Master Social and Cultural AnthropologyInformation session 23 September 2019

WELCOME!

Who is who?

• Prof. Dr. Karel Arnaut: programme director

• Christine Verbruggen: programme coordinator & teaching

assistant

• Annelies Kuijpers: teaching assistent

Overview

1. What is Social and Cultural Anthropology?

2. Anthropology @ KU Leuven

3. Regulations

4. Anthropology abroad

5. Important dates

6. Information platforms

7. ISP and IER

8. Call for student representatives

9. FSW buddy programme

10. RU = Research Unit > check it out

1. What is Social & Cultural Anthropology?

• Through empirical research, social and cultural anthropology

investigates the differences and similarities between cultures.

• Thus it wants to shed light on the historical, social political and

cultural processes that shape society.

• More than the study of the “exotic other”

• Familiarizing the unfamiliar and defamiliarizing

the familiar

• Expertise in identity, ethnicity, the global,

ecology, migration, urbanisation,…

• Skills: critical analysis meets empathy

2. Anthropology @ KU Leuven

2.1 Students

• 2 years

• Bridging programme (Dutch, professional BA)

• ManaMa Cultural Anthropology & Development Studies (CADES)

• Divers group: age, discipline, nationality

• +- 263 students in total (2018-2019)

67 Dutch (1ste + 2de phase)

97 ENG (1ste + 2de phase)

35 bridging

64 CADES

2.2 Teaching Staff

• 2 research units

o Interculturalism Migration and

Minorities Research Centre

http://soc.kuleuven.be/immrc

o Institute of Anthropological Research

in Africa

http://soc.kuleuven.be/web/home/7/38/nl

o Teaches: CADES: Special Topics, CADES Seminar, Culture, Ecology

and Development, Material Culture, Interdisciplinary Perspectives

on Development and Cultures (DebateSeries: Cities in Development)

o Topics:• New modes of urban kinship and friendship (focus on West-Africa); offline and

online friendship; family (photographic); family archives in relation to

migratory biographies and kinship; mobility and migration of women/youth;

hope, temporalities and future-making

• Material culture studies: dwelling culture, place-making, object biographies

• Mental health: psychiatric institutions in an African context

Option: Research in the field of Medical Anthropology with University Eduardo Mondlane

(Maputo, Mozambique); preferably Portuguese speaking students

• Anthropology and development: ethnographies of aid; touristification

Option: Research Zimbabwe, collaboration with KNUST (Bulawayo); anthropology &

development

• Environmental anthropology, land tenure, conservation, nature parks

Option: Research on conservation and nature parks in Arba Minch, Ethiopia

• Art and the city, Maker Culture/Maker Movement in Africa

Ann Cassiman

Option: Cooperation with Prof. Wim Van Daele, University of

Agder (Norway)

• wanted: one master student interested in conducting anthropological fieldwork

among Kichwa communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon region.

• cooperation with the Ecuadorian IKIAM and ESPOL universities + collaboration

with very experienced anthropologist and nutritionists and other medical

scientists.

• topic: situated within the field of food anthropology, investigating the socially and

culturally informed food habits of Kichwa lactating mothers with infants between

0 and 12 months old. This, to understand these habits' nutritional effects on the

health of mother and child.

• requirements: to be fluent in Spanish + able to fund own research.

It will be a demanding, but very rewarding project involving interdisciplinary

research experience within global health and with great supervision.

Ann Cassiman

• Teaches: Political Anthropology, Culture Ecology and Development, Urban

Anthropology, Introductory Anthropology BA course

• Topics:• Urban Anthropology

• Processes of state ‘crisis’ and collapse

• Theorizing Africa, postcolonial studies, cultural & subaltern studies

• Process of globalisation, neo-liberalisation, African modernities,

• Urbanity: cityness in Africa and the Global South

• Local notions of gift, reciprocity, consumption and identity

• Food, culture and ecology

• Violence, culture, trauma: History and Memory

• Anthropology of children and youth

• Healing, divination

• African Diasporas

Filip De Boeck

• Teaches: Anthropology & Popular Culture

• Topics:• POPULAR CULTURE( dance; sports; humor; TV fiction; chat groups; call in shows etc.)

