Anthropology Department Home Page
Faculty
Susan E. Brownell, Professor, Chairperson
Ph.D., University of California-Santa Barbara
Michael Cosmopoulos, Hellenic Government-Karakas Family Foundation Endowed Professor of Greek Studies and Professor of Archaeology
Ph.D., Washington University
Jay Rounds, Des Lee Professor of Museum Studies
Ph.D., University of California-Los Angeles
Sheilah Clarke-Ekong, Associate Professor,
Ph.D., University of California-Los Angeles
Margo-Lea Hurwicz, Associate Professor
Ph.D., University of California-Los Angeles
Pamela Ashmore, Associate Professor
Ph.D., Washington University
Jacquelyn Lewis-Harris, Assistant Professor of Education and Director for the Center for Human Origin and Cultural
Diversity
Ph.D., Washington University
Michael Ohnersorgen, Assistant Professor
Ph.D., Arizona State University
Allon Uhlmann, Assistant Professor
Ph.D., Australian National University
Patti Wright, Assistant Professor
Ph.D., Washington University
Donna Hart, Associate Teaching Professor
Ph.D. Washington University
Catherine Koziol, Adjunct Assistant Professor
M.A., Washington University
John Wolford, Adjunct Assistant Professor
Ph.D., Indiana University
Lucretia Kelly, Adjunct Assistant Professor
Ph.D., Washington University
Paul Schoomer, Senior Lecturer
B.A., Washington University
Jen Glaubius, Lecturer
M.A., University of Cincinnati
General Information
The aim of anthropology is to understand the diversity of humans. For 100 years we have studied the cultures of the world, teaching people how to see themselves more clearly through those who are different from themselves and how to work with the underlying humanity that unifies all cultural differences.
Anthropology is the study of humans through all time and space. The discipline considers our struggle to adapt to and survive in the natural and social environments and to improve our lot in the face of perpetual change. Anthropologists teach how cultures evolve and the role of individuals and groups in the invention and perpetuation of cultural beliefs, behaviors, symbols, and systems. Anthropologists have accumulated in-depth knowledge of hundreds of cultures and use this to understand better our own cultural beliefs, actions, and institutions, as well as those of people from other cultures. As the science of cultures, anthropology brings a powerful perspective to bear in understanding the emerging global order. Cross-cultural and evolutionary insights and knowledge help us envision how we can incorporate vast human diversity into a unified world order of peace, prosperity, justice, and opportunity.
Degrees and Areas of Concentration
A Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology is offered with a focus on applied and theoretical skills. The anthropology faculty are actively involved in cultural, archaeological, and biological anthropology research at home and abroad.
Cultural Anthropology
Faculty are involved in research in St. Louis, Los Angeles, Ghana, South Africa, China, Israel, Papua New Guinea, Australia, and Native American communities. They encompass studies in health care choices of elder citizens, museum studies, gender and sexuality, body culture and sports, culture diversity principles, educational anthropology and more. Opportunities abound for students to pursue diverse research experiences on a vast range of topics on human actions, beliefs and organization. Through its partnership with the College of Education, selected students are able to work with a team of anthropology and education faculty and students in the design and teaching of human origin and cultural diversity lessons for 3rd-12th grade school children and their teachers.
Archaeology
Faculty are involved in regional and global research of both New and Old World Cultures. Current projects include ethnobotany and experimental archaeology on seed carbonization, as well as excavations of an 800-year-old ceremonial site at Cahokia Mounds, Illinois a 10th-15th century pre-Aztec society in Northwestern Mexico, and a Bronze Age administrative center near Iklaina, Greece. The department also has an archaeology lab and library with one of the largest extant collections of prehistoric and historical artifacts from eastern Missouri.
Biological Anthropology
Faculty are active in the study of the behavior, ecology, and evolution of primates and of educational issues in the study of paleoanthropology (fossil record of human origins). Students have conducted original research at the St. Louis Zoo. They can study Forensic Anthropology and work with the department’s own collection of 19th century skeletal remains.
Student Experience
Students may work closely with faculty in designing their personal course of study and carrying out their own research projects in any of the above fields of study. Research results written by students have been presented at professional meetings, published, and presented to government and community agencies for use in planning and development. Students are encouraged to participate in the department's network of internships, providing an opportunity to practice newly acquired skills. As a capstone experience, all students, under faculty supervision, complete a significant independent research project for the Senior Seminar, culminating in written and oral reports to student colleagues and the faculty. The department encourages study abroad and in other regions of the United States and has scholarship funds to assist. There is an active Association of Student Anthropologists that sponsors an intercultural film series, speakers, and social activities.
Paid undergraduate positions are available on a competitive basis to anthropology majors as 1) department teaching assistants, 2) faculty research assistants, 3) and human origin and cultural diversity lab teachers/facilitators working with school groups grades 3-12, and adults.
Minor in Anthropology
The department offers a minor in anthropology. The minor is designed to offer students a flexible introduction to the fundamentals of the discipline to complement their major field of study. A minor is advisable for anyone planning a career with intercultural or international dimensions, where knowledge of cultural systems, environments, values, and symbols is useful.
