ANTHROPOLOGY (AS) {ANTH}
L/R 001. Introduction to Archaeology. (C) History & Tradition Sector. All classes. Dibble or Sabloff, J. An introduction to the history, concepts, and methods of the anthropological
study of ancient peoples using archaeological illustrations to indicate the relationships of archaeological
interpretations with cultural and physical anthropology.
L/R 002. Introduction to Cultural Anthropology. (C) Society Sector. All classes. Staff. An introduction to the study of culture and human institutions, how they change,
and their role in both literate and nonliterate societies.
L/R 003. Introduction to Human Evolution. (C) Living World Sector. All classes. Monge or Fernandez-Duque. How did humans evolve? When did humans start to walk on two legs? How are humans
related to non-human primates? This course focuses on the scientific study of human evolution describing
the emergence, development, and diversification of our species, Homo sapiens. First we cover the fundamental
principles of evolutionary theory and some of the basics of genetics and heredity as they relate to human morphological,
physiological, and genetic variation. We then examine what studies of nonhuman primates (monkeys and apes) can reveal
about our own evolutionary past, reviewing the behavioral and ecological diversity seen among living primates.
We conclude the course examining the "hard" evidence of human evolution - the fossil and material culture
record of human history from our earliest primate ancestors to the emergence of modern Homo sapiens. You will also have the opportunity,
during recitations, to conduct hands-on exercises collecting and analyzing behavioral, morphological,
and genetic data on both humans and nonhuman primates and working with the Department of Anthropology's extensive
collection of fossil casts.
L/R 004. The Modern World and Its Cultural Background. (B) Humanities & Social Science Sector. Class of 2010 & beyond. Kim, J. Also fulfills General Requirement in Society for
Class of 2009 and prior. An introduction to the
diversity of cultures in the world. This course
is divided into two parts. The first briefly examines
different models of understanding human diversity:
ethnicities, religions, languages, political forms,
economic structures, cultures, and "civilizations".
Students will learn to think about the world as
an interconnected whole, and know the significance
of culture on a global scale. The second part is
an introduction to area studies, in which we undertake
a survey of the diffrent regions of the world.
This semester we focus on Asia, specifically East
Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and South Asia.
We conduct the survey paying attention to the different
aspects of human diversities, which we examine
in the first part of this course. Students will
acquire a greater appreciation and understanding
of cultural differences in the more comprehensive
social context.
L/R 012. (HIST012, SOCI012) Globalization And Its Historical Significance. (C) Humanities & Social Science Sector. Class of 2010 & beyond. Spooner. This course uses data from
what is actually happening in the course of the
semester to introduce the concepts and methods
of the social sciences. It analyzes the current
state of globalization and sets it in historical
perspective. We will focus on a series of questions
not only about actual processes but about the growing
awareness of them, and the consequences of this
awareness. In answering these questions, we will
distinguish between active campaigns to cover the
world (e.g., Christian and Muslim proselytism,
opening up markets, democratization) and the unplanned
diffusion of new ways of organizing trade, capital
flows, tourism and the Internet. The body of the
course will deal with a series of analytical types
of globalization, reviewing both the early and
recent history of these processes. The overall
approach will be historical and comparative, setting
globalization on the larger stage of the economic,
political and cultural development of various parts
of the modern world. The course is taught collaboratively
by two social scientists: an anthropologist and
a sociologist, offering the opportunity to compare
and contrast two distinct disciplinary points of
view. It seeks to develop a concept-based understanding
of the various dimensions of globalization: economic,
political, social, and cultural.
At the end of the course students will understand the significance of globalization
in the modern world, and be able to compare the
approaches of different social sciences.
SM 018. (AFRC018, AFST018) Popular Culture in Africa. (C) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Barnes. Freshman Seminar. This course concentrates on popular culture
in sub-Saharan Africa. It examines the way people
reflect on and represent various aspects and issues
in their daily lives, in public media, and through
a diverse range of performative and creative outlets.
It explores the way cultural traditions are created,
promulgated, and perpetuated. It looks at the way
popular culture deals with pleasure and pain; identity
difference, and diversity; wealth and power; modernity
and history; gender relations; suppression, resistance, and violence; and local versus global
processes. In short, popular culture will serve
as a window through which to observe contemporary
life.
SM 032. (LALS032) The Rise and Fall of Ancient Maya Civilization. (M) Distribution Course in Hist & Tradition. Class of 2009 & prior only. Sabloff, J. Freshman Seminar. The
civilization of the ancient Maya, which flourished
between approximately 1000 B.C. and the Spanish
Conquest of the sixteenth century A.D. in what
is now southern Mexico and northern Central America,
has long been of wide public interest. The soaring
temples of Tikal, the beautiful palaces of Palenque,
the sophisticated carved monuments and sculpture,
and the complex writing, astronomical, and mathematical
systems of this pre-industrial civilization have
been widely photographed and written about. However,
revolutionary advances in archaeological research
which have provided important new data about the
farmers and craftspeople who supported the great
Maya rulers, and the decipherment of Maya hieroglyphics
writing over the past two decades have led to the
overthrow of the traditional model of Lowland Maya
civilization and the growth of new understandings
of the development of Lowland Maya civilization,
the rise of urban states, and the successful adaptation
to a difficult and varied tropical environment.
Through a series of case studies, this seminar
will examine the research that has led to these
new insights and will evaluate the exciting new
models of Maya civilization and its achievements
that have emerged in recent years.
SM 086. Desire and Demand: Culture and Consumption in the Global Marketplace. (M) Diggs-Thompson. Freshman Seminar.
Does consumption shape culture or does culture
shape consumption? Does the archaic term "errand
running" now fall under the heading of "power
shopping"? As even the most mundane purchase
becomes socially symbolic and culturally meaningful
we can now persuasively argue that the concept
of "need" has been transformed. When
successful selling must account for differences
in age, gender, ethnicity, langugage and even religion,
how is demand created and how are diverse populations "sold"?
From Delhi to New York, we ask the question ahs
the process of globalization also homogenized consumption?
Has shopping become both entertainment and pop
culture and exactuly how has it become inextricably
bound to issues of self-image, social status and
identity? Analyzing a variety of physical and virtual
venues in different countries, from the 19th century
to the present, this seminar examines the process
of shopping in the global marketplace, and the
culture surrounding consumption, including social
and political-economic facts which impact if, when,
why, and how people purchase goods. We study the
efficiency of the "consumer continuum," production
-promotion -- purchase, and examine how culture, consumption, marketing, and
global capitalism have become intertwined around
the world.
100. (NELC281, SAST161) Topics In Anthropology and the Modern World: Afghanistan
and Pakistan
in Regional Perspective. (B) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Spooner. This
course relates anthropological models and methods
to current problems in the Modern World. The overall
objective is to show how the research findings
and analytical concepts of anthropology may be
used to illuminate and explain events as they have
unfolded in the recent news and in the course of
the semester. Each edition of the course will focus
on a particular country or region that has been
in the news.
102. (ANTH692) American Civilization: The 20th Century. (C) History & Tradition Sector. All classes. Hammarberg. This course covers the changing society and culture of the United States during
the 20th century. It begins with American regionalism in 1900 and traces the rise of mass culture and economic
depression in the period from WWI through WWII, followed by the changing conflicts of idealism, realism and popular
culture to the end of the Cold War, the rise of the internet, and the new problems posed by 21st century globalism.
The course will emphasize the discussion and analysis of primary source materials, employing material culture,
texts, and film as forms of evidence. The concept of culture enables us to treat the changing cultural context as
the "natural" environment of Americans during the 20th century.
104.Sex and Human Nature. (B) Living World Sector. All classes. Valeggia/Fernandez-Duque. This is an introduction to the scientific study of sex in humans. Within an
evolutionary framework, the course examines genetic, physiological, ecological, social and behavioral aspects of
sex in humans. After providing the basic principles of evolutionary biology, the course will examine the development
of sexual anatomy and physiology. How is sex determined? How is orgasm achieved? Why do girls and boys develop sexually
at different ages? The role of ecology and social life in shaping human mating patterns will be evaluated through
the use of ethnographies and cross- cultural materials on a variety of human cultures. Does everybody have sex the
way we do? Why marry? Are there biological bases for love? Why do we experience jealousy? Fianlly, topics relevant
to human sexuality today will be discussed, such as recreational sex, contraception, and sexually transmitted
diseases. Examples are drawn primarily from traditional and modern human societies; data from studies of nonhuman primates
are also considered.
105. Human Adaptation. (C) May be counted as a General Requirement Course in Living World. Class of 2009 & prior only. Staff. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 003 or BIOL 101 or permission of instructor. An examination of the methods and techniques of physical anthropology as applied
to specific problems of biological variation in man. Emphasis will be upon physical anthropology as a biological
science.
106. Anthropological Genetics. (M) Schurr. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 003. This course explores the use of genetics to understand human biological variation
and evolution. Among the areas of genetics to be explored are dermatoglyphics (fingerprints), craniometrics (skulls
and teeth), anthropometrics (body dimensions), simple Mendelian traits, molecular genetics, genetics of complex
traits (skin color, height, obesity), population genetics, and disease adaptations.
SM 108. In Search of the Neanderthals. (M) Staff. This course will outline Neandertal biology, behavior, and current debates
over the place of the Neandertals in human evolution.
The main goal of the course is an up-to-date understanding
about who the Neandertals were, and how they lived,
through the examination of paleontological and
archaeological data. What did they look like? What
did they eat? What sort of weapons did they make?