• MEDIA worlds (production/reception) – radio, television, mobile phones, the internet

o * genres and aesthetics

o * politics; protest; propaganda; evangelization; (il)literacy ; “empowerment”, D4D

o * fame and celebrity cultures

• TECHNOLOGY

o * …and the city: tools and technologies in cities ; “smart(er) cities”

(inclusion/exclusion; introduction of new technologies; social

consequences of increasing automation of daily life; imagination of “machines” etc.)

o * …and (post-)modernity (critique on colonialism; postcoloniality – through

the rubric of technology cultures; nature-culture reconfigurations)

o * …and new forms of life (e.g. the social worlds of solar panels; computers;

e.g. cybercafes; cinema halls; makers community; workshops etc.)

• OLD AGE

*ethnographies of ageing (in the Global North / South); life in retirement homes, etc.

• (with prof Fadil) RIGHT WING VOTERS in Flanders

Katrien Pype

• Teaches: Political Anthropology, Anthropology of the Body, Myth and

Symbolism; Current Issues, Ethnographic Fieldwork(AC),

Research Seminar

• Topics:• Development & sexuality; ecology; gender; livestock; tourism

• Global/localisation; the emergence of new global players in Africa.

• Political α; α of the state

• Anthropology of colonialism

• Anthropology of border lands and margins

• Pastoralism, nomadism

• Anthropology of food and drinking

• Anthropology of humour and laughter

• Vernacular modernities

• Ambivalence, uncertainty; hybridity; paradox

Steven Van Wolputte

o Topics: ct’d• Animal studies in anthropology

• Anthropology and history Resistance studies

• The working of informal economies Anthropology of the body

• The making of self/ selves; identity; belonging; uncertainties,

• subjunctivity embodiment; subjectivity; hybridity

• Anthropology of space and place; localities Material culture/ popular culture

• Urban cultures; youth cultures

Steven Van Wolputte

• Teaches: Culture, Migration and Mobility; Anthropology of

Social Change; Anthropology Communication and Diversity

• Topics: general:o (Super)diversity; (Arrival) Infrastructures; Europe and its refugees/

‘transmigrants’; Belgium’s post-colony.

• Topics: specific:o 1. Diversity practices, discourses & events: (a) everyday

multicultural/minority affirmations & negotiations, (b) uses of diversity

ideologies (autochthony, xenophobia, multiculturalism, superdiversity) in

different settings, and (c) cultural & heritage events celebrating diversity.

o 2. Infrastructuring in contexts of migration & mobility: homeless people

(public spaces & reception centres), refugees (private/social housing,

detention centres), ‘transmigrants’ (centres, makeshift shelters, welcome

infrastructures), or specialised contexts (seasonal labour accommodation,

medical services such as local health centres), etc.

Karel Arnaut

• Topics: Special (ct’d) New !

o 3. Literacy trajectories (anxieties & fascinations): ethnographies of

literacy as social practice and lived ideology in different modalities (printed,

web-based, audio-visual), genres (narratives, meetings, grass-roots writings,

etc.) and contexts (education, training, integration programmes, activism,

everyday offline & online life: work, health, friends, etc.)

o 4. Agri-cultures & future ruralities (in the face of the Anthropocene):

ethnographies of contemporary rural life and/or agricultural activity; agro-

industry versus agro-ecology in different sites (farms, cooperatives, family

life) in different forms of activism (farmers, consumers), concerning different

issues (biodiversity, climate change, food poverty & redistribution).

Guidance: Clear guidelines concerning the collaboration between student

and supervisor. Not available between 20th July and 15th August.

Karel Arnaut

• Teaches: Anthro of Religion; Anthro of Ethnicity and Race;

Anthropology & Islam; Introduction to Social and Cultural

Anthropology (BA course)

• Topics:• Regional interests: (Western)-Europe, MENA region

• Thematic interests: Ethics, Subjectivity, Race & Ethnicity, Embodiment,

Governmentality, Political anthropology, Anthropology of Islam, Secularism &

Christianity, Anthropology at home, collaborative anthropology, Migration &

integration (discourse, policy,…), Postcolonial theories and methods

• Possible topics:

- Islamophobia/decoloniality as a discourse and practice

- politics of war-making and un-making (war on terror and its effects in Europe

and outside)

- State/religion relationship and religious institutions

- Muslim/Christian/Secular (freemasons, new atheism etc.) ethics in practice

- New Age and cognitive behavioral therapies (mindfulness etc.)

