Professor Leeson and Assistant Professor Morris, Coordinators
A major in Anthropology is not offered. A concentration in Anthropology offers students the opportunity to study human beings around the globe using a comparative and holistic framework. In this interdisciplinary concentration, students will develop a recognition of global and historical cultural diversity that will be beneficial in careers that value cross-cultural communication, including business, the arts, education, public policy, and social services. Students in the anthropology concentration will systematically explore the extraordinary range of similarities and differences in humans and human behavior across time and space. Students from any major may graduate with a concentration in Anthropology by successfully completing at least six units from the classes described below and earning a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0. Of these six units, one must be ANTH 101, Introduction to Cultural Anthropology, which the coordinators recommend taking as early as possible. ANTH 101, however, is not a prerequisite to other courses in the Anthropology concentration. Of the remaining five units at least one must come from Anthropology’s other subfields of archaeology (ANTH 218), linguistics (ANTH 320), or physical anthropology (ANTH 240). Additionally, at least one course must include a fieldwork experience, chosen from ANTH 310, ANTH 380, ANTH 406, ANTH 416, or another approved course. In accordance with the general rules applicable to all concentrations, no more than three courses from a student’s major may apply to the concentration and at least three courses in the concentration must be completed at Roanoke College.
Required Courses:
ANTH 101 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology, along with at least one course from both the subfield and fieldwork categories.
Subfield Category:
ANTH 218 Introduction to Archaeology (cross-listed as HIST 218)
ANTH 240 Race and Human Evolution
ANTH 320 Basic Linguistics (cross-listed as ENGL 320/ LING 320)
Fieldwork Category:
ANTH 310 Global Storytelling: Exploring the Ethnographic Process
ANTH 380 Creating Community Change: Applied Anthropology
ANTH 416 Internship
Any approved IL or other course with a substantial anthropological fieldwork component
Elective Courses:
ANTH 212 Food and Culture
ANTH 218 Introduction to Archaeology (cross-listed as HIST 218)
ANTH 240 Race and Human Evolution
ANTH 310 Global Storytelling: Exploring the Ethnographic Process
ANTH 320 Basic Linguistics (cross-listed as ENGL 320/ LING 320)
ANTH 361 Selected Topics in Anthropology
ANTH 380 Creating Community Change: Applied Anthropology
ANTH 406 Independent Study
ANTH 416 Internship
MUSC 240 Music in Culture
SOCI 323 Health, Illness and Healing
SOCI 327 Religion and Culture
SOCI 337 Environmental Sociology
An internship or independent study focused on an anthropological topic is encouraged; the topic must be approved by the concentration coordinators. Interested students should contact the concentration coordinators as soon as possible for help in identifying additional appropriate courses available on campus (including special topics, INQ, and INQ-IL courses) or through study away programs.
101 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
An introduction to the concepts and methods used by anthropologists to study human societies and cultures. Case studies from primarily non-Western cultures will provide an overview of the culture concept and its relationship to institutions of kinship, marriage, gender, language, race and ethnicity, production, exchange, political organization, magic, religion, and the arts. This course is required for the Anthropology concentration and is an elective in the Sociology major and minor programs. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
212 Food and Culture
The consumption of food is not merely a human biological need, but also a means of defining ourselves according to culture. To understand what and how a people eat is to understand part of the history and values of that group. This course will explore the production, distribution, and consumption of food in different human societies, examining the influential role food has played in human governance, economy, spiritual belief, and gender roles. We’ll also examine modern foodways, paying careful attention to issues of identity, food security, and globalized food production. Finally, we’ll focus on our own foodways, examining the rise of “nutritionism” in the United States, along with its implications for our health, economy, and, of course, culture. This course is an elective in the Sociology major and minor programs. (1).
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
218 Introduction to Archaeology
An introduction to the various theories of excavation and survey techniques, culture change, dating methods, and reconstruction of economic, social and religious practices or prehistoric societies. Case studies focus on both old- and new-world cultures. (Cross-listed with HIST 218). (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
240 Race and Human Evolution
The goal of this course is to create a broad understanding of the human existence from a biological standpoint: Where did we come from? How can the physical differences between us be explained? This introduction to the basic concepts of physical/biological anthropology discusses scientific theories of human evolution and biodiversity alongside detailed discussion of the cultural origins of human racial classifications. Topics covered include basic genetic and evolutionary theory, human biological adaptation, primate evolution and behavior, fossil and other evidence of human evolution, the inherent fallacy associated with biologically-driven racial classification, and the history of “race” as a concept in popular and academic discourse. This course is designed to be accessible to both non-science and science majors. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
261 Selected Topics in Anthropology
An examination of special topics in anthropology, with topics selected on the basis of faculty and student interest. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
310 Global Storytelling: Exploring the Ethnographic Process.
Ethnography is anthropology’s hallmark methodology; a dynamic way of seeing and living in the world of the other. This is a project-intensive course examining the ways in which anthropologists conduct ethnographic research and write ethnography. Students will practice a variety of ethnographic fieldwork techniques including, but not limited to, participant observation, field note-taking, interviewing, mapping, photography, and film production. We will examine a few key ethnographic works, several anthropologists’ reflections on the practice of ethnography, and a variety of analytic and interpretive approaches to the production of ethnography. This course is an elective in the Sociology major and minor programs. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
320 Basic Linguistics
The scientific study and description of language according to the principles of modern linguistics. (Cross-listed with ENGL 320 & LING 320) (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
361 Selected Topics in Anthropology
An examination of special topics in anthropology, with topics selected on the basis of faculty and student interest. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
380 Creating Community Change: Applied Anthropology
How can the anthropological worldview be used to improve the lives of individuals and communities? Why do some development programs work, while others fail? The purpose of this course is to allow you to recognize the role of culture in contemporary human problems, and to use this recognition to identify means of creating positive, sustainable, and minimally biased change. The course will include overviews of the history of applied anthropology and of the current state of the field in several different domains of application, including health, the environment, business, and education. Importantly, the course will also contain considerable discussion of the ethical quandaries inherent in applied work. Finally, the course includes an active community research component, which is designed to provide some field experience in applying course material. As such, you will be exposed to some training in the anthropological methods of participant observation and interviewing. This course is an elective in the Sociology major and minor programs. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
406 Independent Study
A supervised research project or extensive literature review. This course will be an elective within the Anthropology concentration. (1)
Pre-requisite: Approved written proposal.
416 Internship
Practical experience in a community or field setting in which anthropology is applied. This course will be an elective within the Anthropology concentration. (1)
Pre-requisite: Approve written proposal.