Anth 470/670

Media Anthropology
Fall 2014
T Th 11:00-12:20
Washington Hall 312
Instructor: Ali Colleen Neff
E-Mail: alineff@wm.edu
Office: Basement, Washington Hall, 116
Office Hours: T Th 1-3p.m., W by appointment
Overview
In this course, we examine the powerful ways in which media (radio,
television, film, and digital media, and more) shape the relationship
between the West and the cultures of the Global South. These
technologies both draw from and transform the ways in which
anthropologists have represented the cultures we study; we call attention
to the intentional and unconscious choices we make when we use media
to represent "other" cultures--and the consequences of those choices.
We will also consider the specific ways in which peoples across the Global South
draw from their own creative traditions to inflect the media they themselves
make.
Goals
In this course, we will learn about the use of media technologies and practices
by global cultures and their importance in anthropological work; we will also
learn a series of methodologies by which we can use media to engage and
represent the cultures we work with as anthropologists.
1.We will better understand both the role of Western media technologies in
processes of globalization, and other kinds of indigenous media practices that
affect the use of media by global cultures.
2.You will complete an intensive ethnographic project that uses multimedia to
represent your work.
You will gauge your progress toward these goals by developing, workshopping,
and completing a semester-long multimedia project drawn from ethnographic
projects.
Requirements
You will be graded on a series of a short written work, an ethnographic
research project, a final presentation, and course participation.
1. Complete and critically engage all required reading and media
2.Complete all assignments on time and with intellectual and academic integrity
3.Participate fully in the classroom community
4. Communicate your needs and issues with your classmates and teachers responsibly.
5. Grow intellectually, as an emerging authority on the world of culture, and as a critical
thinker and writer
Materials
Course materials for this multimedia course can
be found by class date in this syllabus.
1 All materials are available as articles through
our Blackboard site.
2 It is recommended to print these materials
and mark them up, and to engage them
specifically in class discussion.
Milestones
Unit One: Media and Global Cultures
Understand how media works and how it works
as a site of anthropological study.
Unit Two: Making Self; Making Others
Engage the media by which humans and
cultures represent themselves and others, and
the processes of empowerment and
disempowerment they entail.
Unit Three: Sight, Sound and the Sensorium
Engage basic concepts, practices, and
methodologies in media anthropology .
Unit Four: Digital Anthropology
Think about how digital media reproduce
classic discourses in anthropology, and how
they can work as a special means of
representing cultures.
Attendance, Participation, Delays
1. Attendance is required at all lectures and
discussion sections; more than two
unexcused absences will result in a full final
grade letter grade deduction
2. While all students prefer different modes of
engagement, participation in classroom
discussion is a must; communicate with me if
you have issues
3. Late work will, unless excused by a
documented medical emergency, be docked
a full letter grade per day
4. As a rule, communicate responsibly and
mindfully about any issues ahead of time
In this course, we examine the powerful ways in which media (radio, television, film, and digital
media, and more) shape the relationship between the West and the cultures of the Global
South. These technologies both draw from and transform the ways in which anthropologists have
represented the cultures we study; we call attention to the intentional and unconscious choices we
make when we use media to represent "other" cultures--and the consequences of those choices. We
will also consider the specific ways in which peoples across the Global South draw from their own
creative traditions to inflect the media they themselves make.
Case studies will include , African filmmaking (including the booming Nigerian "Nollywood" film
industry), the so-called "Twitter Revolution" in the Middle East/North Africa region, and the use of
social media (particularly youtube) by American youth subcultures. We will study the work of
transnational media anthropologist Trinh Minh-Ha and multimedia ethnomusicologist Steven Feld.
Students will have the opportunity to conceptualize, workshop, and present a semester-long
multimedia research project (short film, podcast, website, etc.) on a particular subculture in
partnership with the Swem Media Center.
Graded Item Number of points (of 100 total)
Assignment Sheets will be available for each assignment as it is presented in class
Graded Item Number of points (of 100 total)
Assignment Sheets will be available for each assignment as it is presented in class
Discussion participation (attendance, preparedness and participation) 20
Preliminary background research for major research paper, including background
sources and IRB proposal due Tuesday, 9/23.
