Introduction to Anthropology

3 units

Anthropology is a field that seeks to synthesize and integrate all aspects of what it means to be human, including the study of human diversity across time and space. Anthropologists are collectively interested in studying humans from a holistic perspective, including cultural, linguistic and biological anthropology and archaeology. This course aims to introduce students to basic concepts within anthropology, integrating the perspectives and methods of each of the subfields into our approach. We will examine how culture, environment, and biology are intertwined in the variation seen within humans both past and present. Topics addressed will include aspects of human evolution and variation, non-human primates, Paleolithic cultures, subsistence strategies, kinship, political organization, the rise and fall of complex societies, religion, language, globalization, and anthropology in the present and future.