An examination of the application of anthropological knowledge to public issues. The issues studied will vary from year to year; they may include such topics as race and ethnicity, citizenship and the state, marriage and sexuality, conservation and the environment, and the ownership, interpretation and display of artifacts and human remains. Students will present their research in forms appropriate to both academic and general audiences.
ANTH 604Human Development in a Cross-Cultural Perspective0.50 units
Seminar in current issues in the anthropology of the life cycle. This course will deal with child rearing, young adulthood, aging and the female and male life cycles, among other topics, from the perspective of various cultures.
An examination of the methods of qualitative research, including participant observation and unstructured interviews, as well as the ethical considerations of fieldwork. Other topics, such as comparative and historical methods, may be included.
This laboratory course will focus on the evaluation of human skeletal remains in archaeological and forensic contexts. Topics will include determination of basic biological categories, e.g., age, sex, race, evaluation of paleopathological conditions, and aspects of forensic anthropology.
ANTH 659Conservation, Communities and Globalization0.50 units
Biological anthropology has a long history of examining our closest living relatives, the nonhuman primates. Increasingly, these species are threatened by extinction, which brings to light larger questions regarding our place in the natural world. Anthropology is uniquely positioned to examine the interaction between efforts to conserve biodiversity and natural resources, community rights, and globalization. This course will focus on attempts to balance the preservation of nature within the health and socioeconomic well-being of neighbouring communities, and how these relationships are affected by processes of globalization. Other topics such as the effects of climate change, heritage management, and indigenous rights may be addressed.
A program of directed reading, complemented with the writing of papers or participation in research. Reading courses are arranged by students through their advisors or advisory committees and must be approved by the graduate chair of the department. This course may be repeated provided different content is involved.
ANTH 661Research Seminar in Public Issues Anthropology0.50 units
The objective is to write a research paper in Public Issues Anthropology. In this course, you will learn how to craft a research statement, construct a theoretical model, and interpret, analyze and communicate your results.
An examination of the Principles of Variation in human evolution past and present. This will include the development of the genus Homo, adaptation of modern populations to heat, cold, altitude and stress, and the continuing micro-evolutionary development of humans.