Anthropology 204 - Living With Animals

This course explores the cultural, social, and political relationships between humans and other animals. Drawing from cross-cultural anthropological work, starting from histories of domestication, we will consider the participation of animals in different contemporary societies: as spirits, workers, food, commodities, symbols, domestic pets, unwanted pests, wildlife, friendly companions, and scientific objects. In general, we will interrogate the varied ways in which animals are central to human societies and cultures. We will bring these cross-cultural explorations home to explore, as researchers and writers, the social and cultural lives of animals around us--from art museums to pet shelters and organic farms--and to address pressing questions about animal agency, rights, and representation.

Limited to 30 students.  Spring semester.  Keiter Fellow Scaramelli.