1. Introduction
2. Teaching Experience
3. Teaching Philosophy
4. Syllabi
At SUNY-New Paltz, Emory University, the University of West Georgia, and Spelman College, I have taught courses on a range of topics, including anthropology (introductory level), cultural anthropology, feminist anthropology, anthropological theory, political anthropology, sexuality studies, social movements, health and illness, and Latin American cultures.
2008 “Introduction to Cultural Anthropology”
ANT 214; SUNY-New Paltz
2008 “The Anthropology of Gender”
ANT 421; SUNY-New Paltz
2008 “Political Anthropology”
ANT 404; SUNY-New Paltz
2008 “Cultures of South America”
ANT 305; SUNY-New Paltz
2008 “Development of Anthropological Thought”
ANT 401; SUNY-New Paltz
2006 “Cultures of Latin America: The Anthropology of Democracy”
ANT 150; cross-listed with Emory Program in Latin American Studies
2004 “Concepts and Methods in Cultural Anthropology”
ANT 202; co-taught with Prof. Peggy Barlett
2001 “Culture, Society & Sexuality: An Introduction to Lesbian & Gay Studies”
ANT 385; Teaching Assistant for Prof. Donald Donham
2000 “Introduction to Anthropology”
ANT 101; Teaching Assistant for Prof. Bruce Knauft)
I have also given individual lectures on gender, sexuality, and applied anthropology in ANT 101 courses (1999-2004), as well as public health lectures on drug use and HIV prevention epidemiology.
My teaching philosophy recognizes the classroom as a place of didactic knowledge acquisition, but also for the development of critical thinking skills: a setting where students learn how to learn, and thus how to organize forms of knowledge they encounter during their undergraduate trajectories. Critical thinking means questioning issues raised in course readings, lectures, discussions, and in one’s own thinking. A crucial complement to critical thinking is the capacity to speak and listen to others attentively, respectfully and constructively. A professor’s teaching talent, I believe, is ultimately a function of how well she can facilitate a pedagogic space where these elements -- didactic learning, critical thinking and democratic communication -- are balanced and can thrive. I want my students to experience cultural anthropology as gratifying, even fun -- replete with provocative stories and exposure to lifeworlds that seem strange -- even as that very strangeness needs to be unpacked rather than romanticized. As both a teacher and as a scholar, I find it tremendously fulfilling to contribute to students’ efforts to engage more critically and more meaningfully with the world around them. My teaching, moreover, reflects a broader commitment to a public anthropology which addresses major social, political and economic issues of our contemporary historical moment and fosters dialogue (and questions conventional boundaries) between scholar and citizen, academy and community.
Download syllabi I have developed or used for the following courses:
1. "Cultures of Latin America: The Anthropology of Democracy" (download)
This course provides an introduction to contemporary cultural, political and economic issues in Latin America from an anthropological perspective. For the Spring 2006 semester, our theme will be “democracy and citizenship” and we will consider how ordinary people understand their own rights and citizenship, and make sense of the democratic societies in which they live. We will approach democracy not simply as a form of government, but as a powerful ideology used by governments, by social movements, and by ordinary citizens. Readings and other course materials will bring us face-to-face with individuals and groups from different regions, social classes, political affiliations, and economic circumstances. We will consider eight countries which have undergone transitions to democracy after periods of authoritarian rule (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, and Nicaragua) and examine these case studies: indigenous populations, urban squatters, landless peasants, Afro-Latinos, the Women’s Movement, and the Lesbian & Gay Rights Movement. Course readings will draw from ethnography, history, and theories of democracy. This course will provide a firm foundation for further study of Latin America or of anthropology, for travel, and for being an informed citizen able to understand the issues behind newspaper accounts of current events.
2. "Sexuality, Society & Culture: An Introduction to Lesbian & Gay Studies" (download)
3. "Concepts & Methods in Cultural Anthropology" (co-taught with Prof. Peggy Barlett) (download)
4. "Sexual Cultures of 20th-century Brazil" (download)