- aging within the diaspora

Nadia Fadil

• Teaches: Anthropology & Travel; Heritage & Sustainable Tourism

Development

• Project: Interdisciplinary research project (in collaboration with

Movement Sciences):

• the anthropology of endurance physical activities (e.g. hiking & running)

• join a team of 2 professors, 1 PhD student and 2 Master’s students

• Topics:• Mobilities and immobilities (tourism, migration, pilgrimage, exchange,…)

• Sociocultural imaginaries of “other” people & places

• Other:

• Studies linking migration and tourism

• Studies on cultural heritage (including UNESCO policy)

• Studies of cross-border travel

• Studies linking mobility and climate change/environmental issues

• Studies with regional focus Indonesia, Japan, Chile, Brazil or

Tanzania (http://is.gd/lirias)

Noel Salazar

• Teaches: Anthro: Basic Concepts, Posthuman Anthropology,

Visual & experimantal Anthro; Ethnographic Fieldwork

• Topics:o The social memory of leprosy around the world: the social memory and

material conditions of leprosy on Robben Island (South Africa), on Molokai

(Hawaii), on Sorok Island (South Korea), in Japan

o Inclusive product and space design (this dissertation can be co-supervised by

colleagues in architecture or engineering) : examinations of products and

spaces from a disability perspective

• products of daily life;

• public spaces

o Intersections of disability, gender, ethnicity, religion (further discussions on the

cultural model of disability)

o Forms of ableism in contemporary societies (diversity of abilities)

Patrick Devlieger

• Posthuman anthropology: bridging incompatible categories

(human-animal, human-machine)

• the impact of technology (in particular the smartphone)

• service animals and robots

• Human navigation and occupation in urban environments

• blind and visually impaired navigation and occupation (skills, tools, and the

bias of the visual in comparative perspective)

• Disability and performance

• daily life performances

• disability theatre, dance,…

• Multi-sensorial walks in the city of Leuven

• For an example of such an audio walk, see:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOkQE7m31Pw

Patrick Devlieger

Publications

2.3 Information platforms

• https://kuleuven.app/

• Toledo : Anthropology Community + Course-specific

• Schedule : https://onderwijsaanbod.kuleuven.be/opleidingen/e/SC_51017028.htm

the only correct schedule!

• Student portal Faculty of Social Scienceshttps://soc.kuleuven.be/fsw/studentenportaal/english

alle you need to know on regulations

for working while/after studying: Student Career Center

https://www.kuleuven.be/english/studentservices/studentcareercenter

• Website Anthropologyhttps://prep.cc.kuleuven.be/soc/anthropology/home

• Facebook page ANTRO 2019-2020:https://www.facebook.com/groups/406809156836340/

2.4 Programme structure

2 phases (120 cr)

1st phase = general & introductory

• Basic concepts

o Culture, identity, diversity, ethnicity,…

• Basic research methods

o Ethnographic research, fieldwork, participant observation

• Start own research project

o Start report

2nd phase = deepening & specialising

Introduction - 37 cr.

• Political Anthropology

• Social and Cultural Anthropology: basic concepts & theories

• Anthropology of Religion

• Urban Anthropology

• Current Issues in Social and Cultural Anthropology

• Cultural Anthropology: Material Culture (will be taught in 2020-2021, NOT in 2019-20)

• Culture, Migration and Mobility

Methodology - 12 cr.

• Ethnographic fieldwork: exemplary research

• Ethnographic fieldwork: analysis & communication

Start report - 6 cr.

