Currently Offered Courses - Fall 2019
Anthropology was first envisioned as a holistic discipline, combining insights from the study of human anatomy and evolution, research on material remains of human settlements, and the analysis of social interaction in language and other cultural practices. Following this tradition, this course explores the questions about where humans came from, how societies live and communicate, and why human cultural groups vary.
Presents the fundamental areas of anthropological analysis through a series of comparative cases that emphasize social and cultural relations in global contexts. Directs attention to the anthropological history of global empires and colonial states, their cultural exchanges, and contemporary studies of culture, society, and globalization.
Introduction to linguistic anthropology, focusing on the role of language in the creation and maintenance of society and culture and on a person's concept of self within that culture. Demonstrates how language use within a community can serve as the foundation for the analysis of cultural practices. Same as LING 104.
Using archaeological data, traces our prehistoric heritage and the processes which led to the evolution of agriculture, settled villages, and civilization in many areas of the world. Lectures range from the earliest Homo sapiens to Sumeria, Egypt, Mexico, Peru, and the United States.
Same as JS 108, PHIL 108, and REL 108. See REL 108.
Critical consideration of data and information bearing on current controversies and ideas concerning selected aspects of human behavior. Topics to be discussed include communication; social organization; and parental, sexual, and aggressive behavior. Same as HDFS 143.
Cross-cultural introduction to the celebration of death across time and space. Examines the anthropological and archaeological literature on death, particularly in terms of death ritual and burial practices. Students study popular films on death in different cultures.
Introduction to the problems of studying past cultures; special attention given to the ranges of techniques available and the adequacy of various methodologies as bases for sound inference about the structure of extinct cultures. Prerequisite: ANTH 102 or consent of instructor.
Examination of tourism's social, political, economic, cultural, and physical dimensions from an anthropological perspective.
Introduction to the anthropological study of contemporary human societies; emphasis on the comparative study of social organization, interpersonal relations, cultural ecology, and processes of sociocultural change, but also includes some consideration of the method and theory of ethnographic field research.
Examines the biological concept of race as applied and misapplied to Homo sapiens by anthropologists and others from the 18th century to the present and of the origin, nature, and significance of so-called racial variation.
History and theory underlying methods used in forensic science. Topics include the courtroom, the units of a crime laboratory, methods of securing and investigating a crime scene, and the analysis of evidence collected from a crime scene such as blood, fibers, hair and fingerprints.
Do all peoples view neighboring or distant populations as radically different "Others," or can humans create mutual images based on a notion of shared humanity? Course compares and analyzes the range of images of ethnic, "racial," gender, class, and bodily differences that have been enacted historically and cross-culturally in both Western and non-Western populations. Prerequisite: A previous course in history and/or one of the social sciences suggested.
Same as GLBL 272, SAME 272, and TURK 270. See TURK 270.
Comprehensive knowledge of the human skeleton is central to reconstructing the anatomy, demography, health and evolution of past populations because most of our evidence is derived from preserved skeletal and dental remains. The primary goal of this course is the identification of isolated and fragmentary skeletal remains given that this is a prerequisite to all subsequent analysis. In addition to identifying the bones and landmarks of the human skeleton, students will learn about the structure and function of bone, understand the growth and development of the human skeleton and be introduced to analytical techniques used in human osteology including paleopathology, paleodemography and forensics. Prerequisite: ANTH 240.
Advanced topics in language and culture. May be repeated in separate terms. Prerequisite: ANTH 104, ANTH 270, or consent of instructor.
Examines how the natural and the cultural are mutually-constitutive concepts, and investigates contemporary and historical constructions of notions of a natural world. We will see how these concepts have varied over time and among different social groups, with a special emphasis on the contemporary United States. Topics will include the idea of landscape and of nature as a resource to be used, appreciated, represented, controlled, or enjoyed. In addition, the course will feature a special unit on sustainability, and one devoted to analyzing our relationships to animals. Prerequisite: At least one anthropology course or a course in another social science.
Supervised reading and research on anthropological topics chosen by the student with staff approval. Especially (but not exclusively) for students who are preparing for a summer field-work project, or who have some justifiable reason for doing independent study, but who do not qualify for the honors (departmental distinction) courses. Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing; 12 hours in anthropology; consent of instructor. May not be taken concurrently with ANTH 391 or ANTH 495.
Topics are given on a one-time only, experimental basis. Faculty offer special topics in their areas of expertise that provide an opportunity for undergraduates to be exposed to some of the most current developments in faculty research. May be repeated.
Immune systems are a defense mechanism against microbial assault and dying and cancerous cells. They are under tremendous evolutionary pressure to cope with changing invasions and other stresses and have, therefore, evolved differently across species and populations. The resulting immune variation strongly impacts human and animal health. This seminar addresses animal immune system physiology and function in the context of evolutionary and anthropological theory and research. It is designed for advanced undergraduate and graduate students with a basic background in biology, biological anthropology and related fields. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
Comprehensive, comparative study of musculoskeletal anatomy in primates, focusing on functional and adaptive changes that have occurred in the masticatory apparatus, facial skeleton, and locomotor systems of New World monkeys, Old World monkeys, apes, and humans. Relationships between morphology, ecology, and behavior are discussed, applied to the fossil record, and used to address current issues in human evolution. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: ANTH 443 or ANTH 440 or ANTH 456 or a course in human or comparative vertebrate anatomy.
