School of Arts
& Sciences

Anthropology Anth 151S Introduction to Anthropology (4-0) 4

A comprehensive, systems-oriented study of general anthropology covering the four major subfields (archaeology, biological anthropology, linguistic anthropology, and ethnology). This course is recommended as a beginning course for students who have had no previous background in anthropology. Fall and winter terms.

Anth 171 World Archaeology (4-0) 4

This course serves as an introduction to the great multiplicity of cultures of the past. In reviewing world archaeology, students are introduced not only to the great range of archaeological techniques, but also to how Western perception of other peoples' pasts have colored our interpretations. Offered on demand.

Anth 201T Introduction to Archaeology (4-0) 4

This course is designed to introduce the beginning student to the basic techniques, concepts, and theories of archaeology and its relation to the wide field of anthropology. Fall and winter terms.

Anth 208N Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Cultural Survival (4-0) 4

Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) is an integrated body of spiritual and practical knowledge that has evolved over vast stretches of time through the successful adaptation of a culture to its local environment. In this course, students will be introduced to the ways that different cultures organize and categorize domains of TEK, including plants, animals, landscapes, and kin. The class will also address the growing question of cultural survival in relation to environmental loss, as it is increasingly apparent that cultural diversity is directly related to biological diversity. Fall term.

Anth 210R Introduction to Sociocultural Anthropology (4-0) 4

Sociocultural anthropology (also known as ethnology) deals with the relationship of culture to society and the individual. This course is designed for the beginning student and introduces the basic concepts, theories, and methods of this broad field. It also looks at the application of ethnological thought in considering modern human realities and problems, and in understanding the relationship of cultural and expressive forms to identity. Fall and winter terms.

Anth 213S Peasant Societies (4-0) 4

This course provides a study of agricultural societies throughout the world and the position of these societies within more complex systems. The instructor may select a specific area for in-depth study to complement a more general, systemic perspective on world peasantries. Winter term.

Anth 215R Magic and Religion (3-0) 3

This course provides an inquiry into the forms that spiritual and religious beliefs take cross-culturally and investigates the various practices and symbols through which these beliefs are expressed and enacted in public life. Summer session and on demand.

Anth 217R Cultural Images of Women and Men (4-0) 4

This course examines the images of gender and sexuality that permeate our society and that contribute to the definition and delimitation of identity and autonomy. Special attention is given to examining social hierarchies that underlay and are modified by the discourse surrounding and representations of male and female behavioral expectations. Any and all cultural products will be our objects of inquiry and analysis, from film and advertising to autobiography and other self-portraits. Our goal is to arrive at a coherent understanding of the relationship of images to social power, equality, and inequality. Offered on demand.

Anth 220 Colorado Archaeology (3-0) 3

This course covers the prehistoric and historic archaeology of Colorado. It examines the historical development of archaeology in the state, our current state of knowledge, and how Colorado archaeology has developed in relation to the wider goals of archaeology. Offered on demand.

Anth 225 N Introduction to Population Issues (1-0) 1

Global population issues are important in a world of increasing human numbers and dwindling availability of resources. Course topics include demographic terminology, growth dynamics and reasons for change, family planning policies and technology, the environmental impact of people and their consumption practices, perspectives on food supply, and "sustainability" for understanding population issues.

Anthropology 225 offers students a one-hour internet-based course meeting three times in the fall semester and a commitment to three Population Awareness Week programs (evenings) for writing a paper. Students progress at their own pace through the readings (Internet and texts) in preparation for the final exam. Contact Professor Gordon at gordon_d@fortlewis.edu to obtain course web address.

Anth 236Tx Introduction to Physical and Biological Anthropology (3-3) 4

This course provides a study of the biological development of humankind and the modern understanding of human variation from a technological, critical, ethical, and evolutionary perspective. Topics to be explored in the classroom and laboratory contexts include the biological basis of the race concept, the workings of Mendelian genetics, forensic anthropology, and the basics of primate evolution. Offered fall and winter terms.

Anth 243S Food: Systems of Production, Distribution, and Consumption
(4-0) 4

This course explores the centrality of food systems in local and global contexts. It examines the interrelated historic, economic, political and gendered features of food production, distribution, and consumption via cross-cultural comparison. Special attention is paid to the dialectic of material and symbolic elements where our goal is to understand the place of food in systems of power that include familial, cultural, industrial, and institutional forms. Offered on demand.

