Undergraduate Module Descriptor

ANT3016: Anthropology of the State

This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.

Module Aims

You will be introduced to a range of social scientific approaches to the study of the state, from political theory and anthropology to history, archaeology and sociology. You will then apply these analytical tools to a range of historical cases to explore the diverse ways in which humans live with (and without) states. Through a guided research project, you will develop your own personal approach to the study of the state and apply that approach to a particular contemporary or historical state or non-state society.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills	1. demonstrate strong familiarity with the major contemporary social scientific approaches to the study of the state; 2. show an in-depth understanding of specific issues related to the study of the state, including definitional matters, the difficulty of defining the boundaries of the state, and understanding the nature of statelessness both historically and today; 3. show a detailed understanding of particular types of state like the welfare state, the carceral state, the theatre state, the Islamic state, divine kingship, and the galactic polity.
Discipline-Specific Skills	4. critically apply various theories and methodologies to specific cases; 5. critically assess claims about the state and socio-political organization more generally; 6. think critically about the social, political, and anthropological implications of states.
Personal and Key Skills	7. communicate effectively in written and oral form; 8. engage in cross-cultural translation and comparison; 9. conduct research on a topic and organize findings in written form in a compelling manner.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

Three Perspectives on the State (Conservative, Marxist, and Libertarian)
The Problem of Defining the Boundaries of the State
Archaeological Approaches to the State
Statelessness as a Choice
Statelessness as an Imposition
The Welfare State
The Carceral State
The Islamic State
Divine Kingship
The Theatre State and the Galactic Polity

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
22	128

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity	11	11 x 1 Hour Lectures
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity	11	11 x 1 Hour Seminars
Guided Independent Study	12	Research Paper Proposal
Guided Independent Study	56	Weekly Reading for seminars
Guided Independent Study	20	Weekly Discussion posts
Guided Independent Study	40	Research Paper

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).