Certificate in Archaeology
The certificate in archaeology provides applied training in both laboratory and field methods to students who could be hired to assist professional archaeologists in area firms.
Internships can be arranged with the UMSL archaeology lab or with a local institution (e.g. Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, Missouri Historical Society, Mastodon State Historic Site). These internships can be conducted on Saturdays, Sundays or in the evenings.
Undergraduate Studies
General Education Requirements
Majors must satisfy the university and college general education requirements. Any foreign language may be used to meet the language requirement for the B.A. degree.
Degree Requirements
Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology
Six hours of credit will be accepted for courses taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis from any departmental elective. The statistics requirement may be taken on an S/U basis. All other required courses for the major must be completed with a grade of C- or better. The following courses are required:
ANTHRO 1005, Introduction to Biological Anthropology
ANTHRO 1011, Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
ANTHRO 1019, Introduction to Archaeology
ANTHRO 3202, History, Theory, and Practice of Anthropology
SOC 3220, Sociological Statistics, or any other college level statistics course
ANTHRO 4301, Ideas and Explanations in Anthropology
ANTHRO 4308, Practicum in Cultural Research Methods or ANTHRO 4310, Laboratory Methods in Archaeology or ANTHRO 4311, Primate Research Methods
ANTHRO 4315, Senior Seminar
ANTHRO 4316, Senior Seminar Tutorial
Two courses from two different subfields in Anthropology (Cultural Anthropology, Archaeology, Biological Anthropology, or Linguistic Anthropology) numbered 2100-2199
Two courses in Anthropology numbered 3200-3299, in addition to 3202.
The total number of hours required for the major is 39.
Students may elect to take up to, but not to exceed, 12 additional hours in anthropology courses of their choice.
At the end of the program, students should have these competencies:
- Discipline-Specific (Content) Knowledge
Graduates will understand cultural diversity, thus preparing them to function in multicultural or international settings. Graduates will understand the common evolutionary origins that unify all cultural differences, as well as human biological variation within our shared humanity. Graduates will develop in-depth knowledge of the culture of a particular region of the world. - Communication Skills
Students will develop social science writing skills, including writing of a research proposal for a grant agency and a substantial research report. Students will develop oral presentation skills, including presenting a formal research report. - Information Management/Quantitative Skills
Students will master research methods in one of the subfields of anthropology (cultural anthropology, biological anthropology, archaeology). Students will learn to design and conduct an original research project, working in close cooperation with faculty. - Valuing/Ethics/Integrity
Students will understand the professional ethics and codes of conduct of the discipline. - Critical Thinking Skills
Students will develop the ability to apply anthropological concepts in performing critical analysis of broad historical trends and complex social issues. Students will understand cultural diversity, thus preparing them to function in multicultural or international settings. - Application/Internship Skills
Students will gain hands-on experience in the application of anthropological concepts to real life and will be able to apply anthropological theory to real-life experience.
Residency Requirement
Undergraduate majors must complete a minimum of 17 hours of upper-level (3000-5000) Anthropology courses in residence, including 3202, 4301, 4308 or 4310, 4315, 4316, and one other course numbered from 3000 to 5000.
Anthropology Minor
The minor is designed to offer students a flexible introduction to the fundamentals of the discipline to complement their major field of study. There are 3 possible emphases: Cultural Anthropology, Archaeology, and Biological/Forensic Anthropology. One course should be selected from each of the following 5 groups:
1. ANTHRO 1011, Introduction to Cultural Anthropology OR
ANTHRO 1019, Introduction to Archaeology OR
ANTHRO 1005, Biological Anthropology OR
ANTHRO 1006, Introduction to Non Human Primates
2. One 2000-level Anthropology course
3. One 3000-level Anthropology course
4. One 4000-level Anthropology course
5. One elective anthropology course at any level.
A minimum of 15 anthropology credit hours is required. Grades of C- or better must be attained in all courses used to satisfy these requirements. One Elective course taken on an A/U basis may be applied to the minor.
Students in the Bachelor of Liberal Studies must take Anthropology 4301 as their capstone course.
Archaeology Certificate
ANTHRO 1019, Introduction to Archaeology
One anthropology course at the 2100-2199 level with an archaeological emphasis.
One anthropology course at the 3200-3299 level with an archaeological emphasis.
ANTHRO 4310, Laboratory Methods in Archaeology
ANTHRO 4309, Archaeological Field School
ANTHRO 4326, Internship in Archaeology (1-6 credit hours)
Career Outlook
The B.A. in Anthropology equips the student for employment in almost any area in which a bachelor's degree is sufficient and a sensitivity to cultural values and diversity is important. Graduates have found employment as university professors and lawyers and in archaeology research programs, urban development, planning programs, health care delivery, human services, many areas of business, government service, teaching, computer systems design, university administration, and many other areas. Anthropology is excellent preparation for graduate and professional training in administration, the helping professions, development work, law, environmental studies, international and human resource areas of business, and in many other areas, depending upon individual interests. Many UMSL anthropology graduates have gone on to advanced training in master's, doctoral, and professional programs in respected universities around the country. For more career information, contact the department at 516-6020 for an appointment to talk with an appropriate faculty member or to request an information packet.
