Course Offerings - Department of Anthropology

Course Schedules

Summer 2022

Fall 2022

Spring 2023

Fall 2023

A complete list of courses offered by the Anthropology Department can be found below:

*You may also view a list of Anthropology course offerings on the General Bulletin website here.

Undergraduate Courses

ANTH 101. Exploring Anthropology (1).

The broad field of anthropology studies “all things human” in ways that stand apart from sociology, psychology, history, and other areas of the humanities and sciences. This course explores anthropologists, study of archaeology, culture, human biology, language and medicine to understand humans in general and in specific contexts. It dispels common myths and misconceptions (for instance, archaeologists like to excavate graves, humans evolved from monkeys, the field deals with primitive people, it is not scientific). The faculty of the Case Western Reserve University Anthropology Department and affiliated anthropologists talk briefly about their field or subfield, its big questions, and their research.

ANTH 102. Being Human: An Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology (3).

The nature of culture and humans as culture-bearing animals. The range of cultural phenomena including language, social organization, religion, and culture change, and the relevance of anthropology for contemporary social, economic, and ecological problems.

ANTH 103. Introduction to Human Evolution (3).

Physical, cultural, and technological evolution of humans. The systematic interrelationships between humans, culture, and environment.

ANTH 107. Archaeology: An Introduction (3).

Basic archaeological concepts are discussed followed by a review of human cultural and biological evolution from the earliest times through development of state organized societies. Geographical scope is worldwide with special attention given to ecological and cultural relationships affecting human societies through time.

ANTH 202. Archaeology of Eastern North America (3).

This course is an introduction to the archaeology and prehistory of the eastern woodlands of North America. Course material will focus on the archaeological record of native societies living east of the Mississippi River from the first arrivals at the end of the Pleistocene up to the coming of Europeans. Specific topics for discussion include late Pleistocene settlement, hunter-gatherer environmental adaptations, the origin of food production, and the development of ranked societies.

ANTH 215. Health, Culture, and Disease: An Introduction to Medical Anthropology (3).

This course is an introduction to the field of Medical Anthropology. Medical Anthropology is concerned with the cross-cultural study of culture, health, and illness. During the course of the semester, our survey will include (1) theoretical orientations and key concepts; (2) the cross-cultural diversity of health beliefs and practices (abroad and at home); and (3) contemporary issues and special populations (e.g., AIDS, homelessness, refugees, women’s health, and children at risk).

ANTH 225. Evolution (3).

Multidisciplinary study of the course and processes of organic evolution provides a broad understanding of the evolution of structural and functional diversity, the relationships among organisms and their environments, and the phylogenetic relationships among major groups of organisms. Topics include the genetic basis of micro- and macro-evolutionary change, the concept of adaptation, natural selection, population dynamics, theories of species formation, principles of phylogenetic inference, biogeography, evolutionary rates, evolutionary convergence, homology, Darwinian medicine, and conceptual and philosophic issues in evolutionary theory. Cross-list: BIOL/EEPS/HSTY/PHIL 225.

ANTH 233. Introduction to Jewish Folklore (3).

Exploration of a variety of genres, research methods and interpretations of Jewish folklore, from antiquity to the present. Emphasis on how Jewish folk traditions and culture give us access to the spirit and mentality of the many different generations of the Jewish ethnic group, illuminating its past and informing the direction of its future development. Cross-list: JDST/RLGN 233. Counts for CAS Global & Cultural Diversity Requirement.

ANTH 255. Global Judaism: Diversity Across the Jewish World (3).

Scattered across the globe over the course of millennia, Jews’ diverse histories and environments have given rise to a great range of religious, cultural and social forms. Using ethnographies as our primary texts, we will think critically and comparatively about Judaism and Jewishness in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Along our journey, we examine how Jews have navigated their experiences as minorities in their many diaspora homelands, and how they have adapted their cultural and religious practices to the various environments in which they have found themselves. In addition to exploring their Jewishness vis-à-vis others, we also examine questions of exclusion and belonging that Jews have faced as they have encountered each other in recent decades through tourism, mass migration, globalization, and the internet. How do the world’s varied Jewish groups – who are of different skin colors, who speak different languages, and who carry different historical memories – navigate ethnic divides, race relations, and religious diversity? Should we speak of a single Jewish religion and Jewish people at all? Cross-list: ETHS/JDST/RLGN 255.

ANTH 300. Global Health Design in Uganda (1-3).

The CWRU Anthropology-Engineering Collaborative (AEC) offers this unique course applying social science and engineering skills and expertise to address global health issues in Uganda. The AEC is part of a longstanding collaboration between CWRU and Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. Students collaborate with students at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and the CWRU student group, Global Health Design Collaborative (GHDC), to design and implement solutions to specific health issues in Luwero, Uganda. Students meet weekly during the semester to learn about global health technology design and anthropology.

Students work with GHDC and program faculty on specific projects; activities may include conducting needs assessment, prototype development, design validation and verification, and preparation of a project report. Current projects focus on designing a pediatric pulse oximeter; identifying means to preserve the cold chain for vaccine outreach and improving medical waste disposal. In Uganda, students and their Makerere University counterparts travel together to Luwero district where they visit health centers to collaborate with local staff to review current design prototypes and issues. Activities include: talking to health center staff at different levels of the health care system, observing a community health outreach, and meeting with diverse stakeholders in Luwero and Kampala. Students gain hands-on experience in engineering design, social science methods, and working in transnational, interdisciplinary teams and contribute directly to ongoing efforts to address global health issues in Uganda. Students are encouraged to contribute to the projects through ongoing work with GHDC. Cross-list: ENGR350U. The course may be taken as either ENGR 350U or ANTH 300. The course fee covers travel and on-the-ground expenses. The class is open to all majors but enrollment is by application and instructors’ consent. Students who enroll in ANTH 300 for 3 credits may count this towards the School of Engineering social science requirement.

ANTH 302. Darwinian Medicine (3).

