College of Arts and Sciences
Departments
Sociology and Anthropology
Anthropology Courses
- ANTH-A 104 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (3 cr.) A survey of cultural and social processes that influence human behavior, using comparitive examples from different ethnic groups around the world, with the goal of better understanding the broad range of human behavioral potenials and those influences that shape the different expressions of these potentials. (Fall, Spring, Summer)
- ANTH-A 105 Human Origins and Prehistory (3 cr.) Human biological evolution and prehistory from the earliest archaeological record through the rise of civilization. (Fall, Spring, Summer)
- ANTH-A 200 Topics in Anthropology (topic varies) (3 cr.) P: ANTH A104. Course is geared to the nonmajor and emphasizes the development of skills in the use of anthropological approaches to the study of human behavior and belief. Topics will vary. ANTH-A 200 may be taken twice with different topics. (Occasionally)
- ANTH-A 360 Development of Anthropological Thought (3 cr.) P: ANTH A104, A105, E200 and at least junior standing An overview of the major theoretical developments within anthropology as the discipline has attempted to produce a universal and unified view of human life based on knowledge of evolution and prehistoric and contemporary cultures. (Spring - even years)
- ANTH-A 210 Ancillary Topics in Anthropology (.5-2 cr.) Individual and group activities that may be independent of or connected to a course. May include activities such as discussions, fieldwork, service learning, and applied anthropology projects. May be repeated with different topics to total up to 3 credit hours. (Occasionally)
- ANTH-A 495 Independent Studies in Anthropology (1-4 cr.) P: Two courses in anthropology and authorization of the instructor. A supervised, in-depth examination through individual research on a particular topic selected and conducted by the student in consultation with an anthropology faculty member. (Fall, Spring, Summer I, Summer II)
- ANTH-A 220 Hands-on Fossil Observations (1 cr.) Hands-on observations, measurements, and interpretations of human fossils and fossil casts; offered in conjunction with human paleontology courses. (Occasionally)
- ANTH-A 230 Linguistic Anthropology Lab (1 cr.) Linguistics problems, word games, and videos. Offered in conjunction with Language and Culture courses. (Occasionally)
- ANTH-B 201 Bioanthropology and Forensics Lab (3 cr.) C: ANTH B300. Laboratory exercises in anatomy, genetics, primates, fossils; and identification, aging, and sexing of the human skeleton. (Occasionally)
- ANTH-A 240 History of Ethnographic Film (1 cr.) Viewing of ethnographic films from earliest to most recent, with discussions. Offered in conjunction with theory courses. May be repeated once with different topic and with different theory course.
- ANTH-B 250 Topics in Biological Anthropology (3 cr.) P: ANTH A105. Selected topics in bioanthropology. May be repeated once with a different topic. (Occasionally)
- ANTH-B 313 Human Evolution (3 cr.) Humans shared their last common ancestor with the rest of the great apes roughly 6 million years ago. In this course we will trace the process of human evolution since this last common ancestor to modern Homo sapiens. This class will investigate what it means to e human, from bipedalism and encephalization to tool use and cultural adaptation to a wide array of physical environments.
- ANTH-B 400 Undergraduate Seminar (3 cr.) P: ANTH-A 105 and junior standing, or three courses in biology or anatomy. Selected topics in bioanthropology. Analysis of research. Development of skills in analysis and criticism. Topic varies. ANTH-B 400 may be taken twice with different topics. (Occasionally)
- ANTH-B 466 The Primates (3 cr.) P: ANTH A105 or B200. Paleontology, functional morphology, behavior, and natural history of the nonhuman primates. Emphasis on behavioral and ecological correlates of morphology. Credit given for only one of the following: ANTH-B 106, ANTH-B 266, and ANTH-B 466. (Occasionally)
- ANTH-B 206 Primate Zoo Observation (1 cr.) P: Any one of ANTH A103, ANTH A105, ANTH B200, ANTH B266, or ANTH B466. Observation of primate anatomy, locomotion, and social behavior at various Midwestern zoos. (Occasionally)
- ANTH-E 400 Undergraduate Seminar (topic varies) (3 cr.) P: ANTH-A 104, and junior standing. Intensive examination of selected topics in anthropology. Emphasis upon analytic investigation and critical discussion. Topics will vary. ANTH E400 may be taken twice with different topics. (Occasionally)
- ANTH-E 445 Medical Anthropology (3 cr.) P: ANTH A104. A cross-cultural examination of human biocultural adaptation in health and disease, including biocultural epidemiology, ethnomedical systems in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, and sociocultural change and health. (Occasionally)
- ANTH-L 300 Culture and Language (3 cr.) P: ANTH-A 104. Explores the relationships between language and culture, focusing on research methodology and surveying various theoretical frameworks. (Spring - odd years)
- ANTH-P 200 Introduction to Archaeology (3 cr.) P: ANTH-A 104 and ANTH-A 105. Introduction to the goals, methods, and theories that archaeologists use to learn about the past. The pursuit and interpretation of archaeological evidence are explored by reviewing case studies from across the globe and diverse time periods. Topics include food and subsistence, culture change, social life, political economies, and archaeological ethics. (Spring)
- ANTH-B 368 The Evolution of Primate Social Behavior (3 cr.) Major patterns of social organization in the order Primates, with focus on several important primate species. Examination of Darwinian theories of behavioral evolution. Particular attention paid to the influence of food-getting and diet on social behavior.
