Anthropology (ANT)

ANT 1013. Introduction to Anthropology. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours. (TCCN = ANTH 2346)

Course content spans the study of human culture, past and present; its origins, development, and contemporary change; and the exploration of human physical and cultural differences using the paradigm of adaptation. This course fulfills all required learning objectives for the Social and Behavioral Sciences component of the core curriculum. Generally offered: Fall, Spring, Summer. Course Fees: DL01 $75; LRC1 $12; LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 1513. Anthropology Matters. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

This course will showcase the strategic value of the anthropology baccalaureate degree across a range of possible career paths. You will learn about people who have used their training to launch careers in public health, human rights activism, conservation, forensic investigation, heritage management, genetics, non-human primate research and care taking, product design, museum curation, and other fields. Take this class to 1) explore your interests in anthropology, 2) design a plan of course work and internships tailored to your goals, and 3) discover what anthropology can do for you. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 2033. Introduction to Biological Anthropology. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours. (TCCN = ANTH 2301)

A comprehensive evaluation of human biological diversity and its origins. Topics include anatomy, genetics, primate biology, and the human fossil record. Students will gain critical understanding of key theoretical and methodological issues in this anthropological sub-discipline. This course fulfills all required learning objectives for the Life and Physical Sciences component of the core curriculum. (Formerly titled "Introduction to Physical Anthropology.") Generally offered: Fall, Spring, Summer. Course Fees: DL01 $75; LRC1 $12; LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 2043. Introduction to Archaeology. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours. (TCCN = ANTH 2302)

This course presents archaeological approaches to understanding human cultures of the past. Students receive instruction in general anthropological concepts and specific archaeological methods and theories. Particular case studies are presented to illustrate several aspects of archaeological practice, and to show how archaeologists develop their understandings of cultural variation and change. The course fulfills all required learning objectives for the Social and Behavioral Sciences component of the core curriculum. Generally offered: Fall, Spring. Course Fees: DL01 $75; LRC1 $12; LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 2053. Introduction to Cultural Anthropology. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours. (TCCN = ANTH 2351)

This course offers students the opportunity to examine cross-cultural variation in contemporary societies around the world in an anthropological context. It emphasizes ethnographic descriptions to highlight cultural variability in economics, social structures, and ideologies. The course fulfills all required learning objectives for the Social and Behavioral Sciences component of the core curriculum. Generally offered: Fall, Spring. Course Fees: DL01 $75; LRC1 $12; LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 2063. Language, Thought, and Culture. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

This course surveys anthropological approaches to the cross-cultural study of language, emphasizing linkages among language, expressive culture, systems of belief and value, and the production of cultural meaning. The effects of social context upon speech are examined, as are relations of inequality and power that shape linguistic interaction. Instruction is also given in the fundamentals of descriptive linguistics. The course fulfills all required learning objectives for the Language, Philosophy, and Culture component of the core curriculum. Generally offered: Fall, Spring. Course Fee: LRC1 $12; LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48; DL01 $75.

ANT 2113. Anthropology Goes to the Movies. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

This course explores the representation of core anthropological themes, such as human and cultural evolution, cultural representation, and archaeological discovery, through popular film. It looks at how anthropological content and theory shape popular film and how popular film shapes attitudes about anthropology. This course may be repeated for credit if taught by a different instructor. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3023. Great Discoveries in Archaeology. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

This course surveys some of the greatest discoveries made by archaeologists in the last 300 years. Specific archaeological sites and finds illustrate the process of archaeological interpretation, provide insight into past cultures, and help to show how the past influences the present. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3033. Anthropology of Care. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