Darwinian medicine deals with evolutionary aspects of modern human disease. It applies the concepts and methods of evolutionary biology to the question of why we are vulnerable to disease. Darwinian (or evolutionary) medicine proposes several general hypotheses about disease causation including disease as evolutionary legacy and design compromise, the result of a novel environment, a consequence of genetic adaptation, the result of infectious organisms’ evolutionary adaptations, and disease symptoms as manifestation of defense mechanisms. It proposes that evolutionary ideas can explain, help to prevent and perhaps help to treat some diseases. This course presents the basic logic of Darwinian medicine and evaluates hypotheses about specific diseases that illustrate each of the hypotheses about disease causation. Cross-list: ANTH 402. Recommended preparation: ANTH 103.

ANTH 303. Interdisciplinary Solutions to Global Health Issues (3).

This unique course brings together the expertise of engineers and social scientists to address global health issues through a combination of classroom-based learning and experiential learning through team-based design projects and field-based community assessments. Students will experience the process of engineering design by participating in teams organized around solutions to real-world health problems in the developing world. Methods from social sciences will be practiced and brought to bear in the process, including assessment of global health needs, and evaluation of success of interventions. Students will study and discuss current key issues in global health, and ethics surrounding health care, disparity, methods of intervention, and develop skills in how to define and frame problems and communicate effectively across disciplines.

The course is organized around ongoing projects that seek to design technical solutions to global health issues, with a focus on Uganda. The teams will also work and learn with students and faculty of Biomedical Engineering and Social Sciences at Makerere University of Kampala (MUK), Uganda. Examples of interactions with MUK will include discussion of common readings, peer-review, and joint planning, implementation, and review of fieldwork.

Students enrolled in ANTH 303/ ENGR 397 are eligible to travel to Uganda to participate in project activities over Spring Break. Travelers must be enrolled in ENGR 350U. Cross-list: ENGR 397. Counts for CAS Global & Cultural Diversity Requirement. Count as SAGES Departmental Seminar. A student in the Case School of Engineering may use this course to meet an Engineering Core Breadth requirement, either in place of ENGL 398 and ENGR 398, or as a Social Science course (ANTH 303 cross-list). No student may count the course to satisfy both of these requirements.

ANTH 304. Introduction to the Anthropology of Aging (3).

Biological aging is a universal reality. However, sociocultural, ecological, political, and technological factors may shape how growing old can be differentially experienced. This course explores the aging experience from an anthropological perspective. Topics covered in the course include global aging and its consequences, medicalization of the aging body, elder care, intergenerational relations, ageism, and technologies and aging. Cross-list: ANTH 404. Recommended preparation: ANTH 102.

ANTH 305. Public Policy in Child Development (3).

This course introduces students to issues in public policy that impact children and families. Local, state, and federal child policy will be considered, and topics will include, for example, policies related to child poverty, education, child welfare, juvenile justice, and children’s physical and mental health. Students will learn how policy is developed, how research informs policy and vice versa, and a framework for analyzing social policy. Cross-list: ANTH 405, CHST 301/401, and POSC 382A. Recommended preparation: One social sciences course or consent.

ANTH 306. The Anthropology of Childhood and the Family (3).

Child-rearing patterns and the family as an institution, using evidence from Western and non-Western cultures. Human universals and cultural variation, the experience of childhood and recent changes in the American family. Cross-list: ANTH 406. Recommended preparation: ANTH 102.

ANTH 307. Experiential Learning in Child Policy (3).

Focus on state and federal legislative policy impacting children, youth, and families. Course includes an experiential learning component at the state or federal level and a travel experience to either Columbus, OH or Washington, DC to learn firsthand how policy is formed. Students may take this course twice for credit. Cross-list: CHST 302.

ANTH 308. Child Policy Externship (3).

Externships offered through CHST 398/ANTH 308 give students an opportunity to work directly with professionals who design and implement policies that impact the lives of children and their families. Agencies involved are active in areas such as public health, including behavioral health, education. juvenile justice, childcare and/or child welfare. Students apply for the externships, and selected students are placed in local public or nonprofit agencies with a policy focus. Each student develops an individualized learning plan in consultation with the Childhood Studies Program faculty and the supervisor in the agency. CHST 398/ANTH 308 is a 3 credit-hour course and may be taken twice for a total of 6 credit hours. Cross-list: CHST 398. Prerequisite: CHST 301.

ANTH 310. Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology (3).

This is an introduction to the core concepts, theories and methodologies that form the study of language from an anthropological point of view. The course provides exposure to current issues in linguistic anthropological research and reviews some of the foundational topics of research past, highlighting the contributions of linguistics to anthropology and social science. Topics to be explored include: 1) an overview of the study of language (language structure and patterns, the effects of linguistic categories on thought and behavior, meaning and linguistic relativity, cross-language comparison, and non-verbal communication); 2) doing linguistic anthropology “on the ground” (an intro to the laboratory and field techniques of linguistic anthropology); 3) the study of language as function and social action (language and social structure speech acts and events, verbal art, language and emotion); and 4) the study of language/discourse and power (language in politics, medicine, and law). Cross-list: ANTH 410.

ANTH 312. Ethnography of Southeast Asia (3).

This course examines the people and cultures of Southeast Asia from an anthropological perspective. From a starting place of the local people we will explore important aspects of life in this region such as agriculture, religion, health, medicine, nation-building, ethnic identity, art, and technology. Additionally, we will examine and question the ideas, traditions, and scholarly modes of study that brought this geographical area together as a region. Cross-list: ANTH 412. Counts for CAS Global & Cultural Diversity Requirement.

ANTH 314. Cultures of the United States (3).

This course considers the rich ethnic diversity of the U.S. from the perspective of social/cultural anthropology. Conquest, immigration, problems of conflicts and accommodation, and the character of the diverse regional and ethnic cultures are considered as are forms of racism, discrimination, and their consequences. Groups of interest include various Latina/o and Native peoples, African-American groups, and specific ethnic groups of Pacific, Mediterranean, European, Asian, and Caribbean origin. Cross-list: ANTH 414/ETHS 314.

ANTH 316. Current Global Health Events (3).