- ANTH-A 201 Survey of Applied Anthropology (3 cr.) Each of the four fields of anthropology can be applied to the wide array of challenges humanity faces today. This course explores past and present examples of applied and engaged anthropology to understand what types of issues anthropology has sought to solve, what methods anthropologists have used to approach these issues, and what types of successes and failures applied anthropologists have met with in these processes.
- ANTH-B 300 Bioanthropology (3 cr.) P: ANTH A105. Bioanthropology of humans, basic biological principles, functional morphology, evolutionary history. Human evolution from lower forms, environmental factors, speciation and differentiation, growth, sexual differences, constitutional variability. (Fall - odd years)
- ANTH-B 464 Human Paleontology (3 cr.) P: ANTH A105 or B200. Human fossils: their structure, classification, geologic range, and geographical distribution. (Occasionally)
- ANTH-E 230 American Ethnic Diversity (3 cr.) This course is an examination of ethnic diversity in the United States. We will begin by looking at how we define ethnicity in the united States and the experience of ethnic group membership in the contemporary United States. We will then look at the ways in which ethnicity intersects with other areas of life, including race, health, multiculturalism, consumerism, and socioeconomic status.
- ANTH-E 318 Nature/Culture: Global Perspectives in Environmental Anthropology (3 cr.) When we think of nature, what images cone to mind? How are ideas of nature influenced by culture, history, and politics? By the end of the semester, students will recognize how environments represent a collection, not only of plants and animals, but also of meanings and relationships.
- ANTH-E 200 Social and Cultural Anthropology (3 cr.) P: ANTH A104. Intermediate survey of theories and problems in social and cultural anthropology. Historical development, methods of inquiry, focal problems, and contemporary theoretical perspectives. (Fall)
- ANTH-E 205 Peoples of the World (3 cr.) P: ANTH-A 104. All peoples have to confront similar challenges in order to survive and thrive as individuals and as societies. This course will examine how several cultures around the world shape their values, behaviors, institutions, and stories in response to external and internal challenges. (Occasionally)
- ANTH-E 329 Indigenous Peoples in the United States in the 20th Century (3 cr.) In the cultural imagination of most Americans, Native Americans are, if not a people of the past, a population residing on reservations and following traditional ways of life. In this course we investigate the real lives and experiences of Native Americans in the 20th century and beyond. We begin with a broad overview of Native American peoples and cultures prior to the 20th century before looking at aspects of contemporary Native American life, including: urban Native communities, the American Indian Movement, Native American health, gaming, and issues of sovereignty, citizenship, and military duty in the United States.
- ANTH-E 300 Culture Areas and Ethnic Groups (variable title) (1-3 cr.) P: ANTH-A 104. An ethnographic survey of a selected culture area or ethnic group. (May not be repeated for more than 6 credit hours.) (Occasionally)
- ANTH-E 357 Magic, Witchcraft & Religion (3 cr.) This course explores the cultural beliefs about supernatural phenomena around the world. Anthropology expands beyond the idea that religion consists only of traditional denominations with special worship spaces, sacred scriptures, theological doctrine and ordained clergy. The anthropological realm includes traditional healers, shamans, witches, and ancestral spirits, not to mention the whole host of rituals both personal and cultural.