Course Descriptions
Students who have earned 24 or more semester hours of credit at any accredited post-secondary institution before the start of the fall 2002 semester must meet the general education requirements stipulated in the UMSL 2001-2002 Bulletin. The following courses fulfill the Social Sciences breadth of study requirements as described in that Bulletin: 1005, 1006, 1011, 1015, 1019, 1021, 1025, 1033, 1035, 1041, 1051, 1091, 1095, 2105, 2109, 2111, 2114, 2117, 2120, 2121, 2123, 2124, 2125, 2126, 2131, 2132, 2134, 2135, 2138, 2173, 2190, 2191, 2232, 3202, 3209, 3210, 3212, 3215, 3225, 3226, 3227, 3229, 3230, 3235, 3236, 3244, 3250, 3255, 3286, 3290, 3291, 3292, 4301, 4308, 4309, 4310, 4311, 4312, 4315, 4316, 4312, 4325, 4326, 4327, 4328, 4329, 4350, 4391.
The following courses satisfy the Cultural Diversity requirement: 1011, 1019, 1021, 1025, 1033, 1041, 1051, 1091, 2111, 2114, 2120, 2123, 2124, 2131, 2132, 2134, 2135, 2138, 2173, 2191, 3235.
1005 Introduction to Biological Anthropology
(4)
Biological anthropology studies evolutionary theory and its development, the evolution/creationist debate, Mendelian and population genetics, the evolutionary place of humans within the animal kingdom, anatomical and behavioral characteristics of primates, fossilization, primate evolution, the human evolutionary fossil record, biological variability in modern humans, race as a biological concept, and applied biological anthropology. In addition to 3 hours of lecture, 1 hour per week is spent in lab classifying ancient human fossils, observing monkeys and apes at the zoo, and doing other projects.
1006 Introduction to Non-Human Primates (3)
As a general survey of our closest living relatives, this course introduces the ecology, cognition, communication, social and sexual behavior, and fossil history, of non-human primates. The work of well-known primatologists is used to illustrate various aspects of field research. Conservation status of primates in the wild is assessed as well as current threats to survival.
1011 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (3) [V, SS, CD]
Cultural anthropology is the study of human beings as creatures and creators of society. This course is an introduction to that study which aims to demonstrate how the basic concepts and techniques developed by cultural anthropologists help us to understand societies of various degrees of complexity, including our own. We will consider topics such as language, kinship, gender, ethnicity, economics, politics, religion, and social change in a broad comparative framework. Major goals are an increased awareness of the social and cultural dimensions of human experience the diversity and flexibility of human cultures and processes of intercultural communication and conflict.
Introduces the basic concepts of folklore. Examines the connections between folklore as a discipline and anthropology as a discipline. Examines specific folk cultures both in Western societies and in non-Western societies. Emphasizes the view of folk culture as a dynamic part of modern as well as historical societies, with a constant focus on the human element that comprises the very heart and soul of culture.
1019 Introduction to Archaeology (3) [MI, SS, CD]
Archaeology is a subfield of anthropology that studies past human societies from their material remains. Explores the development of archaeology as a scientific discipline. Archaeological methods and theories will be explained using case studies from the continents of Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and the Americas.
1021 The Body in Culture (3) [CD]
This course will compare uses of the body as a social signifier in Western and non-Western cultures. It will explore how culture shapes the images, uses, and meanings of the human body. It concentrates on different historical and cultural beliefs in five areas: how the body works sex and gender eating manners and food pain and punishment beauty and bodily mutilation.
1025 World Cultures (3) [V, SS, CD]
An ethnographic survey of the major culture areas of the world (Africa, Asia, North and South America, Europe, and Oceania).
1033 World Archaeology (3) [MI, SS, CD]
Discusses some of the greatest discoveries in archaeology from prehistoric cultures to ancient civilizations of Africa,
Asia, Australia, Europe, and the Americas. Archaeological examples may include early human origins at Olduvia Gorge in Tanzania, the pyramids of ancient Egypt, the Maya and Aztec of Mexico, the rise of civilization in Mesopotamia, England's Stonehenge, the Roman city of Pompeii, upper Paleolithic cave paintings in France and Spain, and American Indian pueblos of the Southwest. This introductory course is designed for non-anthropology majors, or for those who are considering the major.
1035 Ancient Greek Civilization and Culture (3)
A survey of the history, language, literature, art, science, and philosophy of the ancient Greeks from prehistory to the Roman conquest. It covers the glamorous Minoan-Mycenaean civilization, the rise of classical Greek civilization and the golden age, the history of the city states such as Athens and “Sparta, and the Hellenistic period under Alexander the Great and his descents. Examines the nature of the ancient Greek language, surveys literary classics such as the Illiad and the Odyssey, and describes the archaeology of Greek myths based on the ongoing UMSL archaeological project in Greece. Discusses the rise of humanism, the ancient Olympic Games, and the legacy of ancient Greece in Western civilization.
