All Courses
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.
Explores the origin and evolution of humans with an emphasis on reconstructing and interpreting fossil evidence. It provides an introduction to the fundamentals of biological anthropology and draws on a diverse range of other disciplines that contribute to the study of human evolution – evolutionary biology, population genetics, comparative anatomy, primatology, archaeology, geology and paleoecology. We examine the fossil and artifact record of the last several million years in order to develop an understanding of why we are interesting animals and a somewhat unique species.
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.
Introduces you to language-in-use from the perspective of linguistic anthropology. We explore how the language(s) people use creates a specific "worldview" or cultural "common sense" and how this creates and maintains distinct concepts of self, society and culture. We will examine critically the ways in which differences in language and communication work in the USA in relation to power and politics, the media, gender, ethnicity/race, age, class, and identity, with comparisons to other cultures. During the semester you will encounter new information about language structure and use, and learn methods of investigation and analysis used in contemporary linguistic anthropology. 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.
Explores recent theoretical, methodological, and thematic developments in historical archaeology in North America and the Caribbean. The temporal coverage is 1500-1900 AD. Examines how historical archaeologists use artifactual, documentary and oral history evidence in interpreting the past, and how historical archaeology can contribute to our understanding of the ways by which material culture can be used to study race, class, gender, and ethnic identities. Same as AFRO 106.
Same as JS 108, PHIL 108, and REL 108. See REL 108.
Same as PHIL 109 and REL 109. See REL 109.
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.
Exploring historical, cultural, and theoretical perspectives on the relationship between language, race, and ethnicity in the United States, we ask, what is 'race' and 'ethnicity', and how do ideas about racial and ethnic belonging and difference relate to ideas about language? We examine how language use reflects, reproduces, and/or challenges racial and ethnic boundaries and explore topics such as language and racial/ethnic identity-making, language and nationalism, bilingual/multilingual education, and language and racial humor.
Emphasizes questions of how we can move toward a more sustainable future by focusing on two key realms of human relations with non-human animals: as food, and as “friend,” or pets/companion animals. A third category, of animals as “fauna” or avatars of the wild will be touched on briefly. Anchored in humanistic social science, this course also exposes students to the benefits and challenges of interdisciplinary thinking and research, and provides an opportunity for active experiential learning and public engagement Prerequisite: This course is intended for first and second year students.
Biological anthropology looks at human biology and behavior through the lens of evolutionary biology. However, as human behavior is complex, it cannot be understood independent of culture or the physical environment. We will explore how biology intersects with environmental factors, including culture, to influence human behavior. Students will learn the skills needed to become scientifically literate, learning their place in nature, the importance of the comparative method in learning about ourselves, and the interaction between biology and culture in understanding the human condition. Topics include evolutionary theory and human evolution, primate origins of human behaviors, social and sexual behaviors, aggression, cooperation, and language, cognition, and culture. Same as HDFS 143.
Traces the prehistory of Illinois from the first entry of people into the region more than 13,000 years ago until the 17th century and the beginning of historical records; examines subsequent cultural changes up to the 19th century and statehood from an archaeological and ethnohistorical perspective.
Engages with issues such as migration, borders, policing and related topics to examine certain key interventions in the analysis of race in the United States. Introduces students to critical methods and theories in socio-cultural anthropology and allied disciplines in order to grapple with these issues. We will read a variety of material, including ethnographic accounts, scholarly and popular articles, and a work that blurs non-fiction with fiction-writing, as well as screening related films and documentaries. Students will develop a conceptual vocabulary (keywords) to begin analyzing the social problem that race and racism has become in US society.
Develops understanding of the rich diversity of languages and cultures found among Native North American peoples from the perspectives of sociocultural and linguistic anthropology. Same as AIS 165.
Examines the ways in which the ancient past has been interpreted, appropriated, represented, used, and misused for a variety of reasons by political parties, national governments, and religious and ethnic groups living in the present.
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.
Latin America considered as a theater of conflict and cultural experimentation among Native American, African, and Iberian peoples; their survival and transformation as reported in selected ethnographies and eyewitness sources; and some modern theories and controversies about their experience.
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.
Introduction to method and theory in archaeological research, data collection, and analysis in the study of past societies. Major topics include formation processes, field techniques and research design, dating methods, and artifact analysis.
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.
Same as AFST 222, PS 242, and SOC 222. See AFST 222.
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.
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.
Reviews the history of evolution and its controversies from the pre-Darwinians to contemporary debates. Examines disciplinary and wider societal debates and how they affect each other.
