ANTH49215: Advanced Studies in Poison, Pollution, and the Chemical Anthropocene

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• This module explores social anthropological approaches to the role of poisons and pollution in daily life, environmental transformation, and the Anthropocene.
• Students will develop a critical understanding of poison and pollution as matters of value, ritual, magic, science, medicine, risk and regulation, and politics.
• Topics include: the relationship between gifts and poisons, ritual purity and pollution, occult herbalism and contemporary witchcraft, toxic thresholds of dose, body, and nation, hazard and risk, industrial disaster and slow violence, corporate pollution and misinformation, regulatory challenges, toxicology as social and political praxis.
• A fortnightly film seminar provides students with an opportunity to think about module themes and questions with reference to specific case studies of poison and pollution.

• Topics include: the relationship between gifts and poisons, ritual purity and pollution, occult herbalism and contemporary witchcraft, toxic thresholds of dose, body, and nation, hazard and risk, industrial disaster and slow violence, corporate pollution and misinformation, regulatory challenges, toxicology as social and political praxis.

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• At the end of the module, students will be able to:
• Demonstrate advanced levels of current knowledge and intensive understanding in social anthropological theories.
• Deploy analytical skills specific to social anthropological studies of poison and pollution.
• Be competent in accessing and assimilating specialised research literature of an advanced nature.

Subject-specific Skills:

• Apply in-depth knowledge of the social anthropology of poison and pollution, with emphasis on interpretation and comprehensive understanding of primary or secondary data.

Key Skills:

• Preparation and effective communication of key arguments in the social anthropology of poison and pollution in written form.

• Classes will integrate lecture, tutorial and ethnographic film components.
• Lecture elements will provide students with an outline of key knowledge and debates in the topic area.
• Tutorial elements will develop topics introduced in lectures and required reading to analyse theoretical debates and ethnographic case studies in greater depth and to prepare students for their summative assignment.
• Ethnographic film elements will provide further opportunities to explore module themes and questions in relation to specific examples.
• Advanced discussion classes will allow students to develop their skills of critical thinking and evaluation, as well as how to synthesise and interrogate material at a level commensurate with postgraduate attainment.
• Student preparation and reading time will allow engagement with specific references in advance of tutorials and general and particular reading related to the assessment, which will be a written assignment.
• Summative assessment will consist of a 2,500 word written assignment in which students will apply concepts and perspectives covered in the course to a selected case or cases of poison and pollution in recent history and a critical reading log. The critical reading log is an annotated bibliography in which the evidence and arguments presented in readings selected by the student and relevant to the development of their summative assessment are evaluated and critiqued. This along with the other summative component should show evidence of a higher level of engagement expected at postgraduate level.

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