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Anthropology

     Member of the Division of Social Studies

Chair(s):

Montgomery Roper

Faculty

Jonathan Andelson
Vicki Bentley-Condit
Brigittine French
Cynthia Hansen
Kathryn Kamp
Katya Gibel Mevorach
John Seebach III
Maria Tapias 
John Whittaker

Anthropology, the study of humankind, strives to take the broadest possible perspective on the human condition. Anthropologists explore peoples and cultures around the world, past and present, to become familiar with and understand our common humanity, cultural diversity, the organization of social life, societal change, the evolution of our species, our place in the natural world, and our affinities with other species. Anthropology approaches culture holistically, studying the interrelationships among the many facets of human life: family, kinship, language, gender, exchange, ritual, myth, technology, socialization, power, privilege, and subsistence. Archaeologists concentrate on cultures of the past, ethnologists on those of the present, linguistic anthropologists on the variety of and variation in human languages, and biological factors in human life, past and present. Anthropological research is often conducted outside the context of Western society, but increasingly anthropologists have applied their perspectives to the study of questions in the West.

Anthropology is conceptually rich, drawing on theories and methods from the sciences, the humanities, and other social sciences. As such, it constitutes a bridging discipline, itself interdisciplinary, and serves as an excellent basis for a liberal arts education. Anthropology is good preparation for further study in such diverse fields as law, social work, museology, medicine, urban and regional planning, journalism, and business. Many of the department’s graduates have gone on to further study in anthropology. They can be found working at the top graduate research universities, in museums, and for government agencies. However, today anthropologists are also active in settings such as industries, public health, education, and various kinds of social survey research and community service.

ANT 104  is the general introduction to the field and is normally a student’s first course and a prerequisite for upper-level courses. Students with special interests who wish to enroll in upper-level courses, but who have not taken ANT 104 , should consult with the department about the preparation that will be assumed.

Anthropology, as an integrative science, has links with many other disciplines, such as biology, history, linguistics, religion, and other social-behavioral sciences. Anthropology students should select other offerings appropriate for an interdisciplinary program of study. Because of the importance of language in the study of any culture, qualified students are recommended to do work in a foreign language within designated courses in the department.