This course is a capstone seminar, required of all department majors, but open to interested seniors and juniors in any department. Each year we will use a single analytical topic to explore in depth the theoretical and methodological foundations of the discipline. Politics seems at first glance to be a category of action that one would find in any society. In practice, however, few concepts are as problematic to apply cross-culturally. Our notions of what constitutes politics do not map well onto other cultures and consequentially often hinder rather than amplify understanding. One of the objectives of this course is to examine our own preconceptions (for example, those concerning the nature of authority, the state, coercion and persuasion, and the individual) by considering them in relation to formulations found in other social contexts. A second objective is to understand the cultural dimension of political organization and the ways in which political power is contested and legitimated. Examples are taken primarily from the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa, and South and Southeast Asia. Discussion seminar. Requirements: a research paper, two short response papers, and class facilitation. Prerequisites: Anthropology 101, 103, Sociology 101, any upper-level Anthropology or Sociology course, or permission of instructor. Enrollment limited to 25.