Description of Anthropology Upper Division Courses Offered in Spring 2013

ANT 221 - Introduction to Cultural and Linguistic Anthropology.

Reg. Code 1470 TTH 9:30-10:45 am Flanagan

The course focuses on the central role that culture and language plays in our lives from everyday interactions to institutional arrangements. Symbols, meanings, and their social contexts are emphasized in the linguistic part of the course. The course provides the foundation for much of what you do in upper-division anthropology courses. Requirements will include three exams and a paper.

ANT 311 - World Cultures

Reg. Code 10842 MWF 11-11:50 am Kaufmann

This course examines the anthropological concept of “culture” from various perspectives in differing world contexts. Class participants gain an appreciation of the difference between theorizing about cultures and their ethnographic descriptions.

ANT 321 - Immigration Issues

Reg. Code 10843 TTH 2:25-3:40 pm Hayden

In this course we will explore major ways in which social scientists have interpreted migration, with a particular focus on the United States. The course will provide students with a survey of the conceptual frameworks for understanding migration. First, it will examine the structural—political, economic, and legal—context of migration and the ways in which changing economic formations impact the movement of people. Students will then consider frameworks for understanding the experience of migration and the relationships that people maintain to the multiple sites in which they have lived. Finally, students will think about the ways in which migration has articulated with and shaped ideas of national identity and citizenship.

ANT 336 - Archaeology of Ancient Civilizations.

Reg. Code 10231 MWF 9-9:50 am Young

This course offers a comparative analysis of both old and new world civilizations, exploring the connections between all civilizations around the world. We begin with a brief introduction to the methods of science and archaeology, followed by a quick overview of the Mesolithic and Neolithic. Then we will discuss the theories of states and then chronologically examine the archaeological discoveries illuminating the rise and collapse of ancient civilizations around the world.      

ANT 401 - Senior Seminar in Anthropology. Prerequisites: ANT 221, ANT 231, and senior standing.

Reg. Code 6719 T night 6:30-9:15 pm Hayden

The capstone seminar will focus on current issues and careers in anthropology. You will be asked to reflect on and articulate your understanding of what anthropology is and how it can be useful. The primary goals of the seminar are to provide an opportunity for you to think holistically with a more advanced understanding of the sub-disciplines’ methods and epistemologies than you had in anthropology 101 and to hone your communicative skills. Towards that end, your own term project and the weekly readings and discussions will be equally important. A secondary goal of the seminar is to give you the opportunity to think about what you will do with anthropology now that you are graduating. Whether you plan to go to graduate school or other career, you will take this semester to think about your relationship to anthropology. What does it mean to think anthropologically? What is your relationship to the discipline and how does it inform your understanding of your life after graduation? Readings will focus on the application of anthropological theory to issues of public importance, as will students' term projects

ANT 429/529 - Topics in Cultural Anthropology - Topic: Anthropology of Ireland

Reg. Code 10844/10845 TTH 1-2:15 pm Flanagan

From How the Irish Saved Civilization and The Irish Countryman to the Celtic Tiger and beyond, this course looks at continuity and change in Ireland through the examination of classic and recent ethnographies. We will pay particular attention to the Irish language, the plight of the traveling people, the place of recent immigrants, and anthropological approaches to “the troubles.”

ANT 437/537  - Heritage Resources and Public Policy.       

Reg. Code 10848/10849 TTH 3:50-5:05 pm Jackson

Public policy aimed at the preservation of archaeological and historic sites, sacred places and even the activities of traditional communities, has determined the career paths of many archaeologists, historic preservationists, and even cultural anthropologists.  Employment in this field, cultural resource management (CRM), requires an understanding of the policies that dictate these activities.  In this course we look at the legislative basis of archaeological and historic preservation, the circumstances in which these laws and policies apply, and the entities and processes involved in the fulfillment of these legal mandates.  We also look at broader social and economic issues associated with historic preservation and the responsibilities of professionals in imparting to the public the knowledge gained by these endeavors.

ANT 441/541 - Human Variation.            

Reg. Code 10846/10847 TTH 11-12:15 pm Danforth

This course offers a cross-cultural examination of differences in human morphology, physiology, and biochemistry. It will specifically explore the correlation between variations in human biology and variations in climate, culture, nutrition, and disease.