Sociology/Anthropology 232
Thailand: Culture, Institutions, and Interactions
Overseas Interim, January 2009

Instructor: Ryan Sheppard
Major Credit: Sociology/Anthropology
GE Credit: MCS-G and ORC
Prerequisite: one course in sociology/anthropology
Cost: $4,505 (includes transportation, guest house or hotel accommodations, entrance fees, and daily breakfast and dinner)

This course provides you with an introduction to the country and cultures of Thailand , viewed from a social science perspective. The 26-day itinerary takes us to the cities of Chiang Mai and Bangkok and many sites in and beyond those cities including wats (temples), open markets, schools, the Flower Festival, and a visit to one of Thailand 's hill tribes. Our journey will focus on Thai culture, gender patterns, and the institutions of education, religion, and economy.

The itinerary is designed so that you will be able to observe many of the same cultural/social elements you will be reading about such as material culture (art, architecture, clothing, etc.), norms (observing evidence of standards of behavior in interactions), beliefs and values (as reflected in behavior), and cultural performances (for example, at the Rose Garden). On specified days in Chiang Mai and Bangkok, we will visit sites important for understanding the institutions of focus in the course: educational sites (including Chiang Mai University in Chiang Mai and St. Gabriel's College in Bangkok), religious sites (various wats in the Chiang Mai area including Wat Doi Suthep and in the Bangkok area including Wat Phraw Krew), and markets and other economic sites in both cities. You will also be able to observe gender patterns in Thai educational settings, markets, and other public places that we visit.

As part of the course, you will gain beginning skills and experience in ethnography - social scientific observation and interpretation of interactions in “the field” - for example, among Thai students, monks, and vendors and customers in markets. You will visit sites where you will systematically observe social interaction (public behavior only), including interactions among students at Chiang Mai University , among visitors at wats (Wat Doi Suthep), and among sellers and customers at markets (in Chiang Mai and Bangkok ). We will begin by practicing ethnographic observations together.

You will also gain skills and experience in oral communication (ORC) as you present your ethnographic observations and discuss major points from our course material.

The course will include readings, lectures (by guest lecturers and myself), and discussions, as well as visits to sites that supplement our material and provide opportunities for your observations. You will also have regular free time to explore additional sites and meet Thai people and internationals, and you will have two entirely “free” days for relaxing or taking interesting day trips.

We will stay in hotels and guest houses. You do not need to speak the Thai language, but hopefully you will pick up some words and phrases as we go. In the urban areas of Chiang Mai and Bangkok , you will be able to find many English-language speakers to interact with and you can likely find ways to interact with people with whom you do not share a language.

A typical day will include a lecture and student discussion or presentation, a site visit (e.g. to a school, a wat, a market, etc.), some debriefing and a preview of the next day, and free time (including time for you to explore on your own, to read our material, and to prepare written or oral assignments).

Course packet, and supplies – You will need to purchase:

  • Course packet of reading material (purchase from me before leaving for Thailand )
  • Notebooks for journaling and writing your field observations and ethnographies
  • A guidebook on Thailand , such as Lonely Planet (optional)

Academic expectations

  • Attend all of our class sessions and other scheduled events
  • Read the assigned material in advance of our discussions so that you are prepared for participation
  • Complete the written and oral course assignments as scheduled on the syllabus

Grades - Your grade will be based written work (60%), oral presentations (25%) and participation (15%). No exams!

Itinerary (Tentative)

Monday, Jan. 5 & Tues., Jan. 6 – Travel (MSP to Bangkok to Chiang Mai), settle in at our guest house
Wednesday, Jan. 7 – Orientation in Chiang Mai
Thursday, Jan. 8 – Education, Part I: Chiang Mai University , guest speaker on Education
Friday, Jan. 9 – Education, Part I, continued
Saturday, Jan. 10 – Day trip: Golden Triangle, meeting point of Thailand, Laos , & Myanmar
Sunday, Jan. 11 – Free day
Monday, Jan. 12 – Visit Tribal Museum , have guest speaker on tribes in Thailand
Tuesday, Jan. 13 – Day trip to visit one of the tribes in Thailand
Wed., Jan. 14 – Thai Buddhism, Part I: Guest speaker & visit wats in Chiang Mai
Thursday, Jan. 15 – Thai Buddhism, Part I, continued: Visit Wat Doi Suthep
Friday, Jan. 16 & Saturday, Jan. 17 – Thai Buddhism, Part I, continued: visit wat
Sunday, Jan. 18 – Free day
Monday, Jan. 19 – Thai economy, Part I: Visit industry/tourism sites
Tuesday, Jan. 20 – Thai economy, Part I, continued: Visit markets and agriculture site/s
Wed., Jan. 21 – Fly to Bangkok, check in at hotel; Orientation to Bangkok
Thursday, Jan. 22 – Tour day: Tour Bangkok
Friday, Jan. 23 – Education, Part II: visit boys' school; guest speaker
Saturday, Jan. 24 – Visit school
Sunday, Jan. 25 – Thai Buddhism, Part II: Day-trip to visit Ayutthaya with tour guide
Monday, Jan. 26, Thai Buddhism, Part II, continued: Visit wats in Bangkok
Tuesday, Jan. 27 – Thai history: TTour Kanchanaburi & River Kwai
Wed., Jan. 28 - Thai Economy, Part II: Visit markets in Bangkok
Thursday, Jan. 29 – Thai Economy, Part II, continued: Visit tourism site
Friday, Jan. 30 – Travel: return to U.S.