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The University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NZ, T +44 (0)1227 764000
MA in Anthropology of Ethnicity, Nationalism & Identity
Unravelling the complex issues of contemporary society.
The current world scene is shaped by identity politics generating struggles between groups constituted around ethnic, religious, national and other claims.
This MA examines how anthropology and associated disciplines contribute to understanding and resolving issues arising from the formation and negotiation of collective identities. It examines topics such as the politics of place and identity, the impact of globalisation, the relations of diasporic and 'home' communities, issues of heritage and 'authenticity', the formation of new ‘hybrid’, ‘multicultural’ or cosmopolitan identities. Kent's unique programme, which integrates anthropological theory and fieldwork methodology (including visual techniques) into specialised programme content, makes for a powerful and practical approach to this contemporary topic.
The Academic Programme
Qualifications in Ethnicity, Nationalism and Identity are:
- Postgraduate Diploma (taught course over nine months)
- MA (one year's full-time registration or two year's part-time registration)
Both Diploma and MA students take six one term units of coursework over Michaelmas and Lent terms. The five required units are Ethnicity, Nationalism and Identity I and II, Contemporary Problems in Social Anthropology I and II, and Research Methods I. In addition students will take one additional unit approved by their supervisor, and this may be chosen from other MA modules offered by the Department of Anthropology, from a selected list of other courses offered by other departments in the university, and from advanced undergraduate courses.
Each student is assigned a supervisor at the beginning of the year whom they are expected to meet regularly. These meetings offer students the opportunity to discuss the assignments which they are required to undertake for evaluation of their progress. Postgraduate students are required to write seven essays for evaluation. MA students write a 10,000 word dissertation in addition to their essays. Students registered for the Diploma attend the same courses as the MA students. If, on completion of their assignments, they have achieved a sufficiently high overall mark, they are given the option of proceeding to the writing of a dissertation.