teaching

(photo D. Casagrande)

Anth 463/Bot 463 Ethnobotany: People and Plants (co-taught with Dr. Eric Ribbens)

This 4 credit course focuses on how indigenous people use and classify plants in comparison to modern, scientific principles of botany and plant chemistry, and the use of traditional knowledge by modern science. The goals of this class are to: 1) acquire basic skills in botanical collection and systematics; 2) compare indigenous ways of “knowing” to modern science using plants as a common denominator; 3) gain insights into the structures of indigenous knowledge; and 4) learn about the scientific use of indigenous knowledge and its ethical implications, including drug discovery, crop research, and intellectual property rights. To achieve these goals, students will collect plants, prepare them as dried specimens, and determine their scientific classification using the WIU herbarium. Students will complete a research project based on their plant collection. Students will also engage in class discussions and in-class group assignments based on weekly readings, lectures, and films viewed in class. We may also visit large herbaria in Chicago or St. Louis. This course may require field work travel at student expense.

Prerequisites: Biol 100, Biol 101, Bot 200, or Zool 200; and Anth 110 or Soc 100; or permission of instructor.

Will be offered next: Fall 2010

Anth 419 Anthropological Theory

In this course we will delve into the intellectual currents which led to the establishment of anthropology as a discipline and the theories that continue to help explain human nature and culture today. Students will complete extensive weekly reading assignments, in-class group problem-solving exercises, and an independent research paper. There will also be short-essay exams. This is a 3 credit-hour course and is required for the anthropology major. It also counts as an elective in the anthropology minor and sociology major. This course does not satisfy the university’s general education requirement or the College of Arts and Sciences curriculum requirement for either social science or multicultural studies. This course does not fulfill the “WID” requirement in Sociology.

Prerequisites: 12 s.h. of anthropology coursework including Anth 110 and 111.

Will be offered next: Spring 2010

Anth 415 Environmental Anthropology

In this course we use theories and concepts from anthropology to examine environmental issues in the context of human ecology and cultural adaptation. We consider how different cultures engage environmental issues and explore strategies for solving environmental problems that span cultural boundaries. Environmental issues covered include global climate change, biodiversity, drinking water scarcity, and social sustainability. Upon completion of the course, you should be able to: 1) define environmental problems using viewpoints from more than one culture; 2) analyze environmental issues using theory-based comparisons of human behavior through time and across cultures; 3) apply ethnographic methods to the study of environmental problems; and 4) develop policy recommendations in group settings. To achieve these goals, students will complete weekly reading assignments, short take-home research assignments, in-class group problem-solving exercises, and an independent research project. There will also be two short-essay exams. This is a 3 credit-hour course and counts as an elective in the anthropology minor, anthropology major, and sociology major. This course does not satisfy the university’s general education requirement or the College of Arts and Sciences curriculum requirement for either social science or multicultural studies. This course does not fulfill the “WID” requirement in Sociology.

Prerequisite: Anth 110 or consent of instructor.

Will be offered next: Fall 2011

Anth 324 Religion, Magic and Shamanism

Why does every culture have supernatural beliefs? Do such beliefs have a social function? Does this prove there is a God, or is there an evolutionary psychological explanation for religion? The goals of this course are to review basic principles of anthropology, provide analytical tools for understanding religion, and encourage an appreciation for the variety of supernatural beliefs and practices found in different cultures. The format includes lectures by the instructor, films viewed in the classroom, extensive reading outside of the classroom, small group discussions, and weekly short writing assignments. We will examine beliefs and practices dealing with the supernatural, magic, and religion from different cultures and the functions and social positions of spiritual leaders. This course will also emphasize psychological perspectives on altered states of consciousness, spiritual beliefs and social organization. This is a 3 credit hour course and is an elective in the anthropology minor, anthropology major, and sociology major. This course does not fulfill the “W” or “WID” requirement.

Prerequisite: Anth 110 or consent of instructor.

Will be offered next: Spring 2011

Anth 201 World Culture Regions: Latin America

In this course we will use anthropology to examine the Latin American experience by looking at social change from the perspective of indigenous peoples. The main goals are: 1) to develop an appreciation for the diversity of cultures found in Latin America; 2) to further develop anthropological concepts like cultural ecology, ethnicity, acculturation, religious syncretism, and resistance learned in previous classes; and 3) apply these concepts and critical thinking to global social problems. Issues will include cultural survival, human rights, and environmental/cultural sustainability of indigenous peoples of Latin America. The course is divided into five sections. The first part will provide an historical perspective followed by four case studies chosen to represent resistance and change from a variety of cultures and theoretical perspectives. How are each of these groups similar and yet different? How have European and indigenous cultures blended to create the cultural diversity we see today? Will these cultures survive or become extinct in this era of high migration and rapid globalization? We will examine these and other questions in detail through extensive reading, writing, and discussion, supplemented with lectures by the instructor. This is a 3 credit hour course. It satisfies the culture area requirement in the anthropology major. It also counts as an elective in the anthropology minor and sociology major. This course does not satisfy the university’s general education requirement for either social science or multicultural studies. It does count toward the College of Arts and Sciences curriculum requirement in social sciences. This course does not fulfill the “WID” requirement in Sociology.

Prerequisite: Anth 110 or consent of instructor.

Will be offered next: Spring 2011

Anth 110 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology

Why do we do the things that we do and think the way we think? The goal of this course is to explore how culture shapes social processes and individual lives. This will be accomplished by introducing you to the tools anthropologists use to study culture, comparing different cultures around the world, analyzing ourselves in relation to the society in which we live, and taking an anthropological approach to solving social problems. We will focus especially on the relationship between nature and culture by comparing foragers, pastoralists, agiculturists and post-industrial America. When taught in small sections of 40 students or less (including First Year Experience sections), the format of the material includes lectures by the instructor, extensive reading of ethnographies outside of the classroom, weekly writing assignments, films viewed in the classroom, small group discussions in class, three short papers, two exams, and fun-filled field trips. When taught in large sections of over 40 students, the format includes in-class lectures and films, a supplemental text book, and four exams. This course counts toward the university’s general education requirement for either social science or multicultural studies. It is required for the anthropology minor and majors in social work, anthropology and sociology.