What's this I hear about a cave bear cult? As we
do this, we will also explore the history of scientific
and popular thought about Neandertals and how it
has reflected changes in broader societal attitudes
over time. The course will include in-class, hands-on
laboratory activities. The reading list will range
from selected journal articles to excerpts from
popular literature like 'Clan of the Cave Bear.'
112. Introduction to Chinese Cultures. (B) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Staff.In this
seminar we look at the diverse cultural traditions
and patterns of social formations of traditional
and modern China, to gain an introduction to social
life in that country. We will consider basic anthropological
topics in the Chinese context, including kinship, power and politics, gender, ethnicity, class
and status, economic activities, ritual practices
and ceremonies, religion, expressive culture, and
diaspora/transnational communities in Greater China.
SM 115. Anthropology and Philosophy. (M) Humanities & Social Science Sector. Class of 2010 & beyond. Sabloff, P. Academically Based Community Service Course. Students explore the
contributions of anthropology, philosophy, and
community service to understanding human nature
and human behavior. Within the context of globalization,
we will pose basic philosophical questions about
the nature of human nature, capitalism, and the
forces influencing people's decisions about their
own lives. Anthropological accounts (ethnographies)
from Asia, Latin America, England, and the USA;
excerpts from political philosophers (Rousseau,
Smith, Marx, Foucault, Bourdieu, and Freire); and
students' first-hand experience volunteering in
West Philadelphia will help students reach their
own conclusions about these and other globalization
issues. Students will use their ABCS (Academically-Based
Community Service) experience as an anthropology
laboratory, seeing social theory as it operates "on
the ground."
116. (AFRC116, ANTH629) Caribbean Culture and Politics. (M) Thomas.This course offers anthropological perspectives on the Caribbean as
a geo-political and socio-cultural region, and
on contemporary Caribbean diaspora cultures. We
will examine how the region's long and diverse
colonial history has structured relationships between
race, ethnicity, class, gender and power, as well
as how people have challenged these structures.
As a region in which there have been massive transplantations
of peoples and their cultures from Africa, Asia,
and Europe, and upon which the United States has
exerted considerable influence, we will quesiton
the processes by which the meeting and mixing of
peoples and cultures has occurred. Course readings
include material on the political economy of slavery
and the plantation system, family and community
life, religious beliefs and practices, gender roles and ideologies, popular culture, and the differing ways national,
ethnic, and racial identities are expressed on
the islands and throughout the Caribbean diaspora.
SM 118. The Information Age: Culture, Society, and Political-Economy. (M) Barnes. The information age is reshaping our world and the kinds of lives we lead. The
forces of globalization, information technology, and the restructuring of capitalism are bringing about new forms
of culture, society, and political-economy. Are we moving toward a single planetary society? Or will local communities continue
to be culturally diverse? This course will examine these questions from multiple sites around the world, western
and non-western. It will include examinations of international institutions and global cities; new types of identity
and citizenship; strengths and weaknesses of the nation-state; transnational flows of culture, capital, and
social action; and the making and breaking of new global ideologies.
SM 120. Money in Society and Culture. (M) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Staff. Freshman Seminar. Across history and across cultures, money has profoundly shaped the social world.
In its myriad forms and functions, money finds expression as object and idea, as complex technological system and
potent psychological symbol. In this course we will consider the meanings that social scientists, cultural critics
and popular movements have invested in the objects
and practices that surround the use of money in
human culture. Topics to be covered include: ideas
about the origins and functions of money; the role
of money in ancient and contemporary global trading
regimes and political formations; diverse and multiple
regimes of exchange and money use in different
cultures; the impact of money on notions of value,
time, social life, and moral order; ritual, magical
and symbolic uses of money; and alternate money
forms such as community-based currencies and digital/cyber
cash. While focusing on objects and relationships
associated with economic life, the course will
serve as an introduction to basic concepts anthropologists
use to think about society, culture and politics.
Readings, classroom discussion, and guided research
projects will provide the basis for a series of
short writing assignments.
122. Becoming Human. (B) Natural Science & Mathematics Sector. Class of 2010 and beyond. Dibble.
Also fulfills General Requirement in Society for Class of 2009 and prior. Human evolutionary
studies is a composite product of the fieldwork
of both Paleolithic archaeology and human paleontology
(or what we refer to as "stones and bones").
This marriage of two subdisciplines of anthropology
produces a unique set of data that is intellectually
managed and driven by theories within anthropology
as a whole and even beyond -- to fields such as
biology, psychology, and primate ethology, as we
try to understand the origins of language, culture,
and our unique physical characteristics. In this
course, two archaeologists and one physical anthropologist
will jointly discuss and debate the actual evidence
of human evolution, describing what the actual
evidence is and exploring how far can we take these
interpretations.
L/R 123. (COMM110) Communication & Culture. (C) Society Sector. All classes. Agha.The course looks at varieties of human expression
-- such as art, film, language and song -- as communicative
practices that connect persons together to form
a common culture. Discussion is centered around
particular case studies and ethnographic examples.
Examination of communicative practices in terms
of the types of expressive signs they employ, their
capacity to formulate and transmit cultural beliefs
and ideals (such as conceptions of politics, nature,
and self), and to define the size and characteristics
of groups and communities sharing such ideals.
Discussion of the role of media, social institutions,
and technologies of communication (print, electronic).
Emphasis on contemporary communicative practices
and the forms of culture that emerge in the modern
world.
124. (JWST124, NELC155, RELS024) Archaeology & the Bible. (M) Distribution Course in Hist & Tradition. Class of 2009 & prior only. Staff. The Hebrew Bible (Tanak) and archaeological
research provide distinct, and at times conflicting,
accounts of the origins and development of ancient
Israel and its neighbors. Religion, culture and
politics ensures that such accounts of the past
have significant implications for the world we
live in today. In this course we will discuss the
latest archaeological research from Israel, the
Palestinian Territories and Jordan as it relates
to the Bible, moving from Creation to the Babylonian
Exile. Students will critically engage the best
of both biblical and archaeological scholarship,
while being exposed to the interpretive traditions
of Anthropology as an alternative approach to the
available evidence. Open discussions of the religious,
social and political implications of the material
covered will be an important aspect of the course.
SM 127. The Meanings of Things: Material Culture and Human Experience. (M) Distribution Course in Hist & Tradition. Class of 2009 & prior only. Staff.Human beings live in
a world of things made by and for themselves. This
material culture and the technologies used to create
it reflect the myriad concerns of people and shape
their experiences and lives. This class will explore
the ways in which material culture is made meaningful
by and creates meaning for people by developing
an anthropological understanding of technology.
Students will explore the connections between cultural,
social, political and economic values and the development
and elaboration of various technologies, such as
stone tools, metal production, railroads and computers.
Furthermore, the course will address the products
of technology and the roles they play in shaping
human values and experiences. Discussion and analysis
will be based on readings and videos of case studies
from archaeological to contemporary contexts, and
will highlight some current debates on the nature
of technological progress. This course will be
relevant to those students interested archaeology,
anthropology, history of science and technology,
design, engineering, architecture, marketing, museum
studies and related.
130. The Barbarian Image. (M) May be counted as a General Requirement Course in History & Tradition.
Class of 2009 & prior only. Staff.
The barbarian of comic strip and "fantasy" fiction
is but one modern version of a pervasive image
running deep in European culture, an image that
has shaped European perceptions of the European
past, and indeed of the world in general. The "barbarian
image" will be traced from its roots in Antiquity,
and will be examined critically, primarily though
not exclusively for its impact upon European archaeology
and the contribution that archaeology can make
to its objective evaluation.
SM 133. (LALS133) Native Peoples and the Environment. (M) Erickson. Freshman Seminar.The relationship between the activities of native
peoples and the environment is a complex and contentious
issue. One perspective argues that native peoples
had little impact on the environments because of
their low population densities, limited technology,
and conservation ethic and worldview. At other
extreme, biodiversity, and Nature itself, is considered
the product of a long history of human activities.
This seminar will examine the Myth of the Ecologically
Noble Savage, the Myth of the Pristine Environment,
the alliance between native peoples and Green Politics,
and the contribution of native peoples to appropriate
technology, sustainable development and conservation
of biodiversity.
136. Culture and Conflict in International Relations. (M) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Spooner.Selected international conflicts will be analyzed from a cultural
point of view. This exercise will have the following
advantages, each of which will be emphasized throughout
the course: (a) students will study a series of
internationally important situations from a distinctive
academic point of view; (b) they will explore the
analytical value of the concept of culture with
the rigour with which it has been developed in
anthropology, but in application to material not
commonly treated by anthropologists, and (c) since
anthropologists have difficulty comprehending and
analyzing conflict within a cultural framework,
they will at the same time be engaging in a theoretically
experimental exercise by addressing questions concerning
the relationship between conflict and cultural
process. The course should be useful both to prospective
anthropology majors and all undergraduates interested
in the modern world, and will ideally attract students
with a wide variety of interests.
SM 137. (SAST055) Development Debate in India. (C) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Ghosh.There has been a great deal of discussion, of late, about civilization
and attacks upon it. This course examines the meaning
of "civilization" and "progress" by
way of i) classical sources in social thought,
ii) pivotal issues in contemporary cultural anthropology
and iii) materials related to South Asia -- India
in particular. The course demands close readings
of (at times) dense texts, class presentations,
short video reaction papers, longer papers per
assignments given and a research-informed final
paper. The class format combines discussion with
lectures with an emphasis on discussion.