1041 Sex and Gender Across Cultures (3) [CD]
This course considers womanhood, manhood, third genders, and sexuality in a broad cross-cultural perspective. The focus of the course is on the diverse cultural logics that separate females, males and sometimes third genders into different groups in different societies, with the male group usually being the more prestigious one. Focusing on indigenous non-Western cultures, this course examines gender roles and sexuality within the broader cultural contexts of ritual and symbolism, family, marriage and kinship, economy, politics, and public life. This course will help students understand what it is like to be male or female in non-Western cultures.
1051 Anthropology of Sport (3) [CD]
This course is an overview of sports in different times and cultures. It offers a comparative perspective on similarities and differences between sports in Western and non-Western cultural traditions through an examination of such topics as: the ancient Greek Olympic Games vs. sports in ancient China and Japan the use of sports by colonial empires to colonize non-Western subjects the development and spread of the modern Olympic Games sports and nationalism sports in China. Particular attention will be paid to the relationships between sport and gender, social class, ethnic/racial identity, and nationalism.
1091 Introductory Topics in Anthropology(3)
[CD]
This course features special and current topics at the introductory level in the areas of social, cultural and physical anthropology and archaeology. The course examines the basic concepts and provides an understanding of the development of new trends and areas of study in the field of Anthropology. Topics will focus on the comparative study of non-Western cultures such as ecological practices in tribal societies religious practices in prehistoric cultures the roles of women across cultures etc. Topics may vary and the course may be repeated provided topic is different.
1095 Brief Overview of the Four Fields of Anthropology (1)
Through the use of videos, readings, and the online course management system, this course provides a brief overview of the four traditional fields of anthropology: biological, archaeological, cultural, and linguistic anthropology. This course is designed for video instruction and offers minimal direct interaction with the instructor.
2105 Human Variation (3)
This course will look at the variation that exists within our own species, both between and within populations. It will investigate the evolutionary and genetic basis of human variation, as well as its diversity, adaptive significance, and distribution. Topics covered will include: body shape and physiology, blood groups, susceptibility to disease, and skin color. It will survey historical attempts to classify humans into different “races” assess definitions of race as a solely cultural construct and critique attempts to link race, intelligence and performance.
2109 Archaeological Field School (3-6)
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Introduction to field methods in archaeology and to the techniques of recording, storing, analyzing, and reporting archaeological findings. Experience is gained through participation in a field research project including excavation and survey projects. Emphasis is placed upon research design and implementation and upon the use of archaeological data in describing and explaining human behavior.
2111 Cultures of East Asia (3)
[CD]
An ethnographic and historical survey of the various people of East Asia including Japan, China, North and South Korea, Hong Kong, and Macau. Includes an examination of the varying cultural and social developments within and through the historical, geographical, and cultural environments.
2114 Cultures of the Near and Middle East (3) [CD]
A study of the cultural diversity and unity of the peoples of the Near and Middle East. Emphasis on historical and ethnological relationships, social and political structure, religious beliefs, and contemporary problems.
2117 Greek History and Culture (3)
Same as HIST 2117
Greek civilization has had a deep impact on contemporary society in art social, political, and economic organization philosophy law medicine and science. This course covers major aspects of Greek history and culture from antiquity to the present. It considers the major political and military events of Greek history, as well as important aspects of Greek culture, including sports and the history of the Olympic Games, literature, philosophy, and mythology.
2120 Native Peoples of North America (3) [CD]
A survey of Native Peoples of North America including the prehistory, ethnographic and linguistic groupings, social organization, and cultural systems of these cultures.
This class will look at the role of symbols in American Indian cultures in the United States and Canada, in both prehistoric and historic times. It will look at how they have used symbols to communicate, record their history, express themselves artistically, and define a tribal identity. Satisfies Cultural Diversity requirement.
2123 Cultures of Oceania (3)
[CD]
An introduction to the original cultures and peoples of the South and Western Pacific: New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, Hawaii, Easter Island, etc. Focus is on art, religion, language, relationships to the environment, economics, politics, social groupings, and how these intertwine to form distinctly adaptive cultures in one of the least understood regions of the world.
2124 Cultures of Africa (3)
[CD]
A basic ethnographic survey of African cultures, with attention to social groupings, ethnicity, religion, language and social change, and the ecological relationship between humans and nature.
2125 Introduction to Historical Archaeology (3)
An introductory course in the archaeology of historic period sites. The historic period refers to that portion of human history that begins with the appearance of written documents and continues to contemporary societies. This course will discuss the development, research strategies and future goals of historical archaeology. Archaeological examples will come from all populated continents, but will concentrate on the Americas including the Colonial towns of Jamestown and Williamsburg, Deep South plantations, Civil War battlefields, and shipwreck sites like the Titanic.
2126 Archaeology of Greater St. Louis (3)
Discussion of Ice Age hunters and gatherers, moundbuilders, fur traders, farmers and industrial workers from the history of the Greater St. Louis Community. The physical testimony to their lives remains buried beneath the city streets and buildings. Archaeology is our link to this cultural legacy. Through the use of archaeological data and historical sources, this class will explore human social and cultural developments in St. Louis.
