355 Harris Ave.
During the 1930’s, cultural anthropologists were quick to utilize film to document cultures. Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson were among the first to use film not only to document but to study details captured on film. However, the cost of film and equipment plus the logistics of transporting it resulted in relatively few early ethnographic films. While filming is now much easier, many cultural films online are not holistic and respectful.
We view an ethnographic film in each of the four two-hour class sessions. Films are selected so we can explore cultures in different parts of the world and with varying structures: matrilineal/patrilineal; foragers/herders, and others. After an overview of the culture and an introduction to each film, we’ll view the film (most are about an hour) and follow with discussion. Our goal is to achieve a deeper understanding of the four cultures featured as well as the overall structure of cultures.
Instructor: Kathy Kuba
Kathy Kuba has been an educator her entire career and an anthropologist for the last 25 years. She holds a B.A. in Education from the University of Missouri and an M.A. in Anthropology/Museology from the University of Washington. For several decades, she worked in natural history museums creating programs and exhibits on cultural and scientific topics. She recently retired from teaching Introduction to Cultural Anthropology for 20 years, eight of them at WWU.
