Anthropology (ANT)

Examination of the anthropological approach to the study of humans. Explores the concepts of culture, cultural institutions and processes, the evolution of cultural systems, and the application of anthropology to current social problems.

Offered Fall, Spring, All terms

Examination of human biology. Introduces scientific approaches to genetics and evolution, primate evolution and behavior, evidence from fossil record for human evolution, and biological variation among modern humans, human growth and disease patterns, and human demography.

Offered Fall, Spring

Examination of origins and development of world civilizations. Using evidence from the archaeological record, the written record, the arts, literature, and the sciences, human cultural achievements are examined from the earliest beginnings to the sixteenth century.

Offered Fall, Spring

Introduction to archaeological methodology and human biology. Review of fossil evidence for the biological evolution of humans and archaeological evidence for the major stages in cultural development.

Offered Infrequent, All terms

Prerequisite(s): None. Recommended prerequisite(s): None. Co-requisite(s): None. Recommended co-requisite(s): ANT 100, ANT 102. Ancient aliens, government conspiracies, lost civilizations, apocalyptic prophecies, mysterious technologies¿ Archaeology seems to inspire an unlimited stream of imaginative cult theories. From Indiana Jones to Reality TV, depictions of archaeologists in popular culture have skewed the general public¿s understanding of archaeology and archaeologists. In this course, we will critically examine pseudoscience, archaeological frauds, and implausible interpretations with an eye to dispelling fantastical or cult depictions of the past and present. The ability to deconstruct a range of expertly designed false claims and insufficient datasets is an increasingly important skill in the age of social media. Deliberate misrepresentations and innocent misunderstandings alike have the capacity to cloud our understanding of the human past and harm people in the present. We will critically examine ideas still prevalent today that promote racist ideologies by diminishing the accomplishments of indigenous cultures around the world. As we explore the achievements of ancient societies from every continent, you will gain a better appreciation for how much we all have in common and how societies are constantly changing.

Offered Fall, Spring

Examination of the human personality within cultural contexts. Topics include personality formation and child-rearing; stress and mental/physical health problems which occur with cultural change; aging, roles and communication among local and worldwide ethnic groups.

Offered Fall, Spring

Analysis of language as an aspect of culture. Relationship between language and culture patterns, dynamics of language and cultural change; the problem of meaning.

Offered Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Basic procedures and techniques used by archaeologists to excavate, analyze and interpret prehistoric remains. Field and/or laboratory activities. Variable topics will include field procedures, laboratory procedures or archaeological method and theories. Six hours of activity per week.

Offered Spring

A comparative analysis of magico-religious systems in their cultural setting and the role of the supernatural in human societies.

Offered Spring

Comparative study of cultural patterns of selected past and present native peoples of the United States and Canada .

Offered Spring

The history and archaeology of cultures of Central Mexico and Guatemala. Alternating topics include the rise of the Olmecs to the establishment of Teotihuacan and Tenochtitlan and the rise of Izapa to the development of classic and Postclassic Maya Civilization.  Repeatable course with alternate topics.

Offered Fall

Explores historical and contemporary trends among the diverse cultures of Mexico and Central America from Pre-Columbian era to today. Focus on indigenous peoples and relationships between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples.

Offered Fall

The world's cultural and social diversity from a sociocultural anthropological perspective. Variable topics include regional surveys (North America, South America, Africa, Eurasia) and/or selected themes in the study of culture. Repeatable course with alternate topics.

Offered Infrequent

Ethnographic and comparative approach to the study of the diverse cultures of the world. Examines substance patterns and sociopolitical organization of a variety of cultures in the past and present.

Offered Spring

Exploration of crosscultural differences as documented in visual images and texts dealing with three traditional societies, the Yanomami, the Dobe, and the Dugum. Analysis of subsistence and economy, social cohesion and social conflict, world view, and representations of other societies in a world characterized by dramatic cultural changes.

Offered Fall

Anthropology of Mainland Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar [Burma], Thailand, Vietnam) from ancient to modern times. Analysis of how natural and social environments (geography, climate, migration, trade, religion, arts, and state craft) contribute to the region's cultural diversity, commonalities, and change through time.

Offered Spring

Anthropology of Mesoamerica's indigenous cultures. Examines cultural patterns developed in prehispanic and colonial periods, and analyzes how historical factors, environmental conditions, and political and economic environments have influenced contemporary situations for Indian peoples of the region.

Offered Infrequent

Anthropology of ancient Egyptian civilization from its earliest beginnings to the end of the New Kingdom. Ancient monuments, wall paintings, statues, tombs and hieroglyphic writing are examined to gain insight into Egyptian culture and to illuminate the interaction between Egyptians and foreign peoples.

Offered Infrequent

Theory and method in the study and collection of folktales, myths, legends, proverbs, riddles, and other forms of verbal tradition.

Offered Infrequent

Anthropology of cultural differences expressed by indigenous cultures of South America. Critical analysis of such topics as environment and adaptation, kinship and social structure, social cohesion and social conflict, symbolism and ritual, and representations of other societies in a world characterized by dramatic cultural changes.

Offered Spring

Survey and analysis of cultural influences on the physical and social processes of aging. Examination and comparison of societal roles available to and assumed by older men and women of various cultures.

Offered Infrequent

Cross-cultural survey of critical problems common to anthropology and health-related fields; cultural ecology of health and pathology, folk medical practices; medical beliefs in relation to other aspects of culture; public health and medical education problems as affected by ethnic culture; effects of acculturation upon mental and physical health.

