Offered as ANT 135 and ARC 135. This course studies past cultures and societies through their material remains and explores how archaeologists use different field methods, analytical technique and theoretical approaches to investigate, reconstruct and learn from the past. Data from settlement surveys, site excavations and artifact analysis are used to address economic, social, political and ideological questions across time and space.

This helps students achieve an advanced level of proficiency in Modern Standard Arabic with an exposure to one Arabic colloquial variety using the four-skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening) approach. Students read within a normal range of speed, listen to, discuss and respond in writing to authentic texts by writers from across the Arab world. Text types address a range of political, social, religious and literary themes and represent a range of genres, styles and periods.

This is a communication-oriented course in Arabic at the intermediate level, incorporating both Modern Standard and colloquial Arabic and providing students with an opportunity to hone their skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing.  Students will expand their ability to create with the language while reinforcing fundamentals and expanding their knowledge of vocabulary, grammar, and culture. In addition to in-class teamwork, students will produce a variety of essays, presentations and skits throughout the semester.  Prerequisite: ARA 101 or its equivalent.

An introduction to Modern Standard and colloquial Arabic, using a proficiency-based approach to develop communicative skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The course begins with a focus on reading, pronouncing and recognizing Arabic alphabet, and progresses quickly toward developing basic reading, writing, speaking and listening proficiencies and cultural competence using the Al-Kitaab series and a variety of authentic materials.  Students will acquire these skills through a combination of interactive classroom activities, take-home assignments and group work.

An introduction to Modern Standard and colloquial Arabic, using a proficiency-based approach to develop communicative skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The course begins with a focus on reading, pronouncing and recognizing Arabic alphabet, and progresses quickly toward developing basic reading, writing, speaking and listening proficiencies and cultural competence using the Al-Kitaab series and a variety of authentic materials.  Students will acquire these skills through a combination of interactive classroom activities, take-home assignments and group work.

This course harnesses students’ current and previous coursework to address a “real life” ethnographic design problem. Working in conjunction with students enrolled in ANT 200, students will help to design and carry out a qualitative research project led by an anthropology faculty member and will gain insight into anthropology’s practical applications. Students are expected to take leadership roles, think creatively and concretely, work well collaboratively, and see projects through to completion. Regular meetings, progress reports, interim and final reports, and presentations are required.

What can anthropologists teach us about religion as a social phenomenon? This course traces significant anthropological approaches to the study of religion, asking what these approaches contribute to our understanding of religion in the contemporary world. Topics include religious experience and rationality; myth, ritual and magic; rites of passage; function and meaning; power and alienation; religion and politics. Readings are drawn from important texts in the history of anthropology and from contemporary ethnographies of religion.

This course is a general introduction to the relationship between indigenous societies and the state in Mesoamerica. Taking a broad historical perspective, we explore the rise of native state-level societies, the transformations that marked the process of European colonization, and the relationship of local indigenous communities to post-colonial states and transnational social movements. Texts used in the course place special emphasis on continuities and changes in language, social organization, cosmology and identity that have marked the historical experience of native groups in the region.

Offered as MUS 258 and ANT 258. This course analyzes cultural performances as sites for the expression and formation of social identity. Students study various performance genres such as rituals, festivals, parades, cultural shows, music, dance and theater. Topics include expressive culture as resistance; debates around authenticity and heritage; the performance of race, class and ethnic identities; the construction of national identity; and the effects of globalization on indigenous performances. Enrollment limited to 30.