This course will introduce students to an anthropological approach to understanding disease, illness, sickness and suffering in a global health context. The course will expose students to biological, socio-cultural, historical, political-economic, and epidemiological assessments of the disease and illness states. Students will be asked to bring a critical focus to the use of ethnographic, population-based, and clinical approaches to addresses global health problems. Additionally students will learn about the key organizations, institutions, and commercial enterprises that come to play in the assessment, prioritizing, and treatment of these health issues. Prerequisites: ANTH 102 and ANTH 215. Counts as SAGES Departmental Seminar.

ANTH 319. Introduction to Statistical Analysis in the Social Sciences (3).

Statistical description (central tendency, variation, correlation, etc.) and statistical evaluation (two sample comparisons, regression, analysis of variance, non-parametric statistics). Developing an understanding of statistical inference, particularly on proper usage of statistical methods. Examples from the social sciences. Prerequisite: Major in Anthropology. Counts for CAS Quantitative Reasoning Requirement. Cannot be used to meet the A&S Humanities and Social Sciences requirement. Not available for credit to students who have completed STAT 201, STAT 201R, or PSCL 282.

ANTH 320A. Field Methods and Field Work in Archaeology (3-6).

This course is intended to provide a home for archaeology field courses taken at other institutions. It can be used for courses which provide students with a comprehensive introduction to archaeological field work, including classroom and practical training in archaeological methods, laboratory experience in dealing with artifacts, and instruction in the relevant cultural context.

ANTH 320B. Field Methods and Field Work in Paleoanthropology (3-6).

This course is intended to provide a home for paleoanthropology field courses taken at other institutions. It can be used for courses which provide students with a comprehensive introduction to paleoanthropological field work, including classroom and practical training in paleoanthropological methods, laboratory experience in dealing with fossils and artifacts, and instruction in the relevant species.

ANTH 323. AIDS: Epidemiology, Biology, and Culture (3).

This course will examine the biological and cultural impact of AIDS in different societies around the world. Topics include: the origin and evolution of the virus, the evolutionary implications of the epidemic, routes of transmission, a historical comparison of AIDS to other epidemics in human history, current worldwide prevalences of AIDS, and cultural responses of the epidemic. Special emphasis will be placed on the long-term biological and social consequences of the epidemic. Cross-list: ANTH 423. Recommended preparation: ANTH 102 or ANTH 103.

ANTH 325. Economic Anthropology (3).

Economic anthropology is a sub-field of anthropology that examines how people in modern and non-modern societies produce, distribute, exchange, and consume goods, services, and other valued resources. The sub-field seeks to understand how cultures, including our own, organize and structure these activities through institutions, rituals, and beliefs systems. However, unlike the formal approach of the field of economics, the in-depth methods of economic anthropology concentrate on day-to-day experiences of what the economic means, how this is defined, and what we can learn about human behavior through it. This course will introduce students to economic anthropology and some of the major questions and challenges this field addresses. The history of this sub-field, how it relates to economic sociology, and areas where economic anthropology and traditional economics overlap, will also be explored. This class does not present economic anthropology and modern economics as adversaries, instead how and why they are fundamentally different orientations with often seemingly little in common. On this backdrop, this class will survey a number of different topics, including: health commodification; gift exchange; commodity chains; the history of money and debt; why objects have value; how people make ends meet; rational vs. non-rational decision-making; behavioral economic experiments conducted in other cultures; development economics, and why some objects and services have prices while others do not. Cross-list: ANTH 425.

ANTH 326. Power, Illness, and Inequality: The Political Economy of Health (3).

This course explores the relationship between social inequality and the distribution of health and illness across class, race, gender, sexual orientation, and national boundaries. Class readings drawn from critical anthropological approaches to the study of health emphasize the fundamental importance of power relations and economic constraints in explaining patterns of disease. The course critically examines the nature of Western biomedicine and inequality in the delivery of health services. Special consideration is given to political economic analysis of health issues in the developing world such as AIDS, hunger, reproductive health, and primary health care provision. Cross-list: ANTH 426. Recommended preparation: ANTH 102 or ANTH 215.

ANTH 328. Medical Anthropology and Public Health (3).

Anthropology has a longstanding relationship with the field of public health, which dates back to before the flourishing of medical anthropology as a subfield. Direct participation of medical anthropologists in public health research and practice continues to grow. This course explores the intersection of medical anthropology and public health from the perspective of anthropological history, theory, and methods. Course topics include: the history of anthropological work in public health, medical anthropology theory as a guide to anthropological public health research, and anthropological methods and approaches to public health work. Case studies from around the world will be employed throughout the course. Cross-list: ANTH 428.

ANTH 329. Anthropological Perspectives on Migration and Health (3).

This course provides an overview of anthropological perspectives on transnational migration and health. We will focus particularly on health and health care issues concerning refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants. This course will focus on the following topics: the physical and mental health consequences of forced migration; refugee trauma; the intersection of health care and immigration policies; immigration and health care access and utilization. Readings and coursework will consider the sociocultural, political, and economic factors that contribute to migrant health disparities. We will also address issues of medical pluralism among transnational migrants and critically examine the concept of cultural competence in clinical settings. Class readings will comprise a variety of theoretical and ethnographic literature within anthropology and closely related disciplines, drawing on cases from across the globe and in cross-cultural comparison. The class will use lectures, readings, and class discussions to explore these relevant issues in migration and health, with the opportunity to engage in hands on ethnographic work with refugees locally. Cross-list: ANTH 429.

ANTH 331. The Most Ancient Near East (3).

The Near East, archaeologically, is the most intensely researched area in the world. The research, spanning 150 years, reveals a continuous record of human adaptation spanning two million years, five human species, multiple major environmental changes, and shifts in human adaptive strategies from nomadic hunting and gathering to sedentary village agriculture and the emergence of urban centers “civilization.” The archaeological record of this extraordinary period beginning two million years ago until about 4000 BC is reviewed. Emphasis is placed on the human response to social and ecological changes. The course examines how the emergence of sedentary settlements, surplus food production, population growth, interregional trade, and social-economically stratified societies fundamentally changed the human condition. Recommended preparation: ANTH 102 or ANTH 107.

