Anthropology and Education
Program Description
Within Columbia University, Teachers College has been a pioneer in exploring how anthropology can be engaged in public conversations about practical matters. This has led to the creation of two academic programs, one in Anthropology and Education and the other in Applied Anthropology. These two programs function as one entity and provide a unique research and training experience for a very select group of students. This highly personal academic environment within the larger university maximizes the interaction between students and faculty while offering a variety of scholarly and professional resources.
Both programs prepare students to enter current research and policy conversations about education, health, the environment, and other fields to which anthropology may contribute. The programs are built on the premise that one can apply anthropology only to the extent that one has been rigorously trained in the theory and methodology of the discipline. The program combines systematic theoretical training with courses on qualitative research methods, including participant observation, advanced ethnographic methods, and discourse analysis. We encourage students to conduct "on- the-ground" research, applying their emerging methodological expertise to situations across the globe. Many of our students also use their training to better social inequality around the world.
The faculty has a distinguished record of publications and research projects, most of which have been conducted in the United States, the Caribbean, South America, and Europe.
Anthropology and Education
The Program in Anthropology and Education prepares professionals and researchers to analyze and understand educational processes in schools and classrooms, in families, on street corners, in community centers, in churches, and in all settings where education may proceed. The International & Transcultural Studies Department houses the largest group of anthropologists of education to be found in any university in the world. It has been, for decades, one of the prominent places to study the anthropology of education.
Applied Anthropology (a joint program)
In 1968, Teachers College and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of Columbia University implemented a joint Program of Applied Anthropology. This joint venture is open to graduate students registered at either graduate school. By this agreement, all applied anthropological training at Columbia University is administered through Teachers College. The joint Program offers a course of study and thorough training in applied anthropology that is certified by both institutions and capitalizes on the strength of the university’s faculty.
This program focuses on the complex issues involved in applying anthropological knowledge and approaches to matters of policy at global, national, and local levels. Students work in a variety of areas, including education, international development, businesses and corporations, the environment, and health.
Resources
Both the Anthropology and Education and the Applied Anthropology Programs are conducted in collaboration with the Department of Anthropology at Columbia University, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Barnard College, the School of International and Public Affairs, and other professional schools and institutions within the University. Students have access to courses across the university.
In addition, our location in New York City allows students easy access to a myriad of prestigious academic and research institutions. Doctoral students may take courses through the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium (for participating institutions, see the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium section in this catalog). They frequently become involved in the plethora of international organizations in New York, and they collaborate with the diverse individuals who call New York home.
Most graduates find academic posts and administrative positions in colleges, universities, and professional schools. Others locate in federal and international agencies, research institutes, private foundations, medical institutions, consulting firms, and social welfare and community service organizations in the United States and abroad.
Program Degrees
Expand the accordion(s) to view the degree requirements:
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The Doctor of Education degree program is for students who plan to engage in scholarly writing and research, applied research and evaluation, or teaching and administrative responsibilities at colleges, universities, professional schools of education and medicine, research institutes, or state, federal, and international agencies and bureaus.
An objective understanding of education and educational institutions, of persons and the learning process, and the various forms of measurement and evaluation in cognate areas prepare program graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary for researching and working in a variety of formal and non-formal educational settings.
Each student, in collaboration with an advisor, develops a program of study in anthropology designed to establish a high level of competency. A minimum of 75 points of acceptable graduate credit is required for the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.).
Of these 75 points, a maximum of 30 points may be transferred in courses from other accredited graduate schools. 45 points of major courses are required overall. Of these, up to 15 points in anthropology courses may be taken at other graduate institutions which are members of the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium.
These courses prepare students with the requisite knowledge of epistemological, theoretical, methodological, ethnographic, and substantive areas of anthropology. They aim to develop competency in the discipline, while addressing the specific intellectual interests of the student.
Within the major course requirements, 30 points in required courses must be taken: the four-semester sequence of colloquia and summer field research, which represents the core training module of the program (12 points); two additional research methods courses (6 points); two area courses, one within and one complementary to one’s focus (6 points); and two sub-discipline courses outside of sociocultural anthropology (6 points), in linguistic anthropology.
The remaining 15 points of electives are used to increase competence in comparative, regional, or international studies, or to enhance technical skills used in conjunction with but outside the major course of study. At least three of these courses (8-9 points) must be taken in fields foundational to anthropology (economics, history, linguistics, philosophy, psychology, sociology). Of the 75 graduate points required for the degree, a minimum of 45 must be taken for an evaluative letter grade.
