The aim of this seminar is to develop a critical focus on issues in anthropology and the social sciences, and to develop research skills. The seminar focuses on the questions: What is a problem in anthropology, and in the social sciences? How can one relate theory to empirical material?

The first activity will be to collectively read and discuss several previously written Honours (or other) theses, in order to consider: What is the writer’s question? Is it clearly enunciated? How is the question answered?

Secondly, each student will select a particular research area, according to interest (e.g., ‘invention of tradition’, ‘studies of globalization in anthropology’, ‘diaspora’, ‘contemporary kinship studies’, ‘the concept of participation in development policy and practice’, or the like), in consultation with the class and instructor. The student will be responsible for the development of an annotated bibliography on this subject from social science literature.

Emphasis should be given to surveying recent literature, but the main task is to provide an overview of the development of the issue over time. The student will analyse the problem orientations that have characterised this development. Students will be asked to attend particular sessions (e.g., offered by Information Literacy Program) on the use of electronic search facilities, and there will be some class sessions focusing specifically on search, annotation and especially issues in critical summary of research material.