TLÜ ÕIS

Anthropology of Anthropology

Course code

HIA6324.HT

old course code

Course title in Estonian

Antropoloogia antropoloogiast

Course title in English

Anthropology of Anthropology

ECTS credits

6.0

Assessment form

Examination

lecturer of 2025/2026 Spring semester

Jaanika Vider (language of instruction:English)

lecturer of 2026/2027 Autumn semester

Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.

Course aims

The aim of the course is to introduce students to key debates, approaches, and transformations in social anthropology, with particular attention to the discipline’s historical development, its colonial contexts, and contemporary reflexive and critical perspectives. The course encourages students to critically examine how anthropological knowledge is produced, debated, and practiced, and to develop the ability to engage in informed discussion about the relevance and possibilities of anthropology today.

Brief description of the course

Anthropology has historically been associated with the study of the ‘other’, often within colonial and imperial contexts. This course explores how anthropologists have critically reflected on this legacy and how the discipline has changed from the mid-20th century to the present. Through guided discussions and debates, students engage with key moments and questions in the history of anthropology, including colonialism, the crisis of representation, debates around canon formation, and the relationship between anthropology and ethnography. The course also examines contemporary and alternative forms of anthropological practices in order to broaden students’ understanding of what anthropological practice can be. Emphasis is placed on active participation, critical reading, and collective discussion.

Learning outcomes in the course

Upon completing the course the student:
- demonstrates knowledge of some of the key debates and developments in social anthropology;
- is able to critically discuss anthropological texts and ideas in written and oral format;
- can formulate and communicate a coherent analytical argument orally, drawing on anthropological concepts;
- understands different forms of anthropological practice and their implications for knowledge production.

Teacher

Jaanika Vider

Study programmes containing that course