Covers the emergence of economic anthropology as a subdiscipline; considers various definitions of economics with their implications for the study of human society; emphasizes the relationship between social organization and economic life from the perspectives of classical studies in anthropology and their contemporary interpretations. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: ANTH 230.
Life history seeks to explain why differences exist in the pathways that organisms follow from conception to death. Examination of the diversity in the evolution of primate (including human) life histories. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: ANTH 102, ANTH 143, ANTH 240, ANTH 243 or equivalent.
Principles of human genetics; anthropological aspects of race and race formation; and hereditary and environmental factors in the biological variation of modern humans. Same as ANSC 441. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: ANTH 102 or equivalent.
Supervised participation in biological anthropology research projects; techniques, methods, and procedures discussed and practiced under actual field or laboratory working conditions. Normally taken concurrently with ANTH 445. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated if topics vary. Usually offered in the summer session only. Prerequisite: ANTH 240 or equivalent; consent of instructor.
Analysis, interpretation, evaluation, and organization of field and laboratory data in biological anthropology; preparation of written reports on research. May be taken concurrently with ANTH 444 or subsequently. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated if topics vary. Usually offered in the summer session only. Prerequisite: ANTH 240 or equivalent; consent of instructor.
Methods, techniques, and results of archaeology in North America; focuses on divergent approaches to the regional archaeology of North America; and surveys and synthesizes the archaeology of the subcontinent. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: ANTH 220 or consent of instructor.
Participation in archaeological excavations; techniques, methods, and procedures discussed and practiced under actual working conditions. Normally taken concurrently with ANTH 455. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated if topics vary. Usually offered in the summer session only. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Laboratory work including processing, classifying, dating, interpretation, evaluation, and preparation of written reports of archaeological research. May be taken concurrently with ANTH 454 or subsequently. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated if topics vary. Prerequisite: ANTH 102 or consent of instructor.
Detailed examination of the theoretical and practical issues of archaeological heritage management. Focusing on the legal, environmental, ethical, social, political, educational, and touristic aspects of the management of ancient sites for their continued sustainability. Same as LA 460 and RST 459. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: ANTH 220 and at least one ANTH 300- or 400-level archaeological area course.
The first of a two-term individual study and research project for those students who are candidates for departmental distinction in anthropology. 2 to 4 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. Prerequisite: Senior standing; 3.25 GPA in anthropology; and consent of instructor. May not be taken concurrently with ANTH 390.
The second of a two-term individual study and research project for those students who are candidates for departmental distinction in anthropology. 2 to 4 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. Prerequisite: Senior standing; 3.25 GPA in anthropology; and consent of instructor. May not be taken concurrently with ANTH 390.
Supervised participation in field research in ethnography, ethnology, linguistics, or social anthropology; techniques, methods, and procedures discussed and practiced under actual working conditions. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated if topics vary. Usually offered in the summer session only. Prerequisite: ANTH 230; some knowledge of the language of the area concerned; consent of instructor. Normally taken concurrently with ANTH 497.
Analysis, interpretation, evaluation, and organization of field data in cultural anthropology; preparation of written reports on research in ethnography, ethnology, linguistics, or social anthropology. May be taken concurrently with ANTH 496 or subsequently. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated if topics vary. Prerequisite: ANTH 230; some knowledge of the language of the area concerned; consent of instructor.
A guided independent research seminar for Anthropology majors normally taken during the Fall of the senior year. Students may select to conduct significant and original research in any of the four sub-fields of anthropology or combine interdisciplinary interests. Working closely with the course instructors and with additional guidance from a chosen anthropology faculty advisor, student will develop a research topic of their choice, identify significant research questions, before collecting and analyzing their field data. 3 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit.
Research seminar on specialized topics in anthropology. 4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Analysis of selected topics of special interest in anthropology. May be repeated to a maximum of 8 hours in the same or subsequent semesters.
Part II of the core theoretical seminar in linguistic anthropology. Continues examination of historical developments in the sub-field and its debates, and relationships with socio-cultural anthropology. Develops theoretical and critical analytical skills needed in contemporary ethnographic research. Same as LING 518. Prerequisite: Graduate Standing.
Contemporary theory in archaeology. Different theoretical approaches are examined by critically analyzing seminal literature within the contexts of paradigmatic shifts in archaeology and general developments in the discipline of anthropology, focuses on materiality and corporality. Prerequisite: ANTH 461 or consent of instructor.
Individual guidance in intensive readings in the literature of one or more subdivisions of the field of anthropology, selected in consultation with the adviser in accordance with the needs and interest of the student. May be repeated in the same or separate semesters as topics vary. Prerequisite: One semester of graduate work in anthropology; consent of advisor.
Supervised individual investigation or study of a topic not covered by regular courses. The topic selected by the student and the proposed plan of study are approved by the adviser and the staff member who supervises the work. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