Colloquia Sequence (12 points):
- ITSF 4011: Contexts of Education (3)
- ITSF 5610: First- and Second-Year Colloquium in Applied Anthropology (6) (taken for 3 credits in both first and second year Spring semesters)
- ITSF 5611: Advanced Ethnographic Methods and Analysis (3)
Two Area Courses (6 points):
An “area” may be a geographic region as well as a substantial population with self-identifying members such as ethnic, gendered, and racialized groups, subcultures, professions, and transnational populations. One geographic regional ethnographic course must be taken from outside the student’s main area of ethnographic interest; the other area course should be from within the student’s area of specialization. Students must select their area courses in consultation with their advisors.
Two Subfield Courses in Linguistic Anthropology (6 points):
Course Options:
- ITSF 5003: Communication and Culture (3)
- ITSF 5037: Global Literacies (3)
- ITSF 5050: Language, Cultural Politics, and Education (3)
Two Research Methods and Statistical Courses (6 points):
Course Options:
- ITSF 5000: Introductory Methods of Ethnography and Participant Observation (3)
- ITSF 5001: Ethnography and Participant-Observation (3)
- ITSF 4101: Quantitative Analysis in Comparative and International Education (3)
- ITSF 5009: Social Network Analysis (3)
- Any courses in HUDM
Other Major Courses (15):
15 additional points of anthropological coursework outside of the other Major Requirement categories.
Course Option Examples:
- ITSF 4010: Cultural and Social Bases of Education (3)
- ITSF 4026: Technology and Culture (3)
- ITSF 4014: Urban Situations and Education (3)
- ITSF 5045: Globalization, Mobility and Education (3)
Electives (30):
Courses that do not fulfill any of the above Major Requirement categories.
Certification and Grade Requirements:
Certification is the means of indicating that the student is regarded as having attained the expected competencies of the program. An overall grade average of B+ is expected. Receiving two B grades or lower, two Incomplete grades, or one F grade will lead to a review by the program faculty and may result in dismissal from the program. In addition, students must complete a set of written examinations on topics relevant to Anthropology and Education or Applied Anthropology.
Dissertation Requirements:
After passing the written certification examination, the candidate prepares a dissertation proposal to be defended in oral examination. One or two years of anthropological field research is required for the collection of original field data based on the dissertation research proposal.
Foreign Language Requirement:
Each candidate must satisfy the foreign language requirement by demonstrating a high level of proficiency in one language other than English.
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The Ed.M. in Anthropology and Education is concerned with the cultural, social, and linguistic dimensions of education. Our program offers insight to better understand inequalities, cultural differences, linguistic diversity, and the wealth of human life for educational purposes. We examine educational processes in schools and classrooms, in families, on street corners, in community centers, in churches, and in all other non- conventional education settings.
The Ed.M. is for students who have already obtained a master’s degree and are looking to extend their knowledge of anthropology and/or education. Students can usually transfer up to 30 credits from their previous master’s degree. The program description reflects the same broad goals as the Master of Arts program developed to a greater degree.
Anthropology is well positioned to answer some of the toughest questions of education and policymaking because of its emphasis on spending time with and learning from people. The program highlights participatory ethnography: engaging in and observing human activities and conversing with people as a means of improving education and collaborating with local groups and organizations. As one of the only master programs in Anthropology and Education in the world, we offer a unique outlook on how to understand and support diverse approaches to education in and outside the classroom.
The Master of Education degree program is flexible, allowing students to address various professional concerns, satisfy diverse academic needs, and enhance professional skills.
Minimally, candidates for the Ed.M. degree in Anthropology and Education take 40 points in courses related to the main fields of the discipline, including at least 24 points in anthropology. A minimum of five courses (15 points) must be taken in Complementary/Other Concentration Courses (International & Comparative Education, history, applied linguistics, philosophy, psychology, sociology). An additional 21 points must also be taken that directly contribute to the emerging professional interest of the candidate or practical courses relative to future professional settings. Students are also required to conduct an integrative project in addition to the 60 points of coursework. Ed.M. students are also required to attend a bi-weekly one-hour MA/Ed.M. Advising and Career Workshop, also to assist with the IP, for noncredit.
To satisfy program breadth requirements, master's students must complete two Teachers College courses (for this purpose a course is defined as one in which at least 3 points are earned) outside the major program. These courses should be chosen so as to enhance the professional preparation of the student in his or her expected field of practice. Up to 30 of the required 60 points may be transferred from previous coursework to the extent that they fulfill some of the requirements listed above.