2131 Archaeology of Missouri (3)
[CD]
An introduction to the prehistoric American Indian cultures of Missouri and adjacent areas from 20,000 years ago to the coming of Europeans. Examines the development of prehistoric cultures in Missouri from small bands of hunters and gatherers to moundbuilding, agricultural societies and discusses the decline of indigenous cultures as they came into contact with European civilization.
2132 Archaeology of North America (3)
[CD]
Examines the archaeological record of human developments throughout prehistoric North America. Topics of discussion include the origins of human culture in America, the processes of prehistoric cultural development in the different regions of the continent, and archaeological approaches to explaining the behavior of North America's prehistoric inhabitants.
2134 Archaeology of the Inca, Aztec, and Maya (3) [CD]
Provides an overview of human social and cultural developments in Mesoamerica and Andean South America, from the first settlements over 20,000 years ago to the Spanish Conquest. Focuses on events leading to and including the establishment of Classic Mayan and Aztec societies, and discusses changes that led to what was perhaps the largest nation on earth for its time, the Inca.
2135 Old World Archaeology
(3) [CD]
Examines the long and rich archaeological record of the Old World (Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Oceania). Various topics and cultures of the Old World will be discussed from the earliest human ancestors to the rise and fall of complex societies.
2138 African-American Archaeology (3) [CD]
This course examines people of African descent in the New World through archaeology. Class lectures will outline the development, research strategies and goals of African-American archaeology using examples from the colonial slave trade to the 20th Century. Specific topics include foodways, architecture, spirituality, health, ethnicity, acculturation/creolization, status, racism and gender.
2173 Archaeology and Cultures of the Biblical World (3) [CD]
A survey of the cultures of the Old Testament World with attention to their evolution, internal and external relationships, as well as their diverse religious, social, economic, and political institutions. The instructor will
teach skills in evaluating popular vs. scientific and historical evidence of Biblical events.
2190 Special Topics in Archaeology (3)
Discusses varying cultural areas from an archaeological perspective. May be repeated with consent of department. Satisfies the Cultural Diversity requirement only when the topic is a Non-Western Culture.
2191 Special Topics in Non-Western Cultures (3) [CD]
This course focuses on a specific non-western culture, or geographically related groups of cultures. Ethnographic and/or archaeological cultures are chosen and their ecological, economic, social, religious, cosmological, political, ethnic, linguistic and other cultural domains are examined. Students are exposed to basic concepts and knowledge for understanding diverse cultures in their historical and/or contemporary contexts of development and relationship. Topics will vary.
2192 Anthropological Perspectives on Western Culture (3)
This course focuses on a specific Western culture or geographically—related group of cultures utilizing ethnographic and/or archaeological sources. Ecological, economic, social, political, ethnic, religious, linguistic and cultural domains, will be examined Students are exposed to basic anthropological concepts for understanding diverse cultures in their historical and/or contemporary contexts. Topics will vary.
2232 Analysis of Archaeological Artifacts (3)
Prerequisites: ANTHRO 1109 or ANTHRO 2109 or consent of instructor. This course teaches the methods and techniques for analyzing the artifacts from an archaeological dig. Students learn to process, analyze, and interpret ceramics, stone tools, plant and animal debris according to form, design, use wear, and associations. This analysis will form the basis of interpretations about human behaviors and cultural and temporal affiliations. The student will prepare a report of the examined collection.
3202 History, Theory, and Practice of Anthropology (3)
Prerequisite: ANTHRO 1005, 1006, 1011, or 1019. An overview of the history and theory of anthropology from the Victorian era to today with an emphasis on putting theory into practice. The purpose of the course is to help students understand where anthropology has come from and where it may be going, and to teach students how to apply theory to specific questions and problems.
3209 Forensic Anthropology (4)
Prerequisites: ANTHRO 1005, or BIOL 1102, or junior standing, or consent of instructor. Same as Crimin 3209. Students learn basic dental and skeletal anatomy and the methods used by biological anthropologist and archaeologists to collect an analyze human skeletal remains, including how to determine age and sex of skeletal remains, identify ethnic markers, determine stature and handedness, and identify the presence of trauma and/or pathology. Also covers the role of the forensic anthropologist in crime scene investigations and human rights issues. In the weekly lab section students will have an opportunity for hands-on application of techniques to analyze skeletal remains.
Prerequisite: ANTHRO 1011, or introductory course in another social science, or consent of instructor. A description and analysis of methods, principles, and use of anthropology in solution of problems associated with the changing conditions of our times. The course will examine a wide variety of cross-cultural case studies.
3212 Medical Anthropology (3)Prerequisite: ANTHRO 1011, or introductory course in another social science, or consent of instructor. An examination of the growing interaction between introductory course in another social science, or consent of instructor anthropology and medicine, and the increasing use of anthropologists in medical and health-care settings. In addition to teaching current theory in medical anthropology, the course focuses on anthropologically based skills essential to those working in health-related fields.