Examines the social organization, mating patterns, and group structure of free-ranging chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans. Presents historical perspective focusing on misconceptions that have colored our understanding of ape social behavior; addresses questions concerned with learning potential, food sharing, social cooperation, aggressive behavior, self-awareness, and the appropriateness of the apes as models for understanding human behavior. Prerequisite: ANTH 102, ANTH 143, or an equivalent course in animal behavior; or consent of instructor.
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.
We ask 'How can activist scholars address observable social injustices such as inequality, poverty, and racism? What methods work best to intervene in public and policy debates? What are the implications of such interventions?' We explore the history of anthropological engagements with distinct "publics" as well as influences from other disciplines and forms of activism. These include Latin American Action Research traditions, Indigenous Studies, and Indigenous, Black, and Latinx feminist schools of thought. From these perspectives, we examine contemporary currents and influences inside and outside of the United States.
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.
A simultaneous exploration of human sexuality from a biological and cultural perspective. Same as GWS 258.
In this class, we will examine the contemporary cultures and communities of Latinas and Latinos in the United States. We will focus on recent ethnographic studies on the Latina/o experience written mainly (though not exclusively) by Latinas and Latinos who are active in the academy. Topics to be discussed include: ethnic and racial identity, language, sexuality, power, class hierarchies, cultural citizenship, racialization, gender inequality, cultural citizenship, legal citizenship, immigration, and popular culture—all from an anthropological perspective. In the process, we will critically examine the imagined, the lived, and the invented communities constituting the Latina/o population of this country in the West, Southwest, East Coast, and the Midwest. In particular, we will explore the experiences of Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Central Americans, and Cubans in the United States. Same as LLS 259.
Perceptions of women, their perceptions of themselves, and their varying roles and statuses in several contemporary societies in diverse countries; supervised ethnographic observation of women's behavior. Same as GWS 262.
In this course we examine cultural assumptions about the human body and what it means to be a "person" in Western and non-Western societies. We examine key themes in cultural anthropology and other social sciences concerning the relationship of the individual and society, nature and culture. We will also focus on contemporary concepts of "person" vis a vis new genders/sexualities, differently-abled persons, organ transplants and bio-medicine, cyborgs and virtual persons; and commodification. We also explore the interface between intellectual and experiential ways of knowing our own bodies as cultural, dynamically embodied persons.
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.
Introduction to anthropological approaches to economics, capitalism, and the world of business. We discuss these topics as influential cultural ideals in U.S. society, consider critical alternative approaches, and examine a range of specific business and related economic practices drawing upon case studies from the U.S. as well as international and cross-cultural contexts.
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.
Survey of the world's Jewish cultures with a particular focus on the non-Western world. Addresses the relations between Judaism and other religious systems and the nature of Jewish life in such locales as North Africa, Subsaharan Africa, India, China, and South America. Same as JS 290.
Explores how archaeologists study food in the ancient world and the ways that understanding food and cuisine can inform interpretations of numerous other aspects of past societies. Looking at case studies from around the world, topics covered include food and evolution, the origins of agriculture, feasting, and food identity. The variety of methods that archaeologists use to examine foodways in the past, including zooarchaeology, paleoethnobotany, and residue analysis, will be presented.
The American Southwest is characterized by excellent preservation of archaeological sites, precision in chronological schemes, and a long history of intensive excavation and research, factors that have made it a laboratory for the development of archaeological methods. This course will provide an overview of the history of archaeological research in the Southwest, of the cultural developments of cultures and societies of the Southwest, and of the indigenous people present in the region today.
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.
We familiarize ourselves with how anthropologists approach the study of religion and then look at how we can best understand religion in the past. We examine the differences between religion, worldview, cosmology and culture, and investigate what archaeology can tell us about the origins of religion and the materiality and mundane practices of religion, revitalization and missionization. Lectures will cover theoretical, perspectives, and archaeological cases. Same as REL 342. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
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.
The relationship between language and gender is complex, contentious, and often misunderstood. In this course, we explore the many connections between language and gender. Topics include what gender is and how it is socially and linguistically constituted; real and perceived differences — grammatical, phonological, conversational — in how men and women speak; how the ways we talk about gender shape the ways we think about gender; and how all of these things vary cross-culturally and cross-linguistically. Prerequisite: ANTH 104 or ANTH 270.
Humor is an essential element of human life, yet it has proven an intractable object of study. Though scholars have long tried to distill "humor" to a static, universal formula, the anthropological approach to humor emphasizes that it is a culture- and context-specific phenomenon that must be studied in action. In this course we will study a wide range of scholarly perspectives on humor, including psychoanalysis, sociology, philosophy, and anthropology, as we consider the social and communicative dimensions of joking and laughter. Prerequisite: ANTH 104 or ANTH 270 are strongly recommended.