Anthropology Courses (24):
Course Option Examples:
- ITSF 4010: Cultural and Social Bases of Education (3)
- ITSF 4014: Urban Situations and Education (3)
- ITSF 5000: Introductory Methods of Ethnography and Participant Observation (3)
- ITSF 5045: Globalization, Mobility and Education (3)
Complementary/Other Concentration Courses (15):
Selected courses from other fields/disciplines such as International & Comparative Education, Applied Linguistics, History, Philosophy and Sociology.
Professional/Practical Courses (21):
Various specialized skills useful in future professional settings, such as Curriculum & Teaching, Education Policy & Social Analysis, Mathematics, Science & Technology, and Organization & Leadership.
Integrative Project (0):
- ITSF 4200: Integrative Project Research & Writing Practicum (0)
Grade Requirements:
An overall grade average of B+ is expected. Receiving two B grades or lower, two Incomplete grades, or one F grade will lead to a review by the program faculty and may result in dismissal from the program.
Integrative Project Requirement:
A non-course, advisor-approved, culminating project is a requirement of all masters’ degrees in Anthropology and Education. The exact nature of this requirement is determined with a faculty member. If the student has already completed an IP at TC during prior studies for the MA, they should consult with their advisor to design a suitable culminating project for the Ed.M.
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The Master of Arts degree program in Anthropology and Education offers a disciplinary approach that carefully explores and contributes to the analysis and understanding of educational processes in all settings where education may proceed. Our program offers insight to better understand inequalities, cultural differences, linguistic diversity, and the wealth of human life for educational purposes. We examine educational processes in schools and classrooms, in families, on street corners, in community centers, in churches, and in all other non-conventional education settings.
Administrators, counselors, evaluators, and research associates can improve their work through learning how anthropological methods are applied to educational problems, policy, and practice. Students should choose an area of emphasis from Urban Education or Ethnographic Methods for Education Analysis.
Anthropology is well positioned to answer some of the toughest questions of education and policymaking because it emphasizes spending time with and learning from people. The program highlights participatory ethnography: engaging in and observing human activities and conversing with people as a means of improving education and collaborating with local groups and organizations. As one of the only master programs in Anthropology and Education in the world, we offer a unique outlook on how to understand and support diverse approaches to education in and outside the classroom.
The program requires at least five courses (15 points minimum) in anthropology; courses (9 points) in Complementary/Other Concentration Courses (International & Comparative Education, applied linguistics, philosophy, psychology, sociology); and four other courses (8-9 points) that directly contribute to the emerging professional interest of the candidate or practical courses relative to future professional settings. The M.A. program requires an integrative project in addition to the 32-point program. M.A. students are also required to attend a bi-weekly one-hour MA Advising and Career Workshop, also to assist with the IP, for noncredit.
To satisfy program breadth requirements, master's students must complete two Teachers College courses (for this purpose a course is defined as one in which at least 3 points are earned) outside the major program.
Anthropology & Education Courses (15):
Course Option Examples:
- ITSF 4010: Cultural and Social Bases of Education (3)
- ITSF 4014: Urban Situations and Education (3)
- ITSF 5000: Introductory Methods of Ethnography and Participant Observation (3)
- ITSF 5045: Globalization, Mobility and Education (3)
Complementary/Other Concentration Courses (9):
Selected courses from other fields/disciplines such as International & Comparative Education, Applied Linguistics, History, Philosophy and Sociology.
Professional/Practical Courses (8):
Various specialized skills useful in future professional settings, such as Curriculum & Teaching, Education Policy & Social Analysis, Mathematics, Science & Technology, and Organization & Leadership.
Integrative Project (0):
- ITSF 4200: Integrative Project Research & Writing Practicum (0)
Grade Requirements:
An overall grade average of B+ is expected. Receiving two B grades or lower, two Incomplete grades, or one F grade will lead to a review by the program faculty and may result in dismissal from the program.
Integrative Project Requirement:
A non-course, advisor-approved, culminating project is a requirement of all masters’ degrees in Anthropology and Education. The exact nature of this requirement is determined with a faculty member.
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The Doctor of Philosophy degree program in Anthropology and Education is for students who plan to engage in scholarly writing and research, applied research and evaluation, or teaching and administrative responsibilities at colleges; universities; professional schools of education and medicine; research institutes; or state, federal, and international agencies and bureaus.
Each student develops, in collaboration with an advisor, a program of study in anthropology designed to establish a high level of competency. A minimum of 75 points of acceptable graduate credit is required for the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.).
Of these 75 points, a maximum of 30 points may be transferred in courses from other accredited graduate schools. 45 points of Anthropology courses are required overall. Of these, up to 15 points in anthropology courses may be taken at other graduate institutions which are members of the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium.