Anth 259 Field Training in Archaeology 4-8

Actual on-site training in the techniques of archaeological survey and excavation. Students spend full days, five days a week, in the field for seven weeks. They receive intensive instruction in field survey, remote sensing, and all aspects of excavation, recording, mapping, photography, artifact classification, field laboratory techniques, and site interpretation. A written description of the field school for each year will be furnished to prospective students. Summer term.

Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.

Anth 299 Individualized Study 1-6

This course is to be used in a limited manner to provide learning experiences in lower-division anthropological inquiry not provided by the major departmental offerings. A learning contract will be established for the student, with expectations stated explicitly. This course may not be used to fulfill major requirements or to replace a major departmental offering. Fall, winter, and summer terms.

Prerequisite: Comp 150 and consent of instructor.

Anth 300 Proseminar in Anthropology (2-0) 2

This course provides the opportunity for majors, minors, and prospective majors to engage in a critical examination of the subfields of anthropology and the possible directions they might take in pursuing one or more of these subfields both during and subsequent to their undergraduate career. The course will prepare students to think seriously about anthropology as part of a liberal arts education, as a vocation, and as a rich context for the pursuit of research questions about the human condition. Fall and winter terms.

Anth 302 Research Issues in Evolutionary Anthropology (2-0) 2

An exploration of the changing knowledge base of hominid and primate evolution. Alternate years. Note: This course counts toward the research requirement in the major.

Prerequisites: Anth 236Tx or permission of instructor.

Anth 303W Anthropological Debates (4-0) 4

This course fulfills the anthropology major's Group W composition requirement. It is organized around a controversial theme and debate within the discipline. The student will enter into this debate by reading, writing, and speaking. Course debate themes will alternate from semester to semester. Examples of course themes include the "race" concept, indigenous rights, ethics, repatriation, archaeological theory, food and nutrition, among others. Fall and winter terms.

Prerequisites: Comp 150, and either Anth 210 or Anth 201.

Anth 306 Plains Archaeology (4-0) 4

This course examines the prehistoric and historic cultures of the Plains of North America. Particular emphasis is placed on how recent archaeological theory can contribute to a deeper understanding of past cultural dynamics. Offered on demand.

Note: This course counts toward the research requirement in the major.

Prerequisite: Comp 150.

Anth 309 Archaeology of Britain (4-0) 4

This course provides a survey of the cultural history of the British Isles from the Paleolithic to the Medieval period as seen from the archaeological record. Alternate years.

Note: This course counts as the non-New World archaeology requirement in the major.

Anth 310 Geoarchaeology (4-0) 4

This course offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of archaeology. The conceptual foundations and historical relationships between archaeology and the geosciences are explored. The major focus of this course is on the methods and techniques borrowed from the geosciences (geology, geography, geomorphology) that relate to the reconstruction of the archaeological landscape. Offered on demand.

Note: This course counts toward the research requirement in the major.

Prerequisites: Anth 201 or consent of the instructor.

Anth 313 The Archaeology of Greece and Rome (4-0) 4

This course examines the past of Greece and Rome, from the Bronze Age to the end of the Classical and Imperial periods, drawing on both archaeology and other relevant disciplines. The course situates the development of classical archaeology in its historical and socio-political context and addresses some current issues of relevance to both classical archaeology and archaeology in general. Offered on demand.

Note: This course counts toward the research requirement in the major.

Anth 316 Internship in Anthropology 1-6

This course offers a guided framework for practical experience for work carried out by students in discipline-related governmental and non-governmental agency projects. Interns will be involved in effective public service in order to promote student understanding of complex social, political, economic, scientific, and philosophical issues. Internship examples include, but are not limited to, work in archaeological, museum, and public health contexts.

Course credit is based on

1) satisfactory performance of 30 hours of work for each credit earned;

2) fulfillment of a learning contract with a faculty sponsor; and

3) the satisfactory completion of a final project, usually a paper. Offered fall, winter, and summer terms.

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

Anth 330 Archaeology of the Southwest (4-0) 4

This course provides a comprehensive survey of the major archaeological traditions of the prehistoric Southwestern United States, and the environmental and cultural influences that made them distinct. Fall term.

