Material Culture and Consumption

3 credits

A study of the investment of social values in the material world, including the cultural politics of "styles" in architecture, interior decoration, dress, etc. Consumption is approached ethnographically, in relation to modern personhood, kinship, and household formation. Practices such as collecting are studied in terms of the cultural politics of value in various societies. Emphasis is placed on modernity, with reference to ethnographic records of material culture in pre-industrial societies. ***Prerequisite: Completion of 30 credit hours including at least 3 credit hours in ANTH, or permission of the Department Head.***