- ANTH-E 320 Indians of North America (3 cr.) P: ANTH-A 104. Ethnographic survey of culture areas from the Arctic to Panama plus cross-cultural analysis of interrelations of culture, geographical environment, and language families. (Fall, Spring)
- ANTH-E 380 Urban Anthropology (3 cr.) More than half of humanity today lives in urban spaces, and this number is expected to grow to two-thirds in the next 50 years. Throughout its history as a discipline, much of the focus of anthropology has been on small-scale societies. This course explores how anthropology has begun to adapt to world urbanization and looks at what anthropology can contribute to our understandings of human life in cities. We will investigate the methods of anthropology and ethnography in city spaces in addition to tracing theoretical trends in urban anthropology. We will ask how anthropology asks big questions (i.e. How are gender roles changing in city spaces? What inequalities exist in city spaces and how are they perpetuated How to do transnational and multicultural work in cities) and seeks to answer them by looking at local understandings and on-the-ground perspectives.
- ANTH-E 324 Native American Art (3 cr.) P: ANTH-A 104. This course is an introduction to the visual arts of Native Americans in the period since contact. Topics will include the artist (traditional and contemporary); the relationship of art, myth, and ritual the effects of contact with other cultures on Indian arts; shamanism and art. Class discussion will be illustrated with slides and movies. (Occasionally)
- ANTH-E 402 Gender in Cross-Cultural Perspective (3 cr.) Anthropology of gender explores the experiences of men, women, and non-binary individuals cross-culturally. We begin with a brief history of this subfield before delving into questions about gender, performance, and identity: what is the difference between sex and gender? What are the origins of gender inequalities and how are they perpetuated? How are gender roles and ideologies shaped by local culture? Who are non-binary individuals and what are their experiences outside western cultures? And how do processes of globalization alter local conceptualizations and experiences of gender? In this course we look at these and other questions through lectures, readings, films, and seminar discussions.
- ANTH-E 335 Ancient Civilization of MesoAmerica (3 cr.) P: A104. Historical Ethnography of the major pre- Columbian Civilizations including the Olmec, Mayan and Aztec. Emphasis on the social life, cultural achievements, religion, worldview, and political systems to illustrate the diversity and richness of Amerindian life before the Spanish conquest. (Occasionally)
- ANTH-E 404 Field Methods in Ethnography (3 cr.) Introduction to the methods and techniques anthropologists use in ethnographic research. Preparation of a research proposal, interviewing, and the use of the life histories and case studies.
- ANTH-E 421 Food and Culture (3 cr.) Culture is necessary for human survival, and food is the heart of human culture whether on an isolated island or in a high-rise restaurant in Manhattan. Cultures developed around the question: “What’s for supper”? as human energy went to acquire plants and animals for consumption, around which a total field of cultural organization developed. Anthropology takes food beyond the level of merely inventorying the fare we put in our mouths. Food has tremendous social meaning that symbolizes our relationships to each other and to the supernatural. As they say, “You are what you eat".
- ANTH-E 423 Life Histories (3 cr.) This course is a methods course in anthropology that provides students with the opportunity to develop and complete ethnographic fieldwork using the life history approach. Anthropologists engage in life history research to connect the complex ways in which individual lives are shaped by larger social and cultural contexts. In this course students will develop and conduct a life history research project, analyze the data from this research, and write a brief life history based upon this study.
- ANTH-F 116 First Year Seminar (3 cr.) This first year seminar is an introduction to life at Indiana University Northwest, the value of a college degree, and succeeding as a college student.
- ANTH-P 399 Undergraduate Seminar (3 cr.) Intensive examination of selected topics in archaeology. Development of skills in analysis and criticism. Topic varies.
- ANTH-X 477 Fieldwork in Anthropology (3 cr.) Fieldwork in anthropology carried out by the student in consultation with faculty members.
- ANTH-X 478 Field study in Anthropology (3 cr.) Supervised fieldwork of an anthropological nature arranged through an outside agency or institution, such as an internship, apprenticeship or volunteer at a governmental office, zoo or archaeological site.
- ANTH-E 2300 Culture Areas and Ethnic Groups (variable title) (1-3 cr.) P: ANTH-A104 An ethnographic survey of a selected culture area or ethnic group. (May not be repeated for more than 6 credit hours). Occasionally
- ANTH-P 360 Prehistory of North America (3 cr.) An exploration of the archaeology of North America by addressing current issues and debates, including the peopling of the New World, hunter-gatherer research, origins of agriculture, socio-political complexity and inequality, trade and exchange, post-colonial culture contact, and archaeological ethics. Archaeological evidence from several regions and culture areas is emphasized.