ANTH 333. Roots of Ancient India: Archaeology of South Asia (3).

Archaeological discoveries in South Asia (modern India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal) reveal a continuous record of human habitation from almost two million years ago until the present. Early human populations in the region encountered dramatically changing ecological conditions resulting in various cultural adaptations over this long period. Beginning with the earliest hunter-gatherer populations, archaeological data reveal a diversity of cultural changes/adaptations in South Asia resulting in the indigenous development of sedentary agricultural societies coexisting with hunters and gatherers, and with pastoral nomadic groups interacting over diverse econiches. These cultural developments resulted in the formation of the Harappan (Indus Valley) culture – a unique, ancient (2600-1300 BC) Old World civilization. Archaeological data indicate this Harappan culture provided basic fundamental cultural traits that evolved into the culturally Early Historic Indian Tradition. Special attention is given to theoretical controversies surrounding the cultural continuity issue in South Asian culture history and its significance for understanding Old World archaeology. Recommended preparation: ANTH 102 or ANTH 107.

ANTH 335. Illegal Drugs and Society (3).

This course provides perspectives on illegal drug use informed by the social, political and economic dimensions of the issues. Framed by the history, epidemiology, and medical consequences of drug use, students will confront the complex challenges posed by addiction. Anthropological research conducted in the U.S. and cross-culturally will demonstrate, elaborate and juxtapose various clinical, public health, and law enforcement policies and perspectives. Topics examined will include: why exclusively using a bio-medical model of addiction is inadequate; how effective is the war on drugs; what prevention, intervention and treatment efforts work; and various ideological/moral perspectives on illegal drug use. Cross-list: ANTH 435.

ANTH 337. Comparative Medical Systems (3).

This course considers the world’s major medical systems. Foci include professional and folk medical systems of Asia and South Asia, North and South America, Europe and the Mediterranean, including the Christian and Islamic medical traditions. Attention is paid to medical origins and the relationship of popular to professional medicines. The examination of each medical tradition includes consideration of its psychological medicine and system of medical ethics. Cross-list: ANTH 437. Recommended preparation: ANTH 215.

ANTH 338. Maternal Health: Anthropological Perspectives on Reproductive Practices and Health Policy (3).

The reproductive process is shared by humans as biological beings. However, the experience of pregnancy and childbirth is also dependent on the cultural, social, political, historical, and political-economic setting. This course frames issues in reproductive health by looking at the complex issues associated with maternal health and mortality world-wide. After reviewing biomedical perspectives on reproductive processes this course will focus on childbirth and pregnancy as the process and ritual by which societies welcome new members. This course will review ethnomedical concepts; discuss the interaction between local, national, and global agendas shaping reproductive practices; and conclude with anthropological critiques of reproductive health initiatives. Cross-list: ANTH 438.

ANTH 339. Ethnographic and Qualitative Research Methods (3).

This is a course on applying ethnographic research methods in the social sciences. Ethnographic research seeks to understand and describe the experiences of research participants (i.e. subjects) through becoming involved in their daily lives. Findings from ethnography are generated through systematic observation within the natural context in which behavior occurs (i.e. fieldwork). Unlike methods that emphasize detachment, distance, and objectivity, ethnography involves developing knowledge by becoming an ad hoc member of the group(s) one is studying. The principal techniques of ethnography, “participant-observation” and “in-depth open ended interviewing,” require actively engaging the research process. This class will explore ethnographic research techniques, as well as other qualitative research methods. In addition to addressing how such methods make claims about social phenomena, this class will also explore more practical topics such as: developing questions, entering the field, establishing rapport, taking and managing field notes, coding data, and data analysis. Lectures, readings, and class discussion will be complimented by assignments using techniques. Cross-list: ANTHE 449. Prerequisite: ANTH 102.

ANTH 340. Cultures of the World: Study Abroad (3).

This course is a vehicle to allow anthropology courses taken during study abroad that have a primary focus on the culture of a specific society or geographic area to be accepted as equivalent to a CWRU course that meets the CAS Global and Cultural Diversity requirement. In order to be accepted as equivalent to ANTH 340 a course must (a) be taught in a department of anthropology or by an anthropologist in an allied department; and (b) cover the breadth of a culture. Courses focusing on one aspect of a society (economics, political structure, history, etc.) cannot be accepted as equivalent to ANTH 340. In order to verify that a course meets these requirements students must submit a course description and syllabus for the course to the Chair, Department of Anthropology. If a syllabus is not available in advance of the course, approval will be contingent on review of the course syllabus. This course will fulfill the CAS Global and Cultural Diversity requirement, as well as meet the geographic area requirement for Anthropology majors and minors.

ANTH 344. Archaeology of the Ancient Mediterranean (3).

This course examines the ancient Mediterranean through the material cultures of Egypt, Greece and Rome. Each of these great civilizations will be individually explored, but also examined within a broader historical context. Particular focus will be placed on the social, political and economic ideas that were exchanged across the Mediterranean Sea and the influence this interconnectivity had on eastern Mediterranean societies. Cross-list: ANEE 334/444, ANTH 444, ARTH 344/444 and CLSC 344/444.

ANTH 345. Ethnicity, Gender, and Mental Health (3).

An overview of mental health status and ethnicity. Analysis of ethnicity in relation to culture, social class, gender, sociopolitical conflict and the world refugee crisis. Considerations of populations at special risk for the development of specific mental disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, affective disorders, adjustment and stress disorders). Contemporary ethnographic survey of ethnic groups at risk both at home and abroad. Cross-list: ANTH 445. Recommended preparation: ANTH 102.

ANTH 347. Cultural Ecology and Sustainability (3).