3215 Growing Old in Other Cultures (3)
Same as GERON 3215. This course examines the wide-ranging variability in the roles of older people across different cultures and the effects these have on older people, their families, and their societies.
3216 Cognition Across Cultures (3)
Prerequisite: ANTHRO 1011, or introductory course in another social science, or consent of instructor. This course explores cognition – perception, knowledge and thought – as a set of social and cultural processes. An introduction to methods for understanding the human mind in context. It will cover key debates, including: cross-cultural variation in thought processes (cognitive relativity vs. psychic unity), the relation between physiology and consciousness, ethnoscience, the social and cultural construction of reality, the different ways that social contexts affect the way people think, the implications of the way knowledge is distributed across society, the social and cultural basis of logic.
3225 Ritual, Death, and Sports: The Archaeology of Greek Mythology (3)
Prerequisites: ANTHRO 1019 or ANTHRO 1011 or consent of instructor. Since the beginning of our existence, humans have pondered the mysteries of life and death and have strived to find meaning in a constantly changing world. In Western civilization, Greek mythology and religion represent humanity’s earliest attempts to deal with the greater forces that affect our lives, which found expression in the great religious and athletic festivals, such as the Olympic Games. We will study the myths, rituals, religious beliefs of the ancient Greeks and how these were expressed in sports and art, in order to get a glimpse of the Greeks’ understanding of life, death, and the supernatural. The sources of our exploration are two: the fascinating archaeological discoveries of ancient Greek sites and relevant readings from the ancient Greek literature.
Prerequisites: ANTHRO 1019 or consent of instructor. This course surveys the archaeological evidence for the domestication of plants and animals from around the world and the accompanying revolution in social organization, which continues to influence the modern world. It discusses key issues, concepts, and debates. It examines case studies of early domesticated plants and animals (e.g. wheat, maize, cattle, dogs, and many others) and regional studies of the development of farming and herding in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, China, the Americas, and Europe.
3227 Monsters & Victims: Women Dramatis Personae in Greek Tragedy and Contemporary Drama (3.0)
Prerequisites: ANTHRO 1011, or introductory course in another social science, or consent of instructor. This course explores female dramatic figures in ancient Greek tragedies that represent women either as victims and/or monsters. From Iphigenia, Alcestis, and Hecuba to Clytemnestra, Phaedra and Medea, it analyzes issues such as the role of sex, gender, female sexuality, ritual and domestic violence in the image-making of women as either scapegoats or monsters by the major Greek tragedians, particularly Euripides. It explores contemporary adaptations by several women playwrights in light of theoretical readings by feminist critics.
3229 Economic Archaeology and Anthropology (3)
Prerequisites: ANTHRO 1011 or ANTHRO 1019 or consent of instructor. This course examines economic organization and behavior in a cross-cultural context. It looks at the various ways anthropologists have approached the study of economy, and explores how cultural factors such as relations of power, gender, kinship, and ideology affect economic organization in ancient and modern societies. Most of the course will focus on pre-industrial societies (including hunter-gather, tribal, and complex societies), and will address issues of subsistence strategies, craft production and specialization, trade and exchange, money, and markets. It will also briefly explore how modern communities around the globe are responding to contemporary processes like capitalism and globalization.
3230 Method and Theory in Prehistoric Archaeology (3)
Prerequisites: ANTHRO 1019 or consent of instructor. An advanced course emphasizing the various theories and methods employed in prehistoric archaeological research. Archaeological theories and methods will cover diffusion, cultural ecology, seasonality, plant and animal domestication, subsistence, settlement patterns, spatial analysis, ethnoarchaeology, artifact analysis, seriation, dating techniques, remote sensing, and others. Requires substantial reading and writing.
3235 Women in Subsaharan Africa: A Contemporary Perspective
(3) [CD]
Prerequisite: ANTHRO 1011, or introductory course in another social science, or consent of the instructor. Examines important traditional concerns of anthropologists such as the nature of kinship obligation and privilege gender as a basis for the division of labor social organization for formal and informal networks and ritual and ceremony. In addition we look closely at the changing role of African women, as related by African women testing the very limits of what is "socially and culturally acceptable." The roles women continue to play in politics, comprehensive development (i.e., cultural and economic) and evolving social structures are reviewed to gain an understanding of the historical and contemporary mandates for their social action.
3236 Sex Trafficking in Cross-Cultural Perspective (3)
Prerequisites: ANTHRO 1041, WGST 2150 or 2102 or consent of instructor. This course introduces the history of and current issues in the international sex industry, including human trafficking, slavery, and prostitution in Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and North America. It will evaluate the power structures (political, economic, and military institutions) and the process, organization and structure of the industry within the context of nationality, ethnicity, and class, with particular emphasis on voluntary (immigration) and forced (displacement) population migration. Finally, it will look at current legislation and methods to control this growing problem, especially in the United States.
3244 Religion, Magic, and Science (3)
Prerequisite: ANTHRO 1011, or introductory course in another social science, or consent of the instructor. A consideration of the roles of religion, magic, and science in culture and social organization.