139. (NELC182, URBS139) Ancient Civilizations of the World. (M) History & Tradition Sector. All classes. Zettler. The archaeology of the complex societies of the Old and New Worlds from the
end of the paleolithic up to and including the earliest civilizations.
143. Being Human: Biology, Culture & Human Diversity. (C) May be counted as a General Requirement Course in Living World. Class of 2009 & prior only. Valeggia.This course is an exploration of human biology from an evolutionary and biocultural
perspective. Under this light, the class will provide you with general concepts for a better understanding of what
it means to be human. We will see humas as mammals, as primates, and as hominids. We will explore the basics of
human genetics, growth & development, nutrition, disease and life history. Biological variation in contemporary
and past societies will be reviewed in reference to evolutionary processes.
SM 146. (AFRC146, GSOC146, URBS146) Writing Multiculturalism. (M) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only.
Sanday. Diversity is a fact of life, characteristic
not only of the US national culture but of the
global culture as well. This course introduces
anthropological theories of culture and multiculturalism
and the method of ethnography. Students will read
and report on selected classic readings. After
learning the basic concepts, students will be introduced
to the concept of culture and the method of ethnography.
The core of the course will revolve around "doing
ethnography" through participant/observation
in multicultural settings. Students can use their
life experience, home communities, or Penn as their
field of observation. The goal of the course is
to introduce beginning students to public interest
anthropology. No background in anthropology is
required.
SM 152. Fat and Society. (C) Kauer. This course is designed to approach a topic of great interest and relevance
to people-both men and women--living in the US
today.The readings and concepts of fat: physiology,
anatomy, body image, body, weight, macronutrient, "fatty" foods,
ideas about low fat and non-fat, and the morality
of fat and thin. Using critical thinking skills
from anthropology, students and instructor will
explore meanings of fat: their origin, their
effects on individuals, and on society. In particular,
we will examine ideas taken for granted by society
(especially the biomedical culture, as it extends
into the community) about the relations between
food, fatness, happiness, health and morality.
Course material draws broadly from the social
sciences and humanities and deals with the biological,
biomedical, and socio- cultural aspects of fat
in our culture. In saying "fat", we are also implicitly saying "thin",
and this course is designed to delve into the
varied discourse on fat/thin, on body/body image,
health, and beauty.
SM 168. Genetics and the Modern World. (M) Schurr. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 003; some background in biology and genetics is also helpful, but not required. Without question, genetic research
is making a profound impact on the modern world.
It has led to many new and exciting insights in
the field of biological anthropology, particularly
those subareas concerned with human origins and
biological diversity, and is having an equally
important influence on the biomedical sciences.
Furthermore, through the use of new genetic technologies,
the entire human genome has been recently sequenced,
giving us an opportunity to better understand the
nature of human development, disease and biological
variation at the molecular level. This course will
explore the new findings in biological anthropology
resulting from the use of these genetic methods,
as well as examine the social and political implications
of these advances. Among the topics to be covered
in the course are the Human Genome Project, genetic
testing in forensic and criminal cases, race and
biological variation, genetic engineering, the
genetic basis of disease, and modern human origins.
170. (ANTH507) Primate Behavior and Human Evolution. (M) Fernandez-Duquet. The course examines the diversity of the living primates,
as well as their behavior and evolution. We will
look at the ways in which individuals compete with
one another to survive, mate and rear their offspring
and how their behavior interacts with ecological factors to produce the sorts of societies that we
see among primates. We will also consider how our
understanding of living primates can help us reconstruct
the evolution of human behavior.
SM 184. Food and Culture.(M) Kauer, J.
In this seminar we will explore the various relationships between
food and culture. Readings will draw from a range
of fields aside from anthropology, including psychology,
food studies, history, nutrition, and sociology.
We will read about and discuss cross-cultural variation
in food habits, the meanings underlying eating
and food in the United States, and the different
ways that individuals construct 'self' and identity
through food and eating. Discussion in class will
rely on in-depth reading, analysis, and discussion
of the assigned texts. There will be a few short
writing assignments throughout the class. In addition,
students will conduct interviews and then write
a paper based on both these and research in the
published literature.
190. (AFRC190, AFST190, HIST190) Introduction to Africa. (A) Society Sector. All classes. Barnes.During the semester we will focus on people and communities of sub-Saharan Africa
and on the ways people represent, reflect on, and react to various aspects and issues in their lives and the institutions
which dominate their communities. We will focus particularly on the history, contemporary expression, and inter-relationships
among politics, religion, and aesthetic practice. Members of Penn's African Studies community will share their
expertise with the class and introduce the University's Africa resources. Texts consist of weekly readings,
films, and recordings; and class members will be expected to attend several lectures outside of class.
SM 191. Migration and Multicultural Membership: The U.S. Experience. (C) Ghosh.This course examines the movement of peoples across borders. We focus
on national borders in particular and, more specifically,
migration to the U.S. The investigation itself
will be framed by theories of society, social membership,
and social change including the way that migration
and other "flows" have challenged these
theories. We will consider the role of media (music,
internet, films, etc.), globalization, and religion.
Attention will be given to South Asian origin populations
with contrasts drawn vis-a-vis comparable immigrant
populations in the U.S. (e.g. Latin-American/Latino
groups) and perhaps elsewhere. Requirements include
papers, class presentations, and one exam.
199. Independent Study in Anthropology. (C) Staff. Prerequisite(s): Junior or senior standing and written permission of instructor and undergraduate chairman. See Department for Advisor.A study under faculty supervision of a problem area or topic not included in
the formal curriculum.
202. (ANTH501, SAST162) Archaeology of South Asia. (C) Distribution Course in Hist & Tradition. Class of 2009 & prior only. Possehl.
May be repeated for credit. A survey of the archaeology of India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan from the Stone
Age to historical times.
210. Death: Anthropological Perspectives. (M) Monge. This course will cover the topic of DEATH from a bio/cultural perspective including
the evolution of life history (aging and demography - mortality) as well as from an archaeological perspective (prehistory)
and early history of mortuary practices. Nothing in the lifespan of humans is so revealing on the interface
of culture and biology as is death and the experience of death. This course is not concerned specifically with how an individual
experiences death, but in the ways that culture and biology have come to define and deal with physical death
and the death experience.
211. North American Archaeology. (M) History & Tradition Sector. All classes. Preucel. This course provides
a basic survey of the archaeology of
indigenous peoples of North America from
the earliest inhabitants until the arrival
of Europeans. The regional coverage includes
the continental U.S., northern Mexico,
Canada, and the Arctic. Because of time
limitations, specific emphasis will
be placed on the Midwest, Southwest and
Southeast regions of the U.S. Topics
include the history of North American
archaeology, peopling of the continent,
origins and evolution of agriculture,
early village life, native architecture,
prehistoric art and symbolism, native
american cosmology and astronomy, ancient
technology, outside contacts and relationships,
prehistoric economies and trade, social
and political structure, the rise of
cultural complexity, and early contacts
with Europeans. The focus will be on
the archaeological record combined with
analogy from ethnohistory and ethnography.
This regional survey course is designed for mid-level undergraduates. There are no formal prerequisites
for the course, although it is expected that students
have taken ANTH 001.
SM 214. (AFRC214, AFST214) Societies and Cultures of Africa. (M) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Kopytoff.
An Introduction to the peoples and cultures of Sub-Saharan Africa, including
culture history, languages, traditional social and political structures, and traditional religion.
SM 215. What is Culture?. (A) Ghosh. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 002. Course is designed for Anthropology majors. Those outside of the major require permission of the instructor. Anthropology has often been defined as the study of culture. What is culture?
How can "it" be studies, and what do these studies tell us? The course revolves around three questions i) how should
we account for/make sense of the fact of human diversity? ii) what is the relation between the material and cultural
components (or 'orders) of social life? and iii) what is the relation between the individual and the collectivity? We
will explore how various theories have taken up these notions, in different guises and - at times - in combination.
Our investigation will be theoretical, not ethnographic. We will examine 'classical' thinkers in social science, history
and political philosophy with an aim to ground an understanding of contemporary theories of culture.
SM 219. (ANTH719) Archaeology Field Project. (A) Humanities & Social Science Sector. Class of 2010 & beyond. Schuyler.
Permission of instructor required.First-hand participation in research project in historical archaeology in Southern
New Jersey. Transportation provided by the university. Students will assist in excavations and archival research
on local archaeological sites. Class is open to all undergraduates, no previous archaeological experience is required. Attendance
will involve Fridays or Saturdays, all day from 8:00 to 5:00 including travel time to the excavations and back
to the University Museum. Students enroll for only one day (F or S). Enrollment is limited so specific permission of the
instructor is required (Robert L. Schuyler: schuyler@sas.upenn.edu; (215)898-6965; U Museum 412). Course may be repeated
for credit and a follow up laboratory course (Anth 220 in the spring semester) will also be available during
which the artifacts and documentary sources collected in the fall will be analyzed at the University Museum. Course
may be repeated for credit.
220. (ANTH720) Archaeology Laboratory Field Project. (B) Humanities & Social Science Sector. Class of 2010 & beyond. Schuyler. Follow-up for Anthropology 219. Students may enroll
in either or both courses, and in any sequence;
however, preference will be given to those previously
enrolled in 219 that Fall.Class will meet in three
hour sections on Fridays and Saturdays and will
involve the analysis of artifacts, documentary
records, oral historic sources and period illustrations
collected on Southern New Jersey historic sites
that Fall. No previous archaeological or lab experience
is required. (Robert L. Schuyler: schuyler@sas.upenn.edu;
(215) 898-6965; UMuseum 412). Course may be repeated
for credit.
