ANTH – Anthropology
ANTH 101
Introduction to Anthropology
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course is a general introduction to anthropology through the study of central concepts and key issues. Topics include human evolution, the appearance of culture, social organization, cultural theory, symbolic systems, and culture change.
ANTH 108
Elements of Human Linguistics
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course provides an introduction to the principle ideas about language and communication, including laboratory exercises. Course content includes the evolution of language, anatomy of language, principles and main categories of linguistic analysis (phonology, syntax, morphology, semantics), linguistic diversity, and cross-linguistic variation.
ANTH 206
Introduction to Archaeology
3 Credits Weekly (2-1-0)
This course provides a general introduction to the methods, practice and theory of prehistoric archaeology. Topics include the goals and objectives of the discipline, data collection and analysis as well as methods of interpretation. Emphasis is on methods used to reconstruct prehistoric life-ways and explain cultural development rather than a general survey of prehistory. Note:This course can be used to fulfil the arts credit requirements of the Bachelor of Arts and the science credit requirement of the Bachelor of Science.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in a 100-level course in ANTH or EASC 101.
ANTH 207
Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course provides an overview of socio-cultural anthropology, which introduces the students to the diversity of human cultures and the concepts and theoretical orientation of the cultural anthropologist. Unity and diversity in human social life are emphasized.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in a 100-level ANTH course.
ANTH 208
Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course focuses on the anthropological study of language and communication. It examines the analytical methods and theory used in linguistic anthropology.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in a 100-level course in ANTH.
ANTH 209
Introduction to Biological Anthropology
3 Credits Weekly (2-1-0)
This course introduces students to the sub-discipline of biological anthropology. Students examine the emergence of the human species and the theoretical and methodological frameworks used to understand present-day human biological variation. Topics include basic principles of evolutionary theory, human skeletal biology, comparative primate anatomy and behaviour, and hominid evolution. Note: This course can be used to fulfill the arts credit requirements of the Bachelor of Arts and the science credit requirement of the Bachelor of Science.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in a 100-level course in ANTH.
ANTH 210
Gender, Age and Culture
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course examines sex, gender, and age from an anthropological perspective. It examines how societies construct sex and gender and what it means to be an engendered person cross-culturally. The course considers the impact of sex, gender, and age differences as crucial aspects of social organization and structure, as well as how they relate to broader economic and political processes, such as colonialism and globalization, that shape the daily lives of humans.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in ANTH 101, or second-year standing.
ANTH 219
World Prehistory
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course surveys the development of societies around the world over the last 3 million years. It begins by introducing the discipline of archaeology and the methods and techniques used to learn about the human past. Cultural sequences from various regions of the Old and New World (eg. Egypt, Mesopotamia, China, Europe, Mesoamerica, and the Andes) are examined. Finally, comparisons are made between these cultural sequences to explore such topics as the origins of agriculture, the development of complex societies, human dispersals and colonization, and the long-term effects of climate change and demographic growth.
ANTH 245
Ethnography of Mediterranean Peoples
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course investigates anthropologists' contributions to understanding Mediterranean societies and cultures. The concept of a "Mediterranean culture" is critiqued. Through cross-cultural comparison, students investigate the diversity occurring in "Mediterranean" cultures, but also shared and parallel institutions and practices. Relevant historical, geographic, and environmental factors are explored and considered in light of anthropological explanation of circum-Mediterranean cultural institutions, social organization and practices.
ANTH 246
Circumpolar Peoples
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the Inuit culture of Canada and other cultures of the circumpolar region. The course includes an introduction to anthropological perspectives, research methods and cross cultural analyses as well as to the geographical and cultural boundaries that exist in the north. Various topics are covered including the impacts of climate change, re-settlement, economic growth, and health issues.
ANTH 250
Introduction to Indigenous Peoples in Canada
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course provides an introduction to Indigenous Peoples in Canada from an anthropological perspective. Topics covered may include oral traditions, culture areas, politics, economics, family, kinship, religion, and conflict between cultural groups.
ANTH 251
Race and Racism in The Modern World
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course offers an anthropological perspective on how the concept of race has been used to examine biological and cultural variation among humans. Issues and topics may include theoretical and methodological perspectives of race and racism, multiculturalism and interculturalism, migration, ethnic identity, prejudice and ethnocentrism, racism, caste system, eugenics, and the persistence of ethnic identity in the face of globalization. Case studies dealing with race issues in Canada and other countries are used to illustrate these concepts.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in ANTH 101, or second-year standing.