What is “care”?  In this course, we will critically examine this question from the perspective of sociocultural and medical anthropology. We will engage with dominant theories of what care is and put those theories into conversation with case studies from contemporary communities all over the world. We will discuss how care is shaped by both local and global meanings and structures of power. This course is ideal for anyone considering going into a caring profession (e.g., pre-med), as it will provide you with a well-informed, critical perspective on care and its role in broader social processes. Course Fee: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3133. Ritual and Symbol. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2053 recommended. An examination of rituals—highly stereotyped, stylized, and repetitive acts usually taking place in carefully selected locations and marked by use of material items. Students will be offered a cross-cultural examination of ritual activity from various cultural regions. Attention is also given to the theoretical frames that contribute to a holistic understanding of ritual practice. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3153. Indians of the Great Plains. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2053 recommended. An examination of the fundamental cultural transformation and flourishing of Native American societies of the Great Plains following the introduction of the horse. Attention is also given to the subsequent retrenchment under the imposition of Anglo-American dominance, and the recent emergence of new forms of cultural expression within tribal and urban areas. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3203. Native North Americans. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2053 recommended. Survey of Native North American cultures from ancient times to the present. Emphasis will be placed on cultural responses to colonialism and European/American intrusion, as well as contemporary issues confronting native North Americans in the present day. Course Fee: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3213. Human Ecology Across the Ages. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Human ecology is the study of how humans interact with their environments by extracting resources to support people and their infrastructure. In this class we will study how human ecology has evolved and diversified over time, from the behavior of our hominid ancestors, the evolution of hunter-gatherer societies, and the emergence of agriculture, to the development of cities and space stations. Take this class if you are interested in understanding the long-term causes and consequences of the role humans play on planet Earth and what the future may look like. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3223. Anthropology and the Environment. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2053 recommended. Human adaptation to the environment and interaction with it, comparing simple and complex societies in various environmental contexts. (Formerly titled "Cultural Ecology.") Course Fee: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48; DL01 $75.

ANT 3233. Frauds, Myths, and Mysteries. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

This course will critically examine pseudoscience, cult archaeology, and creationism from a scientific perspective. The careful assessment of particular case studies will demonstrate how a strong adherence to professional archaeological methods can uncover facts about the past that are as interesting as myth. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48; DL01 $75.

ANT 3253. Archaeology of South America. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2043 recommended. The origins and development of the native cultures of South America, and their relationships to the cultural areas of Central America and the Caribbean. Emphasis on the variety of cultural forms and cultural evolution. The roles of demography, subsistence systems, militarism, religion, and other factors in the rise of South American cultures may be discussed. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3263. Archaeology of North America. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2043 recommended. Survey of prehistoric cultures in North America from earliest times to historic contact. May include discussion of Ice Age mammoth hunters, Eastern mound-building cultures, Southwestern pueblo cultures, and Plains bison hunters. Chronology, sites, settlement and subsistence patterns, and recent research issues may be considered. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48; DL01 $75.

ANT 3273. Civilizations of Mexico. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2043 recommended. Examination of the development of the ancient civilizations of Mexico and Central America: Olmec, Teotihuacan, Toltec, Aztec, and Zapotec, among others. Insights will be drawn from archaeological data, art, hieroglyphic writing, ethnohistoric accounts, and Colonial Period documents. (Formerly titled "Ancient Civilizations of Mesoamerica.") Course Fee: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3293. Research Methods in Archaeology. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 2043 or ANT 2053 recommended. Focuses on the study, analysis, and interpretation of material culture in archaeological research. Provides hands-on experience using methods and techniques that archaeologists use to study ceramics, lithics, and other types of artifacts and ecofacts. It also provides an overview of data analysis and archaeological report preparation. (Formerly titled "Analytical Methods in Anthropology.") Course Fee: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3303. Nature and Culture in Greater Amazonia. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2053 recommended. This course examines the historical and contemporary situations of the indigenous peoples of lowland South America, focusing specifically on the Amazon Basin. Consideration will be given to classical ethnographic monographs as well as accounts of the political and ecological challenges that currently face the inhabitants of Greater Amazonia. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48; DL01 $75.

