Take me to the Fall Time Schedule
Courses are arranged by groups:
Introductory Courses,
Ethnology-Regional Courses,
Ethnology-Theory/Method,
Ethnology-Topical Courses,
Linguistic Anthropology,
Archaeology, and
Museum and Reading and Research Courses.
256(Biol. Anthro. 256)/NR&E
256. Culture, Adaptation, and Environment. (3). (Excl).
This course provides a wide-ranging introduction to the field of ecological
anthropology, focusing on issues related to the management of common property.
The main goal for the course is to help students acquire an understanding
of the strengths and weaknesses of competing approaches to the question
of the relationship of ecology to the social world. On the natural science
side, the major approaches to be considered are behavioral and systems ecology.
From the social sciences, we will investigate the basic techniques of social
anthropology, as well as evolutionary game theory. Why combine the social
and natural sciences in a single course? Traditionally, social scientists
study social systems, and natural scientists study ecosystems. But many
of the most important problems in environmental studies only come into focus
when we are able to combine both perspectives. This is particularly true
of one of the most pressing issues of our time - the management of common
property (resources that are held in common and utilized by a social group).
Today, the oceans are our common property, and the recent collapse of many
fisheries illustrate the dangers posed by over-exploitation, the so-called
"tragedy of the commons." To investigate systems of common property,
we need to know something about how they function as ecosystems, as well
as how societies relate to them. In this course, we will explore systems
of common property utilized by a wide range of societies, including Native
American salmon fishermen, African nomads, and Asian rice farmers. (Lansing)
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282. Introduction to Prehistoric
Archaeology. (4). (SS).
This course combines an introduction to the techniques, methods, and theories
of modern archaeology with a general survey of world prehistory. In the
first half of the course we will consider how archaeologists learn about
the past. In the second half of the term we will take a 'greatest hits'
tour of world prehistory. In this tour we will focus on the culture of early
humans, the peopling of the New World, and on the changing character of
culture and society in Europe and North America from the earliest inhabitants
through to the beginnings of recorded history. The course is designed to
be accessible without prerequisites, but students will find previous coursework
in Anthropology useful. There will be three one-hour lectures, plus one
discussion section, per week. Requirements: two one-hour exams plus three
take-home exercises. (O'Shea)
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286. Food in Human Affairs. (4).
(SS).
The course will survey the domestication of plants and animals world-wide.
It will examine (1) the cultural and ecological contexts for the domestication
of each and (2) the genetic and anatomical consequences as they were selected
to become productive food staples. The history of domesticated plants and
animals will be explored including their introduction and the sociocultural
consequences of new plants and animals in the diet of people around the
world. The economic and political consequences of food problems will be
discussed - ranging from maize in the New Word to the Irish potato blight,
population increases in China and Africa, and the consequences of global
change on the food supply. There will be several textbooks and a course
pack. In the lecture there will be a midterm and final. In discussion there
will be quizzes and research reports to prepare (2-4 pages in length) about
different plants and animals. Cost:1
WL:1
(Ford)
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298. Topics in Cultural Anthropology.
(3). (SS). May be repeated for a total of twelve credits.
Section 001 - Introduction to Cultural Studies. Several years ago,
civil war broke out between the venerable old dues-paying field of anthropology
and the relatively new, patchwork field of cultural studies. Often subterranean
and at times rather bitter skirmishes ensued in the pages of academic journals,
in classrooms, at conferences, and in seminars. Both were interested in
culture as an idea, as an influence, and as a problem. Anthropologists have
long been engaged in the tricky and important process of mapping and describing
specific cultures as they take shape over time. Cultural studies, "practiced"
by a mixed collection of sociologists, historians, scholars of English,
comparative literature, and communications, as well as anthropologists,
is a newer phenomenon, officially labeled by members of the so-called Birmingham
School in the 1970s. According to Richard Johnson their intention, loosely,
was to create "an alchemy for producing useful knowledge about the
broad domain of human culture." In this class, we will focus on some
of the strains that have given rise to something called "cultural studies"
over the past 25 years. We will read, discuss, and watch films about some
of the fascinating case studies and comments on culture produced by a rich
variety of scholars. Particular emphasis will be given to the role of such
dominant institutions as schools, the mass media, courts, political structures,
and law enforcement in shaping people's attitudes, actions, and responses.