ANTH 261
Peoples and Cultures of Mesoamerica
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course is an introduction to the culture area of Mesoamerica. It examines the cultural history of the native peoples of Mesoamerica from the pre-Columbian past to the present and includes studies of contemporary native communities.
ANTH 262
Peoples and Cultures of South America
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course is an introduction to the cultural history of the native peoples of South America. It examines the social and culture history of indigenous peoples, surveying local and regional cultural variations.
ANTH 305
Human Variation and Adaptation
3 Credits Weekly (2-1-0)
This course examines, from a biocultural perspective, the extraordinary range of human biological variation and explores the evolutionary, adaptive, behavioural, cultural and environmental influences that produce this diversity. The first half of the course examines historical perspectives on human differences and outlines our current understanding of the basic principles of evolutionary biology. The second half of the course examines how these principles have been used to explain such aspects of human variation as body size and shape, skin colour, blood chemistry, and disease. Throughout the course, the interaction of biology and culture are discussed, as well as the veracity of such contentious topics as 'race', intelligence, sex differences and genetic disorders. Note: This course can be used to fulfill the arts credit requirements of the Bachelor of Arts and the science credit requirement of the Bachelor of Science.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ANTH 209.
ANTH 308
Language, Gender, and Sexuality
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course addresses major themes and approaches to the study of language and gender and of language and sexuality. Students engage in critical examination of how cultural paradigms of gender and sexuality are constructed, expressed, challenged, and transformed through linguistic practice and performance, as well as how language is involved in the construction of social identities and communities. This course considers gender and sexuality in a cross-linguistic and cross-cultural perspective. Students learn to apply sociolinguistic and linguistic anthropological theories to the study of gender, sexuality, and social power.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in ANTH 208.
ANTH 318
Political Anthropology
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
The course examines some of the major theoretical approaches to politics and power which have emerged within Anthropology, or which have influenced anthropological writings. Employing a cross-cultural, comparative perspective, this course shows that, in western society, 'politics' describes activities and institutions focused around political parties, government, and the state; within anthropology, however, the term 'politics' is linked to the idea of 'power', where power is an aspect of a broad range of relationships from the most local to the global. The course addresses issues as diverse as uncentralized politics, state formation, and the impact of global power relations on the micro-level of everyday interaction.
ANTH 320
Archaeology of Gender
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course examines approaches to gender in archaeological research from methodological, theoretical, and historical perspectives. The course focuses on the impact of a ‘gendered’ archaeology against a backdrop of a more general examination of anthropological theories, gender roles, gender ideology and gender politics.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ANTH 206.
ANTH 321
Language Endangerment and Revitalization
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course focuses on the social, political, and economic causes and impacts of language loss from a global perspective. Emphasis is placed on Indigenous languages, but minority languages of Europe and Asia are also discussed. Practical strategies for sustaining and revitalizing Indigenous languages are analyzed. Students take an anthropological perspective on the challenges facing endangered language communities and the global and local meanings of linguistic diversity.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ANTH 208.
ANTH 322
Plagues, Pandemics, and People
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course uses a biocultural approach to examine the evolutionary, ecological and epidemiological context of selected historic and emerging infectious disease epidemics and pandemics. Complex biological, social and economic repercussions for human populations are considered.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in one of ANTH 206, ANTH 207, ANTH 208, or ANTH 209.
ANTH 324
Economic Anthropology
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course provides a comprehensive overview of the key theoretical approaches and research in economic anthropology. Employing a cross-cultural, comparative perspective, this course investigates anthropologists' studies of exchange behaviour as social, political and economic phenomena. The course is designed not only to broaden understanding of exchange in other societies, but to provide the comparative data necessary to evaluate our own forms of exchange and measures of economic well-being. Particular emphasis is placed upon a critical examination of the typologies created and employed by economic anthropologists.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ANTH 207.
ANTH 332
Anthropology of Science
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course investigates science as a cultural and historical product. Employing the anthropological perspective across the four sub-fields, this course investigates anthropologists' studies of science and seeks to understand how science is created within ideological, social, economic, and political environments. The course is designed not only to broaden understanding of science in other societies, but also to provide the comparative data necessary to evaluate western understanding.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in one of ANTH 206, ANTH 207, ANTH 208, or ANTH 209.