SM 223. Experimental Archaeology. (M) Staff. This course will introduce the student to the anthropological sub-field
of Experimental Archaeology, by focusing on the
role experimentation plays in archaeological interpretation,
as well as the process of experimentation. Students
will spend the first part of the course gaining
an understanding of Experimental Archaeology, its
history, varying definitions of its practice and
its goals. Different types of experiments will
be highlighted with a particular focus being placed
on the sort of results obtainable via experimentation
at a variety of degrees of control in experimentation.
During the second part of the course, students
will be presented with case studies of experimental
archaeological research, as they research and prepare
their own presentations on a specific topic of
experimental research. The main aims of the course
are to make the students aware of the variety of
experimental research being undertaken and to help
them develop a critical eye towards the evaluation
of experimental results and the usefulness of experimentation
in archaeological research.
Underwater Archaeology. (M) Distribution Course in Hist & Tradition. Class of 2009 & prior only.
Staff. Archaeological finds are made underwater as well as on land. These underwater
finds may offer vivid and unusually complete information on ancient trade patterns and politics, technology, and
environments. This course will cover research on shipwrecks and on settlements and landscapes that have been preserved
underwater. Attention will be paid to the special challenges and methods of underwater research and to understanding
undersea finds in their local archaeological context.
(ANTH633) Forensic Anthropology. (M) Monge. This course will investigate and discuss the various techniques of analysis
that biological anthropologists can apply to forensic cases. Topics include human osteology, the recovery of bodies, the
analysis of life history, the reconstruction of causes of death, and various case studies where anthropologists have contributed
significantly to solving forensic cases. Discussions will include the limitations of forensic anthropology and
the appplication of DNA recovery to skeletal/mummified materials.
(CINE231) Anthropology and the Cinema. (C) Humanities & Social Science Sector. Class of 2010 & beyond. Krasniewicz. This course analyzes mass-market American films using traditional anthropological
theories about symbolism, ritual, mythology, language, methaphor, narrative and discourse. The goal is to think
of the movies as significant cultural artifacts that we use to make sense of the world rather than as just forms of
entertainment or art. Through a study of popular American films and their related merchandise and cultural influences,
we will also see how anthropology can be used to study contemporary cultures.
SM 233. (SAST360) South Asia: Anthropologies and Histories. (M) Ghosh. This course offers a survey of readings in the historical anthropology of South
Asia, India in particular. Readings touch on an array of topics, including (post) colonialism, nationalism, violence,
village life, family life, media and diaspora. The common theme will be a focus on how social agents are constructed and represented,
and how social change is effected. Class sessions will combine lecture and discussion, with an emphasis
on the latter.
236. (ANTH636, NELC241, NELC641, URBS236) Iraq: Ancient Cities & Empires. (M) Zettler.This course surveys the cultural traditions of ancient Mesopotamia,
the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers,
a region commonly dubbed "cradle of civilization" or "heartland
of cities," from an archaeological perspective.
It will investigate the emergence of sedentism
and agriculture; early villages and increasingly
complex Neolithic and Chalcolithic cultures; the
evolution of urban, literate societies in the late
4th millennium; the city-states and incipient supra-regional
polities of the third and second millennium; the
gradual emergence of the Assyrian and Babylonian "world
empires," well-known from historical books
of the Bible, in the first millennium; and the
cultural mix of Mesopotamia under the successive
domination of Greeks, Persians and Arabs. The course
seeks to foster an appreciation of the rich cultural heritage of ancient Mesopotamia, an understanding
of cultural continuities in the Middle East and
a sense of the ancient Near Eastern underpinnings
of western civilization. No Prerequisite.
L/R 238. (HSOC238) Introduction to Medical Anthropology. (C) Barg.Introduction to medical anthropology takes central concepts in anthropology
-- culture, adaptation, human variation, belief, political economy, the body -- and applies them to human health and
illness. Students explore key elements of healing systems including healing technologies and healer-patient relationships.
Modern day applications for medical anthropology are stressed.
242. World Ethnography. (C) May be counted as a General Requirement Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Sanday.
Prerequisite(s): ANTH 002. The aim of this course is to provide
an overview of the varieties of human experience
in the world culture areas identified by anthropologists.
The course will concentrate on regional cultural
themes and social organizational processes in each
of these areas. Students will read a sample of
the classic ethnographies and articles that cover
central anthropological topics.
244. The Evolution of Behavior. (M) May be counted as a General Requirement Course in Living World. Class of 2009 & prior
only. Staff. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 003 or permission
of instructor. In this course we will look at behavior
from an evolutionary perspective, drawing on a
variety of studies of both non-humans and humans.
In particular, we will explore the extent to which
our understanding of human behavior might be enhanced
by knowing our evolutionary history. The focus
will be on integrating biological and cultural
influences into a more complete and useful understanding
of ourselves. We will discuss a number of general
topics, including sexuality, diet, cognition, cultural
evolution, the evolution of hierarchy, consciousness,
cognition, language, and mental illness.
SM 246. (ANTH649) Molecular Anthropology. (C) Schurr. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 003, Intro to Human Evolution; some background in biology and genetics will also be useful.In this course, we will explore the molecular revolution in biological anthropology,
and, in particular, examine the nature and theory of collecting molecular data to address anthropological questions
concerning human origins, evolution and biological variation. Some of the topics to be covered in this
course are the phylogenetic relationships among primates, kinship in apes and monkeys, the hominoid trichotomy, modern
human origins and migrations, Neandertal genetics, biogenetics of skin color, disease adaptations, and the
Human Genome Project.
247. (ANTH747) Archaeology Laboratory Field Project-Summer. (L) Distribution Course in Hist & Tradition. Class of 2009 & prior only. Schuyler. This course is a summer version of Anth 220 (see that course for full description).
In summer more emphasis will be placed on field visitations. Course open to all students; no instructor permission
needed. Course may be repeated for credit and students may take both anth 247 and 220. Questions: contact Robert
L Schuyler; schuyler@sas.upen.edu; (215) 898-6965; Univ Museum 412/6398.
248. Food and Feasting: Archaeology of the Table. (C) Moore. Food satisfies human needs on many levels. Anth 248 explores the importance
of food in human experience, starting with the nutritional and ecological aspects of food choice and going on to focus
on to the social and ritual significance of foods and feasts. Particular attention will be paid to the way that archaeologists
and biological anthropologists find out about food use in the past. Contemporary observations about the central
significance of eating as a social activity will be linked to the development of cuisines, economies, and civilizations
in ancient times. The course will use lectures, discussions, films, food tastings, and fieldwork to explore the course
themes. An optional community service component will be outlined the first week of class.
250. (LALS250) Aztecs, Mayas, and Incas. (M) Distribution Course in Hist & Tradition. Class of 2009 & prior only. Sharer. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 001 or permission of instructor. A survey of the development of PreColumbian civilization in the Americas, from
the appearance of the earliest states in Mexico and the Andes to the Spanish Conquest.
SM 254. (LTAM254) Archaeology of the Inca. (M) History & Tradition Sector. All classes. Erickson. The Inca created a vast
and powerful South American empire in the high
Andes Mountains that was finally conquered by Spain.
Using Penn's impressive Museum collections and
other archaeological, linguistic, and historical
sources, this course will examine Inca religion
and worldview, architecture, sacred temples, the
capital of Cuzco, ritual calendar, ceque system,
textiles, metalworking, economic policies and expansionist
politics from the dual perspectives of Inca rulers
and their subjects. Our task is to explain the
rise, dominance, and fall of the Incas as a major
South American civilization.
262. Social Reorganization: Tribes, Communities and Corporations. (M) Spooner. All human life is organized, unconsciously and culturally, at least
(informal organization); in some cases also purposively,
or ideologically, for specific objectives (formal
organization), either general, as in modern government,
or limited, as in business. This course will interrelate
anthropological work on social organization with
the history of formal organization in a way that
will bring anthropologists into dialogue with a
variety of sociological interests in organizational
forms. A wide variety of ethnographic and sociological
examples of formal and informal organization will be described and analyzed within the framework of the emerging modern awareness
of the possibility of organizing and reorganizing
society and social groups for specific short- and
longterm objectives.
SM 273. Globalization & Health. (M) Petryna.In some parts of the world spending on pharmaceuticals is astronomical.
In others, people struggle for survival amid new
and reemerging epidemics and have little of no
access to basic or life-saving therapies. Treatments
for infectious diseases that disproportionately
affect the world's poor, remain under-researched
and global health disparities are increasing. This
interdisciplinary seminar integrates perspectives
from the social sciences and the biomedical sciences
to explore 1) the development and global flows
of medical technologies; 2) how the health of individuals
and groups is affected by medical technologies,
public policy, and the forces of globalization
as each of these impacts local worlds.
The seminar is structured to allow us to examine specific case material from
around the world (Haiti, South Africa, Brazil,
Russia, China, India, for example), and to address
the ways in which social, political-economic, and
technological factors -- which are increasingly
global in nature -- influence basic biological
mechanisms and disease outcomes and distribution.
