powerpoints.

When what was to be called the “New World” was encountered Europeans were looking for the Far East. Their purpose was to establish new and more direct trading relationships. What was found instead was another third of the planet. It was a shock to everyone. European goals quickly shifted from trade to conquest and treasure. But as millions of Native Americans died and the sources of easy treasure ran dry, Europeans turned to cash crops. Primary crops like sugar, pepper and spices were grown for export before 1500 in the East Indies and had formed the basis of European-Asian trade. Now with a New World located in the tropics, Europeans made their own kitchen garden with these and other crops like the Breadfruit and called these new tropical lands the “West Indies.” As millions of Indian peoples died in mines and plantations, their forced labor contributions to European economies were replaced by European, African, and eventually Asian forced and unfree labor. The Caribbean was made from these various peoples, languages, and cultures of the world.

Course Objectives:

• To learn about the geography of the Caribbean, for all knowledge is ultimately tied to space.
• To learn about how the Caribbean was formed over time, for we can only know the future by understanding the past.
• To learn how what happened in the Caribbean reshaped forever Europe, Africa, and the native peoples of the New World.

Absence Policies: No class roll will be taken, so students can miss class when they like. Grades received tend to be highly correlated with class attendance.

Classroom Behavior: When students come to class they will respect the thoughts of others even while engaging in dialogue over important and sensitive issues. None of us are unaffected by what happened in the Caribbean. We come to class to learn, share, and debate in an open and friendly manner, aggressive behaviors will result in exclusion.

It is generally rude and therefore unacceptable to talk (out of turn), make noise, play music, read the news paper, and let your phone and pagers go off. Doing any of these can result in exclusion from class.

Policies Against Plagiarism: as found within Student Code of Academic Integrity:                 http://studpubs.web.arizona.edu/policies/cacaint.htm

Policies against threatening behavior by students:  http://policy.web.arizona.edu/~policy/threaten.shtml

Required extracurricular activities: Assigned Course Readings

Special materials required for the class: Purchase books and one map

Notification, if the instructor believes necessary, warning students that some course content may be deemed offensive by some students: I would be very surprised if students were not offended by slavery and other systems of unfree labor in the Caribbean. Some readings contain images of nudity and torture.

Reminder to students who are registered with the Disability Resource Center that they must submit appropriate documentation to the instructor if they are requesting reasonable accommodations:  http://drc.arizona.edu/instructor/syllabus-statement.shtml

A statement is permissible indicating that the information contained in the course syllabus, other than the grade and absence policies, may be subject to change with reasonable advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor. And so it is in this course.

Grade Policy: Grades will be established based on three 100 point exams. Each exam primarily covers the lectures and readings since the last exam; however, some general ideas are subject to exam at any time. A map test will accompany each exam. The final grade will be established based on 300 points. There are make-up exams for significant medical and personal issues. Unless otherwise agreed to by the instructor, all make-up exams will be administered before the graded exams are returned to class (usually one week after the exam). There is no extra credit.

203 Honor Students

Honors students will be asked to participate in the 203 regular class and the honors seminar. In order that the honors students can participate in an ongoing research project each student is being asked to spend at least one hour a week working in the Anthropology research lab in 319. The seminar will meet every other week at the scheduled time to discuss progress on research. By mid-term (March 21st) each honors student will have collected their own data from a prexisting data base and begun an outline of a data presentation. Presentations begin in class on April 5th. Each presentation will be in powerpoint and last approximately 15-20 minutes. Presentations are worth 30 points, which will be combined with the regular class grade points to establish a final grade. An honors curve may be utilized if it better reflects student performance.