Currently Offered Courses - Spring 2023
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.
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.
Scientists are often taught that the skills they need are confined to conducting research in the lab, the field, or the observatory. Yet science is also a human endeavor. If scientists are not taught this lesson, mistakes can be made that have real implications for people's lives, for scientific progress, and for who gets to be a scientist. Therefore this course will introduce 1) a brief history of Western and non-Western science, 2) the influences of social categories and oppressions on scientific advancement, 3) the incentive and reward structure of science, and 4) stories of scientists who have chosen to walk a brave path in the way they conduct and disseminate their research. We will engage in a mix of ethnographic and case study work and bring interpretive and systematic analysis to bear on what it means to be a scientist. The ultimate goal of the course is to provide a substantive, rigorous, and broad introduction to the culture of science, and how that culture affects the people of science, its practice, and its process.
Introduces students to anthropological approaches to the study of food from socio-cultural, linguistic and archaeological perspectives. Topics include: food in popular culture; food, ethnicity and race; food and immigration; food and religious traditions; food and family; gendered roles in food production; food and national identity; competitive global marketing of food; food, class and status; socio-politics of food in ancient societies; food, ethics and human rights.
Explores the archaeology of South Asia from the earliest occupations of the subcontinent to the present. South Asia is home to one of the first urbanized societies, over 40 World Heritage sites, and some of the 21st century's largest megacities. We will critically examine how these diverse archaeological resources have been investigated by different communities through time and how this has informed modern understandings of cultural, national, religious, regional and gender identities.
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.
Past and present evolution of the human species and population and individual biological variation; topics include genetic principles relevant to human evolution, primate phylogeny and behavior, fossil evidence for human evolution, and the origin and significance of biological diversity in modern humans.
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.
Forensic science is the application of science to the law and encompasses a wide variety of scientific disciplines. This course introduces students to general laboratory practice, molecular biology and DNA analysis skill that are commonly used by forensic DNA scientists. Students will learn using a “hands-on” and interactive approach with many of the same tools used by professional forensic DNA scientists. Prerequisite: ANTH 246.
Principles of modern evolutionary theory are applied to medical problems. Topics include: transmission, pathogen strategies, symptoms and spectrum of disease, evolution of virulence, concept of cause, antimicrobial resistance, emerging diseases, stress and adaptation, nutrition, diachronic overview of changing patterns of human disease, and ecological factors.
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.
Examines the intersections of culture and language. Topics include the definition of language; the cultural shaping of discourse and narrative; how different linguistic systems guide speakers to think differently about the world; and how ideologies about language relate to beliefs about the nation, modernity, race, and gender. Prerequisite: Gen Ed. Composition 1.
Same as GLBL 272, SAME 272, and TURK 270. See TURK 270.
Examination of how climate change impacts society. With the increasing need to understand how climate changes and society intersect at present, it is becoming important that we address critical questions about how lessons from the past inform present needs. Case studies from around the world are discussed.
An interdisciplinary survey of the Native American experience in the Illinois region from pre-Columbian times to the present. Introduces theories, concepts and methods in archaeology, history, and sociocultural anthropology. Includes archaeological field site and museum visits, plus guest lectures by American Indian scholars and community members. Same as AIS 288 and HIST 288.
Primarily examines the legacy of the Industrial Revolution in the United Kingdom and the United States where former industrial sites (such as textile mills, coal mines, chocolate factories) have been transformed from abandoned ruins into major tourist attractions, economic regeneration machines for their communities, and even UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Studies industrial places in the context of the times in which they were operating and the processes by which they have been repurposed.
Exploration of female biology and behavior in a broad evolutionary context. Explores development from pre-puberty through menopause, reproductive processes such as pregnancy, birth and lactation, cognitive and behavioral sex differences, and male and female reproductive strategies in a variety of cultural settings. Examples are drawn primarily from traditional and modern human societies as well as field and experimental data from other species, particularly non-human primates. Prerequisite: ANTH 143 or consent of instructor.
Analysis of human skeletal remains of the medico-legal profession. Topics include the development of the field of forensic anthropology, biological profile and skeletal trauma analysis, interval since death estimation. Additional topics include investigation of crime scenes, the legal role of the biological anthropologist as an expert witness and case report preparation. Attention will also be drawn to the incorporation of anthropological and ethical approaches to dealing with death and using human remains for research. Prerequisite: ANTH 246.
