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Course Descriptions
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ANTH 109a: FYE: Windy City Anthropology! Artifacts, monkeys, and a diversity of cultures – anthropologists study the cultural and biological aspects of being human in the present and in the prehistoric past. This exciting course will introduce students to the fundamental concepts and ethics of anthropology through field trips, readings, off-campus projects, hands-on labs, and discussions. Students will take advantage of the incredible resources Chicago has to offer as we learn and practice the methods of ethnography, archaeology, and forensic and fossil human studies. Get ready to eat, study, measure, read, observe, and participate as we explore the human experience in Chicago! (first year students only)
ANTH 109b: FYE: Skeletons in Chicago Closets… Interested in bones? Biological anthropologists study human biological diversity, including variation and changes in skeletal structure in past and present populations. This provocative course will introduce students to forensic anthropology and paleoanthropology, and will also compare skeletons of nonhuman species. A wealth of information can be extracted from bones - everything from an individual’s sex to population speciation and evolutionary change. Students will engage in hands-on labs, discussions of readings, guest lectures by area researchers, a behind-the-scenes Field Museum tour, and will also explore a variety of Chicago museums, skeletal collections, and exhibits. (first year students only)
ANTH-212 INTRODUCTION TO CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY, 3 cr. Looks at what separates humans qualitatively from all other organisms, culture as language and symbolic systems of thought and social complexity. Focuses on cultural practices and institutions among ethnic groups the world over. Also examines the roots and results of notions of difference, otherness, and prejudices among peoples. Provides students with a thoughtful appreciation for the vast diversity among human practices and behavior, including marriage, child rearing, cuisine, art, politics, religion, and household practices.
ANTH-213 INTRODUCTION TO ARCHAEOLOGY, 3 cr. Archaeology focuses on cultures of the past by uncovering and analyzing what they left behind. Students will explore the theories and methods archaeologists use to interpret, reconstruct, preserve, and ultimately learn from the past. This class will also highlight the use of archaeology to address important social, economic, and ideological questions including the origins of food production, of social inequality, and of civilization.
ANTH-215 INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, 3 cr. This multi-faceted, data-oriented course explores the biological diversity of humans and other primates in the past and present. Using fossil casts, hands-on activities, and the scientific method, students will analyze the evidence for more than six million years of human evolution. This course reviews the principles of genetics and inheritance and examines the evolutionary processes that contribute to modern human variation. Students will also explore the ecology and behavior of lemurs, monkeys, apes, and other primates and their significance for understanding our origins.
ANTH-221 PEOPLES OF SOUTH AMERICA, 3 cr. Ethnographic survey of the contemporary peoples and cultures of South America. Selected cultures, peasant communities, and urban societies are compared.
ANTH-223 NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS, 3 cr. Survey of the cultures of North America at the time of contact with Europeans. The record of Indian-non-Indian relationships from colonial times to the present is analyzed in the light of its impact on changing Indian culture and society.
ANTH-224 PEOPLES OF AFRICA, 3 cr. Peoples of Africa introduces students to the diverse, complex and fascinating peoples of sub-Saharan Africa, using theories and methods drawn from the field of anthropology. The course emphasizes linkages, the institutions, practices and ideas that individuals use to create and shape their communities, the relationships these communities have with one another and with larger regional and national institutions, and the long standing connections the continent has had with other parts of the world, including Illinois.
ANTH-225 PEOPLES OF MEXICO, CENTRAL AMERICA, AND THE CARIBBEAN, 3 cr. Ethnographic survey of the contemporary peoples and cultures of Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean islands. Emphasis is on Spanish and Indian language areas. In-depth examination of 4-6 cases.
ANTH-238 PEOPLES OF CENTRAL ASIA, 3 cr. Survey of Turkic, Mongolian and Iranic peoples, including Siberia, Uzbekistan, India and Iran. Students study Silk Roads archaeology and history, music, cuisine, religions, and politics of contemporary Central Asian societies. Extensive use of artifacts, songs, maps, photos, and videos from the region illustrate this most fascinating part of the world.
ANTH-240 TOPICS IN ANTHROPOLOGY, 3 cr. Exploration and analysis of contemporary toics and anthropological films from an anthropological perspective. Consult the Schedule of Classes for specific topics.