Prerequisites: Anth 201 or consent of instructor.

Anth 340 Ancient Egypt (4-0) 4

Using archaeological data, this course examines the development of a major civilization and its relationship to both the earlier civilizations of Mesopotamia and the later developing civilizations of the Mediterranean. Offered summer term and on demand.

Note: This course counts toward the non-New World archaeology requirement in the major.

Anth 341 Prehistory of Europe (4-0) 4

This course provides a survey of early cultures of Europe from the earliest evidence of humans until the development of civilizations. Alternate years.

Note: This course counts toward the non-New World archaeology requirement in the major.

Anth 348 North American Archaeology (4-0) 4

This course traces the development of the aboriginal cultures of North America. Emphasis is placed on evaluating the degree to which our understanding of the past is influenced by both the discipline of anthropology and by contemporary Western values. Fall term.

Prerequisites: Anth 201 or consent of instructor.

Anth 350 Ethnology of Mesoamerica (4-0) 4

This course provides a comparative study of major cultural topics concerning contemporary ethnic groups of central Mexico and northern Central America. Geography, demography, ecology, and prehistory will be touched upon, while social, economic, and political systems will be studied in more depth. Alternate winter terms.

Anth 351 Ethnology of Andean South America (4-0) 4

Indigenous peoples and peoples of mixed descent are studied in terms of their past and present cultural and political-economic experiences. Particular emphasis is given to understanding the ways the North American and Andean worlds intersect, as well as to the ways that Andean studies reflect and influence trends in anthropological thought. Winter term.

Anth 353 Ethnology of India (4-0) 4

While we are overwhelmed by the cultural diversity of the Indian subcontinent, this course focuses on the unity of cultures in the area. Topics include the caste system, contemporary economic and political systems, and a brief look at geography, demography, ecology, and prehistory. Tribal peoples will be studied in addition to peasantries. Alternate fall terms.

Anth 355 Anthropology of Gender (4-0) 4

This course offers an in-depth, interdisciplinary analysis of the nature and origin of gender concepts cross-culturally, particularly as they relate to explaining gender hierarchy. Topics to be covered include the contributions of feminist thought to social scientific theories, the cultural construction of gender categories, and the relationship of gender to power. Alternate winter terms.

Note: This course is the same as WS 355.

Credit will be given for only one of these courses.

Anth 356 Ecological Anthropology (4-0) 4

This course provides a comparative study of human populations in ecosystems, stressing the relationship between culture and the biophysical environment with the focus on cultural adaptations. Implications for anthropological theory, sociocultural evolution, and contemporary problems will be investigated. Alternate winter terms.

Note: This course counts toward the research requirement in the major.

Prerequisite: Comp 150.

Anth 357 Medical Anthropology (4-0) 4

The medical systems of indigenous peoples are analyzed cross-culturally from the perspectives of epidemiology, symbolism, history, and a political economy. Topics will include the development of medical anthropology, the medical traditions of Ayurvedic, humoral, shamanic, and biomedical practitioners, theories of cause and cure, and applied practice. This course is recommended for pre-health and social science majors. Fall term.

Note: This course counts toward the research requirement in the major.

Prerequisite: Comp 150.

Anth 360 Legal and Ethical Issues in Archaeology (4-0) 4

This course examines in depth the current ethical issues confronting archaeologists and those whose pasts they interpret. The legal foundations of those issues are studied in detail to prepare students for an understanding of the tenets of cultural resource management and conservation archaeology, and the manner in which these fields relate to interpreting the pasts of Native Peoples. Alternate years.

Prerequisite: Anth 201, or consent of instructor.

Anth 361 North American Indians (3-0) 3

This course examines the prehistoric, historic, ethnological, linguistic, and political-economic relationships of the aboriginal peoples of North America from the perspectives both of non-Native and Native American intellectuals. Offered on demand.

Anth 371 Ethnology of Amazonian South America (3-0) 3

Selected societies of the Amazon region are studied in this comparative survey, which opens with consideration of the ways that the region and its peoples have played a large role in European fantasies of Utopia and acts of global economic and political expansion. The major focus of the course is on the relationship of Amazonian peoples to their ecosystem and the ways they continue to struggle to achieve autonomy over their threatened territories and ways of life. Summer term and on demand.