These courses prepare students with the requisite knowledge of epistemological, theoretical, methodological, ethnographic, and substantive areas of anthropology. They aim to develop competency in the discipline, while addressing the specific intellectual interests of the student.
Within the major course requirements, 30 points in required courses must be taken: the four-semester sequence of colloquia and summer field research, which represents the core training module of the program (12 points); two additional research methods courses (6 points); two area courses, one within and one complementary to one’s focus (6 points); and two sub-discipline courses outside of sociocultural anthropology (6 points), in linguistic anthropology.
The remaining 15 points of electives are used to increase competence in comparative, regional, or international studies, or to enhance technical skills used in conjunction with but outside the major course of study. At least three of these courses (8-9 points) must be taken in fields foundational to anthropology (economics, history, linguistics, philosophy, psychology, sociology). Of the 75 graduate points required for the degree, a minimum of 45 must be taken for an evaluative letter grade.
Colloquia Sequence (12 points):
- ITSF 4011: Contexts of Education (3)
- ITSF 5610: First- and Second-Year Colloquium in Applied Anthropology (6) (taken for 3 credits in both first and second year Spring semesters)
- ITSF 5611: Advanced Ethnographic Methods and Analysis (3)
Two Area Courses (6 points):
An “area” may be a geographic region as well as a substantial population with self-identifying members such as ethnic, gendered, and racialized groups, subcultures, professions, and transnational populations. One geographic regional ethnographic course must be taken from outside the student’s main area of ethnographic interest; the other area course should be from within the student’s area of specialization. Students must select their area courses in consultation with their advisors.
Two Subfield Courses in Linguistic Anthropology (6 points):
Course Options:
- ITSF 5003: Communication and Culture (3)
- ITSF 5037: Global Literacies (3)
- ITSF 5050: Language, Cultural Politics, and Education (3)
One Ethnographic Methods Course (3 points):
Course Options:
- ITSF 5000: Introductory Methods of Ethnography and Participant Observation (3)
- ITSF 5001: Ethnography and Participant-Observation (3)
One Additional Research Methods or Statistical Course (3):
Course Options:
- ITSF 4101: Quantitative Analysis in Comparative and International Education (3)
- ITSF 5009: Social Network Analysis (3)
- Any courses in HUDM
Other Major Courses (15):
15 additional points of anthropological coursework outside of the other Major Requirement categories.
Course Option Examples:
- ITSF 4010: Cultural and Social Bases of Education (3)
- ITSF 4026: Technology and Culture (3)
- ITSF 4014: Urban Situations and Education (3)
- ITSF 5045: Globalization, Mobility and Education (3)
Electives (30):
Courses that do not fulfill any of the above Major Requirement categories.
Certification and Grade Requirements:
Certification is the means of indicating that the student is regarded as having attained the expected competencies of the program. An overall grade average of B+ is expected. Receiving two B grades or lower, two Incomplete grades, or one F grade will lead to a review by the program faculty and may result in dismissal from the program. In addition, students must complete a set of written examinations on topics relevant to Anthropology and Education or Applied Anthropology.
Dissertation Requirements:
After passing the written certification examination, the candidate prepares a dissertation proposal to be defended in oral examination. One or two years of anthropological field research is required for the collection of original field data based on the dissertation research proposal.
Foreign Language Requirement:
Each candidate must satisfy the foreign language requirement by demonstrating a high level of proficiency in one language other than English.
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The Doctor of Philosophy degree program in Applied Anthropology is for students who plan to engage in scholarly writing and research, applied research and evaluation, or teaching and administrative responsibilities at colleges, universities, professional schools of education and medicine, research institutes, or state, federal, and international agencies and bureaus.
Each student, in collaboration with an advisor, develops a program of study in anthropology designed to establish a high level of competency. A minimum of 75 points of acceptable graduate credit is required for the Doctor of Philosophy.
Of these 75 points, a maximum of 30 points may be transferred in courses from other accredited graduate schools. 45 points of Anthropology courses are required overall. Of these, up to 15 points in anthropology courses may be taken at other graduate institutions which are members of the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium.
These courses prepare students with the requisite knowledge of epistemological, theoretical, methodological, ethnographic, and substantive areas of anthropology. They aim to develop competency in the discipline, while addressing the specific intellectual interests of the student.
Within the major course requirements, 30 points in required courses must be taken: the four-semester sequence of colloquia and summer field research, which represents the core training module of the program (12 points); two additional research methods courses (6 points); two area courses, one within and one complementary to one’s focus (6 points); and two sub-discipline courses outside of sociocultural anthropology (6 points), in linguistic anthropology, archaeology, or biological anthropology.