ANTH-250 LATIN AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY, 3 cr. Interested in the roots of Latin American culture? This course provides an introduction to ancient indigenous civilizations that arose in three different geographic regions of Latin America: The Maya of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Mexico; the Mexica or Aztec of the Central Mexican Highlands; and the Inka of the Andes Mountains of Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador. The dramatic impact of Spanish contact and conquest on native populations will also be covered. This course is broadly comparative and relies heavily on visual media to convey the essence of prehistory and early history of Latin American civilization.
ANTH-255 NORTH AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY, 3 cr. Prehistory of Native Americans in the United States and Canada, evolution of their cultures from the Ice Age to the Seventeenth Century AD through examination of their artifacts. Extensive use is made of visual materials to illustrate cultural development.
ANTH-261 THE BIOLOGY OF BEHAVIOR, 3 cr. Why do we act the way we do? Are we at the mercy of our genes or does environment shape our behavior? This engaging course looks at the nature/nurture debate and will evaluate claims of the biological basis of behavior. Topics discussed include: communication and the origins of language, hormonal and genetic influences on behavior, sociobiology and the evolution of behavior, possible universals of human nature, and the use and misuse of biology to justify or condemn human behavior. Special emphasis on critical review of popular media claims of the biological basis of behavior.
ANTH-306 THE RISE OF COMPLEX SOCIETIES: THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF STATE FORMATION AND URBANIZATION, 3 cr. This course provides an in-depth, comparative exploration of the emergence of social hierarchy and centralized political formations in the Old and new Worlds. Students will become familiar with the political institutions, economic structures, and religious traditions of the world's earliest "civilizations" in the Americas, the Near East, and China while probing anthropological theories on the rise of cities and states. Students will develop an understanding of the varied factors which drove parallel or divergent forms of social complexity and will partake in archaeological problem-solving involving both method and theory. Prerequisite: ANTH 213.
ANTH-307 ANTHROPOLOGY OF GENDER, SEXUALITY, AND THE BODY, 3 cr. The course introduces students to approaches to gender in cultural anthropology, focusing especially on the body as the site where these historically and culturally specific notions of difference and identity are realized. Course materials address a variety of gendered bodily experiences cross-culturally and investigate the ways they are implicated in notions of masculinity and femininity. Course topics include initiation practices and other means of attributing sex/gender identities; reproduction and fertility control;; beauty and body image; health and illness; warfare and violence; and sexuality and sexual orientation. Prerequisite: ANTH 212.
ANTH-309 EGYPTIAN ARCHAEOLOGY, 3 cr. The study of ancient Egyptian society and culture, traced from the late Predynastic through the New Kingdom periods with emphasis on the archaeological evidence: settlement patterns, monuments, and other artifacts in their spatial and temporal contexts. Slides and other illustrative materials are used extensively. Prerequisite: ANTH 213.
ANTH-310 MIDDLE EASTERN ARCHAEOLOGY, 3 cr. Study of ancient cultures of the Middle East, emphasizing Greater Mesopotamia, the region of the Tigris-Euphrates River drainage, from prehistoric times o the fifth century BC; artifacts, monuments, and settlements patterns of ancient Mesopotamian societies. Slides and other illustrative materials are used extensively. Prerequisite: ANTH 213.
ANTH-313 WITCHCRAFT AND SORCERY, 3 cr. Study of some of the supernatural explanations of evil with major emphasis on the description of the various forms of these beliefs and the reasons, both conscious and unconscious, for these beliefs. Examples are drawn from the non-Western world, medieval through seventeenth century Europe and Old and New England. Prerequisite: ANTH 212.
ANTH-314 ANTHROPOLOGY OF RELIGION, 3 cr. Study of the ways that religions, both past and present, act to support or alter the social systems or sub-systems with which they are associated. The ways that individuals respond to the value systems and world views of various religions are examined, as well as the individual motivations for adherence to the various religions. Prerequisite: ANTH 212.
ANTH-315 GREEK ARCHAEOLOGY: BRONZE AGE, 3 cr. Cultural remains of Bronze Age Greece are used to reconstruct society from 3000 BC. Extensive use is made of color slides of sites and artifacts. Prerequisite: ANTH 213.
