Dr. Reed-Danahay teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses specifically on anthropological perspectives on contemporary Europe. She integrates teaching about Europe also in her other classes – such as “Political and Legal Anthropology”; “Anthropology and Education”; and “Migration and Diaspora.”
Course Description: In this UB Seminar we think about the meanings of home in European societies – in the recent past and present. We look at such topics as the concepts of home and homeland, immigration, homelessness, and the role of the European Union in ideas of belonging and feeling “at home” in Europe. Readings and discussions focus on the question of what it means to “belong” in a society, and what it means to feel “at home”? Is home connected to a building or a place? Is it connected to what you do, or where you live? In what ways is it tied to emotion? What does it mean if you do not feel “at home”? You are encouraged to think comparatively and cross-culturally about ideas of home. This course also offers opportunities to enhance your skills in time-management, reading, writing, and oral presentation.
Course Description. This course will focus on approaches to European cultures and societies in the field of socio-cultural anthropology We will examine current issues facing Europe – including migration/immigration, Brexit, populism, and nationalist movements. Students will acquire a working knowledge of the European Union and its relationship to individual countries, and will also learn about the everyday lives of people living in Europe.
Course Description: This graduate seminar examines diaspora and migration in the contemporary world. It adopts a transatlantic focus, with special emphasis on North American and European contexts. We read critical essays/articles, ethnographies, and autoethnographies/memoirs. The course covers a range of issues related to displacement and emplacement, belonging, and transnationalism. Although the ethnography of migration and mobility is at the center of anthropological approaches to migration and mobility, this course integrates and welcomes interdisciplinary perspectives – including those from the humanities and other social sciences.
Course Description: Europe is an area of the world facing many challenges right now, with issues of immigration and terrorist attacks attracting much attention, in addition to the recent so-called “Brexit” vote in the UK to leave the European Union. One theme that draws upon several areas of research in Europe is that of what it means to “belong” in a society, and what does it mean to be “at home”? Is home connected to a building or a place? Is it connected to what you do, or what you eat? Or is it an emotion? In this UB Seminar we think about the meanings of home in European societies – in the recent past and present. Examples we discuss range from ideas of domestic space in European peasant societies to the ways in which immigrants in European cities try to feel “at home.” We will look at such topics as the concepts of home and homeland, ideas about hospitality in European societies, different understanding of home among men and women, and the role of the European Union in ideas of belonging and concepts of being “at home” in Europe. Students are encouraged to think comparatively and cross-culturally about ideas of home. *A central component to this course is the research project. Each student will conduct original research on a topic related to the theme of the course. This project, which will include words and images, will use the Digication e-Portfolio.
Course Description: We will consider “Europe” as both an object of study and a setting in which to conduct ethnographic research. A major focus will be the ways in which The European Union shapes and responds to contemporary European society and culture. In addition to previous topics of interest to anthropologists working in Europe, current issues regarding migration and the so-called “refugee crisis,” “Brexit,” and Turkey’s relationship to the EU will be explored. We will examine the broad question of what it means to be European in the contemporary world, through an exploration of the everyday lives and experiences of people living in Europe. By taking this course, you will deepen your knowledge of the various meanings of “being European” and the ways in which cultural anthropologists have approached the study of life in villages, cities, and institutions. You are encouraged to keep up with current events in Europe while enrolled in this class – see links below to the Guardian and the International New York Times for useful daily digests. * Note: This is a combined undergraduate/graduate course. There are some different requirements for undergraduate and graduate students taking this course.
This course takes a global perspective on human teaching and learning in a variety of cultural contexts. We explore ethnographic methods in educational research and anthropological approaches to education in its widest sense, both in and out of schools. The focus will be on North America and Europe, including the European Union. Such forms of socialization as apprenticeship and initiation will be discussed alongside of formal educational institutions. This course will also address the educational issues facing immigrants and minority populations in contemporary societies. Themes such as citizenship and education, inclusion, identity (ethnic, national, supranational), and diversity will be discussed. *This course fulfills the Diversity Requirement in the new UB curriculum.
Course Description: What do France, Slovenia, Italy, and Denmark have in common? They are all in the European Union. But what exactly is the EU and what role does it play in the lives of people who are citizens of EU countries? What is its role internationally, and how does it integrate its policies with those of the nation-states that are members of the EU? In this course, students learn about the history of the EU, its institutions, and the challenges it currently faces (such as those related to the economy and immigration). We read both overviews of the EU and studies of everyday life among its citizens. Students create e-Portfolio projects on topics of their choice related to the EU. The material in this course is designed to be of interest to students from different majors who may be natives of, may travel to, or may someday work in, Europe.
Course Description: In this course, we consider “Europe” as both an object of study and a setting in which to conduct ethnographic research. A major focus is on the ways in which The European Union shapes and responds to contemporary European society and culture. We examine the broad question of what it means to be European in the contemporary world, through an exploration of both institutions and the everyday lives and experiences of people living in Europe as studied ethnographically by cultural anthropologists.
Course Description: This senior seminar for anthropology majors examines anthropological approaches to the study of diaspora and migration in the contemporary world. We adopt a comparative focus on migration to North America and to Europe in the 20th and early 21st centuries. Questions considered include: Why do people migrate? How are they received in “host” societies? What ties, if any, do they maintain with the people and places they left behind? How do laws and ideas about citizenship and national identity affect migrants? Students acquire conceptual and methodological frameworks for understanding migrants and their experiences. Students also undertake research projects related to these topics.