ANTH 340
Canadian Indigenous Issues
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course employs an anthropological approach to analyze issues facing Canadian Indigenous Peoples today. Cultural theories for the analysis of patterns, processes and trends are examined. Specific topics include Indigenous Peoples and Canadian politics, economics, education, religion, health, law and the arts.
ANTH 370
The Anthropology of Space and Place
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Much of anthropological data is based on notions of space and place. Archaeologists invest much of their time in detailing location and arrangement of built form and material culture. This course examines the theoretical and methodological approaches to landscape, space, and place in anthropology and archaeology. Topics may include the conceptualization of space, place, and landscape in anthropological and archaeological research and writing, the changing nature of concepts of landscape, and space and place as analytical frameworks for understanding past, present, and future societies and cultures. We consider three related dimensions of human spatial practice over time and space/place: experience, perception, and imagination.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ANTH 206 or ANTH 207 or ANTH 208.
ANTH 375
Zooarchaeology
3 Credits Weekly (1-2-0)
This course is an introduction to the study of animal remains from archaeological contexts. Topics discussed include the reconstruction of environment and season of site occupation, the economic uses of animals and evidence of animal domestication, and the procedures for analyzing faunal remains and challenges in their interpretation. Note: This course can be used to fulfill the arts credit requirements of the Bachelor of Arts and the science credit requirement of the Bachelor of Science.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ANTH 206 and ANTH 209.
ANTH 385
Archaeology of the Americas
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course provides a survey of select prehistoric cultures of North, Central and South America. Topics to be discussed include the peopling of the Americas, rise of pre-Columbian civilizations and the variety of cultural adaptations in the Americas.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ANTH 206.
ANTH 388
Artifact Analysis
3 Credits Weekly (1-2-0)
This course covers a variety of methods for analysing and interpreting items of material culture commonly recovered from archaeological contexts. Particular emphasis is placed upon understanding the technologies used to manufacture prehistoric and historic artifacts and the methods used to analyse their functions and stylistic attributes. Lab work includes exercises in qualitative and quantitative description and classification, and experiments in tool use and manufacture. Note: This course can be used to fulfill the arts credit requirements of the Bachelor of Arts and the science credit requirement of the Bachelor of Science.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in ANTH 206.
ANTH 389
Topics in Anthropology
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course examines a substantive topic or topics of relevance to Anthropology. The topic for the course varies and is announced prior to registration. This course may be taken up to two times provided the course topic is different.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in one of ANTH 206, ANTH 207, ANTH 208, or ANTH 209; depending on the topic, instructors may specify one of ANTH 206, ANTH 207, ANTH 208, or ANTH 209 as recommended background.
ANTH 390
Human Osteology
3 Credits Weekly (1-2-0)
A hands-on laboratory course that offers a comprehensive study of the human skeleton, both as a dynamic, living system and as a source of information for reconstructing past human lives. During the first part of the course we cover basic skeletal biology and students learn to identify and side every human bone, a large number of fragmentary bones, and all of the major morphological features on each bone. During the second part of the course, we explore the methods used to recover human skeletal remains from archaeological and forensic contexts, and students learn to apply techniques for reconstructing past lives from skeletal remains including health and disease, biological relatedness, physical activity patterns, and estimates of age, sex and stature. Throughout the course we discuss the ethics of dealing with human remains. Note:This course can be used to fulfill the arts credit requirements of the Bachelor of Arts and the science credit requirement of the Bachelor of Science.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ANTH 209.
ANTH 393
Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Health and Healing
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course provides an introduction to the sub-field of Medical Anthropology. Beginning with an overview of central concepts and theoretical perspectives of medical anthropology, this course addresses the different ways in which health and illness are constructed cross-culturally, the roles of healers in different societies, and the political economy and social determinants of health and illness.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in a 100-level ANTH course.
ANTH 394
Ethnographic Research Methods
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course concentrates on the perspectives, qualitative methods, and research strategies employed by ethnographers. Special emphasis is placed on techniques of major ethnographic research traditions, methods of data collection, analysis of narrative or textual data, ethical issues in research and presentation of research results. Grant writing and the use of such tools as computer software, film and other recording devices in ethnographic research are also explored. Note: The consent of the Department is required for Non-Anthropology majors.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in one of the following: ANTH 207 or ANTH 208.
