Featured Spring 2024 Courses

ANTH 1155 Exploring Global & Cultural Diversity: How we Go: The Anthropology of Death and Dying

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 19:47:24 +0000

ANTH 1155 Exploring Global & Cultural Diversity: How we Go: The Anthropology of Death and Dying Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 11/30/2022 - 12:47

We deny the fact of death by trying to forget about it. “The natural processes of corruption and decay have become as disgusting as the natural processes of birth and copulation were a century ago,” argues Geoffrey Gorer. In those moments when we actually contemplate it, death generally invokes dread. A number of industries cater to our fears, and an increasing number of people die away from home. The elderly are housed in places apart, and strangers prepare the bodies of dead for us. For us, death remains—and must remain—something hidden.

This class reads death against the grain: By studying the ways people in other societies navigate the end of life, we will see that there is a variety of possible responses to human frailty and finitude. Students will learn about the diverse ways human beings respond to their finitude, mourn their dead, and imagine the afterlife. Examples of topics that we will cover include: mortuary rituals and funerary behavior, the cultural construction of death, the effects of death on the social fabric, morning and bereavement, hospice and end-of-life issues, and medical and ethical issues relating to death. Throughout the course, students will examine the variety of social and cultural responses to the biological fact of death. We will see that death is an integral part of human life while appreciating the tremendous diversity of cultural attitudes toward death.

There are two required books for this course: Erik Mueggler’s The Age of Wild Ghosts and Beth Conklin’s Consuming Grief: Compassionate Cannibalism in an Amazonian Society, which will be in the University bookstore. All other required readings will be posted on the course site as Adobe PDF files. Some of the files are large, so it is recommended that you use a high bandwidth connection to retrieve them. The readings are listed on the course schedule below and must be completed prior to the assigned due date (the Monday of the week for which they are assigned).

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ANTH 1155 - Explorations in Global Cultural Diversity- Introduction to the Anthropology of Japan

Anonymous — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 16:27:02 +0000

ANTH 1155 - Explorations in Global Cultural Diversity- Introduction to the Anthropology of Japan Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 10/15/2021 - 10:27

This course offers you a broad sample of cutting-edge contemporary social science explorations of Japan, featuring Friday guest lectures. You will meet many of the scholars whose work we will read, giving you the opportunity to ask questions about their research process.

A core theme running through the course is the question of what “Japanese identity” means. The nation is around 98% ethnically Japanese and popular narratives frame the country as “homogenous,” but at the same time, “multiculturalism” and “internationalization” are key words in public discourse and policy narratives. Further, many sorts of people constitute Japan, including Indigenous Ainu and the Ryukyuan people of Okinawa, people whose ethnic origins come from outside Japan or who are mixed-race, gender minorities, and people with disabilities. What might it be like to live in a nation framed as “homogenous,” when the human experience is inherently diverse?

We will consider core methodological and theoretical issues in anthropology more broadly, and the anthropology of Japan, specifically. Assignments will give you the opportunity to explore topics of your own interest.

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ANTH 2100 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology

Anonymous — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 17:39:36 +0000

ANTH 2100 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 02/26/2018 - 10:39

What does it mean to think anthropologically? This course will provide an overview of the history and foundations of anthropological thought, with a special focus on the key method of anthropology: ethnography. Drawing on both classical and contemporary anthropological texts from a broad range of international settings, we will analyze the meaning of the categories we use to organize our experiences and social relationships. Topics will include: the "culture" concept, particularly in relation to ideas of difference, relativism, translation, and individual and group identity; the role of language, narrative, and interpretation in the constitution of the self and the social world; symbols, metaphors, and ideologies as forms of power and vehicles for social transformation; ethnographic methods, ethics, and techniques of anthropological research and fieldwork; and cross-cultural comparisons of systems of kinship, gender/sex/sexuality, labor and economic exchange.

See the University Catalog for specifics, recommendations, and prerequisites.

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ANTH 2200 The Archaeology of Human History

Anonymous — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 17:30:36 +0000

ANTH 2200 The Archaeology of Human History Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 02/26/2018 - 10:30

Where did human beings come from?

How did we come to inhabit the world?

Why don’t we eat wild foods anymore?

How did complex urban societies rise and fall?

All this and more…..

Professor Douglas Bamforth

See the University Catalog for specifics, recommendations, and prerequisites.

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ANTH 4020/5020 Historical Archaeology

Anonymous — Sat, 31 Oct 2015 17:59:51 +0000

ANTH 4020/5020 Historical Archaeology Anonymous (not verified) Sat, 10/31/2015 - 11:59

New course for Spring 2024!

For undergrads and grad students!

Interested in the untold stories of U.S. history from the 1500s to today?

Historical archaeology’s mission is to use a combination of archaeological and historical resources to tell the stories of those that did not make it into history. And, to critically evaluate those that did. Over the course of the semester, we will learn the methods and theory of the field by reading and discussing original research, covering the colonial and early U.S. period, the formative U.S. period (19th century), and archaeology of 20th century and today. You will also get an opportunity to work with archives, documents, maps, and artifacts. And, you’ll do an original research project (for undergrads, a great writing sample and research experience when applying for jobs or grad school).

The best part: no exams. ;)

When: Spring 2024 semester
Where: Hale 240
Time: T Th 3:30-4:45

Stop by Hale 179 or email Dr. Jones (Eric.Jones-2@colorado.edu) if you have any questions

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ANTH 4120/5120 Social Bioarchaeology

Anonymous — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 18:09:14 +0000

ANTH 4120/5120 Social Bioarchaeology Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 10/31/2014 - 12:09

Course for Spring 2024 Offered by Dr. DeWitte

Did you know that your daily experiences, identity, and health can leave traces in your skeleton?

Bioarchaeologistsusethisinformationtolearn about life in past human societies. To explore these topics, take Social Bioarchaeology! This course will include hands-on activities that teach you how bioarchaeologists build profiles of individuals from their skeletons and how we analyze data. We will read original research about reconstructions of past lives and how health and well-being were affected by things like gender, social age, migrant status, and social status across different time periods and in different cultures. We will also explore the ethical issues associated with studying human remains.

When: Spring 2024
Where: Hale 260
Time: T/TH 3:30-4:45 pm

Other: To learn more, contact Dr. DeWitte via email at sharon.DeWitte@colorado.edu or stop by her office, Hale 135

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