Evaluations will be based on attendance, successful completion of readings,
class participation, and a series of quizzes and writing assignments. (Hart)
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302. Sex and Gender in Japan. (3).
(Excl).
This course is an exploration of the relationship among sex, gender, and
sexuality in Japanese culture and society, past and present. Following a
brief introduction to both Japan and key theoretical concepts, we will examine
critically the various values, norms, and myths invented, evoked, and perpetuated
to valorize and/or to censure various sex and gender roles and modes of
sexuality in Japan, including same-sex sexual practices and identities.
By the same token, we will also consider how sex, gender, and sexuality
can be interpreted, performed, and manipulated either to enforce or to subvert
the status quo - sometimes at the same time. Our exploration is organized
along more or less chronological and historical lines and covers topics
ranging from kinship, marriage, mythology, colonialism, militarization,
race and ethnicity, sex workers in wartime and peacetime, work and play,
sports, gay and lesbian life and politics, and images of sexuality in the
mass media. Apart from completing the readings for each class meeting, students
are responsible for class discussions, an essay-style midterm exam, an eight-page
paper, and an essay-style final examination. (Robertson)
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314/Amer. Cult. 313. Cuba and its
Diaspora. (4). (Excl).
This course examines Cuban history, literature, and culture since the Revolution
both on the island and in the United States diaspora. In political and cultural
essays, personal narratives, fiction, poetry, drama, visual art and film,
we will seek a comprehensive and diverse view of how Cubans and Cuban-Americans
understand their situation as people of the same nation divided for thirty-five
years by the Cold War, revolution, and exile. Topics will include: discussions
of race, ethnicity, and intolerance in the context of Cuba and the diaspora,
the meaning of diasporas in the twentieth century, Fidel Castro and the
making of the Cuban Revolution, masculinity and gay sexuality in the Revolution
and Cuban diaspora, women's dreams, everyday life under communism, Afrocuban
culture and religion, the Cuban arts movement, and construction and deconstruction
of exile identity. We will read and discuss the writings of Fidel Castro,
Oscar Hijuelos, Edmundo Desnoes, Reinaldo Arenas, Lourdes Casal, Senel Paz,
Dolores Prida, and Carmelita Tropicana, among others, and view major Cuban
feature and documentary films. Students are expected to participate actively
in class discussions and do independent research for a final essay as well
as write two short essays and maintain a film journal. Each student will
sign up for an oral presentation for one week of the course and will lead
the discussion for that day's reading. The class will meet for four hours
per week, 3 hours lecture and 1 hour of discussion. There will be additional
time (1 to 1-1/2 hours per week) to view documentary films. The intended
audience is undergraduates of all levels. (Behar)
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315. Native American Peoples of
North America. (4). (SS).
Native American communities, often deeply rooted in traditional places and
voices - despite relocations and losses of native languages - all involve
strong family ties and histories of local and regional power struggles.
In this course, we look at cross cultural dynamics and tribal identities
in political encounters between Native American peoples and various others:
developers, environmentalists, educators, other governmental authorities,
poets, and social scientists, to name a few. Key issues include land rights,
family relations, alcoholism, and freedom of religion. We also look at contemporary
Native American fiction, non-fiction, and film documentaries as cultural
forces which challenge others' constructions of who Native American peoples
are. A recurrent question: what are the limits and possibilities of self-definition
for Native American peoples, in what circumstances? WL:1
(Bierwert)
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409. Peoples and Cultures of the
Near East and North Africa. Junior standing. (3). (Excl).
This course provides a survey of cultures in the region extending from Morocco
to Iran, with an emphasis on Arabic-speaking, Islamic societies. It is equally
a course about a region-focused tradition of anthropological inquiry, one
marked by important shifts in topics, theories, and styles of account-making.
