Download 9 Neoliberalism

ANTHROPOLOGY OF NEOLIBERALISM
Graduate Seminar
SPRING 2009 Syllabus
Professor Donna Goldstein
Associate Professor
Department of Anthropology
University of Colorado Boulder
Syllabus for First Class Meeting
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Class Meetings:
Hale Building 445
Wed. 12:00-2:30
Office and Contact:
Hale Building 455
Telephone: (303) 492-5484
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours
Tuesdays: 1:30-3:30 by sign-up sheet on door and by appointment
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Course Description:
Recently, anthropologists and other scholars are asking the question, “what is neoliberalism?” and
providing answers from a number of different theoretical, regional, and ethnographic
perspectives. Some claim it to be an empty concept, while others see it as an opportunity to
rethink free-market capitalism in the context of globalization. But before we can begin to think
about what an anthropology of neoliberalism would look like, it would be prudent to familiarize
ourselves with some of the standing positions from both within anthropology and its neighboring
disciplines, particularly history, economics, and geography. This graduate-level seminar will
assume no prior knowledge on this specific topic, but will require a willingness to explore
neoliberalism from a number of diverse perspectives. According to Hoffman, DeHart and Collier
(Anthropology News 2005), “the time is right to reflect on the meaning and function of
neoliberalism” and its possibilities within anthropological inquiry. In this course, we will
necessarily be ambitious and attempt to delve into both the theoretical and ethnographic
renditions of the anthropology of neoliberalism. During the first meeting, we will come to
agreement on which texts and articles to focus on during the course of the semester and attempt to
tailor the syllabus to the interests of the members of the seminar.
Class Culture:
I hope the organization of this class will encourage it to be a safe atmosphere where ideas are
exchanged and differing perspectives are respected. I am hoping that the combination of a highly
motivated group of participants will help to make this class not only intellectually stimulating, but
also a pleasant place to be. I ask that participants be courteous and respectful to others. In other
words, I would like to stimulate intellectual exchange and the ability to discuss and disagree with
one another and to understand that we can do this in a friendly, civilized, and respectful manner.
Readings, Class Participation, and Class Discussion: We will meet as a class for one 2.5 hours
of seminar per week. Therefore, all students are expected to have completed the assigned
readings prior to each class and be prepared to engage in class discussion. This is extremely
important for the success of the course. Be prepared with reactions, comments, critiques and/or
questions in response to the readings for each class. Regular attendance is expected of all
students. This class is strictly limited to 15 students.
Evaluation of Seminar Participants:
There will be three forms of evaluation of your work for this seminar:
1) your critical reaction papers, 6 total for the semester (20%);
2) your leading of class discussion, 1-2 per semester is required (20%);
3) your attendance and class participation (10%);
4) final annotated bibliography (20 sources, including at least 5 from the course) and final paper
on some aspect of neoliberalism (40%).
Consistent effort and improvement will be weighted heavily in grading.
1) Critical Reaction Papers
Every other week a “one-to-two page” critical reaction paper discussing the week’s readings is
required. These critical reaction papers can be anywhere from one double-spaced to two doublespaced pages. If you agree, the class will be divided into 2 groups—A and B— during the first
week’s class, and the grouping you choose to belong to determines when you write your papers.
Six critical reaction papers are due for each individual student over the course of the semester.
(That means you can skip one week. Just make sure that you write four of them ON TIME during
the course of the semester). Please hand me 2 copies of your paper at the end of class. One copy
will be returned to you and one will be kept on file.
These short papers should be interesting and engaging and should explore one idea (but
possibly more) from the readings in detail. A good way to think about these assignments is to
imagine yourself as a book or article review writer, addressing both a broad intellectual audience
as well as an anthropological audience. If you disagree with an author’s methods or conclusions,
then explain why and give an alternative argument (and source) that explains your point. Try to
be as thorough, precise, and as specific as possible. (20%)
2) Leading class discussion with brief presentation
Students are expected to give 1- 2 informal 10-15 minute long presentations on one or more of
the week’s readings over the course of the semester. Participants should organize their
presentations on the assumption that everyone has already done the readings in question, and
therefore only a short amount of time is needed to summarize the readings.
The bulk of the presentation should focus on addressing the key issues raised in the
readings, the apparent agendas (theoretical and otherwise of its author(s)), critiques of the reading
(i.e., strengths, weaknesses, whether or not the argument, data, or analysis is convincing), and
what significance the selection(s) has in the grand scheme of anthropological (or some other
interesting disciplinary discourse) theory. Close your presentation by suggesting some aspects of
the readings that you feel are interesting areas for further class discussion, particularly those
aspects which you may not have had time to address during your presentation. Do a practice run
of your presentation beforehand in order to make sure that you do not exceed the time limit of 30
minutes. (10%)
3) Class Culture and Class Participation
There are a number of interesting ways in which we can think about this particular experience
together. First, I would suggest that we think of this class as not only a seminar on a set of
themes, but also a kind of intellectual workshop. While I will certainly take responsibility as
director of this endeavor, the quality of the discussion will depend on how deeply and seriously
you take the readings.
I hope the organization of this class will encourage it to be more of a “salon” atmosphere where
ideas are exchanged and differing perspectives are respected. I am hoping that the combination
of good readings and a highly motivated group of participants (as presenters and as critical
reaction paper writers) will help to make this seminar not only intellectually stimulating, but also
a pleasant place to be. I ask that participants be courteous and respectful to others. In other
words, I would like to stimulate intellectual exchange and the ability to discuss and disagree with
one another and to understand that we can do this in a friendly, civilized, and respectful manner.
We will conduct the course as a weekly seminar. Therefore, all students are expected to have
completed the assigned required readings prior to each class and be prepared to engage in class
discussion. This is extremely important for the success of the course. Be prepared with
reactions, comments, critiques and/or questions in response to the readings for each class.
Regular attendance is expected of all students. This class is strictly limited to 15 students and
advanced graduate students in anthropology will be given preference of entry.
4) Final Paper and Annotated Bibliography: One 15-page final paper with bibliography and
footnotes plus one annotated bibliography with 20 citations (including 5 from the class) having to
do with some aspect of neoliberalism is due for the course. Your paper represents an opportunity
for you to critically respond to course readings and discussions and to explore one topic/problem
related to neoliberalism in depth. You may choose your own topic, but the paper should focus on
either a section of readings, or include at least one or two of the semester’s main readings in the
discussion. Usually, better papers take a smaller topic and focus on one theme or idea in-depth.
You will be expected to make your annotated bibliography and final paper available to everyone
in the class. (40%) NOTE: For those of you who already have a working paper that treats of
neoliberalism, you have the option of handing me a copy of that at the beginning of the
semester (by the third week of classes) and for your end of semester project, you can simply
work to expand and revise that paper to a 20-25 page (double-spaced) manuscript to get
into shape for publication. The idea here is to get you to keep working on your own
projects and ideas and to think them through in new and exciting directions.
________________________________________________________________________
Note 1: If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to
me a letter from Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs may
be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on
documented disabilities. Contact: 303-492-8671, Willard 322, and
htp://www.Colorado.EDU/disabilityservices
Disability Services' letters for students with disabilities indicate legally
mandated reasonable accommodations. The syllabus statements and answers to
Frequently Asked Questions can be found at
http://www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices
Note 2: Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every
effort to reasonably and fairly deal with all students who, because of
religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or
required attendance. In this class, {{insert your procedures here}}
See full details at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html
Note 3: Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate
learning environment. Those who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may
be subject to discipline. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially
important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of
race, culture, religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender, gender variance,
and nationalities. Class rosters are provided to the instructor with the
student's legal name. I will gladly honor your request to address you by an
alternate name or gender pronoun. Please advise me of this preference early in
the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my records. See polices
at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/classbehavior.html and at
http://www.colorado.edu/studentaffairs/judicialaffairs/code.html#student_code
Note 4: The University of Colorado at Boulder policy on Discrimination and Harassment, the
University of Colorado policy on Sexual Harassment and the University ofColorado policy on
Amorous Relationships apply to all students, staff and
faculty. Any student, staff or faculty member who believes s/he has been the
subject of discrimination or harassment based upon race, color, national
origin, sex, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status
should contact the Office of Discrimination and Harassment (ODH) at
303-492-2127 or the Office of Judicial Affairs at 303-492-5550. Information
about the ODH, the above referenced policies and the campus resources available
to assist individuals regarding discrimination or harassment can be obtained at
http://www.colorado.edu/odh
Note 5: All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for
knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution.
Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic
dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior. All
incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the Honor Code Council
([email protected]; 303-725-2273). Students who are found to be in violation
of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions
from the faculty member and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited
to university probation, suspension, or expulsion). Other information on the
Honor Code can be found at
http://www.colorado.edu/policies/honor.html and at
http://www.colorado.edu/academics/honorcode/
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Entire books we will read together:
Biehl, João. (2005). Vita: Life in a Zone of Social Abandonment. Berkeley and Los Angeles:
University of California Press.
Cooper, M. (2008). Life as Surplus: Biotechnology and Capitalism in the Neoliberal Era. Seattle
and London, University of Washington Press.
Ferguson, J. (2006). Global Shadows: Africa in the Neoliberal World Order. Durham and
London, Duke University Press.
Goldman, M. (2005). Imperial Nature: The World Bank and the Struggles for Social Justice in the
Age of Globalization. New Haven, Yale University Press.
Harvey, D. (2005). A Brief History of Neoliberalism. Oxford and New York, Oxford University
Press.
Juris, J. S. (2008). Networking Futures: The Movements Against Corporate Globalization.
Durham and London, Duke University Press.
Peck, J. (2008). The Age of Oprah: Cultural Icon for the Neoliberal Era. Boulder and
London, Paradigm Publishers.
Rofel, L. (2007). Desiring China: Experiments in Neoliberalism, Sexuality, and Public Culture.
Durham and London, Duke University Press.
Sawyer, Suzana (2004). Crude Chronicles: Indigenous Politics, Multinational Oil and
Neoliberalism in Ecuador. Durham and London: Duke University Press.
Sunder Rajan, K. (2006). Biocapital: The Constitution of Postgenomic Life. Durham and London,
Duke University Press.
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Semester Schedule
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Week 1: January 14: SYLLABUS, INTRODUCTIONS, ORGANIZATION
Determine if you are in the right class for you.
A and B group: If you would like, we can institute a system of Wednesday lunch/snacks in order
to make it a more pleasant environment. If the class agrees to this organization, I would like to
insist that everyone sign up for A and B groupings. A and B groupings alternate writing/critical
reaction papers with food delivery and clean-up responsibilities. These are loose groupings and
anyone who feels inspired to write in a week they are not assigned to is fine with me. Please plan
to have 4 excellent critical reaction papers by the end of the semester. You may want to write 5
of them and drop your lowest grade.
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Week 2: January 21: David Harvey’s A Brief History of Neoliberalism
1. Harvey, D. (2005). A Brief History of Neoliberalism. Oxford and New York, Oxford
University Press.
(A Group Writes, B Group Brings Food)
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Week 3: January 28: Anthropology’s Recent Debates on Politics, Popular Culture, and
Neoliberalism—Just For Fun and Motivation
1. Hoffman, DeHart, and Collier. 2006. “Notes on the Anthropology of Neoliberalism.”
Anthropology News, September 2006, pp. 9-10.
2. Besteman, Catherine and Hugh Gusterson. 2005. “Introduction.” Why America’s Pundits are
Wrong. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, pp. 1-23.
3. Hertz, Ellen and Laura Nader. 2005. “On the Lexus and the Olive Tree, by Thomas L.
Friedman.” In: Besteman, Catherine and Hugh Gusterson. 2005. “Introduction.” Why America’s
Pundits are Wrong. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, pp. 121-137.
4. Bunzl, Matti. 2008. “The Quest for Anthropological Relevance: Borgesian Maps and
Epistemological Pittfalls.” American Anthropologist 110: 1, pp. 53-60.
5. Besteman, Catherine, and Hugh Gusterson. 2008. “A Response to Matti Bunzl: Public
Anthropology, Pragmatism, and Pundits.” American Anthropologist 110:1, pp. 61-63.
6. Bunzl, Matti. 2008. “A Reply to Besteman and Gusterson: Swinging the Pendulum.”
American Anthropologist 110:1, pp. 64-5.
7. Tsing, Anna. 2000. “The Global Situation.” Cultural Anthropology 15(3) 327-360.
(B Group Writes, A Group Brings Food)
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Week 4: February 4: Culture, Power, and Governing Practices
1. Comaroff, J. and J. L. Comaroff (2000). "Millenial Capitalism: First Thoughts on a Second
Coming." Public Culture 12(2): 291-343.
2. Lemke, T. (2001). "'The birth of bio-politics': Michel Foucault's lecture at the Collége de
France on neo-liberal governmentality." Economy and Society 30(2): 190-207.
3. Ferguson, J. and A. Gupta (2002). “Spatializing States: Toward an Ethnography of Neoliberal
Governmentality.” American Ethnologist 29(4): 981-1002.
4. Kingfisher, C. and J. Maskovsky (2008). "The Limits of Neoliberalism." Critique of
Anthropology 28(2): 115-126.
5. Peck, J. and A. Tickell. (2002). “Neoliberalizing Space.” Antipode 34(3):380-404.
6. Ong, Aihwa. (2006). “Introduction.” Neoliberalism as Exception: Mutations in Citizenship and
Sovereignty. Durham and London: Duke University Press, pp. 1-27.
7. Tsing, Anna. 2009. Draft of War and Freedom and Mushroom Pickers Paper.
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Week 5: February 11: Neoliberalism’s Institution of Choice
1. Goldman, M. (2005). Imperial Nature: The World Bank and the Struggles for Social Justice in
the Age of Globalization. New Haven, Yale University Press.
2. Freeman, C. (2007). "The "reputation" of neoliberalism." American Ethnologist 34(2):
252-267.
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Week 6: February 18: Resistance To Neoliberalism
1. Juris, J. S. (2008). Networking Futures: The Movements Against Corporate Globalization.
Durham and London, Duke University Press.
Or
1. Sawyer, Suzana (2004). Crude Chronicles: Indigenous Politics, Multinational Oil and
Neoliberalism in Ecuador. Durham and London: Duke University Press.
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Week 7: February 25: Off the Charts: Victims of the Neoliberal Project?
1. Biehl, João. 2005. Vita: Life in a Zone of Social Abandonment. Berkeley and Los Angeles:
University of California.
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Week 8: March 4: NO CLASS. PROFESSOR GOLDSTEIN IN HOLLAND
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Week 9: March 11: Neoliberalism and the Disappearing State
1. Ferguson, J. (1994). The Anti-Politics Machine: “Development,” Depoliticization, and
Bureaucratic Power in Lesotho. Minneapolis and London: University of Minnesota Press.
Plus Selections from:
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Week 10: March 18: Neoliberalism, Cosmopolitanism, and Sexuality
1. Rofel, L. (2007). Desiring China: Experiments in Neoliberalism, Sexuality, and Public Culture.
Durham and London, Duke University Press.
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Week 11: March 25: NO CLASSES. SPRING BREAK
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Week 12: April 1: Culture and Power
1. Peck, J. (2008). The Age of Oprah: Cultural Icon for the Neoliberal Era. Boulder and
London, Paradigm Publishers.
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Week 13: April 8: Biotechnology and Capitalism 1
1. Cooper, M. (2008). Life as Surplus: Biotechnology and Capitalism in the Neoliberal Era.
Seattle and London, University of Washington Press.
Or
2. Franklin, Sarah. (2007). Dolly Mixtures: The Remaking of Genealogy. Durham and London:
Duke University.
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Week 14: April 15: Biotechnology and Capitalism 2
1. Sunder Rajan, K. (2006). Biocapital: The Constitution of Postgenomic Life. Durham and
London, Duke University Press.
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Week 15: April 22: CLASS PRESENTATIONS
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Week 16: April 29: CLASS PRESENTATIONS
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PAPERS AND ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE DUE MAY 1ST.
15 pages maximum, unless you are revising an approved work.