The remaining 15 points of elective other major courses are used to increase competence in comparative, regional, or international studies, or to enhance technical skills used in conjunction with but outside the major course of study. At least three of these courses (8-9 points) must be taken in fields foundational to anthropology (economics, history, linguistics, philosophy, psychology, sociology). Of the 75 graduate points required for the degree, a minimum of 45 must be taken for an evaluative letter grade.
Colloquia Sequence (12 points):
- ITSF 4011: Contexts of Education (3)
- ITSF 5610: First- and Second-Year Colloquium in Applied Anthropology (6) (taken for 3 credits in both first and second year Spring semesters)
- ITSF 5611: Advanced Ethnographic Methods and Analysis (3)
Two Area Courses (6 points):
An “area” may be a geographic region as well as a substantial population with self-identifying members such as ethnic, gendered, and racialized groups, subcultures, professions, and transnational populations. One geographic regional ethnographic course must be taken from outside the student’s main area of ethnographic interest; the other area course should be from within the student’s area of specialization. Students must select their area courses in consultation with their advisors.
Two Subfield Courses in Linguistic Anthropology, Archaeology, or Biological Anthropology (6 points):
Course Option Examples:
- ITSF 5003: Communication and Culture (3)
- ITSF 5037: Global Literacies (3)
- ITSF 5050: Language, Cultural Politics, and Education (3)
One Ethnographic Methods Course (3 points):
Course Options:
- ITSF 5000: Introductory Methods of Ethnography and Participant Observation (3)
- ITSF 5001: Ethnography and Participant-Observation (3)
One Additional Research Methods or Statistical Course (3):
Course Options:
- ITSF 4101: Quantitative Analysis in Comparative and International Education (3)
- ITSF 5009: Social Network Analysis (3)
- Any courses in HUDM
Other Major Courses (15):
15 additional points of anthropological coursework outside of the other Major Requirement categories.
Course Option Examples:
- ITSF 4010: Cultural and Social Bases of Education (3)
- ITSF 4026: Technology and Culture (3)
- ITSF 4014: Urban Situations and Education (3)
- ITSF 5045: Globalization, Mobility and Education (3)
Electives (30):
Courses that do not fulfill any of the above Major Requirement categories.
Certification and Grade Requirements:
Certification is the means of indicating that the student is regarded as having attained the expected competencies of the program. An overall grade average of B+ is expected. Receiving two B grades or lower, two Incomplete grades, or one F grade will lead to a review by the program faculty and may result in dismissal from the program. In addition, students must complete a set of written examinations on topics relevant to Anthropology and Education or Applied Anthropology.
Dissertation Requirements:
After passing the written certification examination, the candidate prepares a dissertation proposal to be defended in oral examination. One or two years of anthropological field research is required for the collection of original field data based on the dissertation research proposal.
Foreign Language Requirement:
Each candidate must satisfy the foreign language requirement by demonstrating a high level of proficiency in one language other than English.
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The Master of Arts degree program in Applied Anthropology provides rigorous training in using ethnographic methods to solve real-world problems. Comprised of 32 credits, the curriculum balances social theory with practical skill-building in qualitative research, preparing graduates for careers in NGOs, government agencies, and the private sector by teaching them to navigate the cultural dimensions of diverse global settings and their social and political infrastructures.
There are four core components to the program: (1) foundational coursework in social theory and applied anthropology; (2) research methods; (3) an area of specialization for applying anthropology (developed through elective courses); and (4) a capstone experience in the form of an applied practicum.
The MA in Applied Anthropology is designed to meet the needs of students interested in applying anthropological knowledge and approaches to matters of policy concern in economic and community development, education, medicine, psychiatry, business and corporations, institutional programs, and ecological and environmental change. Because applied anthropologists are concerned with practical problem-solving, they find employment in a wide range of sectors, and work on a variety of topics spanning environmental change, information technology, public health, international development, cultural heritage and museums, disaster management, and more.
Students in the MA of Applied Anthropology program gain practical experience applying anthropological theory and methods to real-world concerns through a semester-long practicum with an agency/organization external to the ITS Department. Students select an organization, agency, community group, or business to engage in applied research. The placement must be approved by the student’s faculty advisor. Working collaboratively with the practicum organization’s staff, students engage in applied research to address an issue of mutual interest and concern. The practicum experience culminates in the Integrated Project, where the student produces a tangible product or products reviewed by both the anthropology faculty (IP) and host agency.
