121-446 Explanation and Understanding

Formerly available as 121-085 or 136-020. Students who have completed 121-085 or 136-020 are not eligible to enrol in this subject.

Admission to the postgraduate diploma or fourth-year honours in anthropology.

This subject examines methodological and epistemological issues at an advanced level, focusing especially on causation in human affairs, the nature of understanding and explanation in the social sciences, hermeneutics, the problems of objectivity and value, freedom, tests, and research design in the human sciences. Students completing this subject should be able to explore a number of methodological and epistemological issues at an advanced level.

• have practice in conducting 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 methods of critical inquiry and argument leading to improved analytical skills;

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

A single paper of no more than 5000 words 100% (due at the end of the semester)..