Could the quest of modern society for sustainability, in the face of devastating climate change and massive biodiversity loss that threaten life on Earth as we know it, gain from understanding how other past and present cultures around the world have dealt with sustainability challenges? Are there cultural patterns or clusters of ideas underlying the deleterious actions of modern culture towards the natural world that could be clarified through a comparison with indigenous or traditional cultures, some who lived sustainability for thousands of years and even enhanced the biodiversity of their surrounding environments? If cybernetic and semiotic principles that guide living systems were clarified, would this lead to more ecologically robust ways of engaging with the natural world and resolving contemporary sustainability issues? Is it the essential task of our time to develop and globalize an ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable “beyond modern” definition of human being? Is the global environment of decay of our earthly home perhaps a clarion call by nature, compelling our species to integrate the wisdom of traditional knowledge along with the spectacular scientific and technological achievements of modernity if we are to survive? This seminar will explore these questions and more, with a primary objective of enhancing student environmental advocacy along with increasing their depth of experience when interacting with the natural world. Cross-list: ANTH 447. Prerequisite: ANTH 102.

ANTH 349. Cultures of Latin America (3).

The aim of this course is to consider cultural diversity and social inequality in contemporary Latin America from an anthropological perspective. A variety of aspects related to ethnicity, religion, music, gender, social movements, cuisine, urban spaces, violence, and ecology are considered in addition to current economic and political issues. These topics will be analyzed in relation to Latin America’s complex historical and social formation and its identity representations. The course takes under consideration various case studies in which not just local communities but also perceptions of national institutions and practices will be analyzed from pluralistic approaches (provided by either Latin American and non-Latin American researchers) that combine fieldwork, interviews and life experiences with textual and media sources. Special attention will be paid to contemporary global issues affecting Latin America. Cross-list: ANTH 449. Prerequisite: ANTH 102. Counts for CAS Global & Cultural Diversity Requirement. Counts as SAGES Departmental Seminar.

ANTH 353. Chinese Culture and Society (3).

Focuses on Chinese cultural and social institutions during the Maoist and post-Maoist eras. Topics include ideology, economics, politics, religion, family life, and popular culture. Cross-list: ANTH 453. Recommended preparation: ANTH 102. Counts for CAS Global & Cultural Diversity Requirement.

ANTH 354. Health and Healing in East Asia (3).

This course examines the illness experiences and the healing practices in East Asia. After introducing the anthropological approaches to the study of medicine, this course will explore the practices of ethnomedicine and biomedicine, mental health, family planning and reproductive health, the experience of aging and care giving, infectious disease, environmental health, and biotechnology. By delving into the illness experiences and the healing practices in East Asia, the course will discuss issues related to medical pluralism, health inequality, biological citizenship, social stigmatization, and bioethics. Cross-list: ANTH 454.

ANTH 355. Paleodiet(s)?: Understanding Food and Diet Past and Present (3).

The Paleodiet promotes to the public the notion that humans evolved to eat one single diet; that is far from the truth. In this class, we will learn about the evolution of our diets and nutrition, the diversity of human diets over time and space, the relationship of diet to health, and the methods biological anthropologists use to scientifically study diet. Expect to learn about early human diets right up to modern diets. Additionally, this course will focus on how to read and interpret scientific papers/concepts, as well as how to construct a scientific argument. Students will apply those skills by giving a presentation to classmates following the structure of scientific meetings. Cross-list: ANTH 455.

ANTH 359. Introduction to Global Health (3).

This course is an introduction to the field of international and global health from the perspective of anthropology. Key health problems in the world are identified and anthropological research on these issues is presented and examined. The course covers current international and global health issues and reviews the history of anthropological engagement in the field. Case studies of current health issues will be discussed. Cross-list: ANTH 459.

ANTH 360. Global Politics of Reproduction (3).

This course offers an anthropological examination of reproductive politics around the world. It explores historical, cultural, socioeconomic, political, and technological factors contributing to reproductive activities. After introducing the anthropological approaches to the study of reproduction, the course will delve into the ways to regulate reproduction in historical and contemporary times, various factors contributing to fertility change, state intervention in reproduction, and assisted reproductive technologies. Cross-list: ANTH 460/WGST 360.

ANTH 362. Contemporary Theory in Anthropology (3).

A critical examination of anthropological thought in England, France and the United States during the second half of the twentieth century. Emphasis will be on the way authors formulate questions that motivate anthropological discourse, on the way central concepts are formulated and applied and on the controversies and debates that result. Readings are drawn from influential texts by prominent contemporary anthropologists. Cross-list: ANTH 462. Recommended preparation: ANTH 102.

ANTH 365. Gender and Sex Differences: Cross-cultural Perspective (3).

Gender roles and sex differences throughout the life cycle considered from a cross-cultural perspective. Major approaches to explaining sex roles discussed in light of information from both Western and non-Western cultures. Cross-list: ANTH 465/WGST 365. Prerequisite: ANTH 102 or consent of department.

ANTH 366. Population Change: Problems and Solutions (3).

The course examines population processes and their social consequences from an anthropological perspective. It introduces basic concepts and theories of population studies and demonstrates the ways in which anthropological research contributes to our understanding of population issues. We will explore questions such as: How has world population changed in history? How does a population age or grow younger? What are the factors affecting population health? Why do people migrate? And what are the policy implications of population change? We will examine the sociocultural, economic, political, and ecological factors contributing to population processes, such as factors affecting childbearing decisions, cultural context of sex-selective abortion, various caregiving arrangements for the elderly, and policy responses to population change. We will explore these issues with cases from across the world, with a special focus on China, the world’s most populous country with the most massive family-planning program in modern human history. Cross-list: ANTH 466.

ANTH 367. Topics in Evolutionary Biology (3).

The focus for this course on a special topic of interest in evolutionary biology will vary from one offering to the next. Examples of possible topics include theories of speciation, the evolution of language, the evolution of sex, evolution and biodiversity, molecular evolution. Cross-list: ANAT/ANTH/EEPS/PHIL/PHOL 467, EEPS/PHIL 367 and BIOL 368/468. Prerequisite: ANTH 225 or equivalent.

ANTH 368. Evolutionary Biology Capstone (3).

