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Department of Anthropology

Spring Term Courses 2009
Contact Information


About Anthropology and the Department

 

Anthropology is the study of humankind. It incorporates both scientific and humanistic approaches to explain and understand human behavior and cultural diversity. By making the strange familiar and the familiar strange, anthropologists aim to promote intercultural understanding and respect between people.

 

The Department of Anthropology at Western Oregon University offers a comprehensive training in anthropology, equipping students with a set of skills that allows them to critically examine and understand human behavior and cultural diversity in their own and other societies, skills that are increasingly important in today's globalizing world. In addition to introductory courses in all four sub-fields of anthropology - archaeology, linguistic, physical, and sociocultural anthropology - the department offers an exceptionally varied program due to the diverse teaching interests of the faculty, which range from Northwest Indian Cultures to Environmental Anthropology to the Anthropology of Africa. Majors in our program conduct independent research for their Senior Project. Working closely with faculty, students design research, conduct fieldwork, and write it up in a senior thesis. We encourage our students to do research abroad. In previous years students have gone to Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

 

The anthropological training students receive and the skills they develop - critical and clear analytical thinking, independent research, inter-cultural communication - prepare students for a wide range of professional careers in research, policy, and consultancy, as well as graduate studies.

 

 


Courses Offered Spring 2009

Note: ANTH 213-216 cover the four subfields of anthropology and may be taken in any order. Any three may be used to satisfy the 12 cr. Social Science LACC requirement.

ANTH 213D Language and Culture (4)
MW 1000-1150 in HSS 235
Dr. Doug Smith

Introduces the anthropological study of language and communicative behavior. Examines the basic concepts underlying linguistic analysis and reviews anthropological studies of conversational practice and social variation in language and speech. Our central concern is to understand the complex interplay between language, culture and social relations.

ANTH 214D Physical Anthropology (4)
TR 1400-1550 in HSS 110A
Mr. Jordan Hofer

Biological aspects of the human experience, especially interactions between biology and culture. A review of the modern synthetic theory of evolution; fossil evidence of early primate and hominid populations; the mechanisms of heredity, human variation and adaptation; and the development of culture in human evolution. Attention throughout the course to the nature of science as a cultural construct.

ANTH 215D Archaeology (4)
section 1 TR 1000-1150 in HSS 107
section 2 TR 1200-1350 in HSS 235
Dr. Robin Smith


Understanding the human past through the study of material remains. A review of the methods used to collect and analyze data and the theories used to construct chronologies, reconstruct ancient life styles and explain the processes of cultural evolution. Examines some of the major contributions of archaeology and discusses the relevance of archaeology to everyday life.

ANTH 216D Cultural Anthropology (4)
MW 1400-1550 in HSS 110A
Dr. Isidore Lobnibe

Examines the concepts and methods of cultural anthropology through ethnographic case studies of people around the world. Focuses on culture, or the learned beliefs, behaviors, and symbols unique to each society.

ANTH 369D Visual Anthropology (4)
MW 1200-1350 in HSS 110B
Dr. Robin Smith

We begin with the earliest uses of moving images to capture and re-present human behavior for research, teaching and entertainment in the 1890s. Over the next 100 years we see the influences of technology, social and political movements, aesthetic styles, and anthropological debates on the work of ethnographers and filmmakers. Styles of cinematic expression and changing relationships amongst ethnographer, filmmaker, subject, and audience are addressed. Having acquired a vocabulary and set of concepts for talking and writing about film, watching intently and sharing what we see, and sampling broadly across cultures and topics of human experience, we come to see human life in a new way.

ANTH 372D Social Constructions of Race (4)
MW 1600-1750 in HSS 235
Mr. Jordan Hofer

Course provides a critical perspective on racial/ethnic categorizations. Through lectures, discussions, readings, and films, students become acquainted with the social, cultural, historical, and evolutionary context of modern human diversity.

ANTH 380D Cultures of Africa (4)
MW 1000-1150 in HSS 110B
Dr. Isidore Lobnibe

Survey of African societies that compares classic and contemporary anthropological texts covering similar structures and processes in very different, colonial and postcolonial contexts. The goal is to come to an anthropological understanding of how political, economic, historical and cultural factors shape contemporary African societies.

ANTH 388D Transnational Migration (4)
TR 1000-1150 in NS 122
Dr. Isidore Lobnibe

Introduces students to the field of environmental anthropology, which explores relationships between culture, society, and the physical aspects of environments across the globe. The course examines major theories in ecological research in anthropology, then moves to a critical exploration of significant issues in the field today, such as religion and resource use, indigenous environmental knowledge, economic development, conservation, cultural and human rights, and environmental social movements. Readings cover a variety of environmental contexts and social groups.

ANTH 392D Applied Anthropology (4)
TR 1200-1350 in HSS 332
Dr. Doug Smith

This course applies insights from cultural anthropology to contemporary social issues. The course reviews the history of applied anthropology in U.S. and then explores ways in which anthropology may provide a framework for approaching solutions to real-world problems. The course will include the following domains of inquiry and action: health and medicine, international development, education, law and criminal justice, the environment, and the ethics of research and intervention.


ANTH 407 U.S. - Mexico Border (4)
MW 1400-1550 in CH 101
Dr. Doug Smith

Course will examine contemporary political, economic, social, and cultural issues germane to U.S.-Mexico border and border crossings. Will look in particular at questions of migration
and immigration in the post-NAFTA context, including the experience of (primarily) Mexicans in the U.S.

For more information about the program contact:
Robin Smith, Head
Anthropology Department
HSS 209
Western Oregon University
Monmouth, OR 97361
(503) 838-8372
smithr@wou.edu
  Department of Anthropology Western Oregon University
345 N. Monmouth Ave.
Monmouth, OR 97361
503-838-8357
or e-mail
smithr@wou.edu
Last Updated: Friday, 13 February, 2009 07:32 PM

 

Located in the heart of Oregon’s lush Willamette Valley, Western Oregon University is the oldest institution in the Oregon University system with an award-winning campus that blends welcoming traditional features with multimedia classrooms, wireless web access and a state-of-the-art library. WOU is home to the nationally-renowned Teaching Research Institute, the Regional Resource Center on Deafness and the Rainbow Dance Theatre with approximately two-thirds of its students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the rest in the College of Education.