15
1,000-word essay on an established project in media anthropology--or an inspirational
full-length work--that you will draw from for your nal project. Due 10/9
15
Write-up of visit to the eld (1,000 words), preliminary eldnotes, and a sketch of your
nal project. Due 10/28
20
Final project due 12/16 (Rough cuts/copies due 40
Presentation of nal project in lieu of nal exam Tuesday, December 16th, 2-5 p.m. This
will be a 10-15-minute presentation of your nal research project.
10
Course Schedule: Media Anthropology Course Schedule: Media Anthropology Course Schedule: Media Anthropology
Tuesday Materials Thursday Materials
8/28 Course/Personal Introductions, Syllabus, Fostering Class Discussion Course/Personal Introductions, Syllabus, Fostering Class Discussion
Introduction: Media and Global Cultures
Understand how media works and its dimensions as a site of anthropological study.
Introduction: Media and Global Cultures
Understand how media works and its dimensions as a site of anthropological study.
Introduction: Media and Global Cultures
Understand how media works and its dimensions as a site of anthropological study.
9/2-9/4 Tuesday, 9/2
Thinking about media and cultural
representation.
Watch Trinh Minh-Has Reassemblage here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cc5G2-
rTKis
Read Background on this work:
http://tvmultiversity.blogspot.com/2010/07/
writing-postcoloniality-and-feminism.html
Read: Trinh Minh-Ha: Inside/Out, Outside/In
(PDF on Bboard)
Thursday, 9/4
Read/engage all of these for today, and
revisit Tuesdays readings:
Read:
Trinh: Woman, Native, Other (Chapter 1)
(PDF on BBoard)
Trinh: Documentary Is/Not a name (PDF on
BBoard)
Course Schedule: Media Anthropology Course Schedule: Media Anthropology Course Schedule: Media Anthropology
Unit One: The Politics of Global Media
Engage basic concepts, practices, and methodologies in media anthropology .
Unit One: The Politics of Global Media
Engage basic concepts, practices, and methodologies in media anthropology .
Unit One: The Politics of Global Media
Engage basic concepts, practices, and methodologies in media anthropology .
9/9-9/11 Making Others, Making Self
Read: Media Worlds, 1-4 (PDF on BBoard)
Read/engage all of these for today, and
revisit Tuesdays readings:
Read: Media Worlds, 5-8
9/16-9/18
Read: Media Worlds, 9-14

Read/engage all of these for today, and
revisit Tuesdays readings:
Read: Media Worlds, 15-20
Begin brainstorming about your nal paper research topic. We will discuss this in class, but now is the
time to think through what youd like to do. Preliminary research due
Begin brainstorming about your nal paper research topic. We will discuss this in class, but now is the
time to think through what youd like to do. Preliminary research due
Begin brainstorming about your nal paper research topic. We will discuss this in class, but now is the
time to think through what youd like to do. Preliminary research due
Unit Two: Sight, Sound and the Sensorium : Methodologies of tuning in and representation in media anthropology . Unit Two: Sight, Sound and the Sensorium : Methodologies of tuning in and representation in media anthropology . Unit Two: Sight, Sound and the Sensorium : Methodologies of tuning in and representation in media anthropology .
9/23-9/25 Sound and Noise
Read all of these for today:
1. From the Sound Studies Reader: Chapters
1, 24, 27 (PDF on BBoard)
Read/engage all of these for today, and
revisit Tuesdays readings:
Media to Consider:
Franco Sacchi on Nollywood, watch TED
Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/
franco_sacchi_on_nollywood
Read: Signal and Noise, Introduction and
Chapter 1 (PDF on BBoard)

Preliminary background research for major research paper, including background sources and IRB
proposal due Tuesday, 9/23.
Preliminary background research for major research paper, including background sources and IRB
proposal due Tuesday, 9/23.
Preliminary background research for major research paper, including background sources and IRB
proposal due Tuesday, 9/23.