We will consider changing treatments of recurrent themes, including nomads
and tribes, rural and urban lifestyles, saint cultures and popular religion,
kinship and gender, and the written tradition of Islamic movements. The
course will combine lectures with class discussions, and the readings will
be primarily from recent monographs. Assessment will be based on two take-home
exams, with an additional short paper for graduate students. (Messick)
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416/Hist. 476. Latin America: The
Colonial Period. (4). (SS).
See History 476. (Frye)
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442/ACABS 413/Hist. 440. Ancient
Mesopotamia. Junior standing. (3). (HU).
See Ancient Civilizations and Biblical
Studies 413. (Yoffee)
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332. Social Forms. Sophomore
standing. (4). (SS).
Section 001 - Exchange, Possessions, and Value. A lecture course which
introduces core problems in social anthropology, centering on how the organization
of societies affects the lives and experiences of the people who live in
them. The course takes a variety of topics in succession, exploring the
principles central to different societies and showing how anthropologists
analyze them. Topics covered may include material possessions and values,
family life, and the sense of personal identity. This year's topic concerns
the role of material objects in social and subjective life under different
economic systems. We ask questions such as these: how do people identify
themselves with their valuables? How do goods help people form relations
with one another? What is the difference between a gift, a commodity, and
money? Why are some things priceless? Open to students of all concentrations.
Cost:2
(Keane)
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447. Culture, Racism, and Human
Nature. Two courses in the social sciences. (3). (Excl).
This course examines the possible origins of culture to understand the unique
behavior and historical development of Homo sapiens and traces
the salient features of human history and contemporary modernity to discuss
and explain the nature of humans. The understanding of the nature of humans
and their development will enable the students to comprehend, explain and
resolve racism, part of a pan-human phenomenon. Is racism fundamental to
the character of human culture? The course will suggest that many of our
modern social problems have a common generation - the nature of human culture.
That would suggest that the solutions will require a social transformation
in the character of human culture. These examinations of human culture will
require us to return to the discussions of Leslie White (culture is autonomous)
and Alfred Kroeber (culture is superorganic) to determine the possibilities
of social transformations that contemporary society may require. Cost:3
WL:3
(Williams)
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451/CAAS 459. African-American
Religion. One introductory course in the social sciences. (3).
(Excl).
This course will examine the nature of religion in the lives of humans,
within the framework of culture, and as a pervasive social institution.
It will focus on the special case of the intensive and involved character
of religion in the history and the lives of African-Americans. These special
uses of religion create special problems. We will analyze those problems.
The course objectives are to: (1) introduce the subject of religion as a
social institution, as a pervasive component of culture, and as a contemporary
adjustment and adaptation to peculiar social problems; (2) demonstrate how
an anthropological analysis can be used to understand religion in contemporary
society; (3) develop skills in critical thinking and analysis; (4) present
the relationship between culture, institutions, religion, subculture, and
the nature of man (humans); and (5) enable students to understand the religious
institutions of humans generally and African-Americans specifically. The
course is open to all students, and it requires no special background or
preparation. There will be two examinations. Class participation and attendance
are required. Cost:3
WL:3
(Williams)
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458. Topics in Cultural Anthropology.
Permission of instructor. (3). (Excl). May be repeated once
for a total of six credits.
Section 001 - The Colonial Order of Things in Southeast Asia: A Comparative
Perspective. This seminar on the cultures of colonialism in Southeast
Asia is not a regional course. We'll focus on the colonial perceptions,
practices, and imperial contexts in which colonial ventures were pursued,
and look at select colonial encounters in parts of Southeast Asia, particularly
the Dutch East Indies/Indonesia, to address some of the major issues in
the study of colonialism, and to familiarize students with the political
and analytic dilemmas that arise in studying and identifying "the colonial"
in postcolonial politics and in anthropology, history, and cultural studies
today. We will examine the historical processes by which the categories
of "colonizer" and "colonized" have been created by
looking at gender politics, racial thinking, and class vision, with attention
given to changes in colonial historiography, the interface of colonial power
and the production of colonial knowledge. Undergraduates have the option
of doing one book review and two essays, or one book review and a final
exam. Graduate students are required to do the book review and a research
paper. All students do short weekly commentaries on the readings. Readings
are available in a course pack and at Shaman Drum. (Stoler)
Section 002 - Time and Space.