Prerequisite: ANTHRO 1011, or introductory course in another social science, or consent of the instructor. Focuses on United States society from humanistic and cultural viewpoints. Operates under the basic definition of folklore as “artistic communication in small groups,” and thus embraces the idea of folklore as an ongoing creative process combining the conservative elements of tradition with the dynamic aspects of cultural creation. Comparing United States folklore with that from the borderlands of Canada and Latin America, the course will use fieldwork and concepts in folkloristics to focus on folklore genres (such as narratives, arts, crafts, architecture, oral history, and others) and folk groups (such as ethnic populations, age groups, gender groups, occupations, college students, and others).
3255 Oral History and Urban Culture in St. Louis (3)
Prerequisites: ANTHRO 1011 or instructor’s consent. This course involves students in background research and active fieldwork in urban anthropology within the metropolitan area. The focus will be on learning and applying oral history techniques in the city of St. Louis and its neighborhoods. Students will conduct in-depth fieldwork in one city neighborhood. They will learn fieldwork methodologies and how to conduct social, cultural, and historical research in preparation for fieldwork. This includes learning to research, conduct, and process interviews. They will also learn to work in teams to construct a group project to be presented to the class.
3290 Advanced Topics in Archaeology (3)
Prerequisites: ANTHRO 1019, or consent of instructor. Selected topics in archaeology with a strong theoretical and methodological approach. Requires substantial reading and writing. May be repeated with consent of department.
3291 Current Issues in Anthropology (3)
Prerequisite: ANTHRO 1011, or introductory course in another social science, or consent of instructor. Selected topics in social, cultural, and physical anthropology, with emphasis on current issues and trends in the field of anthropology. May be repeated provided topic is different.
3292 Current Issues in Anthropology (4)
Prerequisites: ANTHRO 1011, or introductory course in another social science, or consent of instructor. Selected topics in social, cultural, and biological anthropology, with emphasis on current issues and trends in the field of anthropology. Includes a lab component. May be repeated provided topic is different.
4301 Ideas and Explanations in Anthropology (3)
Prerequisite: ANTHRO 3202. The theory course in the capstone sequence for Anthropology majors. Students learn to identify and synthesize relevant theories write them up in the form of a comprehensive literature review and apply them constructively to the collection, analysis, and explanation of data. Majors should take this course concurrently with ANTHRO 4308, 4310 or 4311.
4308 Practicum in Cultural Research Methods (4)
Prerequisites: One course in statistics and ANTHRO 1011, or consent of instructor. (With computer laboratory.) Emphasizes hands-on training in techniques for both the collection and analysis of ethnographic data, including participant observation, selection of ethnographic informants, key informant interviewing, and more systematic methods such as survey research. The use of computer programs for the development of protocols to collect, analyze, and display data will be covered in lab.
4309 Archaeological Field School (3-6)
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Advanced methods in field archaeology and laboratory analysis. Emphasis is placed on sampling, the use of theory in guiding field and laboratory work, advanced field techniques, and specialty analysis. Opportunities are provided for the development of
field and laboratory leadership skills. Independent research is encouraged.
4310 Laboratory Methods in Archaeology (4)
Prerequisite: ANTHRO 1019, SOC 3220 or equivalent, or consent of instructor. An advanced laboratory analysis and curation methods class. The emphases are (1) mastery of general lab methods and procedures, and (2) development of independent analysis skills in one or more specialty areas such as lithics, ceramics, computer graphics, statistical methods, paleoethnobotany, experimental analysis, and soils.
4311 Primate Research Methods (4)
Prerequisites: ANTHRO 1006, SOCl 3220 or equivalent, or consent of instructor. Course material based on primate behavior, demographics, and morphology, Research techniques for ethological and primatological studies, including the design of research protocols, development of data collection methodologies, analysis of
morphological and behavioral data and the scientific description of findings. Students are required to conduct observations of primates at the St. Louis Zoo and participate in the Undergraduate Research Symposium.
4312 Cultural Resource Management and Historic Preservation (3)
Prerequisites: ANTHRO 1019 or Consent of the Instructor. This course will introduce proper practices of cultural resource management and historic preservation. It provides a technical and theoretical bridge between anthropological archaeology and its application to the management of resources. Among the issues covered will be relevant legislation, the phased approach to archaeological and historical research, state and federal review procedures, proposal writing, interacting with clients, consulting with native peoples, and public and professional ethics and standards. This course will provide hands-on experience. Because one of the skills most sought by project managers and employers is writing competence, it will be writing intensive.
4315 Senior Seminar in Anthropology (3)
Prerequisite: ANTHRO 4301 and one of the following: ANTHRO 4308, 4310, or 4311.
The capstone course for anthropology majors, ideally taken in the final semester of the senior year. Students write a research proposal, conduct an original research project, write it up as a senior thesis, and present the thesis before the department. Must be taken concurrently with ANTHRO 4316.
4316 Senior Seminar Tutorial (1)
Prerequisites: ANTHRO 4308, 4310, or 4311 and consent of Instructor.