ANTH 395
Archaeological Method Issues
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
As a survey of theory and practices currently used in archaeology, students study the concepts and models used for interpreting archaeological data as well as the evaluation of ethical issues regarding archaeological investigations and remains.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ANTH 206.
ANTH 396
Archaeological Field Training
6 Credits Total (0-0-90)
This course provides students with an introduction to archaeological field work. Students experience all practical archaeological field techniques, including survey, excavation, laboratory analysis, cataloguing artifacts and conservation.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ANTH 206 and consent of the department.
ANTH 397
Ethnographic Field School
6 Credits Total (0-0-90)
Anthropology is a broadly-based approach to understanding the human experience. Ethnographic methods approach this experience primarily, but not exclusively, through observation and participation in daily activities of communities. This course combines seminars with ethnographic research. Over the course of the field school, students learn the steps involved in designing and executing an ethnographic research project. They are trained in the central methods of ethnographic research and analysis. Where appropriate, allied field methods may be introduced. Note: ANTH 394 is recommended. Please note that acceptance into the field school is competitive and subject to an application process which includes a panel interview. Upon preliminary selection, all students have to attend a mandatory 15-hour pre-departure seminar and write a report. The seminar is graded as a component of the final grade.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in ANTH 207 or ANTH 208 and consent of the department.
ANTH 398
Independent Study
3 Credits Total (0-0-45)
This course permits an intermediate-level student to work with an instructor to explore a specific topic in depth through research or directed reading in primary and secondary sources. The student plans, executes and reports the results of their independent research or study project under the direction of a faculty supervisor. To be granted enrolment in the course, the student must have made prior arrangements with a faculty member willing to supervise the student’s project.
ANTH 399
Ecological Perspectives in Anthropology
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course considers the question of human relationships to the environment as mediated through culture. To what extent and in what ways can we consider "nature" or "the environment" as sociocultural constructions? Alternatively, to what extent and in what ways are cultures shaped by natural environments? Interdisciplinary in nature, this course brings together concerns about the production and use of knowledge regarding human social and cultural behavior in specific environmental contexts.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in one of the following: ANTH 206, ANTH 207, ANTH 208 or ANTH 209.
ANTH 410
Humans, Climate and Culture
3 Credits Weekly (0-0-3)
This course examines the role of climate in our species' evolutionary history and conversely, human influence upon climate. Theories about the role of climate in shaping social organization and social "complexity" are addressed in light of evidence from the prehistoric record. The prehistoric and historic record of human responses to and influences upon climate will further be examined through regional and local case studies. The course concludes with a review of sociocultural institutions and practices as they relate to climate; cultural perceptions of weather and climate; cultural responses to climate change; and finally, the consequences to cultures of climate change.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in one of the following: ANTH 206 or ANTH 207, or ANTH 209 or EASC 208.
ANTH 411
Environmental Archaeology
3 Credits Weekly (0-0-3)
This course provides an overview of the techniques used in the analysis of past environments and the human interactions in these environments. Theories and methods are presented for reconstructing ancient ecosystems and assessing human transformation of these ecosystems. Case studies are used as examples.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ANTH 206.
ANTH 415
Anthropological Theory
3 Credits Weekly (0-0-3)
This course is an overview of key trends and paradigms in anthropological theory, from classical to contemporary approaches. Using a topical or thematic approach we consider the contributions of a number of anthropological theorists. Through the application of theoretical perspectives to case studies and ethnographies, the distinctive and mutual relationship between theory, method, and ethnographic data in anthropology is emphasized.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ANTH 207 or ANTH 208 and any 300-level ANTH course.
ANTH 420
Culture and Globalization
3 Credits Weekly (0-0-3)
Transnational movement of money, media images, information, and people have spawned intense debates about the global impact of commodities, ideas, and capital on cultural and biological diversity. This course provides an anthropological consideration of globalization and its relationship to culture, modernity, tradition, diaspora, nationalism, race, class, and gender. In particular, we track the movements and reconfigurations of capital(ism), commodities, communication, and people by focusing on ethnographic analyses of such circuits.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ANTH 207 or ANTH 208 and a 300-level ANTH course.
