Primal Mind - IDS 201 - Fall 2008
MonWed 1:00 PM - 02:50 PM
MonWed 3:00 - 4:50 PM
Meramec - Communications South Bldg 204

Dr. Michael Fuller - Professor of Anthropology
Office - Social Science Rm. 230
Office Phone: (314) 984-7987

Website: http://users.stlcc.edu/mfuller/

Web Notes are at https://blackboard.stlcc.edu/webapps/login/

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* Toll Free: 877 708-2934 or Local: 314 539-5934
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Students in this courses absolutely must use their new my.stlcc.edu email account.  The college has partnered with Microsoft Windows Live to offer customized email accounts for students.  In order for my students to receive my messages, they must activate their accounts.  Failure to do so will result in students not receiving important information about the course and official communication about add/drop dates, financial aid information etc. from the college. Go to this website for further instructions: http://www.stlcc.edu/Studentemail/

Email address: MFuller@stlcc.edu

Office Hours: 9 to 11 TTh and 11 to 12 MWF

Required Textbook:

COURSE DESCRIPTION: What are the broad and unique cultural metaphors of the tribal peoples in contrast to the cultural values of 21st century. The phrase “Primal Mind” specifically refers to the issues of ritual, art, oral traditions, architecture and ceremonial dance. Scholars such as Jamake Highwater, Daniel Quinn and David Mayberry-Lewis take the position that there is an urgent need for the fusion of the mentality of primal people with that of Western civilization. Most of us share the common stereotype of tribal peoples as “primitive” and it is important that we have a chance to discover that this concept has been challenged by several scholars.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: At the conclusion of this course the student will be able to:

Students will incorporate materials from at least six different disciplines including anthropology, art, history, religious studies, psychology, and philosophy.

Examine and explain the rich tapestry of tribal creation stories, belief about death, attitudes towards children, concept of clean/unclean, honorable behavior, altered states, dance, and love.

Demonstrate an ability to manage the volumes of information, including the Internet resources and news sources to juxtapose the various perspectives on tribal societies. A special emphasis will be given to mastery the eHRAF developed by Yale University.

Explain the media and Internet’s impact on the social construction of the various perspectives on the primal mind.

How do movies, popular literature comics and the web misrepresent the primal mind.

Contrast your individual value system about specific issues with that of the primal mind.

METHOD OF EVALUATION:

I. POP QUIZZES (130 points possible). Expect a quiz each week. They are open notes. You can quietly talk with other memberes of the class. They are designed to let you reflect on what is most important to you in the lectures, assigned readings, videos, photographs, homework and assignments.

II. FINAL DISCUSSION and QUIZ (required for all – 20 points possible): This round table discussion is required for each student. The purpose is to synthesize the knowledge gained about his/her perspective on the primal mind.

III. CLASS ATTENDANCE & PARTICIPATION (65 points): Each week we will discuss the assigned readings and research. These points are missed if you are absent and can not be made up.

IV. WRITING ASSIGNMENT (20 points): Sometimes this is the reaction to visiting a Pow Wow. Sometimes this is a library or web resource assignment in reaction to a film.

CLASSROOM AND COURSE ASSESSMENT: St. Louis Community College is committed to the continuous improvement of student academic achievement. The College undertakes assessment of its academic programs and courses to assure that student learning is not only occurring but improving. Further, classroom assessment by individual instructors discovers what is working in the particular classroom to facilitate learning. At each of these levels of academic achievement – you, the student, will be asked to participate to enable the College to improve its product, which is your learning. Assessment is a means to evaluate the learning process and is separate from the grading process. Your participation will be solicited and appreciated.

GRADING SCALE: 240 to 215 = A……214 to 189 = B…..188 to 163 = C…….162 to 137 = D…. and less than 136 = F..

FIREARMS: College policy prohibits the possession or carrying of any firearm on college property (even if you have a license to carry or possess) – this includes all rooms in all buildings.