Offered Infrequent

Examination of the significance of work in contemporary societies. Cross-cultural comparisons of workers' life styles. Impact of changing cultural conditions on work patterns.

Offered Spring

Examination of the ramifications of the installation of automated systems on social and economic conditions of contemporary and future societies. Analyses of culture change issues and the interrelationships between automated technologies and lifestyles.

Offered Infrequent

Examination of newly emerging questions and ideas about the cultural future of humankind. Topics of discussion include the relevance of anthropology to building a Solar System culture, the possibility of extraterrestrial contact, and alternative cultural futures.

Offered Infrequent

Examination of the archaeological record of the Old World (Europe, Africa, Asia). Emphasis on the study and critical analysis of excavated materials, processes of culture change, and reconstructions of social patterns. Variable topics will include the prehistory of different culture areas and chronological periods. Repeatable course.

Offered Spring even

Examination of the archaeological record of the New World (North America, Mesoamerica, and Andean area). Emphasis on critical analysis of excavated materials, processes of culture change, and reconstructions of social patterns. Variable topics will include the prehistory of different culture areas and chronological periods. Repeatable course.

Offered Spring odd

Prerequisite: ANT 101 is required. Introduction to human osteology, bone biology and growth, and paleopathology. students will learn differences between human and non-human remains, determine left and right sides of bones, and identifying important skeletal landmarks.

Offered All terms, Fall odd

Prerequisites: ANT 101 is required. ANT 352 is recommended. Consent of instructor is required. Examines the techniques used to create a biological profile from human skeletal remains. Students will learn the medicolegal implications of using forensic anthropology techniques to solve forensic cases involving human skeletal remains.

Offered Spring even

Prerequisites: ANT 101 is required. In depth analysis of the topics and theories in biological anthropology and is meant to be a continuation of ANT 101.

Offered Fall

Prerequisite: ANT 101 is required. Surveys the biological variation within and between human populations, including the basic principles of genetics, evolutionary theory, and the intersection of culture and genetics. Students will use anthropological and biological theories to understand differences between human populations.

Offered Spring odd

Survey of anthropological approaches to the study of visual/symbolic communication, the use of images for the description and analysis of human behavior, and modes of producing visual ethnographic texts.

Offered Spring odd

A survey of one or more cultural regions of the old World. Specific topics and areas may vary; for example: Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East, India, Asia, Southeast Asia, Pacific. Repeatable course.

Offered Infrequent

Theoretical and historical perspectives on issues pertaining to disability studies/research. The course explores cultural concepts of normalcy and disability and reviews ethnographic contexts of disability in a variety of communities in the United States and the world.

Offered Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisites: ANT 100 and consent of instructor. Basic methods in the ethnographic study of contemporary communities. Students conduct supervised field work using audiovisual recording and computer techniques to collect and analyze data. Two hours of lecture and two hours of activity (including computer lab) per week.

Offered Fall

Prerequisite: One course in Anthropology. Historical survey and critical analysis of major schools of anthropological thought employed in explaining sociocultural behavior and phenomena. An integrative examination of current developments, issues and applications of the field of anthropology.

Offered Fall, Spring, All terms

Examination of the concept of culture; emphasis on exploration of cross-cultural commonalities and differences in societal responses. Analysis of dynamics of cultural change with reference to ethnic and immigrant groups and institutions in America today. Topics include roles, institutions, educational processes, family interaction and structure of social systems.

Offered Infrequent

Prerequisite: ANT 100. Course examines the applications of anthropology to the solution of contemporary social problems. The course examines the methods of applied anthropology, the relationship between applied research and theory, and the ethical issues in the practice of anthropology.

Offered Fall

Examination of natural resource policy on local, national, and international levels, across multiple and diverse ecosystems. Emphasis on contemporary management and conservation strategies in the context of social, scientific, environmental, and legal-institutional factors.

Offered Infrequent

Course examines the political and economic aspects of relationships between society and nature, especially with reference to current environmental and human rights issues.

Offered Spring

Prerequisite: MAT 131 is recommended. Provides an overview of the basic principles and techniques for developing a quantitative research design, collecting, and analyzing data, and presenting results. By the end of the course, all students should be proficient in basic statistical analysis in anthropological research.

Offered Spring odd

Prerequisite:  ANT 100, ANT 101, and ANT 102. Explores careers in Anthropology, examines distinctions between academic and applied Anthropology, reviews career options within sub-fields of Anthropology, examines professional activities of Anthropologists, explains research design.

Offered Spring

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Independent study of a particular problem under the direction of a member of the anthropology department. Repeatable course.

Offered Fall, Spring

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. An intensive study of an issue, concept or theory in anthropology that is of special interest to both the faculty member and the students. Repeatable course. Three hours of lecture per week.

Offered Fall, Spring

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. The student develops and completes an individual study under faculty supervision. Repeatable course.

Offered As needed

Examination of natural resource policy on local, national, and international level, across multiple and diverse ecosystems. Emphasis on contemporary management and conservation strategies in the context of social, scientific, environmental, and legal-institutional factors.

Offered Infrequent

Examines the political and economic aspects of relationships between society and nature, especially with reference to current environmental and human rights issues.

Offered Spring

Course exposes students to cross-cultural approaches to environmental problems and develops environmental problem-solving skills based on the holistic approach of anthropology. Students will examine the political and economic aspects of relationships between society and nature in reference to current environmental and human rights issues.

Offered All terms, Infrequent