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.
Anthropological study of dance and other human movement systems in cultural contexts. Designed especially for students with little or no background in socio-cultural anthropology or the social sciences. Includes reading the works of major figures in the field, and learning how to study dances, signed languages and ritual events from an anthropological perspective. Students will also learn about socio-cultural theory and observation, doing fieldwork, movement literacy, problems of subjectivity and objectivity, and personal anthropology.
Introduction to theories of performance and performativity or enactment, and applies these to an understanding of public events like political rallies, music, the arts, protests, and everyday life in the U.S. Emphasis on how these practices of production and consumption help articulate social identity, including gendered, sexual, racial/ethnic, religious, class, and generational affiliations. Focus on the contemporary U.S. with comparative case studies drawn from other parts of the world and some historical materials. Draws on anthropological studies, as well as scholarly literatures from communication studies, literature, the arts, and social history. Prerequisite: At least one course in anthropology or the social sciences.
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.
Advanced topics in language and culture. May be repeated in separate terms. Prerequisite: ANTH 104, ANTH 270, or consent of instructor.
Examination of science as a cultural system. Utilizing ethnographic methods and social theories, the course will locate scientific knowledge, institutions and practices within enduring anthropological questions around rationality and truth, meaning, personhood, sociality, power inequalities, social transformations, and social justice. Prerequisite: Junior standing.
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.
An anthropological approach is used to explore human health by integrating perspectives from biological and medical anthropology, as well as human biology. By the end of the course, students will be able to conceptualize health holistically, encompassing wellness and well-being. They will learn how to define, measure, and incorporate embodiment theory using genetic, epigenetic, and human biological methods. Students will also gain a strong understanding of the biological mechanisms through which environmental factors influence health outcomes and contribute to health disparities. Prerequisite: ANTH 230 strongly recommended, or consent of instructor.
This course takes an anthropological perspective to challenge "common-sense" notions about crime. We will compare ideas about and representations of lawbreaking, criminality, danger, policing, and violence in different parts of the world, considering how they diverge from, and yet also overlap with, each other. Our goal is to find new ways to understand both how something becomes "crime" and also how it then quickly becomes sensationalized, stereotyped and simplified as it enters public debate.
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.
Anthropological approach to transnational Islam, focusing on its various expressions in Europe and the United States, particularly since World War II. Same as ASST 402 and REL 409. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: ANTH 230 or consent of instructor.
Same as GLBL 403, GWS 403, HIST 434, REL 403, and SAME 403. See REL 403.
Explores cultural, political and historical processes in 20th- and 21st-century Central America--focusing on Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala--through an anthropological lens. Grapples with a core set of questions arising from changes in the global relations, including the rise of global neoliberalism, the crises and renovations of political projects, the transformations of spatial relations through transnational migration, and the proliferation of various pan-hemispheric as well as local identity-based movements. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: ANTH 103 or ANTH 182 or ANTH 230 or a course in Latin American history or consent of instructor.
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.
Exploration of qualitative forms of research used by sociocultural anthropologists when conducting field research. Emphasis is on formulating research questions, research design, and application of these ethnographic methods to a substantial research project. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
In this seminar we address the theoretical divide between the humanities and the social sciences, the unique authority of the scholar/author, and the invisibility of the reader in producing scholarly texts. Focusing on the ways in which scholars are also authors, we explore current debates by reading a selection of contemporary anthropological texts (and a few precursors) that experiment boldly with how ethnography is written. Students will experiment with several ethnographic writing styles. This course is designed for advanced undergraduate anthropology students and graduate students in cultural anthropology, writing studies, and education. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: Undergraduate students should have already taken at least one 300-level course in cultural anthropology, and graduate students in cultural anthropology, writing studies, and/or education. Other students should contact the instructor.
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.
Introduction to anthropological concepts of social organization and structure; considers kinship theory, descent and alliance systems, social stratification, nonkin association, social networks, group identification and boundaries, structural-functional interpretations of society, and the meaning of social or cultural structure. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: ANTH 230 or consent of instructor.
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.
Provides a selective overview of the history and historiography of anthropology in the 19th and 20th centuries. The class moves chronologically and topically, paying particular attention to the social, institutional, and historical contexts of paradigmatic shifts, the interconnections between various national traditions, and the negotiations of the discipline's boundaries. 4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: Graduate or senior standing in anthropology, or consent of instructor.
