Signature Assignment. Course. ANTH 2302: Introduction to Archaeology. Ethical Case Dilemma. Assignment ID (to be assigned)

Transcription

1 Signature Assignment : Intrductin t Archaelgy Outcmes/Rubrics t be Assessed by the Assignment Cmmunicatin Critical Thinking Empirical and Quantitative Reasning Scial Respnsibility Assignment Descriptin Students are t review materials frm the curse n archaelgical ethics (as available at the Sciety fr American Archaelgy web site) and NAGPRA the Native American Graves and Prtectin and Repatriatin Act as discussed in their textbk r frm an nline surce f the instructr s chice. Students are t review the ethical case dilemma taken frm the American Archaelgy Ethics Bwl and cme t a cnclusin abut the prper treatment f human remains. Students shuld cnsider the evidence presented and use it t write a tw-page essay supprting their pinin as indicated belw: : Intrductin t Archaelgy Ethical Case Dilemma Taken Frm the Sciety fr American Archaelgy Ethics Bwl, 2010, Case 4: The Anthrplgy department at Fairview University is in the middle f a very imprtant ethical debate. Tw weeks ag, the chair f the department received an frm the President f the university expressing cncern abut human remains being curated in the Anthrplgy department. The President s utlines a letter she had received frm a lcal Native American grup. The grup had recently reviewed a NAGPRA cmpliance reprt published by the Anthrplgy department frm In the reprt, the authrs revealed that the University curates ver 500 sets f human remains and hundreds f assciated funerary bjects, all f which were cllected in the United States, and sme f which were cllected as much as 100 years ag. Of the 500 plus human remains, 90% were listed as Culturally Unidentifiable Human Remains (CUHR). The Native American grup states that they were surprised t learn that many f the CUHR (at least 50) were dnated frm members f the public and/r had little r n cntextual infrmatin assciated with them. They mentin that they have read and learned that many archaelgists feel it is difficult r impssible t make significant scientific interpretatins frm unprvenienced artifacts. Thus, the letter reads, we d nt understand the wishes f the department t keep these ancestrs if they are f little r n scientific value. The letter frm the Native American grup ends with a request

2 t repatriate the unprvenienced CUHR t the grup s that they may rebury them. The President f Fairview University was als surprised t learn abut these CUHR in the university s cllectins. She asks the Anthrplgy department chair t cnvene the faculty s that they may make a decisin. Either the unprvenienced CUHR will be repatriated says the President, r yu need t cme up with persuasive ethical and legal reasns t keep them. The chair des a bit f research and discvers that, indeed, many f the CUHR are withut prvenience infrmatin and that n new research has been dne n these CUHR since the NAGPRA reprt. With this infrmatin in hand, the chair calls a meeting f the entire Anthrplgy department in rder t respnd t the President s request. Questin: As a member f the department, d yu think that the Culturally Unidentifiable Human Remains (CUHR) shuld be repatriated (returned) t the Native American grup wh has requested them? Guidelines fr yur respnse: After carefully reviewing the infrmatin presented in yur class n archaelgical ethics and the Native American Graves Prtectin and Repatriatin Act (NAGPRA), please make a persuasive argument t supprt yur pinin. Yu shuld cnsider bth the needs f archaelgy t maintain its cmmitment t science and its need t respect the beliefs f lcal Native American grups. Yur respnse shuld be at least tw pages in length and cnfrm t the fllwing standard: 1. Clearly state yur pinin in a thesis statement 2. Clearly state yur arguments as t the way this pinin cnfrms t the ethical and legal bligatins archaelgists have t (1) the needs f science and (2) the need t respect the beliefs f thers. Please make explicit yur understanding and analysis f thse tw views and their relatinship t NAGPRA. 3. Write a cnclusin that reveals what yu have learned abut ur scial respnsibility t ur past. Please nte: in rder t satisfy visual element utcmes students can be asked as a separate actin t submit a ppular culture picture f bnes and discuss if they believe the image is a scientific r belief-based visualizatin and the meaning that they believe is attached t the bnes. Fr lgistic purpses this sharing f pictures may need t be dne thrugh a separate submissin prcess. The prcess f creating this addendum t the assignment is still under develpment.

3 Assignment Design Wrksheet: Critical Thinking Criterin Explanatin f Issues Design (Hw des the assignment ask students t perfrm in the manner expected by the criterin?) Students must express and infrmed pinin as t the dispensatin f the human remains in a thesis statement. Evidence Student must present evidence frm the case study and the ethics cde. Influence f Cntext and Assumptins Students must explain the perspectives f science and belief. Student s Psitin Student must cnsider the perspectives f science and beliefs and the perspectives f archaelgists and Native American ppulatins. Cnclusins and Related Outcmes Students must draw their pinin/cnclusin frm evidential infrmatin (the case study details and the ethics cde).

4 Assignment Design Wrksheet: Written Cmmunicatin Criterin Cntext f and Purpse fr Writing Design (Hw des the assignment ask students t perfrm in the manner expected by the criterin?) The assignment requires that students fully explain their pinin with reference t cnstituent ppulatins in the ethical case study. Cntent Develpment Students must use the materials within the case study and ethics cde. Genre and Disciplinary Cnventins Students must use academic writing style. Surces and Evidence Student must use the ethics cde and their knwledge f NAGPRA t supprt their pinin. Cntrl f Syntax and Mechanics Student must write in a clear manner t advance their argument. Readability f Visual Elements Relevance, Accuracy, and Integratin f Visual Elements T be justified in an addendum assignment: The Meaning f Bnes Students will be asked t pst a ppular culture picture f bnes and write a paragraph discussing their perceptin f the meaning f the picture with reference t ur culture. This will enhance their understandings f the assignment. T be justified in an addendum assignment: The Meaning f Bnes. The sharing f a picture f bnes taken frm ppular culture will further understandings f science and belief in ur interpretatin f the meanings f bnes.

5 Assignment Design Wrksheet: Scial Respnsibility Criterin Cultural Diversity Design (Hw des the assignment ask students t perfrm in the manner expected by the criterin?) Students are asked t recncile the perspectives f the culture f science (expressed by archaelgists) and the culture f beliefs (expressed by Native American ppulatins). Knwledge f Cultural Wrldview Framewrks Students are required t understand the cmplexity f the wrldviews f western science and the wrldviews f Native American cnstituent ppulatins. Empathy (Skills) Students are required t examine the meaning f bnes frm a humanistic perspective Openness (Attitudes) The exercise requires that students be pen t seeing multiple pints f views when examining the meaning f bnes. Glbal Self- Awareness The exercise requires that students be able t understand the ways that the treatment f human remains is influenced by the human wrld.

6 Assignment Design Wrksheet: Empirical & Quantitative Reasning (EQR) Assignment Title Assignment ID Ethical Case Dilemma (t be assigned) Criterin Interpretatin Design (Hw des the assignment ask students t perfrm in the manner expected by the criterin?) Students must reach an pinin frm cmpeting views. Representatin Students must reach an pinin frm the infrmatin prvided. Calculatin r Transfrmatin Students must synthesize infrmatin frm the case study and the ethics cde and apply this infrmatin t their pinin. Applicatin/Analysis Students must arrive at a cnclusin/pinin. Assumptins Students must understand science and belief. Cmmunicatin Students must present evidence t supprt their pinin as t the fate f the human remains.