Introduction to major issues in anthropological theory. Focus on key concepts in the discipline, important authors, and development of and debates over theoretical issues. Required for and limited to anthropology majors; satisfies the Junior Year Writing requirement for anthropology majors.

Introduction to major issues in anthropological theory. Focus on key concepts in the discipline, important authors, and development of and debates over theoretical issues. Required for and limited to anthropology majors; satisfies the Junior Year Writing requirement for anthropology majors.

This course offers a "hands on" introduction to the human skeleton as a means to reconstruct the lifeways of past populations. We will learn how to reconstruct the biological profile (e.g. age, sex, health), and various aspects of behavior (e.g. diet, physical activity). Students will work in teams of 2-3 with the skeletal remains from the Italian Medieval site of San Paragorio (11th-16th centuries AD).

Analysis of the behavior and ecology of nonhuman primates in their natural habitats. Topics include: the adaptive diversity of primates; ecological niche differentiation in primates; social organization and interactions; social cognition; mating and reproductive behavior; mother-infant interactions; development, life histories, and population survival; and primate conservation. Draws heavily on field studies. (Gen.Ed. BS)

Integrates evolutionary biology, genetics, immunology, ecology, and behavioral ecology with sociocultural anthropology, politics, and economics. General evolutionary theory and an introduction to Darwinian medicine frame an examination of viral, bacterial, parasitic, and prion-based diseases along with their hosts, vectors, and other organisms. Particular attention to how humans have purposely and inadvertently created both biological and cultural environments for the transmission of different diseases. Considers media representations and misrepresentations.

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We live in a time of emerging infectious diseases as well as the resurgence of old ones. This growing disease burden can be linked to human activities, such as deforestation, inappropriate use of antibiotics, limited knowledge of cultural practices, and a lack of resources necessary for prevention measures. This course explores disease using a bio-cultural perspective, emphasizing the importance of human actions to understand diseases and the specific ecological, political, and social contexts in which they occur.

The history of Native North Americans from their arrival on this continent, sometime between 80,000 and 12,000 years ago, up until their initial contact with Europeans. Archaeology as a source for the telling of history sensitive to voices often excluded from the written record. (Gen.Ed. HS, DU)

Game designer Eric Zimmerman has proclaimed the 21st century to be the "Ludic Century." Jane McGonigal writes that "reality is broken," and games may be the solution for social problems. In this course, we will use tabletop, card, role-playing, and digital games to explore themes in social, behavioral, and cultural theory such as play, cooperation, social change, symbols, and power. The course presents an introduction to cultural anthropology using games as a focus and medium for learning. We will learn to analyze texts and games anthropologically.