SPR 22 Anthropology Courses

Spring 2022 Course Offerings

ANTH 104 - American Mosaic: The Cultures of the United States (4 credits)

The study of the cultures of the United States from the perspectives of ethnicity, race, gender and class. Special emphasis on anthropological methods and approaches to enhance understanding of contemporary socio-cultural lifeways.

ANTH 201 - Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (5 credits)

Introduction to the concepts, methods and practical application of cultural anthropology. The focus is on explanations for social and cultural variation around the world and over time and the significance of holistic and comparative understanding.

ANTH 210 - Introduction to Archaeology (5 credits)

The historical roots and current goals of archaeology. Principles of archaeological inference, including formation of the archaeological record, data collection and analysis, and interpretive frameworks.

ANTH 215 - Introductory Biological Anthropology (5 credits)

The biological side of anthropology; human osteology, primate paleontology, human variation, human evolution and primate behavior.

ANTH 301 - Anthropological Theory (5 credits)

The development of anthropological thought from the late 1800s to the present. Emphasis is placed on the major theoretical developments in the discipline.

ANTH 303 - Qualitative Methods in Anthropology (5 credits)

This course will familiarize students with perspectives, methods and techniques of qualitative research in anthropology. The course will cover the theoretical background of qualitative research, major research traditions, methods of data collection, analysis of textual data and the write-up of findings.

ANTH 308 - Hunter-Gatherer Societies in World Prehistory (5 credits)

The archaeological remains of hunting-gathering groups from early hominids to modern times interpreted in terms of evolution of adaptive strategies. Relationship to agriculture as an adaptive strategy; contributions of studies of modern hunter-gatherer groups.

ANTH 316 - Aztec, Inca, and Maya Archaeology (5 credits)

This course provides an introduction to the study of the Prehispanic civilizations of the New World. The curriculum will cover pertinent archaeological, ethnohistoric, and epigraphic data from three of the best-known new world states: the Maya of southern Mesoamerica, the Aztecs of central Mexico, and the Inca of the Andes. The perspective of this course is explicitly comparative, and case studies will be examined within the framework of anthropological theories of ancient states. For each civilization, we will examine several categories of variability, including: environmental setting, origins of complexity, political organization, social organization, economy, and religion and ideology.

ANTH 335 - Quantitative Methods in Anthropology (5 credits)

Mathematics and statistics as applied to anthropological problems.

ANTH 347 - The Ethnography of Communication(5 credits)

Familiarizes students with methods of data collection and analysis used in linguistic anthropology through an examination of both classic and current literature. Examines the complex relationship between language and culture.

ANTH 353 - Sex and Gender in Culture (5 credits)

Cross-cultural study of gender stereotypes, gender and language, gender and work roles, gender and religion.

ANTH 361 - American Indian Perspectives (5 credits)

Ethnographic survey of the peoples and cultures.

ANTH 420 - Human Osteology and Forensic Anthropology (5 credits)

After learning the human skeleton, the student will be trained in techniques for recovery of the body, reconstruction of the body’s history (age, sex, race, etc.) and how to aid the crime investigator.

ANTH 423 - Human Evolution (5 credits)

First half of seminar covers theory and anatomical changes for hominid species focusing on last 6 million years (that is, Ardipithecus and Australopithecus to present) and second half considers sociocultural evolution (e.g., life history theory, mate choice, evolution of cognition, emotions, language).

ANTH 426 - Human Genetics and Epigenetics for the 21st Century (5 credits) 

This course examines patterns of human genetic variation, characterizing the concepts of inheritance, gene expression, the relationship of genotype to phenotype and the growing role of epigenetics in human development, adaptation and evolution.

ANTH 428 - Cultural Resource Management (5 credits)

Introduction to the field of cultural resource management including historic preservation, archaeological resource management, cultural resource management for subsistence and spiritual practices. Background on legislation and current practices, review of case studies and experience with actual projects.

ANTH 462 - Critical Issues in Indigenous Northwest Studies (5 credits) 

Tribal distributions, social organization and ecological adaptation and social change with emphasis on the Indigenous peoples of Washington state.

ANTH 463 - Critical Issues in East and Southeast Asia (5 credits) 

An ethnographic in-depth study of the national and minority peoples of China, mainland and insular Southeast Asia. Emphasis on special topics, including ecology, prehistory and selected cultural groups. Readings focus on original monographs.

ANTH 470 - Museology Studies (3-5 credits)

Internship at the Whatcom Museum of History and Art or other local museums. Students may select an area of museum specialization in most cases; essay questions and a paper are also required. Repeatable to a maximum of 10 cr.

ANTH 472 - Visual Anthropology (3-5 credits)

Examination of photographic representation of people by anthropologists, ethnographic filmmakers, indigenous people, media and other groups. Analytical skills and applications are emphasized and theoretical perspectives are explored.

ANTH 479 - People of the Sea and Cedar Internship (1-6 credits)

This is an internship at the Whatcom Museum, specifically to prepare students for workshops/tours for a program titled The People of the Sea and Cedar, which focuses on Northwest Coast Native peoples. The student will conduct workshops/tours for third and fourth grade students studying Native American history and culture. Interns will also learn about broader museum topics through readings and demonstrate their understandings through weekly short essays. A self-evaluation and Summary of Learning is also required. Interns should be comfortable working with people and hold an interest in Native American culture. Interns will need to be available for certain hours and make a two consecutive quarter commitment. Repeatable up to 7 credits including original course.

ANTH 490 - Sex Work, Intimacy & Love Senior Seminar in Anthropology (5 credits)

Capstone seminar in anthropology. This course explores ethnographic and theoretical approaches to the sex industry. We will focus upon recent, highly recognized ethnographic case studies from different parts of the world and explore the intersections of sex work, intimacy, and love in this increasingly globalized world. Simultaneously, we will examine theoretical approaches to sex work informed by feminist anthropology, migration studies, public health, legal studies, as well as debates related to neoliberalism, capitalism, globalization, gender, and human trafficking. The main focus of this senior capstone course will be to train students in critical research and writing skills. The course will be run in the style of a seminar and workshops. Students will significantly contribute to the overall course by actively participating in all aspects of the class.