As we analyze each case and gain familiarity with
ethnographic methods, we will ask how more effective
interventions can be formulated. The course draws
from historical and ethnographic accounts, medical
journals, ethical analyses, and films, and familiarizes
students with critical debates on globalization
and with local responses to globalizing processes.
280. Language and Culture. (M) May be counted as a General Requirement Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Staff. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 002 or permission of instructor. Examination of language as a part of culture, as a source of knowledge about
other aspects of culture, and as social behavior.
SM 282. (ENGL282) Topics In Native American Literature. (M) Distribution Course in Arts & Letters. Class of 2009 & prior only.
This course explores an aspect of Native-American literature intensively; specific
course topics will vary from year to year.
288. Myth, Fraud, and Science in Archaeology. (M) Sharer. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 001 or permission of instructor.
This course is intended to examine the distinctions between scientific and non-scientific
approaches in archaeology. It is designed for people with a genuine interest in learning what archaeology
is really all about, and who wish to critically evaluate the many different accounts about the past in order to make
decisions for themselves as to what may be reliable or unreliable information. The course will analyze a variety of
case studies derived from both the archaeological and pseudo-archaeological literature in order to define criteria
for evaluating the accuracy and reliability to these accounts.
301. Senior Thesis. (B) Staff. Permit required. Individual research under faculty supervision culminating in a thesis.
SM 305. (ANTH609, URBS409) Anthropology & Policy: History, Theory, Practice.
(B) Sabloff, P. From the inception of the discipline, anthropologists have applied
their ethnographic and theoretical knowledge to
policy issues concerning the alleviation of practical
human problems. This approach has not only benefited
peoples in need but it has also enriched the discipline,
providing anthropologists with the opportunity
to develop new theories and methodologies from
a problem-centered approach. The class will examine
the connection between anthropology and policy,
theory and practice (or 'praxis'), research and
application. We will study these connections by
reading about historical and current projects.
As an ABCS course, students will also volunteer
in a volunteer organization of their choice in
the Philadelphia area, conduct anthropological
research on the organization, and suggest ways
that the anthropological approach might support
the efforts of the organization.
SM 310. (HSOC310) Anthropology and Biomedical Science. (M) Staff. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 243 or permission of instructor. Priority given to Penn Med students. An examination of the role of anthropology in biomedical research, focusing
upon health and disease as outcomes of biocultural systems. Where possible, students will engage in collection and
analysis of data and the dissemination of the results.
SM 312. (HSOC321, URBS312) Health in Urban Communities. (A) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Johnston.
This course will introduce students to anthropological
approaches to health and to theories of participatory
action research. This combined theoretical perspective
will then be put into practice using West Philadelphia
community schools as a case study. Students will
become involved in design and implementation of
health-related projects at an urban elementary
or middle school. As one of the course requirements,
students will be expected to produce a detailed
research proposal for future implementation.
SM 314. (HSOC314) Nutrition & Community Service. (C) Staff. A seminar on the role of the anthropological perspective in the enhancement
of health and nutrition in urban communities through
Academically Based Community Service. Students
will examine the theory and method of participatory
action research; sociocultural determinants of
health behavior change; the role of cultural models
in health related behavior; and factors affecting
health risk perceptions. Course requirements include:
participation in the Urban Nutrition Initiative;
a class presentation; and a final paper.
341. Psychology and Culture. (C) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Hammarberg. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 002.
The topic in the coming term is identity. "Identity," according
to AFC Wallace, "may be considered any image,
or set of images (conscious or unconscious), which
an individual has of himself or herself".
The full set of images of self refers to many aspects
of the person on a number levels of generality: "his
or her" wishes and desires, strengths and
capabilities, vulnerabilities and weaknesses, past
experiences, moral qualities, social status and
roles, physical appearance, sexual orientation,
ethnic, religious, or group identification and
much else." Our task in this course is to
examine the ways people develop and deploy their
social and personal identity over the course of
their lives under conditions of a culturally constituted conception of self. Cross-cultural materials
we will consider include films, autobiographical
writings, personal observations, and life history
representations.
353. Political Anthropology. (M) Staff. Political systems of Western and non-Western societies and theories of politics,
culture, and society will be examined from an anthropological perspective.
359. (HSOC359) Nutritional Anthropology. (M) Johnston.Human nutrition and nutritional status within context of anthropology, health,
and disease. Particular emphasis on nutritional problems and the development of strategies to describe, analyze,
and solve them. Students will participate in the Urban Nutrition Initiative, an academically based community service project
in local area schools.
404. Introduction to the Human Skeleton. (M) Staff. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 003 or ANTH 105. An introduction to the anatomy and biology of the human skeleton. Laboratory
work will be supplemental by lectures and demonstrations on the development structure, function, and evolution of
the human skeleton.
SM 411. (GSOC511) Anthropology of Sex and Gender. (M) Sanday. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 002. This course surveys psychoanalytic and social
theories of sex and gender. We begin with the social
organization and construction of sexual expression
and engendered subjectivity. The social ordering
of power through the mechanisms of sexual behavior
and engendered subjectivity is considered next.
In addition to reading anthropological analyses
of sex and gender in specific ethnographic contexts,
students will become familiar with relevant theorists
such as Belsey, Strathern, de Lauretis, Foucault,
Freud and Lacan. Short papers will be assigned
in which students apply specific theories to interpret
case material. Advanced undergraduates and graduate
students are welcome.
413. Archaeology of American Southwest. (M) Preucel. This course provides an overview of the prehistoric cultures of the
American Southwest. It interweaves archaeological
data, ethnohistorical accounts, ethnographic descriptions,
and indigenous perspectives. Topics covered include
the history of archaeological research, origins
and migrations, agriculture and land use, ideology
and belief systems. Special attention will be given
to Chaco and Hohokam as contrasting case studies
of regional ideological systems with strong connections
to indigenous people today. In addition, the course
addresses such historical and contemporary questions as colonization, resistance, tourism, and repatriation. Relevant ethnographic
and archaeological videos will be shown and the
Southwestern collections of the University Museum
will be used.
L/L 415. Archaeology of Animals. (M) Staff. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 001 or permission from instructor. This course introduces the study of animal bones from archaeological sites.
Faunal analysis is an interdisciplinary science which draws methods from archaeology, biology, and paleontology. Bones,
shells, and other remains yield evidence for the use of animals by humans, and evidence for the biology of animals
and for past environments. The course will focus on research approaches to important transitions in human-animal
relationships: the development of human hunting and fishing, animal domestication, early pastoralism, and the
emergence of market economies in animal products. Class presentations will include lectures and discussion concerning
research design and archaeological case material, with additional videos, slidework with field and laboratory equipment,
and supervised work identifying and darchaeological materials from Museum collections.
SM 416. (COMM420) Public Interest Anthropology. (C) Sanday. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 002 or permission of instructor. Because of its four-field, holistic approach anthropology is uniquely equipped
to address a wide range of public and community service issues such as health, teen pregnancy, sexuality, domestic
violence, ebonics, race, repatriation, and cultural heritage. Because of its emphasis on participant observation and seeing
things from "the other's" point of view, anthropological methods are helpful to all professionals working in the U.S.
public sphere, be it government, law, education, or health fields. This course introduces the student to public service
issues, from the perspective of selected Penn anthropology faculty. Lectures will be given by faculty representing the
four fields. With the course coordinator, students will be encouraged to pursue several public interest issues of their
choice. Undergraduate and graduate students from all departments and schools are encouraged to take the course.
422. Computer Applications in Anthropology. (M) Dibble. May be repeated for credit. Presentation of computer applications relevant to anthropological field work
and analysis, primarily based on micro or portable computers. Focus each year will vary depending on development of new
applications and the interests of students.
433. (LALS433) Andean Archaeology. (M) Erickson. Consideration of culture history of native peoples of Andean area, with emphasis
on pre-conquest archaeology of Central Andean region.
SM 437. (GAFL474, HSOC437) Cultural Models & Health. (C) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Barg.
There is a great deal of variation among population groups
in the incidence of and mortality from most major
diseases. Biological and social factors can account
for some of this variation. However, there is increasing
evidence that behavior- and the cultural models
that are linked to health behavior- play an important
role, too. Cognitive anthropology is the study
of how peoplein social groups conceive of objects
and events in their world. It provides a framework
for understanding how members of different groups
categorize illness and treatment. It also helps
to explain why risk perception, helpseeking behavior,
and decision making styles vary to the extent they
do. This seminar will explore the history of cognitive
anthropology, schema theory, connectionism, the
role of cultural models, and factors affecting
health decision making. Methods for identifying
cultural models will be discussed and practiced.
Implications for health communication will be discussed.
SM 441. (HSOC441) Cross Cultural Approaches to Health and Illness. (M) Barg. This course will explore the ways that health and illness-related beliefs
and behaviors develop within communities. We will
identify the forces that shape these beliefs and
behaviors and ultimately affect who gets sick,
who gets well, and the very nature of the illness
experience. Emphasis will be given to the relationships
among sociocultural, political and biological factors
and the ways that these factors interact to produce
the variation that we see in health and illness
related attitudes, behaviors and outcomes across
cultures.
445. Old World Paleolithic. (M) Dibble. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 001. Survey of European Paleolithic archaeology including survey of evidence relative
to changing habitat, the human fossil finds, the
technology, the subsistence activities, and of
the social and cultural inferences that have been
drawn.