The program requires two core anthropology courses (6 points) that provide a foundational understanding of anthropological theory and praxis; three core research methods courses (9 points); practicum and Integrated Project (5 points); and four elective courses (12 points) that support students’ areas of specialization and intended career pathways. M.A. students are also required to attend a bi-weekly one-hour MA Advising and Career Workshop, also to assist with the IP, for noncredit. To satisfy program breadth requirements, Master’s students must complete two Teachers College courses (for this purpose a course is defined as one in which at least 3 points are earned) outside the major program.
Anthropology Courses (6):
- ITSF 4011: Contexts of Education (3)
- ITSF 4510: Scholarship and Practice: Applying Anthropology (3)
Research Methods Courses (9):
Choose 2 or 3:
- ITSF 5000: Introductory Methods of Ethnography and Participant Observation (3)
- ITSF 5001: Ethnography and Participant-Observation (3)
- ITSF 5611 Advanced Ethnographic Methods and Analysis: From Fieldwork to Text (3)
Choose 1:
- ITSF 4101: Introduction to Quantitative Data Analysis (3)
- ITSF 4092: Qualitative Methods
- ITSF 5009: Social Network Analysis (3)
- ITSF 5040: Mixed Methods in International Comparative Education (3)
Practicum & Integrated Project (5):
- ITSF 5020: Practicum in Anthropological Field Techniques (3)
- ITSF 4200: Integrative Project Research & Writing Practicum (2)
Electives (12):
Course Option Examples:
- ITSF 5003: Communication and Culture (3)
- ITSF 4014: Urban Situations and Education (3)
- ITSF 5015: Political Anthropology: Labor, Race, and Belief (3)
- ITSF 5504: Feminist Anthropology for Teaching and Research (3)
- ITSF 4026: Technology and Culture (3)
- ITSF 4092: Qualitative Methods (3)
- ITSF 4034: Dynamics of Family Interaction (3)
- ITSF 5050: Language, Cultural Politics, and Education (3)
- ITSF 5037: Global Literacies (3)
- ITSF 5045: Globalization, Mobility and Education (3)
- ORL 5362: Group dynamics: A systems perspective (3)
- MSTC 5041: The nature and practice of science (3)
- MSTU 4022: Online learning, online communities, and collaborative interchange (3)
Grade Requirements:
An overall grade average of B+ is expected. Receiving two B grades or lower, two Incomplete grades, or one F grade will lead to a review by the program faculty and may result in dismissal from the program
Program Faculty
Faculty
- Keri Brondo
Lambros Comitas Chair in Applied Anthropology - Nicholas Limerick
Associate Professor of Anthropology and Education - Herve Varenne
Gardner Cowles Professor of Anthropology and Education
Professors of Teaching
- Amina Tawasil
Associate Professor of Teaching
Visiting Professors
- Ellen Grey Gundaker
PT Visiting Professor
Program Courses
ITSF4010 Cultural & Social Bases of Education
This course is designed as an introduction to cultural anthropology for educators and education researchers.
ITSF4011 Contexts of education
Permission required. This is a year-long critical review of important works in anthropology and education and applied anthropology for the analysis of educational institutions and processes around the world. During the spring semester, students present proposals for their summer fieldwork before the members of both programs. Required of first- and second-year doctoral students.
ITSF4012 Cross-cultural studies of learning
Analyses of basic anthropological concepts, with particular reference to the influence of cultures and subcultures on the learning process, to education in multicultural classrooms, and to the relevance of psychological anthropology to educational issues. Four-point enrollment requires attendance at film showings before or after class and additional discussion sessions held at hours to be arranged.
ITSF4014 Urban situations and education
Increasing populations from disparate places, expanding geographical spaces as political, and widening social inequality continue to mark urban environments as particular types of living spaces. Such processes are as important as ever as over half of the world’s youth now lives in cities. An anthropology of education asks researchers and practitioners to consider how educational events, including those of schools, index phenomena from larger domains of social, political and economic life. In this course, we will analyze what else makes a space urban, what assumptions undergird our imagination of the urban, as well as the varied ways other localities constitute what is urban. Through this localized lens, we also examine forms and structures of education (including but not limited to schooling), as well as the problems and potentials for varied forms of education in urban environments. We will be looking closely at several urban phenomena, asking how do urbanites educate themselves and each other? What might potential answers to this question teach us about ‘education’ and greater systems at play? Some of these phenomena are schooling, gentrification and displacement, the gig economy, educative possibilities in less noticeable spaces like community gardens or street corners, graffiti writing, spaces of cooperation. *As a final project, students in this course will have an option to submit a 15-page research paper or produce/record a simulate podcast episode.
