121-492 Advanced Topics in Applied Anthropology

Formerly available as 121-083 or 136-025. Students who have completed 121-083 or 136-025 are not eligible to enrol in this subject.

Admission to fourth-year honours or a postgraduate degree in anthropology, sociology, economics, development, agriculture, forestry, geography, engineering, biology, medicine, education, commerce, or law and successful completion of 121-061 Applied Anthropology or equivalent.

This subject focuses on anthropological research, skills and information, in order to help students understand the causes of, and seek solutions to, practical problems in economic development, native title, and related issues both in Australia and overseas. The subject emphasises the needs, motivations, wider circumstances, and decision-making of the various people and groups involved, while concurrently examining the specificity of a few cases. The subject also includes practical career information and advice. Students will select their own problems or cases to investigate, report on in the seminar, and write about in their essay. Student contact with appropriate people and agencies will be facilitated where possible and appropriate.

• have practice in conducting independent research and speaking articulately;

• have practice in writing clearly in a variety of formats and reading with attention to detail;

• have experience of systematically evaluating a body of empirical data and identifying its theoretical context;

• have experience of advanced methods of critical inquiry and argument leading to improved analytical skills;

• have acquired awareness of issues relating to cross-cultural communication.