Current Courses

This is an introduction to the study of contemporary cultures and languages and to the methods of ethnographic fieldwork.

This is an introduction to the study of contemporary cultures and languages and to the methods of ethnographic fieldwork.

This is an introduction to the study of contemporary cultures and languages and to the methods of ethnographic fieldwork.

An introduction to the study of humans as a biocultural species. The focus of this course is on human evolution, human variation and genetics, nonhuman primates, and the work of physical anthropologists.

Ethnographic and ethnological study of Indigenous cultures and processes in urban and rural Canada. Prerequisite: None, although ANTH 1013 is desirable.

Ethnographic and ethnological study of the culture of North America. Prerequisite: ANTH 1013.

This course will introduce students to past cultural expressions in different parts of the world. Following a general introduction to archaeological methods and techniques and the nature of archaeological record, this course will proceed to discuss multiple archaeological cases related to the ways of life of hunter-gatherers and complex societies - chiefdoms and states - as well as the rise and fall of these forms of social and political organization. Past cultural practices and the processes that give rise to cultural change will be examined in different locations around the globe. Prerequisite: None.

The course will examine visible human adaptations (e.g. differences in skin pigmentation) and invisible adaptations (e.g. thermal acclimatization, blood groups). An important component of the course will be anthropological demography, i.e. the study of population structure and cultural/historical influences on health and mortality. The format of the course will be a combination of in-class lab work/exercises and lectures. Not open to first-year students.

This course examines male and female roles in a number of different cultural settings, especially non-Western societies. Particular attention is given to the cultural expectations of gender behaviour, the structure of economic opportunities for males and females, and how shifts in opportunity structures impact gender roles. Various examples illustrating the roles of males and females in the context of marriage, domestic group organization, economic decision making and political decision making, will be presented. Prerequisite: ANTH 1013.

This is a course in reading ethnographic literature. It emphasizes reading comprehensively and profoundly in order to gain a fuller appreciation of different cultures, and it examines issues of translating cultures into the terms of our own Western understanding. Reading examples range from classic ethnographies to recent experimental designs in writing culture. Prerequisite: None.

This course is an intensive reading and seminar discussion on selected recent anthropological theories. Students will read and analyze original works from the second half of the 20th century to the present in an attempt to evaluate their explanatory value and their consequences in the development of anthropology as an academic discipline. Prerequisite: ANTH 1013 and one area ethnography course. Anthropology majors must take this course in their third year of study.

There are two main goals in this course. The primary one is to familiarize students with some of the basic research methods that anthropologists use to construct ethnographic case studies. In the course, the student will gain experience in gathering, recording, interpreting, and presenting qualitative research material. At the same time, we will consider the close relationship between data collection and ethnographic writing. In relation to the latter, students will carry out exercises designed to aid them in developing a clear and concise style of both more formal writing and less formal note taking. The overall goal of the class will be to learn to collect, analyze, and clearly present ethnographic data. Prerequisite: ANTH 1013 and one area ethnography course. Anthropology majors must take this course in their third year of study.

The focus of this course is the analysis of specific cases in forensic anthropology, demonstrating how the various components of the law enforcement agencies become involved, and at what stage. The class will analyze the skeletal material associated with each case and do background research as a means of solving the case. The format of the course will be mainly in-class lab work accompanied by extensive research and off-campus visits. Limited enrollment. Prerequisite: ANTH 3443 and permission of the instructor.

This is an introduction to the study of contemporary cultures and languages and to the methods of ethnographic fieldwork.

This is an introduction to the study of contemporary cultures and languages and to the methods of ethnographic fieldwork.

This is an introduction to the study of contemporary cultures and languages and to the methods of ethnographic fieldwork.

An introduction to the study of humans as a biocultural species. The focus of this course is on human evolution, human variation and genetics, nonhuman primates, and the work of physical anthropologists.

Ethnographic and ethnological study of the culture of Southeast Asia. Prerequisite: ANTH 1013.

This course will introduce students to past cultural expressions in North and Central America based on archaeological data. The peopling of the region, complex hunter-gatherers and the rise of chiefdoms, and the development of early states will be considered. Past cultural diversity as well as the process that gives rise to it will be examined in different geographical settings. A time span of more that 14,000 years will be covered during the academic term. Prerequisite: None.

This course is a study of the current knowledge and scientific debate regarding the origins and development of the human species. Fossil evidence and evolutionary theory from a historical and modern perspective are emphasized. Not open to first-year students.

The focus of this course is the anatomy of the skeletal and skeletal muscular systems of the body. Students will learn the details of both the human and nonhuman skeleton in a concentrated lab format. Not open to first-year students.

This course examines culture both conceptually and in its diverse forms ranging from foraging to peasant and industrial societies. Both non-Western and Western value systems and their social expression in political, economic, and ideological institutions will be studied from cross-cultural and historical perspectives. The study of non-Western societies will also be used in a critical examination of contemporary Western industrial societies. Prerequisite: ANTH 1013.

The aim of this course is to examine a range of key issues in ethnomusicology, from the classic works of the discipline to contemporary theories and approaches, and including aesthetic systems, the representation of music, music and cultural change, and the musical articulation of social identity. The course will not only offer an insight into musical diversity in cultures around the world, but will also develop the fundamental view that music both expresses and actively constructs social and cultural realities.

This course emphasizes a cross-cultural approach to the characteristics of urban society. Major themes of the course include the processes and patterns of urbanization in developing and developed countries, and theories of rural-urban migration. The effects of urbanization on work, family, sense of community, housing, health, education, and recreation will also be examined. Anthropological research methods such as holism and participant observation will be examined and students will have an opportunity to be involved in urban ethnographic research projects. Prerequisite: ANTH 1013

This course is an intensive reading and seminar discussion on selected recent anthropological theories. Students will read and analyze original works from the second half of the 20th century to the present in an attempt to evaluate their explanatory value and their consequences in the development of anthropology as an academic discipline. Prerequisite: ANTH 1013 and one area ethnography course. Anthropology majors must take this course in their third year of study.

This is an advanced course in anthropological theory which focuses on an issue or set of issues that are of particular concern in anthropology today. The course will be oriented around intensive reading and discussion of theoretical materials drawn from anthropology and allied disciplines. Possible issues include the dialectic between structure and agency, the commensurability and translation of cultures, power and knowledge, and the writing of ethnographic texts,among others. Honours students may be required to fulfill separate course requirements from majors. Prerequisite: Prerequisites: ANTH 3806 and ANTH 3913. Anthropology majors must take this course in their final year of study. Register with permission by instructor.