SM 451. (ANTH751) Historical Archaeology. (M) Schuyler. Archaeology of the Modern World from the Columbian voyage (1492)
to the 20th century. Topics such as the rise of
early modern Europe, European exploration and colonization,
African American Archaeology, Asian American Archaeology,
the rise of colonial society, contact with native
peoples, the Industrial Revolution, and the archaeology
of the 20th century will be covered.
454. Quantitative Analysis of Anthropological Data. (C) May be counted as a General Requirement Course in Formal Reasoning & Analysis. Class of 2009 & prior only. Dibble. Problem-oriented
approach to application of quantitative methods
in anthropological research. Emphasis on formulation
of specific problems using real data sets by each
student in his or her area of interest. The logic
of problem solving using quantitative arguments,
the investigation of data reliability and representativeness,
and the use of statistical arguments in the presentation
of results covered in detail. Use of digital computers
as research tools will be an integral part of the
presentation.
455. Lithic Analysis. (M) Dibble. Survey of method and theory of lithic analysis, including experimentation, typology,
technology, and microwear, focussing on the behavioral implications of lithic assemblage variability.
468. (LALS468) The Ancient Maya. (M) Distribution Course in Hist & Tradition. Class of 2009 & prior only. Sharer. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 001. Examination of current understanding of Ancient Maya, emphasizing critical review
of recent archaeological research and theories.
SM 477. (AAMW477, HSPV577) Molecular Archaeology. (M) McGovern. Seminar on a rapidly developing, interdisciplinary field. Application
of inorganic and organic chemical techniques for
dating and characterizing ancient material remains,
and assessing their technological and cultural
significance. Middle-range theory--the methodology
and limitations of integrating natural scientific
data with archaeological hypothesis and reconstruction--is
stressed. Topics include geophysical/chemical prospecting
of sites, radiocarbon dating and calibration, ceramic
provenancing and trade, organic contents analysis
of vessels, isotopic dietary studies, and paleogenetics.
Graduate Courses
SM 504. (AFST503) Prehistory of North America. (M) Staff. This course provides a basic survey of the archaeology of indigenous
peoples of North America from the earliest inhabitants
until the arrival of Europeans. The regional coverage
includes the continental U.S., northern Mexico,
Canada, and the Arctic. Because of time limitations,
specific emphasis will be placed on the Midwest,
Southwest and Southeast regions of the U.S. Topics
include the history of North American archaeology,
peopling of the continent, origins and evolution
of agriculture, early village life, native architecture,
prehistoric art and symbolism, native american
cosmology and astronomy, ancient technology, outside
contacts and relationships, prehistoric economies
and trade, social and political structure, the
rise of cultural complexity, and early contacts
with Europeans. The focus will be on the archaeological
record combined with analogy from ethnohistory
and ethnography. This regional survey course is
designed for mid-level and upper-level undergraduates
and graduate students. There are no formal prerequisites
for the course, although it is expected that students
have taken Anthr 001 or its equivalent.
SM 506. (FOLK502, GSOC502) Fieldwork Theory. (C) Hufford, M.This graduate seminar explores the theory and practice of folkloristic
ethnography, with a focus on sites in West Philadelphia.
Through reading and exercises in ethnographic obsevation
and writing, students consider the nature of the
enthnographic encounter, its social functions and
civic possibilities, and the writings, archives,
films, recordings and community events that form
its outcomes. Historical and contemporary reading
provide an overview of ethnography as it has emerged
in the social sciences over the past century, while
attention to the techniques and technologies in
fieldnotes, sound and video recording, photography,
archiving, and sensing will develop students' skills
as ethnographic scholars, writers, and community
activists. Undergraduates may enroll with permission.
SM 509. (ANTH126) Who Were the Phoenicians?. (M) Hafford. Skilled sailors and merchants or heartless baby killers? Both have
been claimed in the ancient accounts for this mysterious
people living along the levantine coast. The Phoenicians
were a literate culture and they spread the use
of the alphabet far and wide, but little of what
they wrote survives. Thus, the story passed down
to us comes almost entirely from their enemies
and rivals. In this course we attempt to understand
the Phoenicians by analyzing their achaeological
remains in concert with contemporary and later
textual accounts. We will delve into Phoenician
cities, shipwrecks, artifacts and inscriptions
looking at the culture from its humble early beginnings
through to its intense colonization of the Mediterranean
that was eventually stamped out by the Romans.
We will thus analyze Canaanite, Phoenician and
Punic life through their crafts, their architecture,
their business and their politics.
SM 511. Ethics, Archaeology Cultural Heritage. (M) Leventhal.
SM 512. Experimental Lithic Technology. (M) Dibble.Stone tools provide the most significant source of information about past human
behavior and evolution over the past 2.5 million years. But because stone technology has been largely abandones, archaeologists
often rely on experiments to help them determine
how such tools were made and used. This course
will review the kinds of experiments most often
used (both actualistic and replicative), but will
focus on understanding the mechanics of stone flaking
through controlled experiments. As part of their
study, students will take part in both designing
and implementing a series of experiments involving
mechanical flaking of molded glass cores, and will
apply the results of this research to archaeological
specimens.
SM 516. (AFST516, GSOC516, URBS516) Public Interest Workshop. (M) Sanday. This is an interdisciplinary workshop sponsored by Peggy Reeves Sanday
(Dept of Anthropology) with guest speakers from
Communication Studies and other fields. Open to
graduate and advanced undergraduate students, the
workshop is a response to Amy Gutmann's call for
interdisciplinary cooperation across the University
and to the Dept. of Anthropology's commitment to
developing public interest research and practice
as a disciplinary theme. The workshop will be run
as an open interdisciplinary forum on framing a
public interest social science that ties theory
and action. Students are encouraged to apply the
framing model to a public interest research and
action topic of their choice. Examples of public
interest topics to be discussed in class and through
outside speakers include the meaning of "public
interest," the ways in which the public interest
is/is not addressed in the academy, and the relationship
of studying the public interest to social justice.
This is an academically-based-community-service
(ABCS) course.
SM 518. Research Methods in Sociocultural Anthropology. (M) Sabloff, P. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 002 or any cultural ANTH course (for undergraduates). This course is designed to help prepare
students for field research by studying several
research methods, practicing data gathering techniques
central to anthropological research, relating methodology
to a sense of problem, and reading on the historical
development of anthropological field work. Research
methods and techniques will be studied through
practice, readings, computer programming, discussion,
and lecture. Research methods include but are not
limited to ethnography, case study method, comparative
methods, and cognitive anthropology. The techniques
practiced are participant observation, several
types of interviewing, developing and administering
questionnaires, collecting census material, using electronic data bases, and basic training in ANTHROPAC (a software
package for cognitive anthropology). Students will
select their own research topic for the term in
consultation with the professor and will practice
the various data gathering techniques within the
context of their own research questions. Graduate
students are encouraged to select topics related
to their dissertation or thesis topics/populations.
Discussion and sharing of experience form a major
part of the class. Advanced undergraduates are
welcome.
SM 520. Anthropology of Work. (M) Kim.
SM 545. (FOLK549) Old World Paleolithic. (M) Dibble. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 001. Survey of European Paleolithic archaeology including survey of evidence relative
to changing habitat, the human fossil finds, the technology, the subsistence activities, and of the social and cultural
inferences that have been drawn.
547. (EDUC547, FOLK527, URBS547) Anthropology & Education. (C) Hall. An introduction to the intent, approach, and contribution of anthropology to
the study of socialization and schooling in cross-cultural
perspective. Education is examined in traditional,
colonial, and complex industrial societies.
SM 556. (AAMW556) Practicum in Archaeological Field Methods and Problems. (M) Dibble. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 241 or 600 and one archaeology area course or
permission of instructor. Seminar analyzing process
of archaeological excavation as a problem of research
design and method, stressing excavation as an integrated
methodological system of research dealing with
data retrieval, storage processing, integration
and interpretation leading to final publication.
Course intended for students proposing archaeological careers;
it will be assumed participants have some practical
excavation experience.
SM 557. (AAMW557, LALS557) Seminar in Archaeological Theory and Method: Archaeology
of Landscapes. (M) Erickson. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 241 or 600 and one archaeology area course
or permission of instructor. Advanced seminar for potential professional archaeologists. Course will examine
critically main past and present theoretical issues in archaeological research and interpretation, and consider
various methodologies utilized toward these interpretative ends.
SM 577. Seminar: Problems in New World Prehistory. (M) Staff. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 241 or other course in New World Archaeology. May be repeated for credit. Selected research topics in New World archaeology, using the resources of the
University Museum.
SM 581. (ANTH281, SAST294, SAST594) Language, Race, and Ethnicity in South Asia:
History and the Politics of Culture. (C) Mitchell. How has India maintained itself as a nation containing 1/6 of the world's population
by recognizing 22 official languages and scores of mother tongues? Why have other South Asian countries
broken into conflict over linguistic differences? This course examines the shaping of ethnic, racial, and linguistic
categories of identity in modern South Asia, and explores the socio-political movements that have emerged in conjunction
with these categories. Topics include colonial administrative practices such as the decennial censuses and
the Linguistic Survey of India; the rise of regional linguistic movements; the relationships between language, ethnicity,
and the writing of history in the context of ethnic conflicts in Lanka; the Dravidian, Non-Brahmin, Adi-Dravida, and anti-Hindi
movements in southern India; the creation of Pakistan and Bangladesh; and recent debates over the origins
of the Aryans.