ANTH 421
Language and Power
3 Credits Weekly (0-0-3)
While language indexes the power relationships within a society and naturalizes them, it is also critical in the formation of social groups and struggle for power and prestige. In analyzing uses of language in a wide range of social and political contexts, the course addresses issues which include the ways language, power, hegemony and political struggle are related; the effects of nationalism on language; the role of language as a means of creating social organization and hierarchy; the relationship between minority and majority languages and cultures; and the role of the media, popular culture and literacy in contemporary linguistic and social relations.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ANTH 208 and in one 300-level ANTH course.
ANTH 440
The Anthropology of Colonial Encounters
3 Credits Weekly (0-0-3)
This course examines the process of European colonization and expansion in the Americas and its long-term consequences from an anthropological perspective. Topics considered include the complex historical motives of peoples entangled in colonial relations, the political and ecological effects upon cultures, and the role of colonialism in shaping the discipline of anthropology.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in one of ANTH 206 or ANTH 207 and one of ANTH 246, ANTH 250, ANTH 261 or ANTH 262.
ANTH 444
Applied Anthropology
3 Credits Weekly (0-0-3)
This seminar course explores applied anthropology as a fifth sub-field of anthropology and as a practice that is both an aspiration and a vocation for many contemporary anthropologists. Students in this class will explore and apply methods used by contemporary anthropologists to unpack and find solutions to current social problems. The course investigates the relevance of anthropology to practical concerns such as cultural heritage, development work, sustainability, and immigration. Students will also learn about anthropology's versatility and its application in numerous related fields like policy, business, and law. This course will pay particular attention to ethical dilemmas in applied fieldwork and the relationship between anthropology and advocacy.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in one of ANTH 394 or ANTH 395.
ANTH 481
Archaeological Theory History
3 Credits Weekly (0-0-3)
This course provides in-depth analysis of the evolution of archaeological theory from early antiquarianism to current ideas and practices.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in either ANTH 206 or ANTH 209 and a 300 level ANTH course.
ANTH 486
Archaeology of Death
3 Credits Weekly (0-0-3)
This course considers the role of mortuary evidence in facilitating understanding of past cultures. By examining numerous case studies, the course draws on a variety of anthropological and archaeological frameworks to explore how people treat their dead and what this can tell us about both the dead and the living.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ANTH 206 or ANTH 209 and a 300-level ANTH course.
ANTH 495
Anthropology Field Placement
3 Credits Total (0-0-100)
In this course, the students are assigned to a public, private, or non-profit organization where they apply their knowledge and skills in research or other practical aspects of a project. Note: This course does not fulfill the 400-level requirement for the major and minor. Acceptance into the field placement is competitive and subject to an application process which includes an interview.
Prerequisites: Minimum grades of C- in 6 credits of 300-level ANTH and consent of the department.
ANTH 497
Topics in Anthropology
3 Credits Weekly (0-0-3)
This is a seminar course for students interested in advanced study of specialized areas of anthropology. This course is devoted to the detailed study of a single theme - particularly themes of contemporary relevance or debate - and it rotates among the subfields in Anthropology.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in one of ANTH 206, ANTH 207, ANTH 208, or ANTH 209 and a minimum grade of C- in any 300-level ANTH course.
ANTH 498
Advanced Independent Study
3 Credits Total (0-0-45)
This course permits a senior-level student to work with an instructor to explore a specific topic in depth through research or directed reading in primary and secondary sources. The student plans, executes and reports the results of their independent research or study project under the direction of a faculty supervisor. To be granted enrolment in the course, the student must have made prior arrangements with a faculty member willing to supervise the student’s project.
ANTH 499A
Honours Thesis I
3 Credits Total (0-0-45)
Under the direction of a faculty member, students conduct an research project culminating in the Honours Thesis and formal presentation of research findings. Note: This course is restricted to and required of students in the Honours Anthropology program. Students complete both ANTH 499A and 499B in consecutive terms to attain credit for this course.
Prerequisites: Registration in the Honours Program and consent of the department.
ANTH 499B
Honours Thesis II
3 Credits Total (0-0-45)
Under the direction of a faculty member, students conduct a research project culminating in the Honours Thesis and formal presentation of research findings. Note: This course is restricted to and required of students in the Honours Anthropology program. Students complete both ANTH 499A and 499B in consecutive terms to attain credit for this course.
Prerequisites: Registration in the Honours Program and consent of the department.