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Anthropology 308 ± American Culture through HBO¶s The Wire (online)

Department of Anthropology, University of Hawaiµi at Mnoa

Instructor:  Paul Christensen, Ph.D.

Eric Cunningham, Ph.D. candidate (ABD)

Contact Information:

Course introduction and goals:This online course uses HBO¶s television series The Wire toexplore through an anthropological lens a range of social and cultural issues in contemporary

America. The course is spread over both summer sessions and students are encouraged to

 participate in class activities for the entire twelve weeks.

ONLINE

This course is offered entirely online, so students should familiarize themselves with the

³Laulima´ system here at the University of Hawaiµi. Online courses require that each student

take PERSONAL RESPONSIBLITY and stay informed about assigned readings, assignment

due dates, and online discussions. Taking a course online does not relieve you from investingan adequate amount of time to your learning. If you are unfamiliar with the ³Laulima´ system

and need help learning how to use it please contact the instructor right away at

 paulchri@hawaii.edu or ericjc@hawaii.edu 

Learning outcomes:After completing this course, successful students should have the following:

1.  Understand anthropological perspectives on domestic issues

2.  Gain a sense of the operation of power between institutions and individuals

3.  Develop ability to think critically about urban American culture and environments

Student responsibilities and assignments:

PRESENCE AND PARTICIPATION

Eric Cunningham

Email: ericjc@hawaii.edu

Phone: 808-956-7828

Paul Christensen

Email: paulchri@hawaii.edu

Phone: 808-956-7828

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Students are expected to read and be prepared to participate fully in discussions online.

This means that each student is responsible for being up to date on reading and prepared

to contribute thoughtfully throughout the course. Students are expected to maintain a

 presence online and contribute to online discussions

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS 

Writing is an integral part of this course and is a way for me to evaluate eachstudent¶s ability to think critically about topics discussed in class. In this course

students will be asked to write three 5-page, double-spaced papers focused ontopics presented throughout the course. Papers must be submitted via Laulima

by 11:59 pm on Friday of the week they are due.Late submissions will bededucted a full letter grade for each day they are late (e.g. two days late, two letter 

grades deducted).

The format for the papers is as follows:

y  typedy  1" margins, all around

y  10- or 12-point font

y  double-spaced

y   pages numbered

y  name included in header on each page

Papers must include citations from books, discussions (eg. class notes 07/03/09),

and films. Citations must conform to the American Anthropology Association¶sstyle guide (see www.aaanet.org).

In written assignments students should convey to the instructor their ability to digest,comprehend, and weave together material from films, class discussions, and readings.

Students will also be expected to draw out and elaborate on anthropologically relevant

concepts and ideas. Papers should not simply be ³book reports´ that summarize

materials; rather, they should reflect critical thinking on the part of the student.

Student conduct:

It is the responsibility of all students to know and follow the UH Mnoa student code of 

conduct (http://studentaffairs.manoa.hawaii.edu/ policies/conduct_code/). In particular,

PLAGIARISM will not be tolerated and incidents will be dealt following the rules laid

out in the student code of conduct.

Breakdown of grades:

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  Assignment Points Overall %

Participation and attendance: 100 points X 6 (600) 30%

Papers: 700 points X 2 (1400) 70%

Total 2000 points 100%

Grade % Grade %

A+ 100-97 C+ 79.9-77

A 96.9-93 C 76.9-73

A- 92.9-90 C- 72.9-70

B+ 89.9-87 D+ 69.9-67

B 86.9-83 D 66.9-67

B- 82.9-80 D- 66.9-63

F 60>

Required texts/DVDs:

The Wire: The Complete First Season (DVD 2002).

The Wire: The Complete Third Season (DVD 2004).

Course reader, available via Laulima

Course schedule and topics to be cover:

Students will typically watch two episodes per week; the numbering system refers first to the

season and then the episode number. Thus 1.1 is Season 1, Episode 1.

Week one: Introduction ± surveillance and enforcement.Watch episodes 1.1 and 1.2Discussion topic one: The role of surveillance in society

Discussion topic two: Selective enforcement and benign neglect 

Readings: 1)Michel Foucault¶s Govermentality 

2) Nikolas Rose¶s Government and C ontr ol 

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Week two: Institutional failures. Watch episodes 1.3 and 1.4

Discussion topic one: The structuring of addiction and poverty

Discussion topic two: Structure and agency

Readings: 1) Merrill Singer¶sC onfr onting  Juan Garcia's Drinking Pr oblem: The

 Demedicalization o f Alcoholism 

2) Buchananet al, Neighborhood Differences in Patterns o f Syringe Access, Use,

and Discard among Injection Drug Users: Implications f or HIV Outreach and 

 Prevention Education 

Week three: (Hidden?) violence in America. Watch episodes 1.5 and 1.6

Discussion topic one:Comprehension of violence in America

Discussion topic two: Insulation, isolation, and invisibility

Readings: 1)P

aul Farmer¶s On Suffering and Structural Vio

lence: A View fr om Bel 

ow

2) Vinh-Kim Nguyen¶s Anthr o pol o gy, Inequality, and Disease: A Review

Paper #1 due on Friday by 11:59 pm.

Week four:Masculinities and race. Watch episodes 1.7 and 1.8

Discussion topic one: Masculinity in America 

Discussion topic two: Race and masculinity 

Readings: 1) Geoffery Hunt¶s Alcohol and Masculinty: The Case o f Ethnic Y outh Gangs 

2) Michael Kimmel¶s Masculinity as H omo phobia: Fear Shame and Silence inthe C onstruction o f Gender Identity 

Week five: Community and addiction. Watch episodes 1.9 and 1.10

Discussion topic one: Connections/disconnections between community and addiction

Discussion topic two:Addiction as social problem or social illness? 

Readings: 1) Philippe Bourgois¶ Useless Suffering: The war on homeless drug addicts 

2) Philippe Bourgois¶ Righteous Do pefiend (introduction and conclusion)

Week six: The construction of progress and the status quo. Watch episodes 1.11, 1.12, and

1.13

Discussion topic one: ³The king stay the king´ ± ³presentations´ of success 

Discussion topic two: The possibility for change

Readings: 1) Erika Johnson-Lewis¶ The M ore Things Change, the M ore They Stay the Same:

Serial Narrative on The Wire

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2) Angela Anderson¶s N o Such Thing as Good and E vil: The Wire and thehumanization o f the ob ject o f risk in the age o f bio politics

Paper #2 due on Friday by 11:59 pm.