Anthropology

A general introduction to the four fields of anthropology: biological anthropology, archaeology, anthropological linguistics, and sociocultural anthropology. The approach will be holistic, scientific and social. Students will be challenged to reexamine their perceptions of the relationships between the biological and culturally defined human experience.

Introduction to human cultural evolution as revealed by the interpretations of the material remains of our cultural past. Includes a critical look at the history of archaeology, its methodology and the accompanying analysis of data that focuses on cultural change.

Study of the origins and adaptations of the human species with a focus on human diversity. Includes the scientific investigation of the primate fossil record and living populations of monkeys, apes and humans. Includes laboratory.

Introduction to basic methods and theories used by sociocultural anthropologists in the field, with a focus on the dynamic nature of culture. Social and cultural variations of human kind will be analyzed by comparing the life ways of various Western and non-Western peoples.

Survey of major subfields of linguistics including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, language acquisitions, and sociolinguistics.

An overview of the culture and culture areas inhabited by the Sahaptian and Salish nations of the Plateau Region. A historical and contemporary view of the life ways, including Indian/non-Indian relations, adaptations and effects of contact on the Salish and Sahaptian cultures in the Plateau Region.

This is a discussion/seminar-oriented approach to cultural comparisons. Two or more cultural experiences will be compared with the American example and non-ethnocentric conclusions reached.