ITSF4016 Culture and society in Africa
A general survey of sub-Saharan Africa, using contributions from theoretical approaches to anthropological research in the area. Emphasis on socioeconomic, ideological and religious, educational, and political analysis of African communities.
ITSF4018 Anthropology & Development: Critical and Local Approaches
This seminar considers issues and problems of development in sub-Saharan Africa. It examines specific development projects from different theoretical and empirical perspectives.
ITSF4026 Technology and culture
An exploration of technologies, broadly defined, and the contexts of their development, use, and politics of distribution locally and globally, drawing on research in anthropology and related disciplines.
ITSF4034 Dynamics of family interaction
This course has been developed with practitioners of anthropology, educators, health professionals and globalization in mind. This course focuses on family as an agentive space where people construct with what they have around them. Culture of family is understood as processual and distributive situated in context and history and is also a politicized concept. This course engages categories such as biological and social bases of family, honor, sexuality, love, wealth, religion, and institutions such as schools, the humanitarian /development/human rights regimes, and the nation-state. The course will begin with an overview of anthropological research on kinship and relatedness by exploring the various possibilities in the composition of a typical family, how the family is formed, and how belongingness is maintained in different parts of the world. The second portion of the course will be devoted to variables that impact the family and vice versa. Ethnographic examples throughout the semester will focus on the socio-historical context, concreteness of actions, and use of resources.
ITSF4510 Scholarship and Practice: Applying Anthropology
This course promotes the development of an engaged anthropological praxis by surveying the history, ethics, and methods of applied anthropology, and preparing for the implementation of successful applied research that benefits both students and their interlocutors. It also reviews case studies of major applied projects to understand how people can make their training in anthropology work in a broad array of fields such as education, health and medicine, business and industry, environment, development, etc. We consider the following questions: What does it mean to be an applied, engaged, public, action, or activist anthropologist? What ethical issues need to be considered in anthropological application? How can anthropological theories, methods, and ethics be implemented through research design?
ITSF4900 Internship, Research, Independent Study in Anthropology & Education
Advanced masters students may register for internships, research projects related to the IP, or intensive individual study of some aspect of their concentration. Registration is only by permission of the instructor under whose guidance the work will be undertaken. Times for individual conferences will be arranged. Enrollment may be for 1 or more points each term, and registration is not limited to one or two terms. Advisor Approval Required.
ITSF5000 Mth Inqury:Ethngrphy Part Obsr
This course provides training in knowledge-production through ethnographic research using participant-observation. Students will be able to gain an understanding of ethnography as a way of knowing how people do what they do. Part one of the course will be devoted to research design, which includes developing different types of research questions, selecting sites and anthropological methods suitable for answering these questions, and examining anthropological approaches for applied purposes. Part two of the semester consists of looking at the difficulties of conducting research driven by established categories like culture, as well as the challenges inherent in ethnography such as objectivity, representation, and ethical dilemmas. This half of the semester will be dedicated to helping students produce a research study proposal that they will present to their cohort. Throughout the course, students will be reading examples of ethnographic research relevant to policy-making in order to understand how approaches to ethnography have developed. The peer-review process will be heavily implemented in this course, where students are given the opportunity to evaluate and comment on each other’s work. Students will be expected to study and read the assigned readings, and be able to participate in class discussions on the course readings. This course is foundational for students who are doing ethnographic fieldwork for their master’s IP or doctoral dissertation. There are no prerequisites.
ITSF5001 Ethnography and Participant-Observation
What can we learn about human experience that numbers alone cannot reveal? This course puts ethnographic methods into practice at one of New York City's most iconic public spaces: Coney Island. From the boardwalk to the beach, the amusement parks to the community gathering spots, you'll develop your skills in participant-observation, fieldnote writing, audiovisual documentation, and ethnographic analysis— culminating in the legendary Mermaid Parade on June 20th. Building on ITSF 5000, this course moves from research design to hands-on fieldwork. After three intensive lecture sessions covering methods, ethics, and analytical frameworks, we spend the remaining Saturdays in the field. You'll observe, converse, document, and ultimately write about what you discover in this vibrant seaside neighborhood where leisure, community, and spectacle intersect.
ITSF5003 Communication and culture
This course covers theories and ethnographies from linguistic anthropology, or the study of how communication shapes and is shaped by social life. It considers examples from different educational contexts, such as literacy, exams, and teaching, and how they intersect with major categories of inequality such as race, class, and gender. Students are encouraged to think critically about communicative norms in institutions like schools and to apply the themes of the course to their own interests and backgrounds.