ANT 3313. Curing and Killing: The Anthropology of Shamanism. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

In this course, we will analyze the practice of shamanism globally with a specific focus on Amazonia. Class materials will include ethnographic case studies, focused articles, and documentary films. The course will examine how peoples in shamanic cultures conceptualize and experience illness, how they diagnose the ailments that afflict them, and how they use shamanic curing to return to a state of health. We will also discuss the psychopharmacology of plants used in shamanism, the roles of shamans in political movements, and how contemporary non-indigenous people in North America and Europe have incorporated shamanic practices, instruments, and hallucinogens into their spiritual traditions. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3333. Human Adaptability. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2033 recommended. Examines the biological variability of living populations; includes genetics, anatomy, demography, and change within a physical anthropology framework. (Formerly titled "Physical Anthropology of Human Populations.") Course Fee: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3343. Pacific Island Societies and Cultures. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2053 recommended. This course examines the geography, prehistory, colonial contact, and contemporary society in the Pacific Islands. Drawing on case studies from Hawaii to Papua New Guinea, emphasis is placed on ethnography and the contribution of the area to anthropological thought. (Formerly titled "The Contemporary Pacific.") Course Fee: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3383. Folklore and Folklife. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2053 recommended. Examines vernacular arts, crafts, and customs and their function in the maintenance of group identity. National, regional, ethnic, and occupational traditions are investigated. Attention is given to texts such as legends, myths, and ballads, as well as folk performance, clothing, architecture, and foodways. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3393. Anthropology of Frontiers and Borderlands. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

This course asks the questions: what are frontiers and borderlands? How do they matter in our understanding of belonging and being human across time and space? We will use ethnographic and/or archaeological texts to consider how geopolitical, linguistic, and other cultural frontiers and borderlands shape what it means to belong and to be human. This course may be repeated for credit if taught by a different instructor. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3403. Field Course in Archaeology. (0-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Offers the opportunity to gain intensive training in archaeological field methods: excavation, site survey, mapping, sampling, and interpretation. Additional fees are required. May be repeated for credit with advisor's permission, but not more than 6 semester credit hours may be applied to a major in Anthropology. Generally offered: Summer. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3406. Field Course in Archaeology. (0-0) 6 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Offers the opportunity to gain intensive training in archaeological field methods: excavation, site survey, mapping, sampling, and interpretation. Additional fees are required. May be repeated for credit with advisor's permission, but not more than 6 semester credit hours may be applied to a major in Anthropology. Generally offered: Summer. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $36.96.

ANT 3413. The Ethnographic Experience. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Drawing upon the ethnographic experiences of current and historical anthropologists, this course explores field research in cultural anthropology. Ethnographic methods and techniques are discussed, with emphasis on theoretical and ethical considerations. Students may engage in short-term ethnographic projects. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3443. Anthropocene: Age of Extinction. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Many species are threatened by extinction or have already gone extinct during recent times. This is sometimes referred to as the Anthropocene mass extinction. This course will focus on this controversial topic by exploring patterns of mass extinctions, defining what the Anthropocene is, describing current extinction trends, and discussing solutions for bringing species back from the brink of extinction. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3453. Public Archaeology. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 2043. Most archaeologists do not work in universities—they work in government agencies, private firms, NGOs, and museums. This course prepares students for careers in archaeology by discussing these different career paths. It provides concrete skills such as research design, fieldwork planning, budgeting, report writing, public outreach, community engagement, and/or economic impact assessment. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3463. The Anthropology of Climate Change. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2053 recommended. This course considers climate change as an ecological, social, and political force that powerfully shapes human lives. It examines ethnographic and scientific approaches to both the causes and consequences of climate change. Topics include environmental justice, food security, climate refugees, species loss and diversity, race and inequality, public policy, vulnerability, capitalism, and colonialism.

ANT 3503. Human Origins. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2033 recommended. The fossil record of human emergence and comparative studies of human evolution. Evolution of social organization, technology, and language development to the end of the Ice Age. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3513. The Human Skeleton. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2033 recommended. Students are given the opportunity to develop skills in the study and analysis of human osteological remains. Applications of skeletal analysis in a variety of fields are considered, including physical anthropology and archaeological demography. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48; DL01 $75.

ANT 3523. Medical Anthropology. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013, ANT 2033, or ANT 2053 recommended. This course explores primary concepts and research questions in medical anthropology by looking at how humans experience and understand health, illness, and healing. Theoretical and methodological approaches will be considered using case studies, with an emphasis on the potential that medical anthropologists have to improve health and wellbeing. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48; DL01 $75.