A detailed investigation of the origin and biological adaptations of late archaic humans and the emergence of modern humans. Explores the practice and validity to using skeletal anatomy to interpret the behavior of past populations using evolutionary and comparative approaches. This course will interpret Neandertal biology and anatomy with particular emphasis on its relevance for theories about the origin and evolution of our species. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: ANTH 240.
Same as ESE 439, GGIS 436, IB 439 and NRES 441. See IB 439.
Introduction to behavioral endocrinology, focusing on primate, especially human behaviors. Examines the relationship between hormones and behavior using an evolutionary and comparative approach, considering both how hormones influences behavior and how behavioral interactions regulate endocrine physiology. The course covers basic endocrine system physiology and function, hormonal influences on primate social behaviors such as male and female reproductive behaviors, courtship, parental care, bonding and attachment, as well as aggression and territoriality. Other topics include stress, hormones, and health. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: IB 150 and ANTH 143; or an equivalent course in behavioral ecology, primate behavior, physiology or psychology; or consent of instructor.
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 evolution and a survey of human evolution from the early primates through the Pleistocene epoch; emphasis on evolutionary theory as applied to humans and interpretation of the fossil record. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: ANTH 240 or consent of instructor.
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.
Survey of primate social behavior and the classification, morphology, and distribution of living and extinct species; emphasis on interrelationships among behavior, biology, and ecology. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: ANTH 240 or consent of instructor.
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.
The study of cultural development in Africa from the appearance of hominids to the time of European domination. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: ANTH 220 or 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.
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.
Lecture and laboratory on the principles and techniques of stone and bone artifact manufacture, identification, classification, metrical analysis, interpretation, and integration with other classes of archaeological evidence. Emphasis on the use of lithics to test human behavioral models. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: ANTH 220.
The use of archaeological, documentary, and oral history evidence to study and interpret the ways past peoples shaped their landscapes through the deployment of cultural and social practices, and the ways, in turn, that such people were influenced, motivated, or constrained by their natural surroundings. Same as LA 454. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: Introductory archaeology course, such as ANTH 220, or introductory landscape architecture course, or equivalent with instructor's permission.
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.
Considers recent work in the emergent field of Contemporary Archaeology. Archaeological approaches can make visible the human-scale ramifications of contemporary problems like forced migration, homelessness, inequality, waste, and ruination. Focusing on the present, however, also introduces new methodological and theoretical challenges. Researchers must navigate global connectivities, ephemeral contexts, a diversity of data, and involvements with at-risk communities. The nature of this work raises questions about heterotemporality, researcher positionality, and opportunities for political action. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
Introduces the ancestral Maya of the southern lowlands in Central America and focuses on the rise and fall of kings (c. 100 BCE-900 CE), water management, religion, sustainable practices, ritual and politics, impacts of the colonial period, and the Maya today. Excavation, iconography, inscriptions and ethnographic data are used to reveal past life ways as well as how past lessons are relevant today. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 graduate hours.
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.
Examines the prominent theories in archaeology from its inception to the present day and does so within the context of general developments in anthropological thought. Provides a foundation for graduate students and a capstone for major emphasizing archaeology. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: For undergraduates: ANTH 220; anthropology major with focus on archaeology; senior standing or consent of the instructor. For graduate students: enrollment in ANTH 430 during the same term advised.
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.
Course focuses on theoretical issues raised by religion. Does religion address itself essentially to intellectual, emotional or pragmatic issues? Is religion created by rulers, clerics or worshippers? How does the individual experience religion, and (how) can s/he reshape it? In exploring these and related issues, we will read the writings of German, French, and British social scientists of the past 150 years as well as work by contemporary anthropologists. Theoretical perspectives covered include symbolic, processual, materialist, structural-functionalist, structuralist, and postmodernist approaches. Same as REL 463. 4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: A 200-level course in cultural anthropology or consent of instructor; or graduate standing.
Same as AAS 464, GWS 464, and REL 464. See GWS 464.
Social hierarchies in a variety of cultural contexts; industrial societies and the process of industrialization; looks at other social forms for the purposes of comparison. A variety of social theories will be discussed and compared through ethnographic studies. 4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: ANTH 103 and ANTH 230 or graduate standing.
Culture and social organization in traditional African societies with emphasis on the politics, kinship, and religion of a small sample of societies illustrating the main cultural variations found in sub-Saharan Africa; some discussion of ecological factors and ethnic group relations in precolonial times. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: ANTH 230 or consent of instructor.
