Dr. Gillespie Wed Per 3-5 This seminar surveys high-level theories shared among the sociohistorical disciplines as they have come into use in Anglo-American anthropological archaeology since the mid-20th century. There are two required textbooks– Bruce Trigger: A History of Archaeological Thought and Chris Gosden: Anthropology and Archaeology: A Changing Relationship–as well as many additional readings […]
Dr. Clarence C. Gravlee The culture concept is foundational to anthropological theory, but it is also contested. Much of the debate over culture revolves around its methodological implications — how are we to know when culture is there, and what exactly does that mean? In this seminar, we approach this question using theory and methods […]
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Dr. Daegling This seminar examines the central role of evolutionary theory in the methods and practice of biological anthropology. Major issues in evolutionary biology are explored through examples from the anthropological literature, and we will also consider the contribution of cognate fields to current understanding of human and primate evolution. The challenges in applying theoretical […]
Dr. Kernaghan How do taboos and norms infuse ordinary life and how do people make sense of their transgression? What binds rules to coercion and under what circumstances may lethal force be deemed legitimate? In this introduction to legal anthropology we frame law as an eminently plural phenomena that operates unevenly across multiple social […]
Dr. Tucker Do you start your day with coffee? This course explores the diverse expressions and ramifications of “coffee culture,” from farmers who see it as their livelihood, to traders and baristas who know it as a living, to consumers who can’t imagine life without it. We will explore the histories of coffee, including its […]
Dr. Ostebo Course description This is a hands-on, interactive writing seminar that takes you through the various stages of writing a dissertation, a chapter or a journal article. Part of class time will be spent on active writing – so-called “shut-up-and-write” sessions. We will also share extracts from our writing and talk about different forms […]
Dr. Davidson Course Description and Objectives: Archaeology is the study of the past – people and everything they were, their public acts and private hopes – or at least it is an earnest attempt to “construct” this past through a meticulous examination of material objects, the greater landscape, and the social milieu under which these […]
Dr. Strong What is medical anthropology? How do anthropologists investigate pain, illness, healing, and wellness in global contexts? How do cultural processes that seem to be local or global interact and shape aspects of our bodies, such as illness or efforts to find healing? What methods and theories do anthropologists use to explore these issues […]
Dr. Kim Valenta Monkeys! Apes! Lemurs! If you’ve ever spent any time thinking about your closest living relatives, or wishing that you did, consider taking this introductory course. By the end of this course, you’ll have a working knowledge of the world’s living primates, and be able to answer questions like “where did mammals come […]
Dr. _____________ How did the modern world come to be the way it is today? This course looks at the deep history and ecology of pre- or non-industrial urban societies. Expanding on the questions, what makes us human, covered in ANT 2140 (Intro to Archaeology), this course tackles the question: what is civilization? The case […]