About Anthropology

Our Program and Courses

Anthropology is a major and minor at F&M. Our program is distinguished among private liberal arts colleges for its comprehensive blend of cultural anthropology, archaeology, and linguistic anthropology. By studying anthropology at F&M, you’ll explore humanity through anthropological theory and research, inspecting questions like the natural roles of parents, the meaning of work, the function of ritual, and more. 

By the time you graduate, you will have earned: 

  • A broad understanding of the world’s cultural, social and biological diversity in the past and present. 
  • The skills for comparative perspective to reflect upon your own lives, beliefs and accepted assumptions. 
  • A foundation for anthropological study using social science and natural science.
  • A holistic liberal education outlook that provides a strong background in critical thinking, analysis and writing.
  • Broad appreciation for global diversity and deep empathy for others.

Curious about what anthropology classes are like? Peruse our course catalog to see the depth and breadth of what’s available to you.

Our Faculty and Staff

Quincy Amoah

Assistant Professor Cultural Anthropology/Africana Studies

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Samantha B Binkley

Academic Department Coordinator

Classics; Sociology

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Christine Chalifoux

Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology/Africana Studies

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James A Delle

Visiting Scholar of Anthropology

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Bridget L Guarasci

Associate Professor of Anthropology

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Thomas Hart

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Anthropology

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Alex King

Visiting Scholar of Anthropology

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Mary Ann Levine

Professor of Anthropology, Department Chair of Anthropology

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Stephanie L Palazzo

Assistant Director, Wrting Center

Anthropology

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Maribel Perez Arias

Visiting Scholar of Anthropology

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Scott C Smith

Associate Professor of Anthropology

Latin American Studies

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Adeem Suhail

Assistant Professor of Anthropology

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Learning Outside the Classroom

You’ll discover that anthropological studies frequently spill out of the classroom and into the field. With research opportunities, off-campus study, the Anthropology Club, and more, there are a plethora of ways to immerse yourself in anthropology at F&M.

Research Opportunities

As you dig into anthropology, you will unearth theories and questions about your field. At F&M, every student is prepared for graduate school through extraordinary opportunities to engage in independent or faculty-led research . Anthropology students have researched a wide range of anthropological ideas, from fashion costumes in different cultures to how fishing communities endure when rivers dry up. 
Explore research at F&M

Off-Campus Study

At F&M, you’ll find extraordinary opportunities to study abroad. Our anthropology majors have studied in Ireland, Russia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, China, Japan, Morocco, Senegal and Ethiopia, to name a few places. As an anthropology major, you can make study abroad integral to your experiences and research.
Explore off-campus study at F&M

The Anthropology Club

Join the Anthropology Club, an F&M student organization that sponsors films, speakers and special events as well as publishes The Kituhwan, a student journal featuring anthropology student papers. 

Museums & Libraries

F&M’s own Phillips Museum of Art and the nearby North Museum, a natural historical collection located near campus, offer comprehensive materials on anthropological subjects. Additional resources for anthropology students include F&M’s two research libraries: Shadek-Fackenthal Library and Martin Library of the Sciences, which houses F&M’s archives and special collections.
Explore F&M College Library

Success Beyond F&M

After you graduate with a degree in anthropology, what next? A rich field of opportunities awaits. 

Graduate School

Most of our anthropology majors choose to pursue graduate school after F&M. Many complete or enroll in doctoral programs in science, medicine or law. Our graduates have completed their advanced degrees at the best universities in the U.S. and abroad.

Career Paths

Career outcomes for anthropology graduates are diverse. Many obtain entry-level positions in education, archaeology, business, historic preservation, museum curation, international development, forensics, law and tourism. Our alumni have also held positions such as:

  • Anthropologists
  • Cultural Resource Manager
  • Human Rights Lawyer
  • Museum Curator

With a liberal arts degree, the world is at your fingertips. Just keep in mind what professional anthropologists can do:

  • Teach and research at colleges and universities
  • Investigate historical sites and artifacts for the World Bank 
  • Forensic research at world heritage sites for the United Nations 
  • Advise and consult on policy, law and governance
  • Excavate indigenous sites 
  • And so much more!

Research Spotlight

F&M Faculty Uncover History of Underground Railroad in Lancaster

A historic home in Lancaster is being turned into a museum, thanks in part to contributions by F&M faculty. F&M Professor of Anthropology Mary Ann Levine and a team of F&M students and community volunteers excavated the courtyard and basement of the Thaddeus Stevens house. They uncovered two cisterns in the basement that were modified in the 1830s. The modifications would have allowed a person to enter the abandoned cistern from the basement of the tavern next door. Levine and others have hypothesized that the location was part of the Underground Railroad.
Read More »

Alumni Spotlight

“I’ve always liked bridging cultural gaps.”

Anthropology offered Paolo Caglioti '21 a chance to examine his own identity growing up on the east end of Long Island — a melting pot of affluent "small-towners," Latin American immigrants and Shinnecock Nation Indigenous tribe members. "I kind of fell in between that — an eclectic working class family of Greeks and Italians," he said. "I built upon that in anthropology at F&M, studying cultural differences. What's it like to be in these spaces? How do we make sense of them and how can we create something and highlight the voices and dignity of people that feel unheard or misrepresented?"
Read More »

Related Fields of Study

Animal Husbandry & Primate Training (Certificate)

Certificates are supplemental educational pathways you can pursue at F&M. Each certificate explores new and innovative fields of study through the lens of two or more fields of study. The Animal Husbandry & Primate Training certificate develops your abilities to care for animals professionally as well as to reflect on your experiences as an element of humans’ relationships with the natural world.

History

Embark on an enriching journey through time, exploring a vast range of geographic regions, topical themes, and time periods. By studying history at F&M, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of history and historical processes, and develop keen insight into how they have shaped the present and will influence the future.

Sociology

One field of study engages in all sorts of questions about people, institutions, and social structures: sociology. How does power operate in society? How do politics shape our lives? How and why have family relationships changed over time? As a student of sociology, you will explore these interactions to better understand how they shape the world and cultures that we live in.

F&M Anthropology in Action

March 12, 2024

Mary Fouad ’24 Discovered Her Purpose While Studying Abroad

“Financial aid allowed me to study abroad and have once-in-a-lifetime experiences that inspire me to dedicate my career to doing good for the people often overlooked,” says F&M senior Mary Fouad.

September 15, 2023

Student’s Research Investigates World War II Mission in Germany

History and archaeology are F&M senior Gavin Vogel's twin studies of interest. This summer, he found himself immersed in both.

August 10, 2023

F&M Faculty Uncover History of Underground Railroad in Lancaster

A historic home in downtown Lancaster is being turned into a museum by LancasterHistory, thanks in part to contributions by Franklin & Marshall College faculty.