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.
Covers major concepts and debates in the study of legal anthropology: the way in which different societies understand justice, practice law, engage or violate human rights, adjudicate responsibility. We examine the foundations of different legal systems, the cultural categories that different societies use to determine the meaning of justice, guilt, innocence, and the variations in systems for both preventing and punishing crime. In addition, we will consider the cultures of law as a profession. How do lawyers learn to read and see the world differently? How do Courts create their own cultural norms and social contexts in ways that impact how all of us receive due process? Finally we explore the relationship between state power, rule of law and democracy. Is there and should there be a role for politics in the law?
What does it mean to say that someone "sounds Black" or to admiringly remark that Spanish is "a sexy language" or to accuse someone of "pulling the race card?" How do people apologize for doing or saying something racist? This course brings together resources from linguistic anthropology and theories about race to examine how we use language to ideologically and materially sort one another.
Explores a vast period of human prehistory - 2 million to 10,000 years ago - before the first cities arose and before people domesticated plants and animals in the Old World; uses archaeological and paleoanthropological data to understand past life ways as well as reasons for change through time in human adaptation. Prerequisite: ANTH 102.
Study of the lure and rejection of the U.S. around the world, by drawing on long-standing anthropological approaches to the histories of peoplehood, selfhood, and otherness. Examines the historical, political, cultural, economic, and social context of both anti- and pro-Americanism, in various parts of the globe. Prerequisite: Any previous course in cultural anthropology.
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.
Same as GLBL 403, GWS 403, HIST 434, REL 403, and SAME 403. See REL 403.
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.
Cultural heritage encompasses major domains of social, economic, political, religious and environmental practice and policy-making under today's conditions of globalization. Students will critically examine cultural heritage case studies from around the world. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
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.
Human skeletal and dental remains form the basis for research in both bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology. We will examine the bases for making inferences about individual skeletons and past populations, with particular emphasis placed on paleodemography, reconstruction of diet, paleopathology, and biological distance analysis. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 graduate hours. Prerequisite: ANTH 347.
Zooarchaeology is the study of the many ways that animals fit into past human societies—including diet, economy, and ideology—through the analysis of animal remains (bones, teeth, and shell) recovered from archaeological sites. Given the broad range of ways that animals were involved in past human life, and the ubiquity of faunal remains in the archaeological record, faunal analysis is a method suitable for addressing many kinds of archaeological and anthropological research questions. This course will provide students with a practical working knowledge of basic laboratory identification and quantification techniques, and provide a framework for the interpretation of archaeological faunal assemblages. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: ANTH 220 or graduate standing in Anthropology.
Familiarization with methods used in the location and recording of archaeological sites, including techniques of mapping especially adapted to the needs of archaeology; attention given to means of presenting results and interpreting data derived from this work; and work both in the field and in the laboratory. 3 undergraduate hours. 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. Additional fees may apply. See Class Schedule. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated in separate semesters, if topics vary. Prerequisite: ANTH 102 or consent of instructor.
A foundational introduction to museology consisting of a critical examination of the history and social life of museums and how museums have been studied by scholars in a range of academic disciplines. Includes visits to campus and local museums. Same as ARTH 462 and LA 472. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
Same as AAS 464, GWS 464, and REL 464. See GWS 464.
Overview of theoretical perspectives and methodologies in linguistic anthropology, including sociolinguistics, ethnography of communication, performance and poetics, discursive practices, and structural analyses. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: ANTH 230 or ANTH 270 and preferably both.
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.
Research seminar on specialized topics in anthropology. 4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
This seminar guides graduate students in designing a doctoral research project and writing a grant proposal. Focus is on developing a cogent theoretical framework, articulating significance of the project, identifying appropriate research methods, and considering ethical issues. Seminar format allows regular feedback from peers to clarify and hone ideas. Prerequisite: Graduate standing in anthropology or 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.
Consideration of anthropological, archaeological, and related disciplinary perspectives on space, place, landscape, the built environment, and architecture. Coursework encompasses critical review of major theoretical literature and case studies of ancient and modern societies. Same as LA 562. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Introduction to the field of legal anthropology. Addresses anthropological theories of the nature of law and disputes, examines related studies of legal structures in non-Western cultures, and considers the uses of anthropology in studying facets of our own legal system. Same as LAW 678. 4 graduate hours. 3 professional hours. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
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.