SM 600. Contemporary Archaeology in Theory. (C) Staff. First-year anthropology graduate students. This graduate seminar addresses contemporary anthropological archaeology and
considers the varied ways inferences are made about past and present human behavior from the archaeological record.
It reviews such fundamental topics as the use of analogy, Middle Range theory, symbolism and meaning, social and cultural
evolution, ideology and power, feminism and gender, and indigenous (non-Western) perspectives. It also foregrounds
basic issues regarding heritage, looting, and ethics.
602. Fundamentals of Physical Anthropology. (C) Schurr. First-year anthropology graduate students. This course is an introduction
to the study of human evolution through a survey
of evidence from the various subfields of physical
anthropology. Special attention will be paid to
current issues and problems in these subfields,
and the different ways in which researchers are
attempting to understand and uncover the details
of human evolution. Among the ares of inquiry to
be covered in this course include paleoanthropology,
primatology, human biology, molecular anthropology,
and evolutionary biology. Some specific issues
to be explored will include the primate roots of
human behavior, brain and language evolution, new
fossil hominids, the origina of anatomically modern
humans, and human biogenetic variation.
SM 603. (COML603) Language in Culture and Society. (C) Agha.
First-year anthropology graduate students. First-year anthropology graduate students or Instructor Permission. Examination
of properties of human language which enable social persons to interpret the cultural world and to act within
it. Topics include principles of lexical and grammatical organization; the role of language structure (grammar) and linguistic
context (indexicality) in discursive activity; referential uses of language; social interaction; markers of social
role and criteria by which models of linguistic form and function are formulated and on the empirical limits within
which different models have explanatory value.
SM 605. (COML605, FOLK605, MUSC605) Anthropology of Music. (C) Staff. Theories and methods of the ethnomusicological approach to the study of music
in culture, applied to selected western and non-western performance contexts.
606. (EDUC602) Youth Cultural Formations. (M) Lukose. This course explores anthropological perspectives on peer-based youth
cultures. It explores how educational institutions,
media (fashion, music, magazines), and states shape
youth cultures in cross-cultural contexts through
social processes such as capitalism, nationalism,
and increasing globalization. The course emphasizes
ethnographies and histories which explore the relationship of these wider social processes to
the lived realities of young people, situated in
class, gender, national and race-specific contexts.
SM 617. (COML617) Contemporary Approaches to the Study of Culture and Society.
(C) Staff. First-year anthropology graduate students. A critical examination of recent history and theory in cultural and social anthropology.
Topics include structural- functionalism; symbolic anthropology; post-modern theory. Emphasis is on major
schools and trends in America, Britain, and France.
620. Directed Reading and Research. (C) Staff. May be repeated for credit. To be arranged only by consultation with academic adviser and faculty member(s)
to be involved; a proposed syllabus must be presented for approval, and written papers will be required without
exception. On approval of these papers one copy must be presented to the Department of Anthropology office for filing.
621. Directed Field Training and Research. (C) Staff. May be repeated for credit. To be arranged only by consultation with
academic adviser and the faculty member(s)
to be involved; a proposed syllabus must be
presented for approval and written papers will
be required without exception. On approval
of these papers, one copy must be presented
to the Department of Anthropology office for
filing.
SM 622. Topics in Physical Anthropology: Human Life History. (M) Valeggia. Humans are characterized by several distinctive life history features,
e.g. large babies, late age at puberty and first
reproduction, cessation of menstruation long before
death, and a long life span. In addition, our reproductive
decisions are heavily influenced by society and
culture. This seminar will explore human life history
from an evolutionary ecology and biocultural perspective,
and will analyze the possible contributions of
this approach to other disciplines such as demography,
sociology, medicine, and public health. We will
read and discuss seminal papers and recent developments
on the topic.
SM 624. Topics in Paleoanthropology. (M) Staff. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Specific issues of anthropological
interest discussed and analyzed in light of evidence
available from paleoanthropology.
SM 626. Medical Anthropology: Case Studies and Methods. (M) Staff. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Intensive analysis of the application of anthropological theory and methodology
to problems of human health and health care. Offered for students in the Medical Anthropology Program. Other
qualified students may enroll with the permission of instructor.
SM 627. Current Topics in Biological Anthropology. Fernandez-Duque.Few aspects of the behavior of human and non-human primates
are so intriguing, yet so poorly understood, as
the prevalence of intense paternal care in some
primate species and human societies. Early hominoids
probably evolved a social organization that, among
other things, changed from involving loose male-female
relationships to close dyadic partnerships requiring
male provisioning of offspring. Therefore, the
development of extensive paternal care and provisioning
is considered a fundamental adaptation in the evolution
of human life history patterns and in the differentiation
of humans from other primates.
Until recently, an understanding of the evolutionary implications of paternal
care in primates was limited by the paucity of
longitudinal studies involving identified individuals
and by practical methodogical difficulties for
assessing paternity, for studying the physiological
mechanisms underlying observed behaviors and demographic
outcomes. Recent increases in the number and extent
of field studies, coupled with advances in field
and laboratory techniques for genetic and hormonal
analyses and new theoretical perspectives, provide
now a solid ground from which to reexamine paternal
care in primates.
We will review both ultimate and proximate explanations for understanding paternal
care and its implications for human and non-human
primates. Proximate analyses will examine the neural
and endocrine substrates of paternal care and the
behavioral mechanisms favoring its development
and maintenance. Analyses of the possible functions
of paternal care in both monogamous and non-monogamous
primate species will focus on examination of the
genetic structure of social groups, the energetic
costs of caring for offspring, and the ecological
conditions under which this behavior is more frequently
manifested.
628. Language in Culture and Society: Special Topics. (M) Agha. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 603 or Instructor Permission. The course is devoted to a single research topic of contemporary interest in
linguistic anthropology. Topics vary from year to year. Readings locate current debates in relation to longstanding assumptions
in the literature and new directions in contemporary research.
633. (ANTH230) Forensic Anthropology. (M) Monge. This course will investigate and discuss the various techniques of analysis
that biological anthropologists can apply to forensic cases. Topics include human osteology, the recovery of bodies, the
analysis of life history, the reconstruction of causes of death, and various case studies where anthropologists have contributed
significantly to solving forensic cases. Discussions will include the limitations of forensic anthropology and
the application of DNA recovery to skeletal/mummified materials.
636. (ANTH236, NELC241) Mesopotamia: Heartland of Cities and Empires. (M) Zettler. This course surveys the cultural traditions of ancient Mesopotamia, the land
between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, a region commonly dubbed "cradle of civilization" or "heartland
of cities," from an archaeological perspective.
It will investigate the emergence of sedentism and agriculture; early villages and increasingly
complex Neolithic and Chalcolithic cultures; the evolution of urban, literate societies in the late
4th millennium; the city-states and incipient supra-regional polities of the third and second millennium; the gradual emergence
of the Assyrian and Babylonian "world empires," well-known from historical books of the Bible, in
the first millennium; and the cultural mix of Mesopotamia under the successive domination of Greeks, Persians and Arabs. The
course seeks to foster an appreciation of the rich cultural heritage of ancient Mesopotamia, an understanding
of cultural continuities in the Middle East and a sense of the ancient Near Eastern underpinnings of western
civilization.
SM 642. (AFRC642, GSOC642) Multiculturalism: Fieldwork and Theory. (M) Sanday.Instructor permission required. This is primarily a fieldwork, methods, and theory course for students
working in multicultural settings or on topics
involving the representation of cultural difference
in popular culture. This seminar course is built
around student projects. Each student will write
a final paper for the course based on their fieldwork.
Another important component of the course is the
theoretical grounding of the fieldwork. Readings
will be on multicultural theory and ethnographic
methods in multicultural settings. The primary
ethnographic site will be on the U.S., but students
working in other multicultural settings are invited
to enroll.
SM 648. (COML648) Discourse and Power. (M) Urban. This is a seminar designed to explore the interface between social theory
and a discourse-centered approach to language and
culture, with a specific focus on the concept of
power. The theme of the course is the dialectic
between language/discourse and social relations.
Some attention is given to the classical concepts
of power (from Weber), and the ways in which a
linguistic/discourse analysis can illuminate these.
However, the main focus will be on more recent
theoretical formulations (especially those of Bakhtin,
Bourdieu, Foucault, Havermas, and Gramsci) -- how
a discourse-centered approach articulates with
the concepts of "social space," "ideology," "discursive
formation," "hegemony," "communicative
rationality," and so forth.
652. History of Anthropology. (C) Kopytoff. Recommended for graduate students and Anthropology majors. Historical perspective on people and ideas significant in development of anthropological
thought, from the mid-nineteenth century and into
the 1970's.
654. (NELC681) Topics In Anthropology and the Modern World. (A) Spooner. This course relates anthropological models and methods to current
problems in the Modern World. The overall objective
is to show how the research findings and analytical
concepts of anthropology may be used to illuminate
and explain events as they have unfolded in the recent news and in the course of
the semester. Each edition of the course will focus
on a particular country or region that has been
in the news.
SM 658. Discourse Analysis. (C) Agha. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 603. Examination of current theories and methods in the study of discourse, including
verbal and non-verbal communication. Each student conducts an ethnographic or historical study of
a discursive practice, culminating in a class presentation and term paper. The first half of the course focuses on the
study of discursive interaction in small scale face to face encounters between individuals, including methods of data
collection, transcription, and analysis. The second half takes up public discourses which involve many social actors,
are linked to widespread social practices, and result in the coordination of large-scale patters of action, belief, and
value in society.