ANTH-316 GREEK ARCHAEOLOGY: CLASSICAL AGE, 3 cr. Cultural remains of Classical Greece are used to reconstruct society from 1000 BC to 366 BC. Extensive use is made of color slides of sites and artifacts. Prerequisite: ANTH 213.
ANTH-317 MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, 3 cr. What are the thoughts, practices, and habits concerning "health," "illness," and the management of the body and person in daily and ritual situations? American customs, folk medicine and healing techniques are examined and compared to the beliefs and behaviors of other cultures. What are the roles of the "healer," "patient," and physician as culture defines them? What is the relationship between "medicine" and "religion?" Prerequisite: ANTH 212.
ANTH-332 HUMAN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN EVOLUTIONARY PERSPECTIVE, 3 cr. Anthropologists study the dynamics of human growth and development from an evolutionary perspective. in this course, we will investigate the history of the study of human growth and the biological principles of growth. Students will examine the genetic and hormonal effects on human and other mammal growth patterns, end environmental factors that influence growth including nutrition, disease, socio-economic status, pollution, etc. Highlighting unique features of human growth in its various stages, w will also examine how anthropologists interpret variation in growth patterns among human populations an d the possible adaptive significance of this variation. Prerequisite: ANTH 215.
ANTH-339 PALEOANTHROPOLOGY: THE FOSSIL RECORD OF HUMAN EVOLUTION, 3 cr. The fossil record of human existence reaches back nearly 7 million years into the past and is the focus of the discipline of paleoanthropology. This exciting course examines the fossil evidence for human evolution an dthe biological processes that have shaped this most unique radiation. Using fossil casts and other resoruces, students will explore the nature of the fossil record and the fundamentals of of paleoanthropological research. The course will also detail the nature of controversies and differing interpretations of the fossil evidence, as well as the proposed phylogenetic relationships of hominids. Prerequisite: ANTH 215.
ANTH 349i – Anthropology of Globalization The course will address social forces, practices, The course will address social forces, practices, and experiences related to the ever-increasing transnational interconnectedness of societies across the world. Through readings from the anthropological literature on globalization and related issues, we will critically address the ways “globalization” is conceived and theorized by contemporary scholars; its effects on the construction of identity; the role of commodities, consumer culture, and the media; and the ways in which the processes referred to as globalization both broaden and expand notions of “community” and “culture,” and present new varieties and intensities of difference, disjuncture, and marginalization. Prerequisite: ANTH 212.
ANTH-350 PROSEMINAR IN ANTHROPOLOGY, 3 cr. Advanced study and analysis of selected topics in subfields anthropology, such as: anthropology of food, and art and anthropology. Consult the Schedule of Classes for specific topics.
ANTH-352 ARCHAEOLOGICAL METHODS, 3 cr. Study of the techniques of recovery, analysis and interpretation of archaeological data; demonstration of some of the equipment employed in archaeological fieldwork. Theoretical value and limitations of the data; some of the contributions of science to their interpretation. Prerequisite: ANTH 213 or ANTH 215 or consent of instructor.
ANTH-355 HISTORY OF ANTHROPOLOGY, 3 cr. Discussion of major theoretical approaches to the understanding of human behavior including a discussion of the cultural context of anthropologists. Prerequisite: ANTH 212, 213, and 215 or consent of instructor.
ANTH-356 HUMAN VARIATION, 3 cr. People look different from each other. Can we be classified into races or do we follow some other pattern of variation? This provocative course will examine the role of heredity and environment in determining the world distribution of human biological traits. Students will study the adaptive significance of skin/hair/eye color, facial features, blood groups, body proportions, resistance to disease, long and short-term climatic adaptations, and other features. This course will also address the history of race biology studies and the far-reaching social and political motivations and implications of these early works. Prerequisite: ANTH 215 or consent of instructor.
ANTH-357 SHELLS, PIGS, AND GOLD: ANTHROPOLOGY AND ECONOMY, 3 cr. Is greed simply a part of human nature? Do all humans simply have endless wants and desires for material goods? More than a century ago anthropologists began questioning assumptions of classical Western economics, and began to show that societies have diverse values as people pursue wealth and the good life. The course design gives students insights into the variety of economic systems by tapping into ethnographic literature that has overturned mainstream economic wisdom. Take a look at economics from a fresh and intriguing micro-level perspective that incorporates many other aspects of cultural life, including marriage and ecology. Prerequisite: ANTH 212.