AVAILABLE SUPPORT SERVICES INCLUDE:

College Writing Center

Students’ grades will reflect their ability to write at the college level. Use of the College Writing Center will be required for all students. The Writing Center is located in the Communications North building, room 122 or virtually at http://www.stlcc.edu/mc/support/cwc/fpages/index.html. Contact Center staff at 314-984-7570 or 314-984-7127 (TDD). The Center is available: Monday - Thursday 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

The ACCESS Office - Disability Support Services, has been designated by the College as the primary office to assist students with disabilities. If any student has a need for special testing arrangements, note taking, or other accommodations, please contact the ACCESS office. After meeting with the staff at ACCESS, feel free to discuss your accommodations with me and I will work with you to provide any approved accommodations to the extent of my ability. The ACCESS Office is located in the Communications North building in room 120. ACCESS is open Monday – Thursday 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. You may contact the staff of ACCESS at 314-984-7673 or through the Internet at http://www.stlcc.edu/access

The library contains a vast amount of resources which will enhance the textbooks, lectures and assignments. The library hours are Monday - Thursday: 7:30 a.m. - 10 p.m., Friday: 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Saturday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., and Sunday: 1-5 p.m. You may access the library’s home page at: http://www.stlcc.edu/lsdocs/. ” The library’s phone number is 314-984-7797. Library hours differ when classes are not in session.

An Honors Contract can be developed for this class if your GPA is 3.5 or higher. Please contact the Honors Coordinator for more information. Go to http://www.stlcc.edu/mc/dept/honors/index.htm for more information.

See me in my office or Email me if your are having problems with the course.

I very, very, very rarely give Incomplete grades at the end of the semester. Keep track of your grades and ask me before doing anything rash about dropping the class. Check this web site: http://www.stlcc.edu/calendars/ to determine the last date to drop a class during our semester.

HOSE ME DOWN AND I WILL FAIL YOU. Translation: you will be given a failing grade if you cheat on an assignment, cheat on a test, cheat on the paper, or hack into any of the computer system.

How long do you wait until leaving the classroom if the teacher is late? Wait all hour until instructed to leave by a secretary or another teacher. Discuss the textbook questions with the other students until Professor Fuller arrives.

Put your cell phone in silent vibrate or suffer my ridicule.

Don't tell me that you can not do computer related homework because here are a list of computer labs on campus with internet access:

Business and Administration (BA-201)
Telephone: 314.984.7527

Library (First Floor)
Telephone: 314.984.7618

Library (Second Floor information Access Lab)
Telephone: 314.984.7951

Meramec Academic Center (Communications North - 124)
Telephone: 314.984.7390

"TENTATIVE" COURSE SCHEDULE (that changes with opportunities like the Pow-Wow or a new ethnographic video)

Week 1: Primal Mind as defined by Jamake Highwater
Watch and Discuss: Primal Mind video in class

Read: ereserve selection from “The Primal Mind”
Assignment: “How did Highwater define Primal Mind? Why is the concept of value?”

Week 2: HRAF and eHRAF
Assignment: Each students will be taught to use the eHARF and assigned an eHRAF research problem to study and report in class

Week 3: The Tribal people of our region
Professor Fuller discusses the Osage and Missouri-Oto

Week 4: Primal Society: Australian Aborigines
Viewing of Australian: Dreamtime (2005) and
Women Of The Earth Australian Aborigines (55 min.) : 306.089 W872

Week 5: Primal Society: Baktari recorded in "Grass"

Week 6: Primal Society - Yupik Eskimo
Drums of Winter - The Yupik Eskimo people of Emmonak, a remote village at the mouth of the Yukon River on the Bearing Sea.

Week 7: The Classic: Hopi
Watch and discuss: Hopi: Songs of the Fourth World

Week 8: Another view of the Hopi and also the Navajor
Watch and discuss Itam Hakim, Hopiit

Week 9: Primal Society - Yanomamo
Primal Society in the Amazonia rainforest that was document in "Warriors of the Rainforest".

Week 10: Second Research Assignment using eHARF

Week 11: Primal Society - Huichol (their own term is Wixarika)
The Wixarika (Huichol) are a primal society in Northwest Mexico. Their worldview was described by the late Prof. David Maybury-Lewis (Harvard University) in the PBS program entitled "Millennium".

Week 12: Discuss the My Ishmael by Daniel Quinn.

Week 13: Discuss the My Ishmael by Daniel Quinn.

Week 14: Primal Society - Kwakiutl
Primal society along the Pacific Coast of Canada that was document in "Land of the War Canoes"

Week 15: Summary
Watch and discuss Primal Wisdom in At the Threshold (1992) by David Maybury Lewis

CAN I DIG UP ALEXANDER THE GREAT??? Yes!!! Professor Fuller had taught field methods class in St. Louis County, TransJordan, and Syria. Now, even better, SLCC field school in the Republic of Macedonia along the Vardar River. Yes, you can come to the homeland of Alexander the Great and dig.

http://users.stlcc.edu/mfuller/macedonia