SM 662. Social Reorganization: Tribes, Communities & Corporations. (M) Spooner. A wide variety of ethnographic and sociological examples of formal and informal
organization will be described and analyzed within the framework of the emerging modern awareness of the possibility
of organizing and reorganizing society and social groups for specific short- and long-term objectives.
667. Topics In Psychology & Culture. (C) Hammarberg.
676. Culture and Conflict in International Relations. (M) Spooner. Selected international conflicts will be analyzed from a cultural point of view.
This exercise will have the following advantages, each of which will be emphasized throughout the course: (a) students
will study a series of internationally important situations from a distinctive academic point of view; (b) they will
explore the analytical value of the concept of culture with the rigor with which it has been developed in anthropology,
but in application to material not commonly treated by anthropologists, and (c) since anthropologists have difficulty comprehending
and analyzing conflict within a cultural framework, they will at the same time be engaging in a theoretically
experimental exercise by addressing questions concerning the relationship between conflict and cultural process.
The course should be useful both to anthropology graduate students and to students interested in the modern world
in other social sciences, and will ideally attract students with a wide variety of interests.
692. (ANTH102) American Civilization: The 20th Century. (C) Hammarberg. Americans and their civilization in the twentieth century. The first half of
the course carries forward to the Depression and World War II; the second half of the course emphasizes the period from World
War II to the present. Methods and theories of cultural-historical study are addressed.
SM 695. Current Topics in Molecular Anthropology. (M) Schurr. An examination of the nature and theory of collecting molecular data to address
biological anthropological questions concerning human origins, evolution and biological variation. Students will
review the methods used to analyze molecular genetic data, and learn to draw evolutionary and phylogeneticconclusions
from information.
SM 701. (AFRC701, AFST701, HIST701) African Studies Seminar. (M) Staff. Interdisciplinary seminar for discussion of issues of special interest to graduate
students and faculty in African Studies. Topics vary according to the interests and expertise of instructors.
704. (COML706, EDUC706, FOLK706, URBS706) Culture/Power/Identities. (A) Lukose. The seminar provides a forum for critically examining the interrelationships
between culture,power and identities, or forms
of difference and relations of inequality. The
central aim is to provide students with an introduction
to classic and more recent social theories concerning
the bases of social inequality and relations shaped
by race, class, ethnic, national and gender differences.
Theories discussed in the course provide analytic
tools for examining the role of social institutions,
such as education, for mediating social hierarchy
and difference. The class will have a seminar format emphasizing close analysis and discussion of the required readings in
relation to a set of overarching questions concerning
the nature of power, forms of social inequality
and the politics of identity and difference.
SM 705. (AFRC705, AFST705, FOLK715, MUSC705, GSOC705) Seminar in Ethnomusicology.
(M) Staff. Open to graduate students in all departments. Seminar on selected topics in ethnomusicology.
707. (EDUC700) The Craft of Ethnography. (B) Hall. This course is designed to follow after Introduction to Qualitative and
Ethnographic Methods (EDUC 672). In the introductory
course, students learned how to use qualitative
methods in conducting a brief field study. This
advanced level course focuses on research design and specifically the craft of ethnographic
research. Students will apply what they learn in
the course in writing a proposal for a dissertation
research project.
SM 710. Readings and Research in Social Organization. (M) Staff. Study and analysis of selected problems in social organization.
SM 715. Globalization Seminar. (M) Spooner. Weekly seminar discussions will focus on current news and opinion about social
and cultural change that may be interpreted as globalization in different parts of the world. The overall objective
is to develop methodological and theoretical approaches to the study of globalization. Students taking the course
for credit will be required to write a research paper.
SM 717. Cultural Motion Seminar. (C) Urban. This is a graduate seminar/workshop for students pursuing research in anthropology
at any phase - from preliminary readings, to proposal writing, to dissertation write-up - that deals in some
way with cultural motion. Students will be expected to present their own work, and to discuss the work of others, throughout
the course of the seminar. The course is appropriate for first or second year graduate students in Anthropology
seeking to define a research area or already pursuing research. It is also appropriate for third and fourth year
students in the proposal-writing phase. And, finally, the seminar will provide a forum for dissertation-writing students
interested in receiving preliminary feedback on their work from peers.
SM 718. Readings and Research in European Archaeology. (C) Staff. May be repeated for credit. Seminar in later prehistoric and early historic Europe, outside of the "Classical
World."
SM 719. (ANTH219) Archaeology Field Project. (A) Schuyler. Permission of instructor required. This is a parallel course to Anthropology 219, but on the graduate level. It
will only be open to select graduate students (i.e. historical archaeology students and some CGS MA students). Specific permission
of the instructor is required in each case.
720. (ANTH220) Archaeology Laboratory Field Project. (B) Schuyler. Follow-up for Anthropology 719 and parallel course to Anthropology
220. Class will meet in three hour sections on
Fridays and Saturdays and will involve the analysis
of artifacts, documentary records, oral historic
sources and period illustrations collected on Southern
New Jersey historic sites that Fall. No previous
archaeological or lab experience is required. (Robert L. Schuyler: schuyler@sas.upenn.edu; (215) 898-6965; UMuseum
412). Course may be repeated for credit.
SM 726. (JWST726) Readings and Research in Near Eastern Archaeology. (M) Staff. May be repeated for credit. Advanced seminar for students wishing to pursue study of field data, methods,
theoretical problems in archaeology of Near East.
SM 727. Archaeology of Latin America Seminar. (M) Staff. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 468 or ANTH 600. Advanced seminar for students wishing to pursue study of field data, method,
theoretical problems in archaeology of Latin America.
SM 730. Readings & Research In Linguistic Anthropology. (D) Agha. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 603. The course is designed for students and faculty interested in discussing current
research and/or research topics in any area of linguistic or semiotic anthropology. The primary intent of the course
is to familiarize students with the literature on selected research topics and to develop their own research agendas
in the light of the literature. Students may enroll on an S/U basis for 0.5 CU per semester. The course may be repeated
for credit up to 4 times.
SM 731. Readings and Research in Paleolithic Archaeology. (M) Dibble. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 445 or equivalent. Advanced seminar dealing with research developments in the earlier prehistoric
archaeology of Old World. SM 734. PostProcessual Archaeology. (M) Preucel. Is archaeology fragmenting under the weight of antagonistic research programs
each of which has its own agenda and methodology? Or is it diversifying into a collection of specialized approaches
which together support a coherent and unified theory? This seminar explores recent developments in archaeological
method and theory focusing on the range of approaches
that have collectively been termed "postprocessual
archaeology." These approaches include various
combinations and admixtures of neo-Marxism, poststructuralism,
critical theory, and feminism. This seminar will
examine some of the theoretical, methodological,
and practical tensions within and between these
positions with the goal of understanding archaeology's
special relationships to the natural and social
sciences.
747. (ANTH247) Archaeology Laboratory Field Project-Summer. (L) Schuyler. This course is a summer version of Anth 720 (see that course for
full description). In summer more emphasis will
be placed on field visitations. Course open to
all graduate students; no instructor permission
needed. Course may be repeated for credit and students may take both anth 747 and 720. Questions:
contact Robert L Schuyler; schuyler@sas.upen.edu;
(215) 898-6965; Univ Museum 412/6398.
SM 750. (ANTH450) African American Archaeology. (M) Schuyler. Archaeology of African Americans. Course will cover the new and productive field
of the archaeology of African Americans from the 17th to the 20th centuries. The focus will be on continental
North America but some attention will also be given to West Africa (AD 1500 - present) and the West Indies. No background
(or previous courses) in archaeology or anthropology is required.
SM 751. (ANTH451) Historical Archaeology. (M) Schuyler. May be repeated for credit. General background reading and tutorial preparation in the archaeology of the
modern world (A.D. 1400- 20th Century).
SM 752. Perspectives on the Evolution of Human Behavior. (M) Staff. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 602 or Instructor permission. This seminar will consider the evolution of cognitive skills from a variety
of perspectives. One focus will be on hominid anatomical evolution, particularly those aspects relevant to the evolution
of human behavior (e.g., neuroanatomy). Another focus will be on non-human primate behavior. We will
also consider the archaeological evidence left by Pleistocene humans that may be relevant to this question. The
goal of the seminar will be to integrate research from many fields of inquiry in order to gain a better understanding
of the human condition.
SM 754. Archaeology of Agency. (C) Schuyler. Examination of the current emphasis in many archaeological specialization on "agency" in
the formation of the archaeological record. How do prehistoric and historic period archaeologists
recognize and understand the activities and decision making of individuals, (or clusters of individuals such as social
groups) in the past. As a primary research seminar the class will involve discussion of the current literature on agency
but students will also be asked to relate the general theme to their own specialization or dissertation topic. Each student
will do a series of brief written class reports and run one class session.
SM 756. Social Anthropology Seminar. (G) Spooner. Weekly seminar discussions will be devoted to the analysis and evaluation of
the social anthropology thread or threads in the history of anthropology, and their relevance to the positions and interests
of cultural anthropology today. Students taking the course for credit will be required to write a research paper.
SM 757. (ANTH457) Themes In Historical Archaeology. (A) Schuyler. Course will examine research by historical archaeologists on the basic attributes
of humanity. Elements that are more biologically grounded (age, gender, race) and elements more purely cultural
(ethnicity, class, occupation, nationality, religion) will both be surveyed. Recent field findings and theoretical debates
will be covered
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