This course focuses on a special topic of interest in evolutionary biology that will vary from one offering to the next. Examples of possible topics include theories of speciation, the evolution of language, the evolution of sex, evolution and biodiversity, molecular evolution. Students will participate in discussions and lead class seminars on evolutionary topics and in collaboration with an advisor or advisors, select a topic for a research paper or project. Each student will write a major research report or complete a major project and will make a public presentation of her/his findings. Cross-list: BIOL 369 and PHIL 368. Prerequisite: ANTH/BIOL/GEOL/HSTY/PHIL 225 or its equivalent or permission of instructor. Counts as SAGES Senior Capstone.

ANTH 369D. The Anthropology of Nutrition (3).

Human nutrition is examined from an anthropological perspective. We will briefly cover methods for assessing and evaluating dietary intake and dietary patterns. The remainder of the course will focus on various social, ecological, and genetic factors which influence human nutritional patterns and the causes and consequences of protein-energy malnutrition. The course will be taught in a seminar format and is designed to enhance your skills in critically reading the anthropological literature and in improving your written and oral communication skills. Recommended preparation: ANTH 102, ANTH 102. Counts as SAGES Departmental seminar. A student may not receive credit for both ANTH 369 and ANTH 369D.

ANTH 370. Field Seminar in Paleoanthropology (12).

Paleoanthropology is the study of human physical and cultural evolution based on fossils and cultural remains from ancient geological times. These fossils and cultural remains are collected by conducting fieldwork in various parts of the world where geological phenomena have exposed fossiliferous sedimentary windows from the deep past. Hence, fieldwork is one of the major backbones of paleoanthropology. This course is designed for advanced undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing higher degrees in paleoanthropology, human paleobiology, evolutionary biology, or other related disciplines. This course introduces students to the principles and methods of paleontological fieldwork in real time. It introduces students to paleoanthropological fieldwork from locating fossiliferous areas based on aerial photo interpretations to survey methodology; from methods of systematic excavation, fossil collection and documentation in the field, to curation and preparation of fossil specimens in laboratories; from conducting scientific analyses in laboratory environments to subsequently publishing the results in peer-reviewed journals. Prerequisites: ANTH 103 and ANTH 375. Recommended preparation: ANTH 377.

ANTH 371. Culture, Behavior, and Person: Psychological Anthropology (3).

Cross-cultural perspectives on personality, human development, individual variability, cognition, deviant behavior, and the role of the individual in his/her society. Classic and contemporary anthropological writings on Western and non-Western societies. Cross-list: ANTH 471. Recommended preparation: ANTH 102.

ANTH 372. Anthropological Approaches to Religion (3).

The development of, and current approaches to, comparative religion from an anthropological perspective. Topics include witchcraft, ritual, myth, healing, religious language and symbolism, religion and gender, religious experience, the nature of the sacred, religion and social change, altered states of consciousness, and evil. Using material from a wide range of world cultures, critical assessment is made of conventional distinctions such as those between rational/irrational, natural/supernatural, magic/religion, and primitive/civilized. Cross-list: ANTH 472/RLGN 372. Recommended preparation: ANTH 102.

ANTH 375. Human Evolution: The Fossil Evidence (3).

This course will survey the biological and behavioral changes that occurred in the hominid lineage during the past five million years. In addition to a thorough review of the fossil evidence for human evolution, students will develop the theoretical framework in evolutionary biology. Cross-list: ANAT 375/ANTH 475. Prerequisite: ANTH 103. Recommended preparation: ANTH 377 and BIOL 225.

ANTH 376. Topics in the Anthropology of Health and Medicine (3).

Special topics of interest, such as the biology of human adaptability; the ecology of the human life cycle health delivery systems; transcultural psychiatry; nutrition, health, and disease; paleoepidemiology; and population anthropology. Cross-list: ANTH 476. Recommended preparation: ANTH 102 or ANTH 103.

ANTH 377. Human Osteology (4).

This course for upper division undergraduates and graduate students will review the following topics: human skeletal development and identification; and forensic identification (skeletal aging, sex identification and population affiliation). Cross-list: ANAT 377/ANTH 477.

ANTH 378. Reproductive Health: An Evolutionary Perspective (3).

This course provides students with an evolutionary perspective on the factors influencing human reproductive health, including reproductive biology, ecology, and various aspects of natural human fertility. Our focus will be on variation in human reproduction in mostly non-western populations. Cross-list: ANTH 478. Recommended preparation: ANTH 103. Counts as SAGES Departmental Seminar.

ANTH 379. Topics in Cultural and Social Anthropology (3).

Special topics of interest across the range of social and cultural anthropology. Cross-list: ANTH 479. Recommended preparation: ANTH 102.

ANTH 380. Independent Study in Laboratory Archaeology I (1-3).

This course provides an introduction to the basic methods and techniques of artifact curation and laboratory analysis in archaeology. Under the supervision of the instructor, each student will develop and carry out a focused project of material analysis and interpretation using the archaeology collections of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Each student is required to spend a minimum of two hours per week in the Archaeology laboratory for each credit hour taken. By the end of the course, the student will prepare a short report describing the results of their particular project. Recommended preparation: ANTH 107 and permission of department, and prior permission of Department of Archaeology at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

ANTH 381. Independent Study in Laboratory Archaeology II (1-3).

ANTH 382. Anthropological and Ecological Perspectives on Preserving and Restoring the Natural World (3).

Now that the environmentally deleterious effects of modern Western culture on the natural world have reached major proportions it has become crucial to explore innovative solutions to this dilemma. In this course novel perspectives derived from the intersection of anthropology and ecology are discussed. The primary perspective focused upon is the understanding that human culture and the natural world in which it is embedded are essentially communicative, or semiotic processes, which thrive upon diverse interaction and feedback. Preserving and restoring the Natural World thus shifts from protecting individual species and particular cultural practices to enhancing the communicative matrix of life and multiple cultural views of the environment. Through this understanding, students will learn to apply a more elegant, effective, and aesthetically pleasing perspective to the challenging environmental issues facing our contemporary world. An in-depth examination of the North American Prairie, along with a comparison of influences on the landscape by indigenous and modern Western Culture will serve as the particular region of focus. Cross-list: ANTH 482. Counts as SAGES Departmental Seminar.

ANTH 385. Applied Anthropology (3).

