Academic Courses

Anthropology

ANTH 101
Introduction to Anthropology
3-0-3
Survey of the four sub-fields of anthro-pology, cultural, physical, and linguistic anthropology and archaeology. Topics include ancient civilizations, evolution, “primitive” peoples, “talking” apes, how our early ancestors lived, language, races, and how people in other societies are both different and similar.?

ANTH 112
Cultural Anthropology
3-0-3
Survey of language, kinship, social structure, political organization, tech-nology, economic systems, culture change, art and religion. A cross-cultural approach, with examples from both literate and nonliterate societies of the world.

ANTH 125
Physical Anthropology
3-0-3
Covers the biological side of human existence.?Topics include race, the relationship between human biology and behavior, evolution, the evidence linking us to the “cavemen” or “ape-men,” primates and their relationship to us, and the similarities and differences among modern peoples.

ANTH 202
Gender Roles in Cross-Cultural Perspective
3-0-3
This course examines perspectives on women, men and gender roles using the theories and methods of anthropology as a guide. It explores women’s and men’s roles in a variety of social institutions, including those of marriage and the family, education and socialization, the sexual division of labor, politics, religion and health care delivery. It also focuses on the ways that the categories of race, class, gender and sexual preference affect our view of the world and help to create our self perceptions. Examples are drawn from both American society and nonwestern cultures. Prerequisites: ENGL 101, plus one of the following: ANTH 101, ANTH 112, SOC 101.

ANTH 211
African Peoples and Cultures
3-0-3
This course presents an anthropological approach to the societies of Africa that recognizes both the diversity of Africa and the unifying themes common to African cultures. Students will explore the African past, the impact of colonization, and the variety of family, economic, and political arrangements in contemporary African societies. African music, dance, oral literature, and art will be investigated in both traditional and modern contexts. These varied course experiences will provide students with an integrated view of Africa today. Prerequisite: Any Social or Behavioral Science course.

ANTH 215
Peoples and Cultures of Asia
3-0-3
This course examines societies of Asia from the point of view of people who have lived there. Students will read first-hand accounts of life in three regions of Asia and study family life and the working world in each society. They will also study art and politics as mediums of change in Asian societies. The course will include information on the archeology of early civilizations, readings in the classics of Chinese religion, and attention to the influences of China on other regions of Asia. Students will examine the forces of change that affect the lives of Asian people today and the influences of Asian society and culture on the west. Prerequisite: any social or behavioral science course.