ANT 3543. Museum Studies in Anthropology. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013, ANT 2043, or ANT 2053 recommended. By studying the nature and functioning of museums, past and present, students in this course will explore major controversies and debates about the politics of memory and visual display. Particular emphasis will be placed upon the role of anthropologists and archaeologists in museum contexts. Methodologically, the course will provide an overview of techniques used in exhibition planning and design as well as in collections management. Course Fee: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3563. Anthropology of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 2053 recommended. This course examines the concepts of health and healing across cultures with an emphasis on non-biomedical healing systems. It explores historical and ethnographic case studies of afflictions and the cross-cultural, non-conventional modalities for treatment and healing. Additionally the course surveys the cultural strategies and complexities of the role of the healer in various cultures. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48; DL01 $75.

ANT 3573. Digital Archaeology. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

This course introduces students to a broad range of digital techniques for collecting, analyzing, and visualizing objects, spaces, and landscapes through a series of lab exercises and case studies. Lab exercises include hands-on activities using techniques such as 3D modeling and database design. Case studies will explore what these techniques can reveal about ancient and modern materials and social life. Course content will build skills in both data analysis and public engagement. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3603. Sex, Gender, and Culture. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2033 recommended. Examination of the biological and cultural sources of differences between men and women. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3656. Field Course in Anthropology. (0-0) 6 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Offers the opportunity to gain intensive training in anthropological field methods in cultural and/or biological anthropology. Additional fees are required. May be repeated for credit with advisor's permission, but not more than 6 semester credit hours may be applied to a major in Anthropology. Generally offered: Summer. Course Fee: LRLF $10.27; STLF $36.96.

ANT 3663. Hunters and Gatherers - Past and Present. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2043 recommended. Hunter-gatherer societies are frequently referred to in discussions of what it means to be human. Their knowledge of the environment and capacity for sharing have long captured our imagination. This course examines the lifeways of hunters and gatherers from around the world in both ethnographic and archaeological contexts. It considers examples of societies from the Arctic to Tropical Rainforests and explores such research topics as hunter-gatherer sharing, mobility, subsistence, and warfare, among others. Course Fee: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3703. Art and Archaeology of the Ancient Americas. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

This course examines the creative expression of indigenous artists from ancient societies across the Americas. Detailed analysis of the art, artifacts, and buildings of societies across North, Central, and South America are contextualized and discussed within the framework of the culture that produced them. Among the broader topics addressed are artistic techniques, aesthetics, symbolism, and the role of art in culture and society.

ANT 3713. Anthropology of Material Culture. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 2043 or ANT 2053 recommended. This course surveys the role of material culture in human social systems of the past and present. Archaeological, historical, and ethnographic case studies are used to illustrate how the material world is variously woven into the fabric of culture. (Formerly titled "Material Culture Systems.") Course Fee: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48; DL01 $75.

ANT 3733. Political and Legal Anthropology. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2053 recommended. Comparative political and legal systems; forms of authority, legitimacy, and power. Major trends in anthropological thought are explored, with emphasis on the political uses of myth, symbol, and ritual. Law and judicial processes are examined in Western and non-Western societies. Course Fee: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.

ANT 3793. Zombies, Monsters, Ghosts: Living with the Undead. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2043 recommended. Why and how have so many people, across the world and over time, so strongly believed in the existence of terrifying and fantastical beings who live beyond death? What can our cultural imaginaries and experiences of the undead — in visual art, oral narrative, written text, and physical interaction — tell us about social life in different settings and times? This course addresses these questions through an anthropological exploration of the “undead,” focusing on creatures that “haunt” human lives. In discussing these creatures, it offers a unique anthropological perspective on morality, social memory, and the cultural construction of reality.

ANT 3803. Media, Power, and Public Culture. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2053 recommended. Film and media images facilitate the production, consumption, and circulation of ideas and practices in the United States and cross-culturally. The course traces the history and meaning of various communication technologies and their impact on culture. It will examine a variety of media to analyze how institutional power is constructed and enforced and the ways media is used to facilitate community-based forms of resistance. Course Fee: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48; DL01 $75.