This class will provide students with an overview of how anthropologists put theories, methods, and findings to use in addressing social issues and problems. Applied projects presented will span a diverse range of topics and fields, including: healthcare and medicine, nutrition, international development, displacement of populations, education, as well as projects from business and industry. Class discussion will address orientations of and advantages in applied approaches, as well as the ethical questions such projects often encounter. Cross-list: ANTH 485.

ANTH 389. Introduction to Forensic Anthropology (3).

Forensic anthropology involves using a variety of methods and theories about human biology to answer medical and legal questions. Individuals who work as forensic anthropologists collaborate closely with police officers, lawyers, doctors, medical examiners, and other specialists to identify human remains and analyze skeletal trauma in cases of suspicious and unnatural death. Throughout the course, students will be introduced to the techniques and underlying theory used by anthropologists to recover skeletal remains, reconstruct a biological profile from the skeleton, interpret skeletal trauma, and assist in the identification process. Students will also become familiar with the application of forensic anthropology to issues of human rights and mass fatalities. Prerequisite: ANTH 103.

ANTH 391. Honors Tutorial (3).

This program is open to Anthropology majors who have completed 15 hours of anthropology courses and successfully maintained a 3.25 grade point average in Anthropology and a 3.0 grade point average overall. The application process consists of arranging a research project with a faculty mentor, providing the faculty member with a transcript to verify the GPA requirements, and agreement on the project. Although an Anthropology SAGES Capstone can be a library research paper, the Honors Tutorial must be a research project. In addition, the Capstone and the Honors must be different projects. The faculty mentor will give permission for students accepted into the Honors Program to register for ANTH 391 and ANTH 392 Honors Tutorial in the spring of their junior year and the fall of their senior year. The primary product of the Honors project is a research paper which will be made available for review by all Anthropology faculty before the end of the fall semester of the senior year. Prerequisite: Acceptance into Honors Program.

ANTH 392. Honors Tutorial (3).

ANTH 396. Undergraduate Research in Evolutionary Biology (3).

Students propose and conduct guided research on an aspect of evolutionary biology. The research will be sponsored and supervised by a member of the CASE faculty or other qualified professional. A written report must be submitted to the Evolutionary Biology Steering Committee before credit is granted. Cross-list: BIOL/EEPS/PHIL 396. Prerequisite: ANTH 225 or equivalent.

ANTH 398. Anthropology SAGES Capstone (3).

Supervised original research on a topic in anthropology, culminating in a written report and a public presentation. The research project may be in the form of an independent research project, a literature review, or some other original project with anthropological significance. The project must be approved and supervised by faculty. Group research projects are acceptable, but a plan which clearly identifies the distinct and substantial role of each participant must be approved by the supervising faculty. Prerequisite: Major in Anthropology. Counts as SAGES Senior Capstone.

ANTH 398C. Child Policy Externship and Capstone (3).

Externships offered through CHST/ANTH/PSCL 398C give students an opportunity to work directly with professionals who design and implement policies that impact the lives of children and their families. Agencies involved are active in areas such as public health, including behavioral health, education, juvenile justice, childcare and/or child welfare. Students apply for the externships, and selected students are placed in local public or nonprofit agencies with a policy focus. Each student develops an individualized learning plan in consultation with the Childhood Studies Program faculty and the supervisor in the agency. Cross-list: CHST/PSCL 398C. Prerequisite: CHST 301. Counts as SAGES Senior Capstone.

ANTH 399. Independent Study (1-6).

Students may propose topics for independent reading and research.

Graduate Courses

ANTH 402. Darwinian Medicine (3).

ANTH 404. Introduction to the Anthropology of Aging (3).

ANTH 405. Public Policy in Child Development (3).

ANTH 406. The Anthropology of Childhood and the Family (3).

ANTH 410. Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology (3).

ANTH 412. Ethnography of Southeast Asia (3).

ANTH 414. Cultures of the United States (3).

ANTH 423. AIDS: Epidemiology, Biology, and Culture (3).

ANTH 425. Economic Anthropology (3).

ANTH 426. Power, Illness, and Inequality: The Political Economy of Health (3).

ANTH 428. Medical Anthropology and Public Health (3).

ANTH 429. Anthropological Perspectives on Migration and Health (3).

This course provides an overview of anthropological perspectives on the relationship between transnational migration and health. We will focus particularly on health and health care issues concerning refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants. This course will cover the following topics: the physical and mental health consequences of forced migration; refugee trauma; the intersection of health care and immigration policies, migration and health care access and utilization. Readings and coursework will consider the sociocultural, political, and economic factors that contribute to migrant health disparities. We will also address issues of medical pluralism among transnational migrants and critically examine the concept of cultural competence in the clinical care of refugees and other migrants. Class readings will comprise a variety of theoretical and ethnographic literature within anthropology and closely related disciplines, drawing on research from the U.S. and across the globe. The class will use lectures, readings, film and class discussions to explore these relevant issues in migration and health. Cross-list: ANTH 329.

ANTH 435. Illegal Drugs and Society (3).

ANTH 437. Comparative Medical Systems (3).

ANTH 438. Maternal Health: Anthropological Perspectives on Reproductive Practices and Health Policy (3).

ANTH 439. Ethnographic and Qualitative Research Methods (3).

This is a course on applying ethnographic research methods in the social sciences. Ethnographic research seeks to understand and describe the experiences of research participants (i.e. subjects) through becoming involved in their daily lives. Findings from ethnography are generated through systematic observation within the natural context in which behavior occurs (i.e. fieldwork). Unlike methods that emphasize detachment, distance, and objectivity, ethnography involves developing knowledge by becoming an ad hoc member of the group(s) one is studying. The principal techniques of ethnography, “participant-observation” and “In-depth open ended interviewing,” require actively engaging the research process. This class will explore ethnographic research techniques, as well as other qualitative research methods. In addition to addressing how such methods make claims about social phenomena, this class will also explore more practical topics such as: developing questions, entering the field, establishing rapport, taking and managing field notes, coding data, and data analysis. Lectures, readings, and class discussion will be complimented by assignments using techniques. Cross-list: ANTH 339.