Different groups have different ways of thinking about the world and of
acting upon and in it. Anthropologists, historians, and others have shown
this to be true even for what we might think the most basic frameworks of
all human activity: time and space. Anthropologists study differences in
concepts of time and space from one society/culture to another, while historians
look for how such concepts change through time. The task of this course
is to encourage students to think about time and space in ways one ordinarily
does not, so as to stop taking for granted our own notions of these concepts
as the only "natural" way of thinking about them. By thinking
of time and space as concepts instead of as natural and given, the instructors
aim to present these as things human beings make up. There will be a lecture
session for this course, then students will migrate into smaller discussion
sections led by the instructors. Undergraduates will have an exam; graduate
students a paper as requirement for the final grade. There will also be
a midterm. (Verdery/Cohen)
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472/Ling. 409. Language and Culture.
(3). (HU).
Language and culture have often been described as mutually reinforcing and
constraining systems of meaningful coherence. This course will explore not
only parallels, but also tensions between linguistic and sociocultural forms
and practices. Readings will probe, among other things, how language informs
cultural categories (such as time and space, agency and affect), and how
participants frame verbal communication (as ritual or "everyday,"
engaged or ironic). We will devote particular attention to assumptions,
in a variety of societies, about how comprehension and misunderstanding
work, and to ways in which such assumptions reproduce inclusion or exclusion.
(Lemon)
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473/Ling. 473. Ethnopoetics: Cross-Cultural
Approaches to Verbal Art. Two courses in anthropology, linguistics,
or literature. (3). (Excl).
How do we listen to the verbal arts of nonwestern peoples without imposing
our preconceived folk ideas about form, performance, authorship, and textuality?
And if we do manage to hear and study these arts in their own "terms,"
can we translate and represent them without making a caricature of these
sources? This course will consider efforts by anthropologists, linguists,
poets, folklorists, and literary theorists to address these questions at
several levels: (1) working our methodologies which allows us to see the
poetics in others' arts; (2) critically assessing the methodologies; and
(3) exploring theories about differences between oral literatures and written
traditions as well as the cultural shaping of literatures. We will also
consider what ways this work contributes to reshaping anthropology itself.
(Bierwert)
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572(478)/Ling. 542. Introduction
to Sociolinguistics. Ling. 414 or graduate standing. (3). (Excl).
See Linguistics 542. (Milroy)
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492. Prehistory of Oceania. Anthro.
101, 282, or junior standing. (3). (Excl).
This course explores the spread of people into the islands of the Pacific
Ocean, beginning with the colonization of Australia about 50,000 years ago
and continuing up to the spread of the Polynesians to the most distant isles.
Ecological, Human Biological, Linguistic, and Archaeological data will be
brought to bear on both specific historical problems and some of the broad
anthropological concerns that have made Oceania a source of new ideas for
anthropologists for almost a century. The basis of student evaluation includes
an in-class essay midterm and final, or original independent research paper.
Required texts: A course pack and a book by Patrick Vinton Kirch The
Evolution of Polynesian Chiefdoms (NY, C.U.P., 1984). The method of
instruction is lecture and illustrative materials. Cost:1
WL:3
(Wright)
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593. Archaeological Systematics.
Senior concentrators, graduates, with permission of instructor.
(3). (Excl).
This course is designed principally for graduate students in anthropology.
It examines the epistemological basis for archaeology, major theoretical
frameworks for reconstructing past human organization and studying its change,
and methodological approaches appropriate for such investigations. The course
is designed as a seminar, with strong emphasis on active student participation.
There are no exams, but a paper is required at the end of the term. Prerequisites
include graduate standing in anthropology, or permission of the instructor.
(O'Shea)
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