ANT 3823. Applied Anthropology. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2053 recommended. Applied anthropology uses anthropological theories and methods to help solve real-world problems. Through case studies, this course will explore how, where, and why applied anthropology is conducted in each subfield of the discipline. Course materials and assignments will help students identify and develop anthropological skills and experiences relevant to their career aspirations. Course Fee: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3843. Primates of the World. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

This course offers a broad survey of the social behavior and ecology of the living primates. It begins with a survey of primate taxonomy, drawing distinctions among prosimians, monkeys, and apes. The course concludes with consideration of what the study of nonhuman primates can tell us about human evolution. (Formerly titled "Introduction to Primate Diversity.") Course Fee: DL01 $75; LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3853. Modern Ape Behavior, Ecology, and Cognition. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Modern apes show considerable diversity in their behavioral and morphological adaptations. This course focuses on the major theoretical approaches to understanding the biological variation within this primate group. The question of whether great apes exhibit culture is also discussed. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48; DL01 $75.

ANT 3863. The Evolution of Human Nature. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

A central concept in the evolution of human behavior is the idea that our brains, like our bodies, have been shaped by natural selection. The extent to which this factor influences the diverse behavior of modern humans is a topic of considerable debate. This course takes a critical look at different attempts to explain human behavior based on adaptive design. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3873. Food, Culture, and Society. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

This course explores the relationship between food and culture in diverse societies by examining food, food practices, and production, as well as the meanings associated with food. Topics include issues of identity, class, food habits, global food systems, and world hunger. Generally offered: Summer. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3883. Death and Dying. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013, ANT 2043, or ANT 2053 recommended. Cross-cultural approaches to death, dying, and bereavement with a focus on either contemporary or prehistoric cultures, depending on instructor’s emphasis. When exploring contemporary cultures, attention will be given to the emotional, social, and ethical issues of dying, and the social organization of death and dying. When exploring prehistoric groups, attention will be given to conceptualizing death through diverse funerary practices, body treatment of the deceased, and religious principles involved with death. In both cases, the course seeks to provide a comparative understanding of death and its wider social implications. May be repeated once with advisor’s approval when topic varies. Course Fee: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48; DL01 $75.

ANT 3893. Primate Behavior and Ecology. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Nonhuman primates in their natural habitats, including biogeography, feeding and ranging behavior, structure and social organization of groups in relation to environment, and primates as members of communities. (Formerly titled "Primate Ecology.") Course Fee: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3903. Introduction to Linguistics. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Basic principles of analysis and description of the structure of language, including sound system, word order, and meaning. Also, overview of selected subfields of linguistics, such as historical linguistics, sociolinguistics, language acquisition, and bilingualism. (Same as ENG 3343 and LNG 3813. Credit cannot be earned for more than one of the following: ANT 3903, ENG 3343, or LNG 3813.) Course Fee: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3913. Archaeologies of Death. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2043 recommended. This course discusses the methods and theories by which archaeologists interpret cultural practices and values that are integral to the physical and social death of humans and other beings. Taking an archaeological perspective, the course examines how diverse human communities prepare for dying, care for the dead, recognize the nature of death, and learn about ancestors, past events, and earlier times. The course reviews archaeologies of death, teaches basic methods of archaeological mortuary analysis, and introduces students to broader anthropological theories of social memory, rites of passage, funerary ritual, and material culture.

ANT 3933. Anthropology of Superheroes. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

This course will examine the world of superheroes as both an imagined universe and a fan culture. Superheroes are not simply characters in illustrated books, but reflections of our own ideas about what it does and does not mean to be human, offering dystopic/utopic reflections of our own reality and imagined future. Ultimately, our goal is to discover what an anthropology of superheroes potentially can be. The course will delve into classic anthropological concepts including: gender, ethnicity, nature vs. culture, utopia/dystopia, media studies, ritual, creativity, etc., while considering comic and real world superheroes. Course Fee: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 3943. Food, Drink, and Drugs: Consumption in the Ancient World. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

This course explores the social importance of food, drink, and drugs from a variety of theoretical perspectives and archaeological settings. It uses consumption as a lens through which we can study many aspects of society and identity, such as ethnicity, class, gender, community, religion, and economy. Case studies reveal the diversity of past foodways, the role of mind-altering substances in the ancient world, and the methods through which archaeologists reconstruct ancient food systems.

