ANTHR 7120 - Anthropology and Ontology

Spring. 4 credits. Letter grades only.

P. Nadasdy.

In recent years, it has become fashionable in anthropology to write about ontology, so much so that some have begun referring to an “ontological turn” in the discipline. Although many see interest in questions of ontology as something new, in fact such questions have important antecedents both in anthropology and related disciplines. Accordingly, we will read classical as well as more contemporary works that engage with issues now considered “ontological.” The idea is neither to advocate for nor “debunk” the notion of ontology, but rather to engage with it in its proper historical and theoretical context. We will reflect deeply and critically on what – if anything – “ontology” enables us to think/analyze that older notions like “worldview” and “culture” do not.