2023-2024 Academic Catalog

Anthropology

Courses

ANT 150. Cultural Anthropology. 3 Hours

Overview of the basic principles of cultural anthropology. Survey of human adaptation to and transformation of the environment by means of culture. Comparison of ways of life among peoples of the world to better understand human behavior, particularly in relation to colonial histories and current global forces. Required for anthropology minors.

ANT 210. Making of Modern South Asia. 3 Hours

Historical survey and an anthropological exploration of the major political, economic, social, ecological, and cultural developments that have contributed to the making of region we now know as ‘South Asia:’ India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Maldives and Afghanistan. Prerequisites: HST 103 or HST 1HC or ASI 110.

ANT 306. Culture & Power. 3 Hours

Exploration of how culture and power are intertwined in the process of transformation of cultural beliefs and practices around the world. Focus on the ways in which anthropologists have studied modern state formation, and the attendant cultural politics, in local, regional, national, and global contexts. Sophomore standing or higher.

ANT 310. Culture & Personality. 3 Hours

Survey of studies investigating the relationship between cultural environment and the individual. Material drawn from both literate and nonliterate societies.

ANT 315. Language & Culture. 3 Hours

Students examine the relationship between language, thought, and behavior centering on human interaction and social justice in a variety of cultural contexts. Prerequisites: SSC 200 or ANT 150 or CJS 101 or ECO 203 or ECO 204 or POL 201 or POL 202 or PSY 101 or SOC 101 or SOC 204 or SWK 201.

ANT 320. Anthropology of Childhoods. 3 Hours

Survey of anthropology research on issues related to children and childhood. Cross-cultural comparison of changing conceptions and varied experiences of the developmental stage known singularly as 'childhood', with a special emphasis on children as social agents and childhoods as lived experiences. Sophomore standing or higher.

ANT 325. Anthropology of Human Rights. 3 Hours

An overview of anthropological approaches to human rights, weighing human rights universals against situations of cultural particularity. Sophomore standing or higher.

ANT 335. Urban Anthropology. 3 Hours

Survey of anthropology research on urban issues. Considers how cities arose and how urban people make a living, organize, and think. Considers urban futures.

ANT 336. Topics in Medical Anthropology. 3 Hours

Medical Anthropology examines afflictions, illness narratives and the politics of therapeutics in a cross-cultural perspective. It specifically focuses on the biosocial approach that examines the interaction of biology, social environment, and medicine using the ethnographic method. Course may be repeated as topics change. Sophomore standing or higher.

ANT 340. Place, Culture, and Social Justice. 3 Hours

Exploration of the central role of space and place as it both reflects and constructs cultural identities, social inequalities, and relations of power. Themes of particular interest in the course may include inscription of history and memory in landscapes, shifting territories under late capitalism and economic restructuring, the policing of boundaries of national and local belonging, and the importance of geography in maintaining racial difference and inequality. The course is designed as an intensive service-learning class that will engage students in hands-on experiences. Sophomore standing or higher.

ANT 350. Anthropology of Tourism. 3 Hours

Students examine the study of tourism as an academic discipline, including its historical development, current sub-fields and theoretical approaches, and the future of this industry in the globalized world.

ANT 352. Cultures of Latin America. 3 Hours

Survey of Latin American culture from an anthropological perspective, ranging from the pre-Colombian era through colonial and up to the contemporary period. Themes include race, gender, colonialism, economics, politics, kinship, religion, tourism, immigration, food, and popular culture. Sophomore standing or higher.

ANT 356. Cultures of Africa. 3 Hours

Examination of Africa through the lens of anthropology. Exploration of late colonial and postcolonial eras, with a focus on gender, kinship, ethnicity, politics, religion, and prospects for the future. Consideration of the production of knowledge about and dominant representations of Africa. Sophomore standing or higher.

ANT 368. Immigration & Immigrants. 3 Hours

Perspectives on immigration and ethnicity. Studies of social and economic adaptation of new immigrants and the second generation in communities, cities, and societies. Ethnic change, conflict, and contemporary national and international issues, with an emphasis on human rights. Sophomore standing or higher.

ANT 392. Special Topics in Anthropology. 1-6 Hours

Intensive examination of current thematic, theoretical, or methodological issues from the viewpoint of anthropology. May be repeated as topics change. Sophomore standing or higher.

ANT 449. Anthropological Field Work. 3 Hours

Students learn anthropological methods of data collection (participant observations, interviews, questionnaires, focus groups, archives, scholarly research) and analysis. Prerequisites: ENG 200 or SSC 200 or ANT 150 or CJS 101 or ECO 203 or ECO 204 or POL 201 or POL 202 or PSY 101 or SOC 101 or SOC 204 or SWK 201.

ANT 477. Honors Thesis. 3 Hours

First of two courses leading to the selection, design, investigation, and completion of an independent, original Honors Thesis project under the guidance of a faculty research advisor. Restricted to students in the University Honors Program with permission of the program director and department chairperson. Students pursuing an interdisciplinary thesis topic may register for three semester hours each in two separate disciplines in consultation with the department chairpersons. Prerequisite(s): Approval of University Honors Program.

ANT 478. Honors Thesis. 3 Hours

Second of two courses leading to the selection, design, investigation, and completion of an independent, original Honors Thesis project under the guidance of a faculty research advisor. Restricted to students in the University Honors Program with permission of the program director and department chairperson. Students pursuing an interdisciplinary thesis topic may register for three semester hours each in two separate disciplines in consultation with the department chairpersons. Prerequisite(s): Approved 477; approval of University Honors Program.

ANT 497. Service Learning Experience. 1 Hour

Supervised community research or service experience that complements a specific upper division course in Anthropology. Repeatable up to three semester hours. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Corequisite(s): A 300-400 level Anthropology course.

ANT 498. Independent Study. 1-6 Hours

Research problems or readings of special interest investigated under the guidance of an anthropology staff member. Prerequisite(s): Permission of department chairperson.