Anth 388 Ethnology of the Southwest (4-0) 4

This course provides a comparative overview of selected American Indian cultures of the American Southwest in terms of their history, social organization, belief systems, oral traditions, political economy, and responses to change as they intersect with non-Indian peoples. Alternate years.

Anth 395 History of Anthropological Thought (4-0) 4

This course provides a genealogical and critical look at the major philosophical, historical, and scientific elements that have contributed to anthropological thought and practice-both archaeological and ethnological-since the early 19th century. Although this course is specifically required for the anthropology major, it is recommended for any student interested in the development of social scientific thought and the ways it plays out in students' own intellectual autobiographies. Fall and winter terms.

Prerequisite: Comp 150.

Anth 402 Advanced Archaeological Laboratory Techniques (4-0) 4

This course covers laboratory techniques and analysis of prehistoric artifacts, with special emphasis on lithic, ceramic, and bone technologies, and on the preparation of technical reports. Fall term.

Note: This course counts toward the research requirement in the major.

Prerequisite: Anth 259, Anth 403, or consent of instructor.

Anth 403 Advanced Archaeological Field Techniques 4-8

This course provides advanced training in the techniques of archaeological survey and excavation. Students spend full days, five days a week, in the field for a total of seven weeks. In addition to intensive instruction in all aspects of field survey and excavation, training includes research design preparation, hypothesis generation, field test propositions, and excavation sampling design. Students may serve as crew chiefs and direct field laboratory sessions. A written description of the field school for each year will be furnished to prospective students. Summer term.

Prerequisite: Anth 259 or equivalent and consent of the instructor.

Anth 406 Ethnobotany of the Southwest (4-0) 4

This class offers students the opportunity to conduct in-depth research regarding traditional plant knowledge unique to the various cultures of the Greater Southwest and to become familiar with the important and useful plants of the region. Winter term. Note: This course counts toward the research requirement in the major.

Prerequisite: Comp 150.

Anth 430 Advanced Studies in Southwestern Archaeology (4-0) 4

This course provides detailed study and research on current topics in the archaeology of the Southwestern United States, with special emphasis on the theoretical and empirical contributions of major archaeologists and archaeological projects. Individual projects will focus on current topics in archaeology. Winter term.

Note: This course counts toward the research requirement in the major.

Prerequisite: Anth 330 or consent of instructor.

Anth 450 Advanced Research in Latin American Anthropology (2-0) 2

Students will work all term on a focused research project that requires previous knowledge and expertise in Latin American sociocultural systems. Common course readings and class discussions will center around research methods appropriate to work in the broad region of Latin America, to ethical implications for such research, and to possible applications of research. Guidance will be provided to those students who wish to formulate their research into a post-baccalaureate Fulbright grant proposal. Fall term and on demand.

Note: This course counts toward the research requirement in the major.

Prerequisite: Anth 350, Anth 351, Anth 371, or consent of instructor.

Anth 455 Advanced Research in the Anthropology of Gender (2-0) 2

Students will work all term on a focused research project that requires familiarity with gender theory and discourse in the social sciences, history, literature, or philosophy. Common course readings and discussions will center around feminist research methods, and the ethical implications and applications of such research. Guidance will be provided to those students who wish to formulate their research into a post-baccalaureate Fulbright grant proposal. Winter term and on demand.

Note: This course counts toward the research requirement in the major.

Prerequisite: Anth 217R, Anth 355, or consent of instructor.

Anth 496 Senior Capstone Seminar in Anthropology (2-0) 2

This course provides a context for advanced reading, writing, and seminar discussion centered on integrating the undergraduate anthropological career and on thinking about and working toward incorporating an anthropological focus in the student's life beyond college. As a capstone course, the Senior Seminar provides a rich opportunity to reflect upon and synthesize, through various written and oral projects, the many dimensions of the anthropological intellectual experience. Fall and winter terms.

Prerequisites: Anth 303W, Anth 395, and consent of instructor.

Anth 499 Independent Study 2-4

This course requires original research conducted under the supervision of a faculty member with whom the student signs a contract that explicitly states the parameters and expectations to be fulfilled by the project. This course may not be used in lieu of an existing course offered by the department.

Note: This course may be used to fulfill the research requirement in the major.

Prerequisite: Anth 303W and consent of the instructor.