ITSF5007 Race, class and schooling: Ethnographic approaches
This course asks how "race" and "class" shape and are shaped by schooling in the United States and other regions around the globe, privileging ethnography as the best way to find out how these broad concepts play out for diverse participants in diverse contexts, on the ground.
ITSF5012 The anthropology of the Caribbean and postcolonial society
Caribbean experiences have been central to the development of postcolonial theory. This course draws on this work as well as research in anthropology and related fields to investigate how peoples in one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse regions on earth make sense of the past, flourish or just get by in the present, and envision workable futures in a globalizing and media saturated world.
ITSF5015 Political anthropology: Labor, race, and belief
This course considers the theories and concepts used by anthropologists and other social scientists in the analysis of political behavior and institutions. It analyzes contemporary theories for the study of power and their use in ethnographies of education. It also considers political topics, such as social movements and the state.
ITSF5016 Anthropology in Education
Introduction to the anthropological investigation of educative institutions (villages, neighborhoods, families, peer groups, schools, etc.) and of the policy issues anthropology addresses.
ITSF5018 Drugs and Society
Utilizing theoretical and methodological perspectives from social and cultural anthropology, this course is designed to explore the contextual dimensions of illicit drug use as well as other drug-related issues. A comparative, cross-cultural approach will be utilized and case material drawn from traditional as well as modern settings.
ITSF5020 Practicum in anthropological field techniques
For anthropologists and non-anthropologists contemplating independent, qualitative research, this course provides hands-on experience in basic techniques for generating, recording, and managing anthropological data in the field.
ITSF5037 Global Literacies
This course draws upon the anthropology of literacy, sociology of language, sociolinguistics, and critical, interdisciplinary studies of reading and writing to address basic questions about the nature of writing, reading, and graphic/material communication; the politics and processes of access to various systems; and the significance of various literacies around the world.
ITSF5045 Globalization, Mobility & Education
Drawing on the anthropology of globalization and sociology of immigration, the course reviews major theories of immigrant incorporation and exclusion processes, examines case studies of im/migrants, refugees, and displaced persons and their adaptation processes inherent in the process of migration, and considers educational practices and policies that develop in order to address mobility in diverse contexts. The course asks how cultural, social, political, and economic factors influence im/migrant incorporation, and how educators can facilitate im/migrant students’ opportunities for learning through changes in policies, pedagogies, and curricula.
ITSF5504 Feminist Anthropology for Teaching and Research
What is the relationship between feminist theory and anthropology? This class explores feminist critiques of science, feminist and womanist epistemologies, research ethics, and methodologies to study intersectionality. Students will learn about the history of feminist anthropology and explore how it has challenged the broader discipline of anthropology. We will consider key questions and contestations surrounding the politics representation and the relationship between one’s personal identity and positionality and ethnographic research and writing. We will critically analyze core concepts such as gender, embodiment, power, equality, and so on, and practice a range of feminist research methods for engaging and elevating the diversity of experiences among underrepresented, understudied, and marginalized populations.
ITSF5610 First- and Second-Year Colloquium in Applied Anthropology
Permission required. This is a year-long critical review of important works in anthropology and education and applied anthropology. During the spring semester, students present proposals for their summer fieldwork before the members of both programs. Required of first- and second-year doctoral students.
ITSF5611 Advanced Ethnographic Methods and Analysis: From Fieldwork to Text
How do you analyze field notes, discourse, and social media and contribute to larger theoretical questions and practical solutions? How do you write a paper based on qualitative and ethnographic research? This course asks students to reflect upon what qualitative research is and its role in scholarly and practical knowledge production. Topics include: relationships between evidence and theory; storing, transcribing, analyzing, and portraying ethnographic evidence; writing about people while shifting away from anthropology’s colonial history; and authoring an above average draft of an article-length paper. It is required for second-year anthropology doctoral students, who will report on their completed summer fieldwork. This course is also open to doctoral students in other programs, as well as advanced anthropology master's students. Students are required to have already carried out pilot research that they will analyze during the class.
ITSF6510 Education and cultural production
Education intersects cultural production in myriad ways involving large scale planning, environmental interventions, institutions like museums and parks, heritage initiatives, media old and new, and individual and local projects. This course investigates these and other modes of cultural production through the lenses of semiotic theories, anthropology, and related fields.
ITSF6900 Research independent study anthropology and education
Advanced students may register for intensive individual study of some aspect of their concentration. Registration is only by permission of the instructor under whose guidance the work will be undertaken. Times for individual conferences will be arranged. Enrollment may be for 1 or more points each term, and registration is not limited to one or two terms.