Ethnology of the Americas

The course is organised in two parts that are interrelated. In the first part (Introduction to Ethnology of America), geographical, socio-political, historical and cultural characteristics of the American continent are discussed. Special attention is given to the following thematic areas: the period before and after colonization (contact of the “New” world with “Old” world; representations of indigenous ppopulations in Europe different methods and politics of colonisation), “indigenism”, revitalisation of indigenous identities and dilemmas of multi-ethnic policies; stereotype of “Indian” in school textbooks and the mass media. Some of the classic and modern anthropological works dealing with American cultures will be presented and analysed.
The above mentioned topics will be extended in the second part of the course. Based on the case of Mapuche (Chile and Argentina), some of the characteristics of the colonial and neocolonial policies in Latin America will be presented as well as certain aspects of socio-political, religious and economic backgrounds of the past and modern indigenous movements. Furthermore, the relations between national institutions, globalization trends and indigenous organizations will be analysed; special attention will be given to discussion of the role of various medical systems in the indigenous identity processes and movements as well as the role of the anthropologist as a researcher of the cultures of Latin America and the key advantages/disadvantages related to the methodological issues.

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8. Bacigalupo, Ana Mariella, 2007, Shamans of the Foye Tree: Gender, Power and Healing among Chilean Mapuche. Austin: University of Texas Press. [COBISS.SI ID-164356099]
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