• Self study & feedback sessions + 1 to 2 electives

1st phase – mandatory courses

2nd phase – deepening & specialisation

Research Seminar - 6 cr

Master’s thesis - 22 cr

Electives• Anthropology of Ethnicity and Race

• Anthropology of Social Change

• Visual and Experimental Anthropology

• Posthuman Anthropology

• Myth and Symbolism

• Anthropology of the Body

• Culture, Migration and Mobility

• ….

* Mandatory in 1st phase if you choose to make an ethnographic film as part of the thesis – see Master’s thesis regulations student portal!

2.5 Master’s thesis

• Ethnographic research: fieldwork

o During the summer months in between 1st & 2nd phase

o In Belgium or abroad

o Vliruos travel grant: European students; infosession 7-11-19 at 8 am AV91.12

o Autonomy required >>> personal research interest

• Guidance supervisor & feedback sessions (seminar !!!)

3. Regulations

Preventing plagiarism: tutorial

• All students need to complete the tutorial (Toledo): 2 modules and a short test.

• The certificate they receive upon successful completion of the test is a requirement for submission of the start report

4. Anthropology abroad

• Erasmus & Erasmus+

1st semester of the 2nd phase

in Europe: Brussels, Berlin, Amsterdam, Lissabon,…

outside Europe: o.a. China, Taiwan, Korea, Canada, USA,…

• Erasmus coördinators:

European destinations: Bert Claesen (bert.claesen@kuleuven.be)

Outside Europe: Ria Laenen (ria.laenen@kuleuven.be)

Info session: 7/11/2019 – 8:00 (AV 91.12)

• More info: http://soc.kuleuven.be/fsw/internationalisering/english/studying-

abroad-during-your-master/studying-abroad-during-your-master

• European Certificate in Anthropology of Social dynamics andDevelopment Fieldwork & Master’s thesis on social change or development

1 semester (30 cr) in partner university/Erasmus destination

Co-supervisor // partner university

Deadline 26-11-19 – contact: ann.cassiman@kuleuven.be

http://ma-anthropo.eu/#Introduction

• An additional semester abroad After completing all courses, except Master’s thesis

Registration/selection in February 2020

Semester abroad: 1st semester 2021-2022

Graduation at the earliest in June 2022

More info? internationaloffice.soc@kuleuven.be

Honours programme on Identity

This extra-curricular honours programme of the Faculty of Social Sciences provides motivated and talented students the opportunity to further develop their academic- and professional skills, leadership qualities and personal identity.

• Detailed information: https://soc.kuleuven.be/fsw/studentenportaal/english/Honoursprogramme/honoursprogramme

• Deadline: 7th of October 2019

• Selection: beginning of October 2019

• Start HP: week of 14 October 2019

www.soc.kuleuven.be/honoursprogramme

Mail Stef Aupers: stef.aupers@kuleuven.be

5. Important dates

• 24/09: Inaugural lecture Lila Abu-Lughod5-7pm AV.02.17 + reception!

• 2/10: studenten-BBQ Bridging, MA,

CADES

• 3/10 – 11/10: 6 guiding sessions SBIB –enroll via Toledo

• 9/10: deadline ISP/IER & exemptions

• 17/10: Info session start report & thesis12.30-2pm room AV 04.17

6. Information platforms • https://kuleuven.app/

• Toledo > each course + Anthropology Community!

• Time table: https://onderwijsaanbod.kuleuven.be/opleidingen/e/SC_51017028.htm#bl=01,05

this is the correct one!

• Student portal Faculty of Social Scienceshttps://soc.kuleuven.be/fsw/studentenportaal/english

all important regulations

also: what after graduation? + student jobs and internships

https://www.kuleuven.be/english/studentservices/studentcareercenter

• Website Anthropologyhttps://prep.cc.kuleuven.be/soc/anthropology/home

• Facebookpage ANTRO 2019-2020:https://www.facebook.com/groups/406809156836340/

7. Individual Study Programme (ISP) • Select the courses you want to take this academic year

(for the 1st and 2nd semester)

• Attention: some courses are only taught every 2 years

• Deadline submitting ISP: 9 October

• Deadline approving ISP : 15 November

• Choose max 2 electives from another initial Master’s programme. For courses outside the faculty, please submit a request form. You find this form on our student portal

• Between 10 and 26 February, the ISP will reopen. You will be able to make changes to the 2nd semester courses.

