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Anthropology represents a broad field of study encompassing four subdivisions: cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, prehistoric archeology, and biological anthropology. Courses listed below offer comprehensive approaches to anthropology's diverse subject matter and provide an important component of a liberal arts education for both majors and non-majors. A major will gain excellent preparation for graduate study in anthropology or as part of a pre-professional education. Additionally, anthropology majors can gain preparation for a wide variety of careers. Students majoring in anthropology are strongly urged to pursue work beyond the introductory level (101, 102, 103) in each of the subfields. Major. A major in anthropology consists of the following: 1. a. A minimum of 24 hours in the department, including Anthropology 101, 102, 103. b. Anthropology 353. c. At least one seminar in Anthropology. At least 15 of the 24 hours required for the major must be from courses above the 100 level. 2. Courses in several other disciplines, including those in the social and natural sciences and the humanities, complement a major in Anthropology. The particular pattern of courses chosen will vary, depending on the plans and interests of the students. The particular pattern should be worked out in close consultation with the major advisor. Minor. A minor in anthropology consists of 15 hours of course work in which at least nine hours derive from courses at the 200 level or above. No more than three transfer credits can be counted in a minor, and two of the three introductory courses must be included. Honors. The department invites a small number of qualified majors to participate in the Honors Program. Honors work may begin as early as the sixth semester or may commence at the beginning of the senior year. Students may receive from two to six hours of credit per semester of Honors. Honors work requires a thesis based on original research and an oral examination on the thesis. Off-Campus Programs for Credit. Summer fieldwork in projects sponsored by Oberlin College or by other institutions is encouraged. Such projects may be undertaken in archeology, ethnography, or linguistics. By approval of the department, students may count a maximum of six hours of such work toward the major. Students interested in archeological projects should contact Ms. Grimm. Those interested in ethnographic projects should contact Mr. Glazier. Those interested in linguistics should contact Ms. Pagliai. Students interested in anthropology credit for programs sponsored by the Great Lakes Colleges Association should also speak with the chair. Gallaudet Exchange Program. The department sponsors an exchange program with Gallaudet University, the nation's only liberal arts college for the deaf, located in Washington, DC. In a school of about 500 students, the program offers a unique opportunity for students interested in communication disorders, deaf education, and related issues. The program is open to both majors and non-majors. Sophomores and juniors with good academic standing are eligible to apply. The exchange is for one semester and students receive transfer credit toward their degree at Oberlin College. Tuition is normally billed by Oberlin College; room and board by Gallaudet. Some students find Exco classes offered in sign language to be good preparation for a semester at Gallaudet. Students interested in this program should speak with Mr. Glazier. Catalogs and applications should be requested directly from Gallaudet University, 800 Florida Avenue, N.E., Washington, DC 20001-3695. When writing to Gallaudet, request an application which states "Oberlin Exchange Program." Each student works his/her own way through the application process and can do so in consultation with Mr. Glazier. Transfer of Credit. Students transferring credits in anthropology from courses taken at other institutions and/or from off-campus programs such as summer field work may apply a maximum of six credit hours toward the major with the approval of the department chair. Private Reading. Students may schedule a reading course during their junior or senior years in accord with college rules on private readings. No more than one reading course may be taken in any one semester. Cross-referenced courses. The following courses not in the Anthropology Department will be accepted for credit toward the Anthropology major. See the department/program in which the courses are listed for full description. EAST 260 Colonialism/Postcolonialism in East Asia EAST 262 Asia's Modern Wars ENGL 369 Body Lore
101. Introduction to Cultural Anthropology 3 hours 3SS, CD First and Second Semester. An introduction to the nature of cultural anthropology through an examination of basic concepts, methods, and theories that anthropologists employ in order to understand the unity and diversity of human thought and action cross-culturally. Language and culture, kinship and the family, politics and conflict, religion and belief, and the impact of social change and globalization on traditional institutions are some of the topics to be considered in a range of ethnographic contexts. Enrollment Limit: 40. Mr. Glazier, Mr. Pineda, Ms. Pagliai 102. Human Origins (Lecture Only) 3 hours 3SS, CD Second Semester. This course focuses on paleoanthropology and is an introduction to the evolutionary development of humans. We will examine biological relationships between humans and other primates, primate behavior and classification, and the fossil evidence for human evolution. Emphasis will be placed on the methods used in the study of prehistoric human biological and cultural development. Enrollment Limit: 40. Ms. Grimm 103. Introduction to Archeology 3 hours 3SS, CD First Semester. An introduction to the subfield of anthropology concerned with past human cultures. A basic objective is to acquaint students with both the methods and techniques that archeologists employ in the study and reconstruction of prehistoric societies. Examples will be drawn from a variety of archeological situations ranging from simple hunting and gathering societies to complex chiefdoms and states. Matters of contemporary debate in the area of archeology and the public will also be considered. Enrollment Limit: 40. Ms. Grimm 112. Human Origins (Laboratory only) 1 hour 1SS Next offered 2005-2006. 113. Introduction to Archeology (Laboratory only) 1 hour 1SS Next offered 2005-2006. FYSP 142. Lessons from the Maya: Power, Identity, and History in Ancient Mesoamerica 3 hours 3SS First Semester. For description, please see "First-Year Seminar Program" in this catalog. Enrollment Limit: 14. Ms. Grimm
204. Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology 3 hours 3SS First Semester. This course furnishes an introduction to core concepts and methodology pertaining to the analysis of language. Students will explore key areas of current research, including sociolinguistics, language socialization, language and gender, non-verbal communication, and literacy. In addition, through practical exercises, the students will learn foundations in phonology, morphology, and syntax, as well as basic discourse analysis transcription skills. The course is intended as a base for more advanced courses in Linguistic Anthropology and in related areas, and no prior linguistic training is required. Prerequisite: One introductory course. Enrollment Limit: 30. Ms. Pagliai 215. Art, Language and Society 3 hours 3SS Next offered 2005-2006. 232. Native Americans: Contemporary Issues 2 hours 3SS Second Semester. Second Module. This course focuses on a selected number of issues facing North American Indians. These include land rights, protection of the environment, creation of urban communities, challenges of economic development and education on the reservations, repatriation and reburial, exploitation of Native American images in the market economy, revitalization movements, and other topics. The course emphasizes native strategies of political and cultural survival amid incorporation into the world system. Through videos and presentations by invited speakers, the class will be particularly attentive to native voices and perspectives. Prerequisite: One introductory course (100 level) in anthropology or equivalent. Enrollment Limit: 25. Ms. Pagliai 251. Language in Culture and Society 3 hours 3SS, CD Next offered 2005-2006. 266. Ancient Complex Societies 3 hours 3SS, CD, WR Second Semester. Using a case study approach, the course focuses on issues associated with the emergence and development of social, economic, and political complexity as these are reflected in the development of early village societies, the evolution of urban, literate societies, and the emergence of ancient empires. Goals include familiarity with methodologies used in date interpretation and a critical understanding of historical and contemporary theoretical issues in archeological research on complexity. Prerequisite: ANTH 103 or consent of the instructor. Enrollment Limit: 25. Ms. Grimm 278. Human Rights, Universalism, and Cultural Relativism 3 hours 3SS, CD Second Semester. Through an examination of the ways in which people in different societies identify and define ethical and social standards, this course will examine the concept of universal human rights. The course will consider the tension between universal claims and cultural relativism. We will also document and analyze the development of international efforts to apply universal rights. The course will focus on ethnographic case studies from a wide variety of societies that demonstrate the cultural challenges involved in defining, establishing, and implementing a set of global and universal human rights. Enrollment Limit: 35. Mr. Pineda 286. Culture, Symbol and Meaning 3 hours 3SS, CD, WR Second Semester. This course explores ethnographic representations of meaningful social experience and collective identity through an examination of rites of passage, dietary habits, human-animal relationships, funerary practice, sexuality, gender, and the like. It examines how the anthropologist makes sense out of the diverse ways people of various cultures, American included, represent systems of meaning. The course addresses concerns not only of Anthropology majors but also of students of history, literature, and the humanities. Prerequisite: One introductory course (100 level) in anthropology or its equivalent. Enrollment Limit: 30. Mr. Glazier 288. Immigrant America: Then and Now 3 hours 3SS, CD, WR Next offered 2005-2006. 292. Museum Anthropology 3 hours 3SS, CD, WR Next offered 2005-2006. 