Religion counts among anthropology's most central and enduring areas of interest. This course traces a history of anthropological attention to belief and ritual from the nineteenth century to the present. We will read classic and contemporary ethnographic studies of religious systems, covering topics that include spirits and animism, totemism, magic, witchcraft, mythology, taboo, sacrilege, orthodoxy and orthopraxy, religion and modernity, and secularism.

This course examines global health disparities and the unequal distribution of disease, focusing on the health consequences of poverty, structural violence, and globalization. In addition, we critically examine the foundations of global humanitarianism and the complexities, constraints, and prospects for working collaboratively across borders to resolve global health problems.

We associate play with childhood, a time of spontaneous and creative activity, in contrast to the boring routine of adult responsibilities. And yet play is more than just fun and games. It is through play that children develop lasting cognitive and social skills. For adults too, there can be serious play -- play that has real consequence -- play that shapes the intimate lives of individuals, as well as entire social formations. In this course, we will explore play cross-culturally, from the Balinese cockfight to American football, from gambling to roll playing.

Introduces the analysis of cultural diversity, including concepts, methods, and purposes in interpreting social, economic, political, and belief systems found in human societies.

This course intends to offer an interdisciplinary perspective on selected contemporary development problems in Africa south of the Sahara. Central to the course will be an examination of the social, economic, and political consequences of colonialism, the physical resource base and ecological crisis, agrarian systems and rural development, gender relations and development, urbanization and industrialization, and the problems and prospects of regional cooperation and integration.

This seminar focuses on the spatial practices and place-based implications of settler colonialism as distinct from metropole colonialism. Through a series of case studies beginning in the 17th century, this course delves into the evolution of settler colonial framework(s) and theory, the structuring similarities of settler formations across space and time, and the way race continues to structure relationships (between people and to the land) in settler colonial contexts. Additional course themes include: the exploitation of land vs.

Why do people act in certain ways in certain places? Why does the urban landscape look the way it does? How do consumer goods link people's lives around the world? Those who have ever asked themselves any of these questions have already started thinking like cultural geographers. This course builds on these interests and offers an overview of themes, theories, and methods in cultural geography. Major course topics include: culture, power, place, landscape, ethnography, and social and environmental justice.

Introduction to the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils and their relationship to environmental quality, agricultural production, and land management. This course will also describe the processes of origin and development of soils as natural entities and how they affect the different ecosystems where they are located. Some field work required.

Based on present estimates, for the first time in human history, more people now live in urban than rural areas, and population growth projections for the next century indicate that most growth will take place in urban areas. Given this context, this course examines the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of urban sustainability. Topics explored in the course include urban and ecological systems, air and water quality, green design, energy and transportation systems, demographic trends, climate change impacts, and the role of technology in promoting urban sustainability.

Systematically studies political phenomena and their geographic expression, at a variety of spatial scales - national, regional, and international. Major themes include nation-state formation, boundary, territory, and ethnic issues, regional blocs and spheres of influence, and conflicts over access to and use of resources.