ANTHR - Anthropology

Introduction to past and present anthropological approaches through the study of human diversity.

Consult the department for the specific topics offered. May be repeated if topics vary.

An anthropological review and comparison of cultures in terms of social positions based on differences in sex and age.

Comparative survey of beliefs and customs surrounding death and the dead in past and present human cultures. Offered in alternate years.

The challenge of racism in modern societies and the response of anthropology, including the history of how the 'race' concept has been used to explain human variation.

Introduction to the nature, purposes, theory and methods of anthropological archaeology. Emphasis on principles of reconstruction of past societies from archaeological evidence and the explanation of cultural evolution.

Comparative study of human society and culture, particularly non-Western communities, with special attention to the family, social structure, economics and political institutions, and religion; processes of change.

The anthropological study of language and communication. A brief survey of field and analytical methods and the theory of linguistic anthropology.

Survey of theory and basic data in human evolution and human variation. Topics include primatology, osteology, hominoid paleontology, variation in modern populations.

A survey of the archaeological evidence for human cultural evolution.

Science as a cultural practice, cultural effects and globalization of technology, changing views of nature, gender and science, traditional ecological knowledge, and the evolution of technology.

Cultural variations in experiences and understandings of disability, as well as anthropological ways of analyzing and discussing disability. Offered in alternate years.

Introduction to Alberta's past as reconstructed by archaeology.

Consult the Department and/or the schedule of classes for the specific topics offered. Variable content course which may be repeated if topic(s) vary.

Consult the Department and/or the schedule of classes for the specific topics offered. Variable content course which may be repeated if topic(s) vary.

Examination and practice of ethnographic research methods, including observation and interviewing, and forms of ethnographic writing. Prerequisite: ANTHR 207 (or ANTHE 207) or ANTHR 208 (or ANTHE 208) or consent of Department. Not open to students with credit in ANTHR 401.

Major theoretical trends in social and cultural anthropology in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Prerequisites: ANTHR 207 or 208 (or ANTHE 207 or 208) or consent of Department. Not open to students with credit in ANTHR 415.

A survey of the development of theory and method in anthropological archaeology. Prerequisites: ANTHR 206 or consent of Department. Offered in alternate years. Note: Not open to students with credit in ANTHR 481.

A survey of the development of theory and method in biological anthropology. Prerequisites: ANTHR 209 or consent of Department. Offered in alternate years. Not open to students with credit in ANTHR 498.

A comparative cross-cultural, and cross-species perspective on biological and social aspects of sex and gender differences. Prerequisites: ANTHR 110 or 207 (or ANTHE 207) or 209 or consent of Department. Offered in alternate years.

This course provides an archaeological perspective on the deep Indigenous histories of the lands currently known as North America and discusses how archaeology can respectfully engage with Indigenous peoples in ways that move toward decolonization. Prerequisite: ANTHR 206 or consent of Department.

Development of prehistoric culture in Europe, Africa and Asia during the Lower Palaeolithic. Prerequisite: ANTHR 206 or consent of Department. Offered in alternate years.

Development of prehistoric culture in Europe, Africa, and Asia during the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic. Prerequisite: ANTHR 206 or consent of Department. Offered in alternate years.

Introduction to modern political anthropology with emphasis on origins of state structure, relations between non-state and state societies, and problems of pluralism and stratification. Offered in alternate years.

Survey of anthropological approaches to religions and related phenomena including magic, taboo, shamanism and witchcraft. Emphasis on the connection between religious ideas and practices and other aspects of social life in a variety of cultures. Prerequisite: ANTHR 207 (or ANTHE 207) or consent of Department.

Contemporary Chinese religious culture as practices in the family, community, voluntary associations, and the political sphere. Offered in alternate years.

Cultural constructions of narrative and discourse; interethnic communication, including discourse in the courtroom, classroom, and work settings; code choice; and communication via electronic media. Prerequisite: ANTHR 208 (or ANTHE 208) or consent of Department. Offered in alternate years.

Introduction to the literature and controversies within the field, emphasizing systems of exchange. Offered in alternate years.

Exploration of anthropological writing on Japan as a case study in history of ideas and sociology of knowledge. Prerequisite: Any 200-level Anthropology course or consent of Department.

Contemporary views of the nature of science, including debates about science's universalism, objectives, and culture-bound epistemologies. Offered in alternate years.

Study of classical debates on the social/cultural inflections of time and contemporary concerns with temporalities of industrial and post-industrial ages. Prerequisite: ANTHR 207 or consent of Department.