304. Language, Gender and Sexual Identities 3 hours 3SS First Semester. This course examines the role of language in constructing gender identities. It privileges a cross-cultural approach, addressing studies done in linguistic anthropology, linguistics, and sociolinguistics. The students consider some of the debates regarding gender differences in language use and explore their grounding in structures of power, authority, and social inequality. The course offers an arena to reflect on the influence that ideologies of language have on practices connected to the representation of sexualities and expression of desire. The format is discussion oriented and students will conduct their own research on the topics addressed in class. Prerequisite: ANTH 204 or ANTH 251, or consent of instructor. Enrollment Limit: 30. Ms. Pagliai 312. Latino and Latin American Folklore 3 hours 3HU, CD First Semester. Identical to HISP 312. For description, please see "Hispanic Studies" in this catalog. Enrollment Limit: 25. Ms. Cara 353. Culture Theory 3 hours 3SS, CD, WR First Semester. A critical examination of major issues in the study of culture over the past century and a quarter through a discussion of such theoretical topics as cultural evolution and neo-evolution, materialism and cultural ecology, functionalism and ecosystems theory, interpretive and symbolic anthropology, structuralism, and political economy. The role of ethnography, the scientific and humanistic dimensions of anthropology, and the relationships between various theories are also considered. Recent multicultural and postmodernist efforts at cultural explanation on the part of anthropologists and other scholars will be examined. Prerequisites: Junior- or senior-level standing, ANTH 101, and one additional course in anthropology. Enrollment Limit: 25. Mr. Glazier 391. Practicum in Anthropology 1-3 hours 1-3SS Junior or senior majors in the department may receive up to three hours of credit for applied fieldwork in anthropology. The work should be carried out in connection with a systematic course of reading and the writing of a paper on the topic of the project. The purpose of the paper is to tie the field experience to relevant anthropological principles. The program should be worked out in advance with a department faculty sponsor: Consent of instructor required. Ms. Pagliai, Mr. Glazier, Ms. Grimm, Mr. Pineda
Upper-level seminars are open to juniors and seniors who have completed four courses in anthropology. In some instances this requirement will be reduced for non-majors otherwise qualified. Please note also specific course prerequisites for some seminars. Enrollment Limit: 10 per seminar. 408. Seminar on Current Issues in Anthropology: Postmodernism 3 hours 3SS, CD, WR Second Semester. This seminar will explore postmodernism and its impact on anthropology over the last two decades. The class will examine the assumptions underlying the postmodernist perspective, the relationship of postmodernism to empirical and scientific anthropology, the nature of research and writing produced in a postmodernist framework, and postmodernist conceptions of ethnography and the role of the anthropologist. Related issues concerning ethics and theory vs. practice will also be considered. Consent of instructor required. Enrollment Limit: 10. Mr. Glazier 415. Internships in Teaching 1-2 hours 1-2SS Qualified seniors who wish to assist in the teaching of specific courses may, upon consent of the instructor, achieve one or two credits for their work in such courses. Assistance with laboratory sessions, data analysis, and the research concerns of students in the class compose the major activities of the teaching internships. Consent of instructor required. Ms. Pagliai, Mr. Glazier, Ms. Grimm, Mr. Pineda 450. Seminar on Gender in Cross-Cultural Perspective 3 hours 3SS Next offered 2005-2006. 463. Seminar in Archeology: By Land and By Sea Theories on the Colonization of the Americas in Late Ice Age Times 3 hours 3SS, CD, WR Next offered 2005-2006. 465. Interactive Technologies and the Museum 3 hours 3SS, CD, WR First Semester. In this course we will survey the many ways in which modern museums use interactive technologies to maintain their collections and make them accessible to researchers and the public. Topics will include collection management issues, the presentation of museum materials in exhibitions, educational programs, and digitization projects that provide online access to collections and associated documentary materials. Students will have an opportunity to work with the department's ethnographic collections and participate in a project to digitize these holdings so they may receive wider exposure and use. Enrollment Limit: 10. Ms. Grimm 468. Seminar: Language and Cognition 3 hours 3SS Second Semester. This course traces the historical evolution of theoretical attempts to define the relationship between language and thought, moving from the classic works by Sapir and Whorf and the successive debates on them, through the work of ethnolinguists and ethnoscientists, to contemporary approaches. We will explore the legacy of the Cognitive school in linguistic anthropology from its emergence until today, examining its basic propositions and looking forward to possible applications in future studies. Finally, we will discuss more recent work on metaphors and the conceptual structures that influence our behavior and thought. Prerequisites: ANTH 101 and one additional course in anthropology, or consent of instructor. Enrollment Limit: 10. Ms. Pagliai 490. Junior Year Honors 2-3 hours 2-3SS Sections will be offered by Mr. Glazier, Ms. Grimm, Ms. Pagliai, and Mr. Pineda. Prerequisite: Open only to second semester junior majors. Consent of instructor required. 491. Senior Year Honors 2-6 hours 2-6SS Sections will be offered by Mr. Glazier, Ms. Grimm, Ms. Pagliai, and Mr. Pineda. Consent of instructor required. 995. Private Reading .5-3 hours .5-3SS Sections will be offered by Mr. Glazier, Ms. Grimm, Ms. Pagliai, and Mr. Pineda. Consent of instructor required. |
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