ANT 3963. The Evolution of Sex. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 2033 recommended. Why is there sex? This course explores the evolution of sexual reproduction as an alternative to asexual cloning that is found in most organisms. We will explore why sexual reproduction evolved, its costs and benefits, and the diversity of sexual strategies across all kingdoms of life. It concludes by examining the sexual behavior of humans and our closest primate relatives. Topics will include sexual selection, mating systems, same-sex behavior, and the evolution of monogamy. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48; DL01 $75.

ANT 4013. Maya Civilization. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2043 recommended. Examination of the development of Maya civilization in Mexico and Central America. Insights will be drawn from archaeological data, art, hieroglyphic writing, ethnohistoric accounts, and Colonial Period documents. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 4023. Histories of Anthropology. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 2033, ANT 2043, ANT 2053, or ANT 2063 recommended. This course examines the history of anthropology as a distinct field, including considerations of historical figures, institutions, and relationships among subfields. Emphasis will be placed on changes in theoretical and methodological orientations as they emerge in specific historical contexts. Course Fee: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48; DL01 $75.

ANT 4113. Archaeology of Texas. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 2043 or ANT 3263 recommended. Detailed review of prehistoric and historic aboriginal cultures of Texas and adjacent areas, current trends in Texas archaeology, examination of artifacts, and field trips to local prehistoric sites. Course Fee: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 4123. Archaeology of the American Southwest. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 2043 or ANT 3263 recommended. Consideration of the prehistoric cultures in the American Southwest and northern Mexico from the earliest occupations to European contact. Paleo-Indian, Archaic, Mogollon, Anasazi, and Hohokam occupations are reviewed with a consideration of recent research directions and theory. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 4153. The Urban Environment. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2043 recommended. This course takes an archaeological view of the urban environment. It combines approaches from anthropology and history to study the city and the landscapes it produces in a cross-cultural and comparative perspective. It looks into: the origins of ancient cities, the design of urban space, the cultural construction of urban-rural distinctions, the ecological impact of urbanization, and utopian initiatives to reimagine the city altogether. In attending to these themes, the course seeks to understand urbanism over time by comparing the cultural practices and the ideologies that fostered, sustained, and collapsed the cities of the ancient world.

ANT 4173. Politics of the Past. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

This course explores and critically examines how archaeological materials and places of the past are meaningful to people today as cultural heritage. It reviews a series of case studies surrounding how archaeological remains are presented, interpreted, valued, claimed, destroyed, and politicized. Topics include: ethical issues and methodologies in scholarly research; conflicts between personal, political, indigenous, and national identities; illicit trade of antiquities; tourism site preservation; museum design and access, repatriation, stakeholder collaboration, and public education. Course Fee: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 4213. Witchcraft and Magic: Anthropological Perspectives. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

This course introduces the historical and contemporary treatment of witchcraft and magic from a socio-cultural perspective. It draws on anthropological models which are applied to Western European, African, Pacific, and other cultural areas to amplify the adaptive, rational, and political contexts for why and how witchcraft and magic exist. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48; DL01 $75.

ANT 4233. Primate Conservation. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 2033 or ANT 3843 recommended. Analysis of the conservation status of the world’s nonhuman primates and the specific threats to their survival. Includes examination of issues relating to the anthropology of conservation, such as human-nonhuman primate resource competition, anthropogenic habitat alteration related to land use and development, and efforts to achieve community-based conservation. (Formerly titled "Conservation of Primates in Global Perspective.") Course Fee: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 4243. Ethnographic Film. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2053 recommended. Critique of major ethnographic films, concentrating on field methodology, production values, and the issue of representation. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 4273. The Anthropology of Oil. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2053 recommended. This course explores the social, cultural, and political-economic significance of oil, the most important industrial commodity of the world. Case studies will be drawn from books, articles, and films that describe the importance of oil at the level of its production, distribution, and consumption in the United States and around the world. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 4293. Plants, Animals, Humans, Oh My!: Thinking Beyond the Human. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 1013 or ANT 2053 recommended. Through a framework of multispecies ethnography, this course examines our relationships with other living beings. Students will gain an understanding of how anthropology has theorized the plants and animals that share this world with us. Topics include extinction and conservation, domestication, zoos, seed banks, GMOs, plant and animal agency, animal rights, the production of science, and indigenous knowledge.