….and Individual Examination Schedule (IES)

• Available from 23 September

• Choose an exam date for all courses for which an exam is organised

• Make sure the exam moments do not overlap

• You can only submit your ISP once you have completed your IES

8. Call for student representatives!

Would you like to help building a qualitative Anthropology studyprogramme & to bring out the voices of your fellow students?

- Thinking about the quality of the programme- Participate in the programme committee meetings with professors and

teaching assistants- Contact point for peers- Organising activities

2 students DUTCH MA + 2 ENG MA

Mail your candidacy to annelies.kuijpers@kuleuven.be

9. Buddy programme FSW

- For incoming international students: become a buddy

https://www.kuleuven.be/english/studentservices/pangaea/buddyprogramme/

bachelor-and-master-students

-students that have studied at least

one year at KU Leuven

-an opportunity to introduce

international students in city life,

the faculty, leisure etc.

10. RE= Research unit : check out!

-to prepare for your master’s thesis: get to know about the research domains and

ongoing projects of your professors via the website of the two research units:

https://soc.kuleuven.be/iara

https://soc.kuleuven.be/immrc

-a link will be made available on Toledo with an overview of research topics

-last year’s thesises can be consulted at: Limo ‘Anthropology MA thesis’

Questions?• Programme coordinator:

Christine Verbruggen christine.verbruggen@kuleuven.be

Office hours: Tuesday 11u00-13u00 – room 04.33

• Teaching assistant: Annelies Kuijpers annelies.kuijpers@kuleuven.be

Office hours: Monday 11u00-13u00 – room 04.39

• ISP & IER, student administration:Pia Missinne pia.missinne@kuleuven.be

Office hours: maandag 14u00-16u30 - lokaal 01.133

• Academic pathway advisory: https://soc.kuleuven.be/fsw/studentenportaal/english/guidance

• Ombuds: Yasmine Sidhoumi yasmine.sidhoumi@kuleuven.be – room 01.139

Faculteit Sociale Wetenschappen38

Studieloopbaanbegeleiding:

je staat er niet alleen voor!

Monitoraat

Studietraject-

begeleider

StudieLabsoc.kuleuven.be/studielab

Ombudssoc.kuleuven.be/ombuds

Individuele begeleiding

Begeleiding in groep

(vaktechnisch +

studievaardigheden)

Individuele studietraject

Onderwijskwesties

Individuele problemen

Problemen tijdens examens

Faculteit Sociale Wetenschappen39

Who are we?

Peer Assisted Learning - PAL

Second phase (tutors) who want to

assist first phase (tutees) to

understand and study course

material

Enroll as a tutor!

Online on the website of FOSO:

https://foso.be/pal/

emily@politika.be

onderwijs@politika.be

Walk-in ISP

Tuesday 24/9 9am-1pm, PC-room G2 (= VHI 02.25)

Monday 30/9 10am-12am, room SW 02.05Submit your individual study programme or ask a question to our ISP support.

Mini-Symposium ‘Global Trends’ (in Dutch)

3pm-5pm, Auditorium Max WeberSubscribe via soc.kuleuven.be/symposium

Faculteit Sociale Wetenschappen 41

You are kindly invited to:

• 24/09 3pm-5pm, Auditorium Max Weber

• Key note: dr. Louis Meuleman

• Discussants

• Prof. dr. Rozane De Cock (COM)

• Prof. dr. Katja Biedenkopf (POL)

• Prof. dr. Wim Van Lancker (SOC)

• Silke Colemont (student)

• Reception

• Subscribe via soc.kuleuven.be/symposium

Faculteit Sociale Wetenschappen42

Symposium Global Trends: The ClimateCrisis: a Key Role for Social Sciences

Pop-updesk

Entrance hall FSW

Faculteit Sociale Wetenschappen43

Questions about education? Or simplylost?

Monday 23/9 2pm–5pm

Tuesday 24/9 9am–3pm

Wednesday 25/9 9am-4pm

Thursday 26/9 9am-4pm

Friday 27/9 9am-4pm

THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION!