ANT 101 INTRODUCTION TO CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY / 3 credits
An introduction to cultural anthropology with emphasis on human behavior within a cultural context. Topics include religion, gender, social organization, and subsistence.
ANT 115 WORLD PREHISTORY / 3 credits
Examination of the major cultures of the world before the advent of writing with emphasis on archaeological issues such as the origins of agriculture and the first civilizations.
ANT 140 LANGUAGE AND CULTURE / 3 credits
An introductory to anthropological linguistics that looks at language from several perspectives, ranging from phonology (the study of the smallest units of sound) to the ways people use language in varying cultural contexts.
ANT 205 HUMAN ORIGINS / 3 credits
Examination of several aspects of physical anthropology, including the history of scientific thought, fossil records, human adaptation, and micro- and macroevolution.
ANT 240 ARCHAEOLOGICAL METHOD & THEORY / 3 credits
Examination of the historical background of the discipline of archaeology and the methods presently used in the recovery of data.
ANT 282: SPECIAL TOPICS IN ANTHROPOLOGY / 3 CREDITS
OFFERINGS INCLUDE: BORDERS AND BOUNDARIES
What is a border? How do lines, real or imaginary, bring us together or divide us? What happens to those who don’t fit comfortably on one side or the other, but rather inhabit the space of the border itself? This class will examine how boundaries–racial, ethnic, linguistic, socioeconomic, scientific, sexual, and otherwise–are constructed, maintained, crossed, challenged, and lived within.
CULTURE AND HISTORY OF THE UPLAND SOUTH
Culture of the American Upland South from first immigrant settlement to the present, including population origins, settlement patterns, farming practices, major cultural attributes, entertainment, material culture, foodways, religion, gender, and attitudes toward "others." Readings include numerous articles and a contemporary novel set in the Ozarks.
MUSEUMS, MATERIALTIY, AND PERSONAL PERCEPTION
History and development of museums, motives behind the ways material objects are displayed in museum settings, importance of involving source communities in the display of material objects, and ways other venues, such as international fairs and expositions relate to museums. Includes four field trips to museums in Arkansas.
ANT 307 ETHNOGRAPHIC METHODS / 3 CREDITS
This course examines ethnography, the primary research methodology used by cultural anthropologists. Students in the course will reflexively and critically examine different ethnographic methods and the process of research itself. Students will design, conduct, present, and write-up an original research project. By doing so, students will gain sensitivity to the benefits and pitfalls of ethnographic research.
ANT 320 HUMAN VARIATION AND ADAPTATION / 3 CREDITS
Exploration of the origins and processes of human biological variation and adaptation with emphasis on complex human behavior (culture) and how humans respond and adapt to the environment. These responses are viewed within a biocultural perspective; that is, with the knowledge that human biology must always be explored within behavioral and cultural contexts. Sources of variation are developmental, phenotypic, hereditary, gender, individual, population, evolutionary, ecological, sociocultural, and random (in probabilistic terms).
ANT 323 GLOBALIZATION / 3 CREDITS
ANT 330 MESOAMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY / 3 credits
The remains of the majority of New World civilizations are found in Mesoamerica. This course examines the pre-Columbian cultures of the Olmec, Maya, and Aztec and explores the history of research in this culture area, including recent discoveries.
ANT 331 GENDER AND CULTURE / 3 CREDITS
ANT 335 CULTURES OF MIDDLE AMERICA / 3 credits
Study of the cultures of contemporary Mexico and Central America. Ethnographic accounts focusing on topics such as religion, gender, immigration, and political unrest provide in-depth information on what life is like for societies south of the United States border.
ANT 382 SPECIAL TOPICS IN ANTHROPOLOGY / 3 CREDITS
OFFERINGS INCLUDE: VISIONS, MUSHROOMS, AND MOUNTAINS: INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE IN THE AMERICAS
This course offers a cross-cultural exploration of knowledge in indigenous America, from Canada to Argentina. Through diverse audio-visual materials (films, audio recordings, etc.) and texts (oral histories, anthropological accounts, journalist pieces, constitutions, etc.) we will examine what knowledge is, how it is produced, who produces it, and for whom. Students will gain an understanding of why some knowledge is valued over other, an appreciation for diverse ways of knowing, and an engagement with wisdom from indigenous America.
ANT 399 ANTHROPOLOGY INTERNATIONAL STUDIES COURSE: VARIABLE TOPICS / 1 credit
Study of varying topics in anthropology. Includes a two-week Nichols trip. Prerequisites will vary.
ANT 450 INDEPENDENT STUDY / variable credit
Concentrated study in a selected topic.
ANT 480 FIELD STUDY IN ANTHROPOLOGY / variable credit
Anthropological research outside the classroom. Students will learn first hand which methods to utilize when conducting research and the potential problems they may encounter. Students must prepare a report regarding the complexities of applying anthropological concepts in research situations. Prerequisite: ANT 101 and permission of instructor.