Anthropological approaches to kinship systems and other concepts of social organization, emphasizing non-western societies. Offered in alternate years.

Examination of the relationship between food and culture through historical and cross-cultural analysis of foodways. Offered in alternate years.

Consult the Department for the specific topics offered and any recommended courses to be completed prior to registering.

Consult the Department for the specific topics offered and any recommended courses to be completed prior to registering.

Lecture and laboratory study of human skeletal biology, emphasizing the identification of bones and an understanding of human functional anatomy. Prerequisite: ANTHR 209 or consent of Department.

A survey of the fossil evidence for human evolution. Prerequisite: ANTHR 209 or consent of Department.

A cross-cultural study through time of the beliefs and social activities associated with health, illness and healing.

Instruction in all practical aspects of archaeological field techniques, including excavation, survey, recording, photography, and conservation. This course can be applied to the Canadian content requirement when held at a Canadian site. Prerequisites: ANTHR 206 or equivalent, and consent of Department. Requires payment of additional student instructional support fees. Refer to the Tuition and Fees page in the University Regulations section of the Calendar.

Practical aspects of field training in socio-cultural anthropology. Prerequisite: ANTHR 207 or equivalent, and consent of Department. Requires payment of additional student instructional support fees. Refer to the Tuition and Fees page in the University Regulations section of the Calendar.

Theory and method applied to the interpretation of treatment of the dead in prehistoric and historic contexts. Prerequisite: ANTHR 206 or 209, or consent of Department.

A detailed survey of disease processes in antiquity as expressed in skeletal and preserved tissues. Prerequisite: ANTHR 390 or consent of Department. Offered in alternate years.

Study of methods used in ethnographic research, with a focus on addressing methodological challenges, developing a research project, and writing a proposal. Prerequisite: ANTHR 207 (or ANTHE 207) or consent of Department.

The course investigates recent works that theorize modernity (globalization, transnationalism, the impact of new technologies) from an ethnographic perspective. Offered in alternate years.

The relationship between the development of anthropological theory across the twentieth century and the emergence of new social movement organized around anti-colonialism, anti-racism, feminism, ethnicity, the environment, gender, sexuality, disability, and identity. Prerequisite: ANTHR 207 (or ANTHE 207) or consent of Department. Offered in alternate years.

Attention to figurative language and rhetorics in everyday life as well as narrative forms, inlcuding myth, folklore and oral history, and to ritual language, inlcuding oratory and prayer. Prerequisite: ANTHR 207 or 208 or consent of Department.

Introduction to visual media and visualization in the creation, reproduction and comprehension of culture over time, and the use of imagery in describing the anthropological subject. Prerequisite: consent of Department. Offered in alternate years.

Review of both classical and contemporary anthropological studies of artistic expression worldwide and questions concerning art as a cultural system, its function(s) and social position. Prerequisite: Consent of Department.

Study of the juvenile skeleton, treating development and identification of juvenile skeletal elements. Other topics include the theory and practice of determining juvenile age at death and the study of juvenile health and childrearing practices in past populations using skeletal remains. Prerequisite: ANTHR 390, or consent of Department. Offered in alternate years.

Survey of current research on the stable isotope and aDNA analysis of archaeological human and faunal remains. Prerequisite: ANTHR 390, or consent of Department. Offered in alternate years.

Archaeological mapping and spatial analysis, including non-digital and digital forms. Students will learn the theoretical foundations of mapping as well as learn how to use mapping technology and software. Offered in alternate years. Prerequisite: ANTHR 206 or consent of Department.

Exploration of methodological and theoretical issues in dental anthropology through study of human teeth from archaeological contexts. Offered in alternate years. Prerequisite: ANTHR 390 or consent of Department.

Individual research project conducted under the direction of a Department faculty member. Prerequisite: consent of Department.

Individual research project involving significant laboratory work conducted under the direction of a Department faculty member. Prerequisite: consent of Department.

A survey of the cultures of the Northwest Coast from Yakutat Bay to the Columbia River. Cultures will be examined from the perspectives of the ethnographic present, historical change, and current developments. Focal areas include social structure, kinship, economic systems, material culture, ethnoaesthetics, winter dance ceremonial complexes, and language. Prerequisite: ANTHR 207 (or ANTHE 207) or 250 or consent of Department. Offered in alternate years.

Survey of methods used to reconstruct past human diets, with an emphasis on those that involve the study of human remains. Prerequisite: ANTHR 206 or 209 or consent of Department. Offered in alternate years.