ANT 4313. Anthropology of Age and Aging. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

This course will explore the sociocultural construction of the human life course across contemporary communities worldwide. We will examine case studies from across the globe to learn about the diversity of meanings, values, and performances of phases of the life course (e.g. childhood, adulthood, old age) across sociocultural groups. We will also investigate how these meanings, values, and performances of the life course are interwoven with broader sociocultural and political structures, such as family/kinship, healthcare/medicine, gender, race/ethnicity, and class. A specific phase of the life course (e.g., old age) may be focused on at the instructor’s discretion. Course Fee: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 4363. Primate Evolutionary Biology. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 2033 recommended. This course evaluates the evolutionary history of the nonhuman primates. Examination will include information gained from fossil and genetic data as well as from modern phylogenetic methods. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 4413. Genes, Health, and Ancestry. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ANT 2033 recommended. What's in your genes? Consumer genomics and DNA testing have made genetic data cheap and largely available to everyone. But how accurate are those results? And what can DNA really tell us about our ancestry and our health? This course is a journey into the promises, pitfalls, and limitations of genetics in understanding human diversity, ancestry, and health. It explores how technological advancements have improved our understanding of human evolution and adaptation, and have also led to new concerns about personal privacy and bioethics. We will explore the potential and misapplications of genetic testing and gene editing, and we will discuss the role of science in society. (Formerly titled "Genes and Human Diversity.") Course Fee: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48; DL01 $75.

ANT 4503. Field Research Methods in Environmental Anthropology. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

This course provides an overview of various field research methods used by ecological and environmental anthropologists. Topics include research design, interviewing, participatory research and mapping, resource inventories and transects, classification, environmental specimens, and other applicable methods chosen by the instructor.

ANT 4853. Study Away: Anthropology. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. A lecture course associated with a study away program. Involves travel and field trips. May be repeated for credit when the destination and topic vary.

ANT 4856. Study Away: Anthropology. (6-0) 6 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. A lecture course associated with a study away program. Involves travel and field trips.

ANT 4911. Independent Study. (0-0) 1 Credit Hour.

Prerequisites: Permission in writing (form available) from the instructor, the student’s advisor, the Department Chair, and Dean of the College in which the course is offered. Independent reading, research, discussion, and/or writing under the direction of a faculty member. May be repeated for credit, but not more than 6 semester credit hours of independent study, regardless of discipline, will apply to a bachelor’s degree. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $6.16.

ANT 4913. Independent Study. (0-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisites: Permission in writing (form available) from the instructor, the student’s advisor, the Department Chair, and Dean of the College in which the course is offered. Independent reading, research, discussion, and/or writing under the direction of a faculty member. May be repeated for credit, but not more than 6 semester credit hours of independent study, regardless of discipline, will apply to a bachelor’s degree. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 4933. Internship in Anthropology. (0-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Consent of internship coordinator. Supervised experience relevant to anthropology within selected community organizations. A maximum of 6 semester credit hours may be earned through Internship in Anthropology. Must be taken on a credit/no-credit basis. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 4936. Internship in Anthropology. (0-0) 6 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Consent of internship coordinator. Supervised experience relevant to anthropology within selected community organizations. A maximum of 6 semester credit hours may be earned through Internship in Anthropology. Must be taken on a credit/no-credit basis. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $36.96.

ANT 4953. Special Studies in Anthropology. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.

An organized course offering the opportunity for specialized study not normally or not often available as part of the regular course offerings. Special Studies may be repeated for credit when the topics vary, but not more than 6 semester credit hours, regardless of discipline, will apply to a bachelor’s degree. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48; DL01 $75.

ANT 4983. Anthropology Honors Research. (0-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Enrollment limited to candidates for Department Honors with approval of the Department faculty. Supervised individual research and preparation of a major paper in support of Department Honors. May be repeated once with advisor’s approval. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.

ANT 4993. Honors Thesis. (0-0) 3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisites: Enrollment limited to candidates for University Honors in Anthropology and consent of the Honors College. Supervised research and preparation of an honors thesis. May be repeated once with advisor’s approval. Course Fees: LRLF $10.27; STLF $18.48.