Culture Belongs to Anthropology

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Clarissa

November 5, 2013

At some public universities, where funding is eroding, humanities are being pared. In September, for example, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania announced that it was closing its sparsely populated degree programs in German, philosophy, and world languages and culture.

I would cut “world languages and culture”, too, because it sounds freakish and stupid. I’m still very upset that my colleagues voted to change the name of our department from the beautiful Foreign Languages and Literature to the idiotic World Languages and Culture.

The good news is that the name change has stalled because the Department of Anthropology took exception to our attempt to claim the word “Culture.” They insist that nobody but anthropologists are qualified to teach culture. I find this argument to be very silly. Still, it is less silly that the proposed name change. This is why I expressed agreement with the anthropologists and suggested we overcome our unhealthy terror of the word “literature” and bring it back.

I’m not optimistic.

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9 responses to “Culture Belongs to Anthropology”

Shakti

November 5, 2013

Perhaps I’m insensitive, but if a majority of your classes aren’t taught in a language, immersion style, or it’s not a commonly spoken language or a language native to the country (iow, you need this language to function) then it’s a foreign language to the students of that university.

Sometimes words are meaningful and sometimes it’s semantic nonsense.

Honestly, I think the entire university should fight the notion of STEM good (because JOBS!), humanities worthless because if they don’t — then the university turns into a glorified vocational school with a heftier price tag and a better class signifier.

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1. bloggerclarissa
  
  November 5, 2013
  
  “Perhaps I’m insensitive, but if a majority of your classes aren’t taught in a language, immersion style, or it’s not a commonly spoken language or a language native to the country (iow, you need this language to function) then it’s a foreign language to the students of that university.”
  
  – I agree completely. The whole idea that there is anything wrong with being called a foreigner is based on the premise that being American is the norm and the state of being everybody aspires to. I, however, have no problem with being a foreigner. I have to say, I kind of dig it.
  
  “Honestly, I think the entire university should fight the notion of STEM good (because JOBS!), humanities worthless because if they don’t — then the university turns into a glorified vocational school with a heftier price tag and a better class signifier.”
  
  – Exactly. If the professors of literature are scared of the word literature and don’t want to claim it as their own, then what hope do we have of getting students enthusiastic about reading?
  
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Peabody

November 5, 2013

I will try very hard to avoid ranting – this is a sore point with me. I don’t consider German to be a foreign language because MY FAMILY IS FROM GERMANY. Yes, I am a third-generation native American (born here, that makes me a lower-case native) and am proud of my great-grandfather’s courage in leaving a country torn apart by war (Prussia) for a country torn apart by war (United States).

With regard to the larger issue of the value of humanities, well, I’m an engineer. Need people to formulate policy for HR? Hire philosophers. Need someone to plan the structure of information storage and retrieval on the servers? Hire librarians. Need department managers? Hire people with at least a minor in psychology.

I made the above comments because the most effective, creative and fun people I’ve met in the above positions had those majors in college. I’m amazed it’s not standard practice.

What am I missing?

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1. bloggerclarissa
  
  November 5, 2013
  
  “With regard to the larger issue of the value of humanities, well, I’m an engineer. Need people to formulate policy for HR? Hire philosophers. Need someone to plan the structure of information storage and retrieval on the servers? Hire librarians. Need department managers? Hire people with at least a minor in psychology. I made the above comments because the most effective, creative and fun people I’ve met in the above positions had those majors in college. I’m amazed it’s not standard practice.”
  
  – Good point. I agree completely.
  
  As for the departmental name, do you like “World Languages” more? To me it sounds flaky and New Age-y in a very annoying way. Maybe I’m a retrograde.
  
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Peabody

November 5, 2013

I much prefer “Foreign Languages and Literature” to “World Languages and Culture.”

It’s too generic. When I see a department name or course title, I expect them to convey a specific, finite purpose.

I don’t get that impression with “World….” I already speak a “world” language. I already live in a “world” culture.

To me, “foreign” implies something that I do not already know, and I am immediately curious.

Oddly enough, the course I most enjoyed in school was Elizabethan Poetry. I was, and still am, fascinated by the rigorous rules and structure for sonnets. I still have that textbook, and know where it is.

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1. bloggerclarissa
  
  November 5, 2013
  
  I wish I had come up with this argument before this was put to a vote. Maybe this would have persuaded people not to adopt the “World Languages.”
  
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Peabody

November 7, 2013

This is why I keep reading your blog – it encourages me to think, and share ideas.

I don’t do nearly enough of that.

Thank you for the time and effort evident in your blog, and please keep posting!

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1. bloggerclarissa
  
  November 7, 2013
  
  Thank you so much! I’m very glad to hear this.
  
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Evelina Anville

November 7, 2013

Personally I prefer the title “Modern Languages and Literatures” or in departments which teach Latin and/or Classical Greeg, I like the title “Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures.” Is there any reason they avoided the term “Modern Language?”

But I don’t like the title “World Language and Cultures” at all. Terrible title. For all the reasons you said. Alhough I must say that I’m not particularly fond of the title “Foreign Languages and Literatures”–mostly because the United States has never declared an official language and Spanish is the primary language of many many Americans.

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