Anthropology 216 - Topic:Way-Finding/Urban Space

The anthropology of way-finding has focused on the cognitive problems involved when people move through space. Some have suggested that people memorize sequences of vistas, while others have argued that people abstract mental maps from their experience traveling over specific itineraries. Both approaches have in common a focus on movement through space. Meanwhile, the anthropology of place has focused on the construction of culturally meaningful places out of abstract space. Way-finding is about movement; place is about dwelling. We will explore the intersection of these two approaches, exploring the way that people navigate space and construct place in the urban environment of Tokyo.

Instructor Permission Required. Prereq: Anthropology 105 or permission of instructor