Exploration of methodological and theoretical issues in zooarchaeology through the study of animal remains from archaeological contexts. Prerequisite: ANTHR 206 or consent of Department. Offered in alternate years.

Consult the Department for the specific topics offered and any recommended courses to be completed prior to registering.

Consult the Department for the specific topics offered and any recommended courses to be completed prior to registering.

Consult the Department for the specific topics offered and any recommended courses to be completed prior to registering.

Consult the Department for the specific topics offered and any recommended courses to be completed prior to registering.

The analysis and interpretation of data obtained from human skeletal and dental remains from archaeological sites. Prerequisite: ANTHR 390 or consent of Department. Offered in alternate years.

A methodological and theoretical introduction to the analysis of stone tools. Prerequisites: ANTHR 206 or consent of Department. Offered in alternate years.

Human skeletal individualization and its application to human death investigation. Prerequisite: ANTHR 390 or consent of Department.

The application of archaeological theory and methods to field and laboratory problems. Prerequisites: ANTHR 206 or consent of Department. Offered in alternate years.

A review and discussion of contemporary issues in Anthropology leading to the conception, preparation, and completion of the BA Honors essay under the supervision of an individual faculty member.

A review and discussion of contemporary issues in Anthropology leading to the conception, preparation, and completion of the BA Honors essay under the supervision of an individual faculty member.

Preparation of a research proposal leading to the MA thesis. The prospectus will state the proposed research problem, and demonstrate the theoretical and methodological knowledge required to complete the research. Closed to web registration. Department consent required.

Readings, presentations, and discussions of staff research, recent advances and current issues in the four fields of anthropology. Limited to new MA students

A detailed survey of disease processes in antiquity as expressed in skeletal and preserved tissues. Prerequisite: consent of Department. Offered in alternate years.

Not open to students with credit in ANTHR 401 or 505. Offered in alternate years.

Investigates recent works that theorize modernity (globalization, transnationalism, the impact of new technologies) from an ethnographic perspective. Offered in alternate years.

The relationship between the development of anthropological theory across the twentieth century and the emergence of new social movements organized around anti-colonialism, anti-racism, feminism, ethnicity, the environment, gender, sexuality, disability, and identity. Offered in alternate years.

Introduction to visual media and visualization in the creation, reproduction and comprehension of culture over time, and the use of imagery in describing the anthropological subject. Offered in alternate years.

Study of the juvenile skeleton, treating development and identification of juvenile skeletal elements. Other topics include the theory and practice of determining juvenile age at death and the study of juvenile health and childrearing practices in past populations using skeletal remains. Offered in alternate years.

Survey of current research on the stable isotope and aDNA analysis of archaeological human and faunal remains. Offered in alternate years.

This course covers the basics of archaeological mapping and spatial analysis, including non-digital and digital forms. Students will learn the theoretical foundations of mapping as well as learn how to use mapping technology and software. Offered in alternate years.

Exploration of methodological and theoretical issues in dental anthropology through study of human teeth from archaeological contexts. Offered in alternate years.

Individual research project conducted under the direction of a Department faculty member. Closed to web registration. Department consent required.

Individual research project involving significant laboratory or field work conducted under the supervision of a Department faculty member. Closed to web registration. Department consent required.

Aspects of fieldwork in anthropology. Prerequisite: consent of Department. Requires payment of additional student instructional support fees. Refer to the Tuition and Fees page in the University Regulations section of the Calendar.

Advanced survey of methods used to reconstruct past human diets, with an emphasis on those that involve the study of human remains. Offered in alternate years.

Exploration of methodological and theoretical issues in zooarchaeology through the study of animal remains from archaeological contexts. Offered in alternate years.

Consult the Department and/or the schedule of classes for the specific topics offered.

Consult the Department and/or the University timetable for the specific topics offered.

Consult the Department and/or the schedule of classes for the specific topics offered.

Consult the Department and/or the University timetable for the specific topics offered.

Consult the Department and/or the University timetable for the specific topics offered.

Cultural experiences and representations of landscape.

Preparation of a research proposal leading to the PhD thesis. The prospectus states the proposed research problem, and demonstrates the theoretical and methodological knowledge required to complete the research. Closed to web registration. Department consent required.

Readings, presentations, and discussions of staff research, recent advances and current issues in the four fields of anthropology. Limited to new PhD students. Optional for students with credit in ANTHR 501