Objectives of the course are a) to provide basic notions on the fundamental concepts of social and cultural anthropology and on the main issues that are today at the center of the debate and b) to provide conceptual tools useful for reasoning autonomously and critically on issues and problems related to contemporary globalization as a complex intertwining of local and transnational processes.
At the end of the course the student has:
- a knowledge of the main anthropological theories, with the ability to contextualize their historical-scientific development
- a knowledge of the main concepts of cultural and social anthropology.
At the end of the course the student has:
- a knowledge of the main anthropological theories, with the ability to contextualize their historical-scientific development
- a knowledge of the main concepts of cultural and social anthropology.
teacher profile teaching materials
Borders are understood as social spaces where cultures, genders, bodies, social classes and forms of belonging meet, overlap, come into conflict, and give rise to new alliances and communities. How can social services and interventions be rethought so that they are able to operate effectively in border zones?
In the contemporary context, the anthropological perspective takes the form of a critical approach aimed at understanding cultural differences and similarities, as well as the social processes that shape belonging, inequality, social hierarchies, and new forms of action and resistance. From this standpoint, vulnerability, marginalisation and exclusion are understood not as individual traits or characteristics inherent to particular groups, but as the outcome of social processes that generate crises and inequalities. Analysing these processes is particularly important when considering the role of institutions, social services and communities, as well as the dynamics of care and support, in either reinforcing or challenging patterns of injustice and inequality.
The course first offers: a) an introduction to the main anthropological perspectives and key concepts of the discipline—particularly institutions, power, society, culture and belonging, before tracing their development and examining debates on gender and migration. b) In the second part of the course, the focus is on applying these theories and concepts in order to foster a reflective, independent and critical understanding of key contemporary issues (including gender, the body, violence and migration). c) This provides the basis for encouraging a participatory approach to understanding the social processes under investigation, specifically in relation to the concept of the border—understood as the point where cultures, genders, bodies, social classes and forms of belonging intersect (as discussed in Gloria Anzaldúa’s Borderlands/La Frontera).
The border – both a site of adversity and violation, and a perspective from which to build new alliances, forms of community and belonging – refers not only to a geographical boundary, but also to the social and political processes that shape marginality and bodies that are vulnerable to violence and discrimination. For this reason, the concept of the border invites reflection on the possibility of building alliances and processes that engage generations, educational institutions and civil society in rethinking new ways of belonging in the contemporary world.
Ethnographic examples will support reflection and active participation on these themes. The comparative method of anthropology will provide students with the opportunity to develop independent, reflective and anti-ethnocentric analysis.
Palumbo Berardino, Pizza Giovanni, Schirripa Pino (2023). Antropologia culturale e sociale. Concetti, storia, prospettive. Hoepli.
Parte Prima. L’antropologia e i suoi campi (pp. 1-38).
Parte Seconda. Panoramica storica degli studi di antropologia culturale e sociale (pp. 39-114).
Parte terza. Parole chiave per un’antropologia contemporanea: Corpo (pp. 134-149); Curare (150-164); Femminismo e antropologia (pp.165-177); Mobilità (pp. 256-270); Resistenze (pp. 271-285)
Students who already have knowledge of cultural and social anthropology may opt for this text (parts one, two and three only).
LeVine Robert e New Rebecca /2000). Antropologia e infanzia. Sviluppo, cura, educazione: studi classici e contemporanei. Raffaello Cortina.
2) A text of your choice from this list
Alunni, Lorenzo (2024). Le cicatrici di Ulisse. Corpi e frontiere nel Mediterraneo, Meltemi.
Bourgois, Philippe e Schonberg, Jeff (2011). Reietti e fuorilegge. Antropologia della violenza nella metropoli americana. DeriveApprodi, Roma.
Cerbini, Francesca (2025). Prison lives matter. Elèuthera.
De León, Jason (2015). The land of open graves: Living and dying on the migrant trail. University of California Press.
De León, Jason (2025). Soldiers and kings: Survival and hope in the world of human smuggling. Penguin Group.
Fassin, Didier (2013). La forza dell’ordine. Antropologia della polizia nelle periferie urbane. La Linea, Bologna.
Herzfeld, Michael (2021) Sfrattati dall’eternità. La ristrutturazione neoliberista a Roma. Meltemi
Holmes, Seth M., (2023). Frutta fresca, corpi spezzati. Braccianti migranti negli Stati Uniti d’America. Meltemi.
Khosravi, Shahram (2019). Io sono confine. Eléuthera.
Pinelli, Barbara (2019). Migranti e rifugiate. Antropologia, genere e politica. Edizioni Cortina, Milano.
Ong Aihwa (2005). Da rifugiati a cittadini. Pratiche di governo nella nuova America. Raffaello Cortina, Milano.
Tarabusi, F. (2026). Vivere l'aiuto. Migrazioni e aiuto umanitario lungo i confini e nei mondi dell'accoglienza. Rosenberg & Sellier.
Wacquant, Loic (2016). I reietti della città. Ghetto, periferia, stato. ETS.
3) A text of your choice from this list of short essays and fiction texts
Susan Sontag. Davanti al dolore degli altri. Nottetempo.
Albahari Maurizio. Tra la guerra e il mare. Democrazia migrante e crimini di pace. Manifestolibri.
John Berger, Jean Mohr. Il settimo uomo. Contrasto.
Marco Omizzolo. Per motivi di giustizia. People.
Gloria Anzaldúa. Terra di confine/La frontera. Black Coffee
Ben Lawrence. La città delle spine. Nove vite nel campo profughi più grande del mondo. Brioschi.
Programme
The course focuses on the concept of borders from an anthropological perspective.Borders are understood as social spaces where cultures, genders, bodies, social classes and forms of belonging meet, overlap, come into conflict, and give rise to new alliances and communities. How can social services and interventions be rethought so that they are able to operate effectively in border zones?
In the contemporary context, the anthropological perspective takes the form of a critical approach aimed at understanding cultural differences and similarities, as well as the social processes that shape belonging, inequality, social hierarchies, and new forms of action and resistance. From this standpoint, vulnerability, marginalisation and exclusion are understood not as individual traits or characteristics inherent to particular groups, but as the outcome of social processes that generate crises and inequalities. Analysing these processes is particularly important when considering the role of institutions, social services and communities, as well as the dynamics of care and support, in either reinforcing or challenging patterns of injustice and inequality.
The course first offers: a) an introduction to the main anthropological perspectives and key concepts of the discipline—particularly institutions, power, society, culture and belonging, before tracing their development and examining debates on gender and migration. b) In the second part of the course, the focus is on applying these theories and concepts in order to foster a reflective, independent and critical understanding of key contemporary issues (including gender, the body, violence and migration). c) This provides the basis for encouraging a participatory approach to understanding the social processes under investigation, specifically in relation to the concept of the border—understood as the point where cultures, genders, bodies, social classes and forms of belonging intersect (as discussed in Gloria Anzaldúa’s Borderlands/La Frontera).
The border – both a site of adversity and violation, and a perspective from which to build new alliances, forms of community and belonging – refers not only to a geographical boundary, but also to the social and political processes that shape marginality and bodies that are vulnerable to violence and discrimination. For this reason, the concept of the border invites reflection on the possibility of building alliances and processes that engage generations, educational institutions and civil society in rethinking new ways of belonging in the contemporary world.
Ethnographic examples will support reflection and active participation on these themes. The comparative method of anthropology will provide students with the opportunity to develop independent, reflective and anti-ethnocentric analysis.
Core Documentation
1) Only the following parts of the manual:Palumbo Berardino, Pizza Giovanni, Schirripa Pino (2023). Antropologia culturale e sociale. Concetti, storia, prospettive. Hoepli.
Parte Prima. L’antropologia e i suoi campi (pp. 1-38).
Parte Seconda. Panoramica storica degli studi di antropologia culturale e sociale (pp. 39-114).
Parte terza. Parole chiave per un’antropologia contemporanea: Corpo (pp. 134-149); Curare (150-164); Femminismo e antropologia (pp.165-177); Mobilità (pp. 256-270); Resistenze (pp. 271-285)
Students who already have knowledge of cultural and social anthropology may opt for this text (parts one, two and three only).
LeVine Robert e New Rebecca /2000). Antropologia e infanzia. Sviluppo, cura, educazione: studi classici e contemporanei. Raffaello Cortina.
2) A text of your choice from this list
Alunni, Lorenzo (2024). Le cicatrici di Ulisse. Corpi e frontiere nel Mediterraneo, Meltemi.
Bourgois, Philippe e Schonberg, Jeff (2011). Reietti e fuorilegge. Antropologia della violenza nella metropoli americana. DeriveApprodi, Roma.
Cerbini, Francesca (2025). Prison lives matter. Elèuthera.
De León, Jason (2015). The land of open graves: Living and dying on the migrant trail. University of California Press.
De León, Jason (2025). Soldiers and kings: Survival and hope in the world of human smuggling. Penguin Group.
Fassin, Didier (2013). La forza dell’ordine. Antropologia della polizia nelle periferie urbane. La Linea, Bologna.
Herzfeld, Michael (2021) Sfrattati dall’eternità. La ristrutturazione neoliberista a Roma. Meltemi
Holmes, Seth M., (2023). Frutta fresca, corpi spezzati. Braccianti migranti negli Stati Uniti d’America. Meltemi.
Khosravi, Shahram (2019). Io sono confine. Eléuthera.
Pinelli, Barbara (2019). Migranti e rifugiate. Antropologia, genere e politica. Edizioni Cortina, Milano.
Ong Aihwa (2005). Da rifugiati a cittadini. Pratiche di governo nella nuova America. Raffaello Cortina, Milano.
Tarabusi, F. (2026). Vivere l'aiuto. Migrazioni e aiuto umanitario lungo i confini e nei mondi dell'accoglienza. Rosenberg & Sellier.
Wacquant, Loic (2016). I reietti della città. Ghetto, periferia, stato. ETS.
3) A text of your choice from this list of short essays and fiction texts
Susan Sontag. Davanti al dolore degli altri. Nottetempo.
Albahari Maurizio. Tra la guerra e il mare. Democrazia migrante e crimini di pace. Manifestolibri.
John Berger, Jean Mohr. Il settimo uomo. Contrasto.
Marco Omizzolo. Per motivi di giustizia. People.
Gloria Anzaldúa. Terra di confine/La frontera. Black Coffee
Ben Lawrence. La città delle spine. Nove vite nel campo profughi più grande del mondo. Brioschi.
Type of delivery of the course
Lectures will be supported by Power Point and audio-visual materials, as well as by the reading and analyzing ethnographic examples. These support tools intend to encourage the active participation of the students, dialogues, and discussions on the course topics.Attendance
Attendance is not compulsory. However, active participation in the course is highly recommended, as it enhances understanding of the disciplinary debates, the reading materials, and encourages meaningful engagement in classroom discussions.Type of evaluation
Oral interview (approximately 15–20 minutes): Through a question-and-answer format, the interview will assess whether: students have read the assigned materials; they are able to interpret and reflect on the concepts and perspectives presented; and they have developed independent thinking and can apply concepts to different contexts. Written examination (optional): A multiple-choice or short-answer questionnaire may be proposed or requested depending on the number of students enrolled.