Courses

ANTHROPOLOGY + SOCIOLOGY (ANSOC)

ANSOC-100 Intro to Cultural Anthropology (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Core Concentration
Fulfills a course requirement in the Graphic Design Core Concentration
Cultural Anthropology examines the diversity of beliefs, values, structures and practices in the vast range of human social life in the contemporary world. This course introduces the principle concepts, methods and ethics that anthropologists employ to study culture and cross-cultural diversity by engaging ethnographic case studies, films and practical research exercises. Specific topics may include economic adaptation, political organization, kinship, gender, ethnicity, language, art religion and issues in applied anthropology. (3 credits) Fall, Spring

ANSOC-105 Introduction to Sociology (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Core Concentration
The study of individuals in society, and an introduction to the basic concepts through which sociology derives its intellectual form, such as socialization, social groups, institutions, stratification, and social change. (3 credits) Fall, Spring

ANSOC-200 Sociocultural Reasoning & Practice (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Minor
Prerequisite: ANSOC.100 and ANSOC.105
This course will facilitate and develop students' ability to identify, examine and understand the social logic of the world in which we live. To facilitate this work, the course will provide students with the necessary resources and tools in the form of concepts, theoretical and methodological approaches, and examples from everyday life.
Requisites:
Take ANSOC.100 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.  Take ANSOC.105 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-205 Social Stratification (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Core Concentration
Prerequisite: ANSOC.105
Offers a comprehensive foundation in both the classic and contemporary approaches to stratification from a global perspective. Social stratification is the division of a large group or society into ranked categories of people, each of which enjoys different levels of access to scarce and valued resources. This class will address economic, racial, and gender stratification. (3 credits) Alternate Fall
Requisites:
TAKE ANSOC.105 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-210 Religious Diversity in Global Perspective (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Core Concentration.
This course is a cross-cultural exploration of religious belief, myth, and ritual. The course emphasizes anthropological research and perspectives, but also draws on interdisciplinary sources. Specific topics include the origins and functions of religion in society, diverse interpretations of the supernatural, the symbolic meanings of myth and ritual, the roles of religious specialists, and religious experience. Assignments examine religious belief and practice within particular cultural contexts as well as in comparison to other cultures in the global context. (3 Credits) Fall.
Requisites:
None

ANSOC-215 Race and Ethnicity (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Core Concentration
Prerequisite: ANSOC.105
W.E.B. DuBois serves as the starting point for discussing race in sociological terms. The class then moves chronologically towards the 21st century, where sociologists still struggle to elucidate race as a social construction. A special focus on the progress and challenges of the post-civil rights era in the United States will be included. Topics include race theory, race stratification, race identity and representation, trends in racial attitudes, race and power, the intersection of race with class and gender, and the social construction of whiteness. (3 credits) Alternate Spring
Requisites:
Take ANSOC.105 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-225 Population and Society (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Core Concentration
Prerequisite: ANSOC.105
Analyzes global population characteristics and trends, and their effect on such social processes and institutions as employment, marriage and family patterns, religion, and government and their impact on society (3 credits) Spring
Requisites:
Take ANSOC.105 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-230 Political Anthropology (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Core Concentration
Prerequisite: ANSOC.100
An overview of questions of power and politics through an anthropological perspective, with special attention on inequality and violence in the non Western world. Anthropologists have long been concerned with how different cultures organize themselves politically; in this course, we build from classical topics towards an investigation of how differences in power and political inequalities manifest themselves in the daily lives of people throughout the world. The course material blends a broad range of theoretical approaches to studying power with the close detail of ethnographic case studies. (3 credits) Spring
Requisites:
Take ANSOC.100 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-235 The Family (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Core Concentration
Prerequisite: ANSOC.105
An analysis of the family as a social institution and intimate group. Topics include the impact of industrialization, marriage and divorce, gender roles, parenthood, the influence of social class, and variations in lifestyle and family structure. The focus is on the contemporary U.S. society, with some cross-cultural comparative material. (3 credits) Alternate Spring
Requisites:
Take ANSOC.105 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-245 Sociology of Disasters (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Core Concentration
Prerequisite: ANSOC 105
Social science is confronting the consequences of large human-created and human-enabled disasters. Earthquakes, fires, hurricanes, terrorist attacks, and biomedical threats shape modern life. This course examines the manner in which human activity generates, exacerbates, and responds to natural and man-made disasters. (3 Credits) Spring, Alternate Years
Requisites:
Take ANSOC.105; - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-250 Culture and the Environment (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Core Concentration
Prerequisite: ANSOC.100
Explores the principles through which non-human environments shape human cultures and cultures in turn affect their environments. Students will become familiar with how a range of societies comes into relation with their environments both through their material transformations of ecosystems and the ideological and symbolic frameworks through which peoples envision human-mature interactions. Topics will include indigenous environmental knowledge, sustainable development, interspecies relations, environmental governance regimes, gender relations, and the global environmental movement. (3 credits) Alternate Fall
Requisites:
Take ANTH.100; - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-255 Critical Perspectives on Social Problems (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Core Concentration
Prerequisite: ANSOC.105
An overview of the sub-field of social problems focusing on literature of local and global social problems with an effort made to address possible solutions. (3 credits) Alternate Fall
Requisites:
Take ANSOC.105 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-260 Native North Americans (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Core Concentration
Prerequisite: ANSOC.100
A survey of native North American peoples. One group from each of the ten subculture areas is considered ethnographically. Topics may include Kwakiuti of the Northwest Coast, the Cheyenne of the Plains and the Iroquois of the Eastern Woodlands. The course introduces contemporary social problems related to the reservation system and urban migration. (3 credits) Fall, Spring
Requisites:
Take ANSOC.100 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-270 Global Health (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Core Concentration; fulfills a course requirement in the Public Health minor.
Prerequisite: ANSOC.100 T
he public health subfield of Global Health examines illnesses that affect human populations across national boundaries. This course introduces the subfield and emphasizes social science perspectives on the social. cultural, and political-economic forces that influence global health problems. Specific topics include longstanding health problems such as malaria and tuberculosis as well as developing issues such as emerging infectious diseases and climate change. 3 credits. Spring
Requisites:
Take ANSOC.100 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-280 Anthropology of Sport (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement for the anthropology/sociology major, minor and core concentration
This course is an introduction to anthropology of sport. In the first third of the course we will learn about history of the anthropology of sport and see how each of five subfields of anthropology examines sport. During the rest of the course we will examine a variety of case studies through books and films, not only about North American sports and culture but also outside our borders, including Europe, South America and Asia. (3 credits) Fall.
Requisites:
None

ANSOC-299 Special Topics in Anthropology + Sociology (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: ANSOC.100 or ANSOC.105
Examines topics from the subfields of cultural anthropology. Initiated by student demand, interest of instructor, or timelines of offering. (3 credits) Special Offering
Requisites:
Take 1 course from courses ANSOC.100 or ANSOC.105 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-300 Qualitative Methods (3 Credits)
Prerequisites: ANSOC.200 (C- or higher); Open to Anthropology + Sociology majors or consent of instructor; junior standing.
An overview of anthropological and sociological research methods. Provides an introduction to research design beginning with the concepts and principles of social research. Includes instruction in the development of research questions, sampling, measurement validity and reliability, hypothesis testing, and data collection and analysis with an emphasis on ethnographic techniques. Students will engage in fieldwork as part of the requirements for this class. (3 credits) Fall.
Requisites:
Take ANSOC.200; Minimum grade C-; Anthropology & Sociology Majors or consent of instructor; junior standing. - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-310 Applied Anthropology (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Core Concentration
Prerequisite: ANSOC.100
This course focuses on the advocacy and intervention components of anthropology. Students will enhance their assessment skills through an in-depth analysis of problems and solutions for particular cultures. Readings will address issues such as identifying local needs, promoting culturally appropriate responses to change, and protecting the rights of marginalized people. (3 credits) Alternate Spring
Requisites:
Take ANSOC.100 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-320 Reading Ethnographies (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Core Concentration
Prerequisite: ANSOC 100
Ethnography has always been the distinctive characteristic of cultural and social anthropology. The focus of this class will be on reading ethnographies to learn about different types of ethnography, as well as explore the writing process for ethnography. It is a seminar style course which will raise questions concerning research, writing, data collection, ethics, the role of researcher, effects on the researched community and contributions to the professional field. The class will include relevant analytical experiences based on reading, research, and writing (3 credits) Alternate Fall
Requisites:
TAKE ANSOC.100 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-325 Constructing Gender (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Core Concentration
Prerequisite: ANSOC.105
An analysis of the behaviors and social processes underlying the femininity and masculinity of persons. The course examines how gender has been socially constructed in different times and places. Competing theoretical explanations of gender inequality are presented. (3 credits) Alternate Fall
Requisites:
Take ANSOC.105 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-330 Cultures of Latin America (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology and Sociology Core Concentration. Prerequisite: ANSOC.100
This course introduces students to anthropological work on and ethnographic practice in Latin America. It covers a wide range of topics and aims to provide a solid background to the array of analytical perspectives anthropologists have drawn upon in their scholarly engagement with the region. Course includes a broad historical overview of the cultural and historical diversity of the region, as well as contemporary case studies of cultural transformations within specific countries. (3 Credits) Spring, Alternate Years.
Requisites:
Take ANSOC.100 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-335 Social Worlds of Fashion & Arts (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Core Concentration
Prerequisite: ANSOC 105
The sociological imagination asks how is society structured How does it change over time Who prevails In this course we focus our imaginations on the art world and fashion world. We will discuss different sociological approaches to these social worlds. (3 Credits) Spring, Alternate Years
Requisites:
Take ANSOC.105 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-340 World Cultures (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Core Concentration
Prerequisite: ANSOC.100
Survey of world cultures designed to develop understanding of the ways in which diverse people around the world view their own worlds. Focus will depend on faculty expertise and student interest. (3 credits) Alternate Spring
Requisites:
TAKE ANSOC.100 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-345 Globalization & Identity (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Core Concentration Prerequisite: ANSOC.105 This course examines the consuming trend of globalization from a sociological point of view. Explores relationships between individuals, groups, and institutions in an age of globalization, with emphasis on national identity and global identity. Special attention will be given to sociological commentary on the political, economic, and cultural benefits and limitations to globalization worldwide, Students will explore the competing stories about globalization as it continues to unfold. (3 credits) Alternate Spring
Requisites:
Take ANSOC.105 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-350 Medical Anthropology (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Core Concentration
Prerequisite: ANSOC.100
This course examines the ways that culture shapes the meaning of health and illness in everyday life by engaging the study of Medical Anthropology. This vast subfield of cultural anthropology encompasses the investigations of the cultural construction of health and illness, mind-body interaction, the social relations of healing, and the political-economy of health care, among other more specific topics. The course material merges theoretical and applied approaches to explore research of both Western biomedical and non-western medical traditions as they shape diagnosis, treatment and the experience of suffering. Assignments incorporate instruction in the qualitative methods used in this subfield of cultural anthropology. (3 credits) Alternate Years
Requisites:
Take ANSOC.100 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-355 Comparative Immigration (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Core Concentration
Prerequisite: ANSOC.105
This course will focus primarily on the sociological process of immigration from a comparative perspective. Attention will be given to the consistencies of immigration, despite population, destination, and time period, as well as emphasize the differences of the immigrant experience, which help highlight how politics, the economy, and culture shape this dynamic process. Issues such as the construction of race, nationalism, globalization, and technology and how they in turn shape the immigrants experience will be covered, with emphasis on how laws and social norms shape our common discourse on immigration. (3 credits) Alternate years
Requisites:
Take ANSOC.105 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-365 Cities & Society (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Core Concentration
Prerequisite: ANSOC.105 or URBN.100 Students who have taken SOC 238 may not take SOC 365 for credit This course introduces the field of urban sociology. The course covers the main topics and vocabulary associated with urban research. Students will engage in original research will allows them to test the ideas from the courses readings. This course is research and writing intensive. (3 credits) Spring
Requisites:
Take ANSOC.105 or URBN.100 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-375 Comparative Social Movements and Social Change (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Core Concentration
Prerequisite: ANSOC.105
A specialized course on the literature in sociology from a global perspective. Students will review theories and empirical cases on social movements and social change. Topics could include, but are not limited to: labor movements, lesbian and gay activism and environmental activism. (3 credits) Alternate Spring
Requisites:
Take ANSOC.105 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-400 Senior Seminar (3 Credits)
Open only to Anthropology + Sociology Majors; senior standing
This course is designed to foster a deeper understanding of anthropology and sociology. Students will be required to produce research suitable for presentation at a student-research conference and/or publication in either anthropology or sociology student-level research journals. Topics will be determined by the expertise of the instructor and student interest. (3 credits) Spring.
Requisites:
Take ANSOC.300 Minimum grade C-; - Must be completed prior to taking this course.

ANSOC-430 Spec Topics in Anthropology + Sociology (3 Credits)
Fulfills a course requirement in the Anthropology + Sociology Core Concentration
Prerequisites: ANSOC.100 Study of special topics in anthropology. Topics determined by student needs and the availability of appropriate instruction. (3 credits) Special offering
Requisites:
Take ANSOC.100 or ANSOC.105 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.