9/30-10/2 Film and Indigineity
Read all of these for today:
1. Worth and Adair, Through Navajo Eyes (rst
half, PDF on Bboard)
Read/engage all of these for today, and
revisit Tuesdays readings:
Read:
1. Worth and Adair, Through Navajo Eyes
(second half)
Unit Three: Methods and Media-Making Unit Three: Methods and Media-Making Unit Three: Methods and Media-Making
10/7-10/9 Read all of these for today:
1. Steven Feld, Aesthetics as Iconicity of Style,
or 'Lift-up-over Sounding': Getting into the
Kaluli Groove (PDF on Blackboard)
2. Explore Felds website here: http://
www.acousticecology.org/news.html
Read/engage all of these for today, and
revisit Tuesdays readings:
Media to Consider:
Select lms from Folkstreams.net website:
http://www.folkstreams.net
1,000-word essay on an established project in media anthropology--or an inspirational full-length work--
that you will draw from for your nal project. Due 10/9
1,000-word essay on an established project in media anthropology--or an inspirational full-length work--
that you will draw from for your nal project. Due 10/9
1,000-word essay on an established project in media anthropology--or an inspirational full-length work--
that you will draw from for your nal project. Due 10/9
Fall Break 10/14 Fall Break 10/14 Fall Break 10/14
Course Schedule: Media Anthropology Course Schedule: Media Anthropology Course Schedule: Media Anthropology
10/16 Read all of these for today:
1. Read: http://web.mit.edu/anthropology/pdf/
articles/helmreich/
helmreich_an_anthropologist_underwater.pdf
2. Listen to the listening media on this
webpage:http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/
anthropology/21a-360j-the-anthropology-of-
sound-spring-2008/listening-readings-and-
lms/
Field Recordings Workshop
Audio-record a cultural event,
performance, interview, etc. in the mode
of your choice and convert it (if
necessary) to digital audio format; well
work with this in class
Training Materials T.B.A.
10/21-
10/23
Read all of these for today:
1. Read Collier, Collier, Hall: Visual
Anthropology: Photography as a Research
Method (excerpt PDF on Bboard)
Photography and Video Workshop
Use photography or video to capture a
cultural encounter and convert it (if
necessary) to digital format (jpeg
preferred)
Training Materials T.B.A.
10/28-
10/30
Read all of this for today:
1. http://anthropologybythewire.com
Multimedia Presentation and Web
workshop
Set up a wordpress blog, tumblr, or other
site of your choice; well use it to work
with today
Training Materials T.B.A.
Write-up of visit to the eld (1,000 words), preliminary eldnotes, and a sketch of your nal project. Due
10/28
Write-up of visit to the eld (1,000 words), preliminary eldnotes, and a sketch of your nal project. Due
10/28
Write-up of visit to the eld (1,000 words), preliminary eldnotes, and a sketch of your nal project. Due
10/28
Unit Four: Digital Anthropology
Think about how digital media reproduce classic discourses in anthropology, and how they can work as a special
means of representing cultures.
Unit Four: Digital Anthropology
Think about how digital media reproduce classic discourses in anthropology, and how they can work as a special
means of representing cultures.
Unit Four: Digital Anthropology
Think about how digital media reproduce classic discourses in anthropology, and how they can work as a special
means of representing cultures.
11/4-11/6 Read all of these for today:
1. Eric Michaels, Bad Aborignial Art (Excerpt on
BBoard)
Thursday, 11/6
Media Viewing/Student Workshop
Prepare clips of your work to show/listen to/
share
11/11-11/
13
Read all of these for today:
1. From Robin Nagles Media Page, read these
links: Americas Never-Ending War Against
Garbage /
2. TED: What I Discovered in New York City
Trash / November 2013
3. A Filthy History: When New Yorkers Lived
Knee-Deep in Trash
Media Viewing/Student Workshop
Prepare clips of your work to show/listen to/
share
11/18-11/
20
Read all of these for today:
1. Digital Representations of African cultures, by
Africans, Anthropologists, and Others
(readings and media TBA)
Media Viewing/Student Workshop
Prepare clips of your work to show/listen to/
share
11/25 In-class sharing: rough cuts, discussion of eld issues In-class sharing: rough cuts, discussion of eld issues
Course Schedule: Media Anthropology Course Schedule: Media Anthropology Course Schedule: Media Anthropology
Thanksgiving Break 11/27 Thanksgiving Break 11/27 Thanksgiving Break 11/27
12/2-12/4 Review and Workshops Review and Workshops
Final project due 12/16. Presentation of nal project in lieu of nal exam Tuesday, December 16th, 2-5
p.m. This will be a 10-15-minute presentation of your nal research project.
Final project due 12/16. Presentation of nal project in lieu of nal exam Tuesday, December 16th, 2-5
p.m. This will be a 10-15-minute presentation of your nal research project.
Final project due 12/16. Presentation of nal project in lieu of nal exam Tuesday, December 16th, 2-5
p.m. This will be a 10-15-minute presentation of your nal research project.