ANTH-359 MUSEUM STUDIES, 3 cr. This class that will take the student on a tour of some of the world's most fascinating institutions, and teach the history and theory behind their development. The course will also focus on many of the activities that take place in museums that make them such a valuable asset to the scientific and educational communities.
ANTH-365 ANTHROPOLOGY OF ISLAM, 3 cr. Do all Muslims practice their faith in the same way? Is there really only one type of Muslim society? Based on consideration of major Islamic beliefs, the history of Islamic expansion and civilization, and the cultures of contemporary Muslim societies, the thesis of this course is that there are numerous cultural approaches to Islam. Students learn by reading within and outside of anthropology to better inform themselves of contemporary issues and understandings of the dynamism that characterizes Islamic cultures. Prerequisite: ANTH 212.
ANTH-366 MESOAMERICAN CONTINUITY AND CHANGE, 3 cr. Mesoamerican peoples of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador can claim a heritage that reaches into antiquity. This course examines the beliefs and practices of the cultures of Mesoamerica from the Prehispanic past into the 21st century, including events that have eliminated, modified, or introduced new elements to Mesoamerican cultures and transformed their peoples. An aspect of this course includes how peoples originating from Mesoamerica may or may not maintain continuities after relocation to the United States. This course serves as an elective to the Latino/Latin American studies minor. Prerequisite: ANTH 212 or ANTH 213.
ANTH-370 FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY, 4 cr. Forensic anthropologists have the task of determining the identity of human remains. This lecture/lab course investigates the wealth of information that can be gleaned from the human skeleton and its elements. The laboratory section will cover stages of bone growth and remodeling, the identification of whole, fragmentary, and burned bones and teeth, and the identification of human vs. nonhuman remains. The classroom section will focus on methods of forensic analysis including the determination of age, sex, ancestry, and handedness, estimation of stature, facial reconstruction, fingerprint analysis, decomposition variables and rates, and the diagnosis of pathology and trauma. Prerequisite: ANTH 215 or consent of instructor.
ANTH-374 THE MAYA, 3 cr. This is an exciting and in-depth exploration of ancient Maya society from its origins to Spanish contact. The course reviews geography and time periods used by Mayanists to help understand larger trends in Maya society. You will also evaluate issues and debates that currently exist within Maya studies. These include questions of economy, politics, social organization, religion, and ideology. Finally, the decipherment of the Maya script is examined. You will have the opportunity to critically examine a specific topic or problem and demonstrate a mastery of this topic during the semester. Prerequisite: ANTH 213 or ANTH 250.
ANTH-376 PRIMATE BEHAVIOR, 3 cr. From grooming behavior to prehensile tails, living nonhuman primates exhibit an intriguing array of behavioral and anatomical adaptations. Using bones, videos, scientific literature, and zoo trips, students will explore the behavioral diversity of nonhuman primates in an ecological context. A comprehensive appreciation of our closest relatives will follow from studies of diet and foraging behavior, locomotion, social structure, male and female mating strategies, rank and dominance hierarchies, communication, intelligence, cognition, and primate survival and conservation. Prerequisite: ANTH 215 or consent of instructor.
ANTH-378 ANTHROPOLOGY OF POWER, 3 cr. The study of politics concerns who gets what, why, and how in societies. Anthropologists study political systems by examining the varieties of human practices involving rules and laws, persuasion and coercion. This course surveys how politics have been studied by anthropologists for the past 130 years, from indigenous North Americans to Trobriand Islanders, and especially how anthropologists increasingly became political themselves as more and more peoples began living under the authority of modern nation states. Prerequisite: ANTH 212.
ANTH-380 ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD SCHOOL, 6 cr. Want to work on an archaeological site? In this intensive field course, students will explore field, lab, and survey techniques on an actual archaeological dig. Students will learn excavation techniques and protocol in the treatment and recovery of artifacts, ecofacts, features, and structures. Students will also develop skills in mapping and the use of various field technologies including GPS. Instruction will also include lab methods for processing, analyzing, and curating material remains. location of Field School may vary from year to year. Prerequisite: Anth 213, Anth 250, Anth 374, or consent of instructor.
