[ANT 100] General Anthropology

Introduction

Anthropology studies the whole of the human condition and it includes both scientific and humanistic approaches. It compares cultures and populations across the world and examines the development of human diversity over the past few million years. Anthropologists take a holistic approach, which means they study everything about what it means to be human (e.g., biology, economics, politics, religion, culture, language, marriage patterns, etc.), and they look for the interrelations of these parts. This course will introduce studetns to the four major subfiels of anthropology: physical/biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, linguistics, and archaeology. Along the way, students will examine some of the most fundamental and important issues in the world today (e.g., the concept of race, genetics, the sources and solutions to ethnic conflict, and many more).

Two central ideas in anthropology are the concept of culture and the concept of evolution. One definition of culture i: the complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, arts, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by humans as members of society. In this course, students will explore many dimensions of culture and how it has shaped the human condition. The National Academy of Sciences has stated that the most fundamental concept in all of biology is evolution. One definition of evolution is a change in allele frequency between generations. A less technical one is descent with modification. However evolution is defined, we must understand the basic concepts behind biological evolution in order to understand the human species (Homo sapiens). In this course, students will examine human biology from an evolutionary and adaptive framework looking at, among other things

• the course of human evolution,
• humans' relationship to their closest living relatives-- the primates,
• evolutions effect on human appearance (e.g., their skin color),
• human adaptation to the diverse environments of the world.

One important goal of this course is that students develop the ability to look at the world through the anthropological lens. That is, they are able to understand and apply ideas about culture and evolution that they have learned in this course to any and all situations they encounter in life.

Description

UW Colleges Catalog Course Description for ANT 100 - General Anthropology - 3 credits. A survey of the subfields of anthropology, especially archaeology and physical and cultural anthropology. The course explores human biological evolution and variation, cultural evolution, language, and culture change. This course fulfills the UWC requirement for Social Sciences (SS).

This is a broad survey course that covers a lot of material. In the first half of the course, students will examine general anthropological concepts and methods, human and primate biology and evolution, and the origins of food production and the state civilization. In the second half, students will examine what is culture, what are ethnic groups, what is race, and what is language. Then students will look at the worldwide diversity of basic human cultural institutions: making a living (economy), politics, marriage, family structure, gender identity, and religion. Finally students will examine the major forces that have structured the world cultural patterns that they see today. These include the development of world economic systems, colonialism, and globalization. Students will finish by examining how people and cultures are adapting to these forces around the world today.

Proficiencies

Institutional proficiencies assigned to this course

Successful completion of this course will enhance students' ability to

• interpret and synthesize information and ideas;
• analyze and evaluate arguments;
• read, observe, and listen with comprehension and critical perception.

Department-specific proficiencies assigned to this course

This course will

• introduce students to the different methods of inquiry and analysis within anthropology.

Requirements

Software

• Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  This is freely distributed software that allows you to view and print Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed, please download it by visiting http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html.

About the Instructors

• Chris Hays
  Associate Professor, Anthropology
  BA, University of Virginia
  MA, Binghamton University
  PhD, Binghamton University