ANTH 439B. Applying Anthropological Research Methods (1).

This class will provide students with practical experience utilizing the anthropological research methods taught in ANTH 439, Ethnographic and Qualitative Research Methods. With guidance from the instructor, students will plan and implement a preliminary / pilot research project.

ANTH 444. Archaeology of the Ancient Mediterranean (3).

ANTH 445. Ethnicity, Gender, and Mental Health (3).

ANTH 447. Cultural Ecology and Sustainability (3).

ANTH 449. Cultures of Latin America (3).

ANTH 453. Chinese Culture and Society (3).

ANTH 454. Health and Healing in East Asia (3).

ANTH 455. Paleodiet(s)?: Understanding Food and Diet Past and Present (3).

ANTH 459. Introduction to Global Health (3).

ANTH 460. Global Politics of Reproduction (3).

This course offers an anthropological examination of fertility behaviors around the world. In particular, it explores various historical, cultural, socioeconomic, political, and technological factors contributing to reproductive activities. After introducing the anthropological approaches to the study of fertility, the course will delve into the ways to regulate fertility in historical and contemporary times, various factors contributing to fertility change, state intervention in reproduction through voluntary and coercive family planning programs, and new reproductive technologies and ethical concerns surrounding assisted reproduction and abortion. Cross-list: ANTH/WGST 360. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

ANTH 462. Contemporary Theory in Anthropology (3).

ANTH 465. Gender and Sex Differences: Cross-cultural Perspective (3).

ANTH 466. Population Change: Problems and Solutions (3).

ANTH 467. Topics in Evolutionary Biology (3).

The focus for this course on a special topic of interest in evolutionary biology will vary from one offering to the next. Examples of possible topics include theories of speciation, the evolution of language, the evolution of sex, evolution and biodiversity, molecular evolution. ANAT/ANTH/ EEPS/PHIL/PHOL 467/BIOL 468 will require a longer, more sophisticated term paper, and additional class presentation. Cross-list: ANAT/EEPS/PHIL/PHOL 467, ANTH/EEPS/PHIL 367 and BIOL 368/468.

ANTH 471. Culture, Behavior, and Person: Psychological Anthropology (3).

ANTH 472. Anthropological Approaches to Religion (3).

ANTH 475. Human Evolution: The Fossil Evidence (3).

ANTH 476. Topics in the Anthropology of Health and Medicine (3).

ANTH 477. Human Osteology (4).

ANTH 478. Reproductive Health: An Evolutionary Perspective (3).

ANTH 479. Topics in Cultural and Social Anthropology (3).

Special topics of interest across the range of social and cultural anthropology. Cross-list: ANTH 379.

ANTH 480. Medical Anthropology and Global Health I (3).

The first in a sequence of two graduate core courses in medical anthropology and global health. This course focuses on foundational concepts and theories in medical anthropology, as well as topical areas which have been central to the development of the field. Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Anthropology.

ANTH 480B. Medical Anthropology and Global Health I Recitation (1).

ANTH 480B serves as a complement to ANTH 480 (Medical Anthropology and Global Health I). There are two primary goals. The first goal is to provide additional time to review, discuss, and integrate through discussion and additional readings topics covered in ANTH 480. This will better prepare students for both course exams and the MA Qualifying Exam, as well as meeting stated student interests in expanded opportunities to engage with graduate student colleagues about contemporary anthropological research. The second goal is to support students in building their professional identity as anthropologists and to enhance professional development through specific skill-building.

ANTH 481. Medical Anthropology and Global Health II (3).

The second in a sequence of two graduate core courses in medical anthropology and global health. This course focuses on the application of medical anthropology theory and methods to the study of global health. Recommended preparation: ANTH 480. Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Anthropology.

ANTH 481B. Medical Anthropology and Global Health II Recitation (1).

ANTH 481B serves as a complement to ANTH 481 (Medical Anthropology and Global Health II). The goal of the course is to provide additional time to review, discuss, and integrate through discussion and additional readings topics covered in ANTH 481. This will better prepare students for both course exams and the MA Qualifying Exam, as well as meeting stated student interests in expanded opportunities to engage with graduate student colleagues about contemporary anthropological research.

ANTH 482. Anthropological and Ecological Perspectives on Preserving and Restoring the Natural World (3).

ANTH 485. Applied Anthropology (3).

ANTH 503. Seminar in Social Cultural Anthropology (3).

ANTH 504. Anthropological Research Design (3).

Practical and theoretical issues in the selection of questions for health and aging research in societal settings. Illustration of frameworks and designs for research. Discussion of the problems of collection, analysis, and interpretation of data along with the nonscientific influences on the research process and the use of results. Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Anthropology.

ANTH 511. Seminar in Anthropology and Global Health: Topics (3).

This course examines the current issues in global health and the emerging anthropological paradigm directed at global health issues. The objective of the course is to provide graduate students in medical anthropology an in-depth examination of global health from several perspectives. The course will feature perspectives from anthropologists as well as others working in the fields of global health. Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Anthropology.

ANTH 513. Seminar in Ethnopsychiatry (3).

Theory and practice of psychotherapeutic forms. Diagnostic and therapeutic forms from Europe, the United States, Japan, India, and other major cultural traditions and those of local areas such as West Africa, Native America, and Latin America. The cultural theories of mental disorders, related conceptions of self and person, and the relationships of local psychological theory to clinical praxis and outcome.

ANTH 519. Seminar in Human Ecology and Adaptability (3).

ANTH 530. Seminar in Medical Anthropology: Topics (3).

Various topics will be offered for graduate students in medical anthropology, such as “Anthropological Perspectives on Women’s Health and Reproduction” and “Biocultural Anthropology.” Prerequisite: ANTH 480.

ANTH 591. Seminar in Physical Anthropology (3).

ANTH 599. Tutorial: Advanced Studies in Anthropology (1-18).

Advanced studies in anthropology.

ANTH 601. Independent Research (1-18).

ANTH 701. Dissertation Ph.D. (1-9).

Prerequisite: Predoctoral research consent or advanced to Ph.D. candidacy milestone.

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