Dr. Contreras
Anthropological method and theory—particularly in the subfields of archaeology and ecological anthropology—grapples with recording and analyzing spatial variation. As a result, geospatial technologies generally and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in particular are increasingly recognized as critical tools. In this course we will examine the use of GIS for management and analysis of geospatial data in anthropological contexts, both experimenting with methods and critically examining case studies.
We will cover both methodological approaches (collecting data in the field and finding publicly-available data as well as integrating and querying it in a GIS) and theoretical implications (the nature of spatial data as well as scales and topics of analysis). We will also examine selected case studies and consider critiques that have been leveled at GIS in particular and spatial analysis in general.