ANTH-381 INDEPENDENT STUDY IN ANTHROPOLOGY, 1 cr. Independent study of methods, concepts, data, and/or special topics in cultural anthropology, archaeology, biological anthropology, etc. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
ANTH-382 INDEPENDENT STUDY IN ANTHROPOLOGY, 2 cr. (See ANTH 381 for description.)
ANTH-383 INDEPENDENT STUDY IN ANTHROPOLOGY, 3 cr. (See ANTH 381 for description.)
ANTH-384 FIELDWORK IN ANTHROPOLOGY, 2 cr. Academic credit for non-NEIU sponsored anthropological fieldwork. Reserved for students who have independently arranged for ethnographic, primatological, archaeological, paleontological, forensic, applied, or other relevant and typically off-campus fieldwork opportunities. Student enrolls with anthropology faculty who guides and oversees student performance. Helps students improve research skills, apply principles learned in classroom, and explore career options. May be taken more than once. Prerequisite: ANTH 212, 213, or 215 and consent of instructor.
ANTH-385 FIELDWORK IN ANTHROPOLOGY, 4 cr. (See ANTH 384 for description.)
ANTH-386 FIELDWORK IN ANTHROPOLOGY, 6 cr. (See ANTH 384 for description.)
ANTH-387 FIELD MUSEUM INTERNSHIP, 1-6 cr. Student assists Field Museum staff in specimen prep lab and/or with other curation management activities. Work can include specimen preparation, processing, and labeling, collections database management, resolving zoological taxonomic issues, and more. Students arrange for internship through the NEIU Anthropology Department. These internship hours require a significant commitment on the part of the student and are only open to highly motivated, responsible students. Arrangements are subject to consent of Field Museum staff. Approximate credit to field hour ratios from 1 cr., 50 field hours to 6 cr., 300 field hours. Prerequisite: ANTH 215 and consent of advisor.
ANTH-388 SENIOR THESIS in ANTHROPOLOGY, 4 cr. Individualized guidance of student research leading to and including a senior thesis in anthropology. Prerequisite: junior or senior standing and consent of instructor.
ANTH-389 LINCOLN PARK ZOO RESEARCH, 1-6 cr. Student works with Lincoln Park Zoo biologists on a zoo-sponsored research project on primate or other mammal species. Focus can include: development and implementation of research design, ethological data collection including behavioral observations, analysis, etc. Student arranges for project through NEIU Anthropology Department. These credit hours require a significant commitment on the part of the student and are only open to highly motivated, responsible students. Arrangements are subject to consent of Lincoln Park Zoo staff. Approximate credit to field h our ratios from 1 cr., 50 field hours to 6 cr., 300 field hours. Prerequisites: ANTH 215 and consent of advisor.
ANTH-395 SENIOR SEMINAR IN CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY, 4 cr. The senior seminar in cultural anthropology is one of the capstone courses for majors. This is an advanced course in which anthropology students will engage with key topical and theoretical issues in contemporary cultural anthropology, including debates about "globalization and "modernity;" the concept of "culture" and its relationship to history and memory; the relationship between agency and structure; and the role of the body and embodiment. Students will read recent scholarship in the field and produce original research papers. Prerequisite: Senior standing/consent of instructor.
ANTH-396 SENIOR SEMINAR IN ARCHAEOLOGY, 4 cr. This course critically examines the interpretive frameworks of archaeology and controversial issues currently facing the discipline. These may include: When did humans first arrive in New World, and where did they come from? Why did people across the globe move from foraging as a means of subsistence and instead begin growing food at roughly the same time? Why do complex societies fail or collapse? This course emphasizes critical thinking and the evaluation of arguments and data. After completing this course, students will be able to think critically about how the past is presented. Prerequisite: Senior standing/consent of instructor.
ANTH-397 SENIOR SEMINAR IN BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, 4 cr. This lively seminar will provide an overview of the current issues, controversies, ethical challenges, and new developments facing the sub-discipline of biological anthropology today. Students will conduct critical analyses of current literature in the various areas of biological anthropology, including evolutionary theory, human biology and variation, primate biology and behavior, and the fossil record of human evolution. Biological anthropologists from the Chicago area and beyond will be brought in for guest lectures and discussions on their current research. Prerequisite: Senior standing/consent of instructor.
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