The student chooses a faculty member with expertise relevant to the topic of the senior thesis. The student and faculty member arrange a schedule of meetings to discuss the drafts of each section of the senior thesis as they are completed. The student will be expected to follow advice about research methods, find and utilize the sources suggested, and incorporate editorial corrections in the writing. The instructor will be the Second Reader of the senior thesis, and will jointly assign the final grade to the senior thesis together with the instructor of Anth 4315. Must be taken concurrently with ANTHRO 4315.
4325 Internship in Cultural Anthropology (1-3)
Prerequisite: Recommendation of major adviser. Students will be assigned an internship on recommendation of their adviser. Internships will consist of a period of study, observation, and training in an appropriate public or private institution, business, or government office. Cultural Anthropology internships are aimed at providing students with opportunities to learn to apply their knowledge of social and cultural process and diversity to practical situations in the market place of ideas, goods, and services. Specific placements will be selected to match a student's interests and career goals.
4326 Internship in Archaeology (1-6)
Prerequisite: Recommendation of major adviser. Students will be assigned an internship on recommendation of their adviser. Internships will consist of a period of study, observation, and training in an appropriate public or private institution, business, or government office. Archaeology internships are aimed at providing students with opportunities to work with professional archaeologists in public and private research environments including laboratories and curation centers. Specific placements will be selected to match a student's interests and career goals.
4327 Internship in Folklore (1-3)
Prerequisite: Recommendation of major adviser. Students will be assigned an internship on recommendation of their adviser. Internships will consist of a period of study, observation, and training in an appropriate public or private institution. Folklore internships are aimed at providing students with opportunities to work with professional folklorists and anthropologists in an applied setting. Further, it allows a student to devote an entire semester to produce a viable urban fieldwork report. Specific placements will be selected to match a student's interests and career goals.
4328 Internship in Museum Studies (1-3)
Prerequisite: Recommendation of major adviser. Students will be assigned an internship on recommendation of their adviser. Internships will consist of a period of study, observation, and training in an appropriate museum or other exhibition oriented institution. Museum internships are aimed at providing students with opportunities to work with professional museologists to learn skills relating to areas such as exhibition, curation, public programming, research, and publication. Specific placements will be selected to match student's interests and career goals.
4329 Internship in Physical Anthropology (1-3)
Prerequisite: Recommendation of major adviser. Students will be assigned an internship on recommendation of their adviser. Internships will consist of a period of study, observation, and training in an appropriate institution, lab or research setting related to forensics, primate behavior and biology, human genetics, population, environmental policy, and other domains related to physical anthropology.
4350 Special Study (1-3)
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Independent study through readings, reports, or field research. No student
may take more than a cumulative total of 6 hours of Special Study.
4391 Current Issues in Anthropology (1-4)
Prerequisite: ANTHRO 1011 or consent of instructor. Selected topics in social, cultural, and physical anthropology, with emphasis on current issues and trends in the field of anthropology. May be repeated.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. This course will introduce proper practices of cultural resource management and historic preservation. It provides a technical and theoretical bridge between anthropological archaeology and its application to the management of resources. Among the issues covered will be relevant legislation, the phased approach to archaeological and historical research, state and federal review procedures, proposal writing, interacting with clients, helping with native peoples, and public and professional ethics and standards. This course will provide hands-on experience. Because one of the skills most sought by project managers and employers is writing competence, it will be writing intensive.
5429 The Body in East Asian Culture (3)
Prerequisites: Graduate standing and one course on East Asia. This course looks at the meanings and practices associated with the body in Mainland China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Detailed analysis of the concepts of the body in classical Chinese medicine forms the basis for philosophical discussions of Western mind-body dualism vs. Eastern mind-body synthesis. Anthropological, sociological and historical research on sports, fashion, beauty, diet, meditation, and martial arts will also be covered. This course is taught at Washington University for the Joint Program on East Asian Studies.
5440 Cultural Aspects of Aging (3)
Prerequisite: Graduate status or consent of instructor Same as GERON 5440. Focuses on the variety of solutions encountered in different sociocultural contexts for dealing with the problems, challenges and opportunities of growing old. It is organized around topics that are of concern to both anthropology and social gerontology: the status of the aged, intergenerational relations, aging in modernizing societies, ethnic dimensions of aging in complex societies, health in later life, death and dying. Both in-depth case studies and cross-cultural comparisons are examined in an effort to arrive at a culturally informed assessment of factors affecting aging and the aged in the United States.
6136 Foundations of Museology II (3)
Prerequisite: Consent of Director of Museum Studies Program. Same as ART HS 6036 and HIST 6136. Audience-centered approaches to museology visitor research and learning theory, philosophical and practical considerations in museum planning, the physical design of museums, creativity, exhibit and program development, collections and curation, the challenge of diversity, the future of museums.
6139 Practicum in Exhibit and Program Development (3)
Prerequisite: Consent of Director of Museum Studies Program. Development of exhibits and related education programs. Students work as teams with museum professionals to develop and implement an exhibit concept that integrates design, education and marketing from the onset. Methods in planning, flow charting, budgeting, team dynamics and related skills.