This bioanthropology research seminar is focused on interdisciplinary projects for undergraduate and graduate students. Students will create individualized projects related to biological anthropology, primatology, ecology, microbe-host interactions, evolution, endocrinology, ontogeny or closely-related areas. Additional emphasis will be placed on developing presentation skills and scientific paper writing. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated in separate terms. Prerequisite: ANTH 240, ANTH 243 or ANTH 443 strongly recommended; permission of instructor.
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.
Explores and examines the production of U. S. Latina/Latino identities as instances of international, cultural, historical, and social border crossings. In both regional and global contexts, we will analyze the ways in which Mexican American, Cuban American and Puerto Rican identities have been shaped by colonial relations vis-a-vis Spain and by postcolonial conditions vis-a-vis the United States. Same as LLS 472. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: ANTH 103, and ANTH 259 or ANTH 359.
Introduction to the theories and techniques of pottery analysis for archaeologists. In addition to presentation and discussion of the major literature, there is hands-on practice making, drawing, breaking and analyzing pottery. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: ANTH 220 or consent of instructor.
Survey of Andean cultures at the time of the Spanish conquest, of their subsequent history, and of modern Indian culture in the Andean countries. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: ANTH 182, ANTH 230 or consent of instructor.
Introduction to the use of anthropological theories and methods in policing studies. Includes comparative historical survey of the diverse sources of power and authority which are bundled into the modern idea of "police power," considers the range of authors contributing to contemporary debates about policing in anthropology, and supports students focusing on both theoretical and applied questions. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
Historical studies which deploy anthropological methods in the study of early modern and modern Europe; looks at processes of twentieth century modernization through ethnographic studies. Western, Central and Eastern Europe will all receive attention, but the study of Western Europe will predominate. 4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: ANTH 103 and ANTH 230 or three history courses or graduate standing.
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.
Explores theories of the state and governance through an anthropological perspective. Theoretical issues covered will include political economy, sovereignty, biopolitics, and empire across a range of social settings will attend to issues of race, class, gender, and sexuality. 4 graduate hours. No professional credit. May be repeated in separate terms up to 8 hours, if topics vary. Prerequisite: Grad Students only.
Course examines the history of colonialism and post-colonialism in anthropological perspective. The relations of history and anthropology are explored through ethnographic studies that problematize historical memory. Theoretical works about colonized people will be debated and discussed. Same as HIST 519. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.
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.
This first of our two core theoretical courses in linguistic anthropology pays particular attention to language in culture. Examines the historical development of the field and its debates, and its relationships with socio-cultural anthropology. Develops theoretical and critical analytical skills needed in contemporary ethnographic research. Same as LING 512. Approved for both letter and S/U grading. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.
Same as PSYC 514, CS 549, EPSY 551, LING 570, PHIL 514. See PSYC 514.
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.
Examines anthropological theories and methods for understanding systems of body movement and performance in cultural contexts. Explores the study of everyday skills as well as the expressive complexities of dances, gestural systems, sacred and secular ritual, sign languages, sports, theater, and martial arts. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.
Through reading style handbooks, theoretical works on the nature of writing, and published dissertations in anthropology, as well as completing specific dissertation writing assignments, this course provides a forum for advanced doctoral students to outline and complete substantial work on their doctoral thesis. The class format is a workshop in which every student circulates dissertation chapters for discussion by the instructor and other class members. Prerequisite: Students must have completed all requirements for the Ph.D. in anthropology but the dissertation, and they must have completed their doctoral fieldwork.
Seminar designed to involve students in the theoretical and methodological approaches to problem areas in physical anthropology. May be repeated. Prerequisite: ANTH 440, ANTH 441, or ANTH 443; consent of instructor.
Seminar oriented to current research problems in archaeology, designed to acquaint students with theoretical and methodological aspects of particular problems and to develop a critical perspective archaeological research. May be repeated. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Examines patterns of behavior archaeologists associate with complex societies and seeks to understand if and how these behaviors generate and/or reflect cultural complexity; theoretical literature and case studies discussed. Major topics include chiefdoms, settlement pattern analysis, and ideology. Prerequisite: Graduate student standing.
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.
Engages critical issues in contemporary heritage studies such as the politicized UNESCO World Heritage system, heritage-based domestic and international conflicts, management of sites of trauma, contested heritage, heritage tourism, historic urban centers, heritage futures, the production of identity, post-conflict heritage, heritage branding, repatriation and reparation, landscape and memory, and intangible cultural heritage. Bodies of literature produced by key CHS (Critical Heritage Studies) scholars are analyzed. 4 graduate hours. No professional credit.
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.
Same as AAS 561, AFRO 531, GWS 561, and LLS 561. See AAS 561.
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.
