Franklin & Marshall College

Anthropology

A list of regularly offered courses follows. The indication of when a course will be offered is based on the best projection of the department and can be subject to change.

Please note the key for the following abbreviations: (A) Arts; (H) Humanities; (S) Social Sciences; (N) Natural Sciences with Laboratory; (LS) Language Studies requirement; (NSP) Natural Science in Perspective; (NW) Non-Western Cultures requirement; (W) Writing requirement.

 100. Social Anthropology. (S) Every Semester

An examination of fundamental categories and practices in social anthropology, giving special attention to anthropological methodologies, basic forms of social organization and the ways human beings generate particular social meanings through their aesthetic, economic, religious and political activities. Ahmad, Bastian, Billig, Cable, Nading, Taggart

102. Introduction to Archaeology. (S) Every Semester

An introductory survey of historic and prehistoric archaeology that examines how knowledge about the past is created, debated and sometimes abused. A survey of world prehistory from the earliest hominids through the rise of the first “civilizations” to expose the range of variation in past human social and political organization. Provides a global and comparative approach to better understand and appreciate this diversity. As we learn about the messages and lessons that archaeology has to offer, we should begin to think critically about our own society and reflect on the possibilities for its improvement. M. A. Levine, Schwake, Smith

125. First-Year Seminar: Great Mysteries of the Past. (S) (W) Fall 2012

Through a critical evaluation of several case studies, you will learn to separate fact from fantasy and science from pseudoscience as you unravel some of the most intriguing mysteries in archaeology. We will discuss how knowledge is constructed and how to assess the strengths of competing hypotheses. Some of the enigmatic case studies that we will explore and debate include the stone statues of Easter Island, the megalithic monuments at Stonehenge, the Nazca lines of Peru and the moundbuilders of North America. M. A. Levine

150. First-Year Seminar: Invisible Worlds. (S) (W) Fall 2012

In this First-Year Seminar, we will explore the “things that go bump in the night.” Some scholars have argued that we can learn a good deal about more visible social relations by paying careful attention to the stories groups tell about beings like ghosts and fairies. The seminar will test this theory through our exploration of texts, films and documentaries, as well as material drawn from other media. Some larger topics that will arise in this class include the social-historical construction of landscape, how people represent others through narrative and cultural concepts of gender. We will finish our seminar with consideration of the global appeal of a very famous invisible world, the magical reality of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Same as WGS 150. Bastian

170 – 179. Topics in Anthropology. (S)

Lecture courses or seminars on theoretical or ethnographic subjects of current interest.

200. Anthropological Theory. (S) Every Fall

The history of anthropological thought up to the present. The meaning and purpose of thinking theoretically. This course serves as the prerequisite to most 300-level courses in Anthropology. Prerequisite: ANT 100 or permission of the instructor. Bastian, Billig

205. Archaeometry: Natural Sciences as Applied to Archaeology. (N) Spring 2012

Application of methods from the natural sciences to study of archaeological environments and artifacts. Scientific principles underlying techniques; application to archaeological problems. Major topics include: dating methods; analysis and characterization of artifacts; location of sites and features within sites; paleoenvironment and paleoecology. Prerequisite: one archaeology course and one lab science course, or permission of the instructor. Same as GEO 205. Sternberg

212. Language, Power and Society. (S) Spring 2013

Language has captivated scholars for the insights it provides into human behavior and interactions. Through language we unite with some, while differentiating from others. Understanding language is crucial to understanding culture. This course provides a survey of the uses of language in anthropology, investigating how people use language to define themselves and the world around them and how language communicates far more than the content of words. Prerequisite: ANT 100 or permission of the instructor. Staff

215. Women in Society. (S) Spring 2012

How gender roles affect women’s participation in political, ritual, economic and other social relations. The course materials will include detailed ethnographic work on specific societies and will maintain a theoretical perspective informed by contemporary gender studies. Prerequisite: ANT 100. Same as WGS 215. Staff

234. Population. (S) (NSP) Spring 2013

Introduction to population studies focusing on the demography of modern societies. Topics include causes and effects of rapid population growth, changing mortality and fertility, urban growth, age/sex composition and spatial distribution. While basic demographic analysis will be covered, emphasis will be on the sociocultural context of population processes. Prerequisites: ANT 100 or SOC 100 or ECO 100 or ENV 114 or ENV 117 or permission of the instructor. Same as ENV/STS 234. Billig

250. Witchcraft and Sorcery in a Global Context. (S) Spring 2013

In this course we will consider how the categories of “witchcraft” and “sorcery” have been used in Anthropology, both to describe mystical acts (particularly mystical attacks) and as an ethnographic metaphor to discuss the pressures of communal life for individuals. Course content will consist of, but not be limited to, witchcraft and sorcery as a “social strain gauge,” witchcraft and sorcery as expressions of symbolic power, the gendered name of witchcraft and sorcery, as well as witchcraft and sorcery under conditions of Western-style modernity. Same as AFS/RST/WGS 250. Bastian

258. People and Cultures of East Asia. (NW) (S) (Culture Area) Every Spring

This course introduces students to the cultures of China, Korea, and Japan. Through primary sources (in translation), films, and ethnographies, this course will examine the shared cultural backgrounds of the region as well as how each country has made modifications to fit their own society. Topics include the mainstream philosophical traditions of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism, as well as such complex issues as the individual and society, ethnicity and nationalism, and gender. Cable

260. Archaeology of North America. (NW) (S) (Culture Area) Spring 2013

This course surveys the prehistory of Native American peoples in Canada and the United States from their arrival on this continent more than 12,000 years ago to their encounters with Europeans. Through the use of a regional approach to the study of indigenous peoples, this course will survey a wide variety of prehistoric Native American peoples including those in the Arctic, Northwest coast, Southwest and Northeast. By uncovering the diversity of Native American lifeways in the past, this course provides the foundation for understanding the rich heritage of contemporary Native American peoples. Prerequisites: ANT100, ANT102 or permission of the instructor. M. A. Levine

261. North American Indians of the Eastern Woodlands. (NW) (S) (Culture Area) Fall 2013

A survey of the past and present diversity of indigenous peoples in the Eastern Woodlands of the United States and Canada. The focus is on the prehistoric archaeology of the region, the consequences of European colonization on native groups and the struggles and achievements of indigenous peoples today. An examination of issues ranging from the controversy that surrounds the initial settlement of the Eastern Woodlands by Native Americans to contemporary debates on federal recognition and sovereignty. Prerequisite: ANT 100 or 102. Same as AMS 261. M. A. Levine

263. Indians of Mexico. (NW) (S) (Culture Area) Fall 2011

The aim of this course is to understand the history and the culture of the great indigenous cultures of Mexico. The focus is on the Nuhuas (Aztecs) and Mayans, who built the great ancient civilizations, endured centuries of colonial domination and still managed to hold on to their language and their culture into the 21st century. Prerequisite: ANT 100 or permission of the instructor. Taggart

267. Peoples and Cultures of Africa. (NW) (S) (Culture Area). Fall 2013

Social and historical practices of various African cultures, with a special emphasis on sub-Saharan groups. Topics considered will include the intersections between political economy, performances, religion, art, and popular media on the continent. Prerequisite: ANT 100. Same as AFS 267. Bastian

269. Cultures of the World. (NW) (S) (Culture Area) Fall 2011

This course explores the cultures, histories, and politics of South Asia. Over 1.5 billion people live in this region, which includes more than one thousand officially recognized ethnicities, over one hundred languages, and a diversity of religious practices and communities. We will focus on anthropological approaches in the class, while also considering material from other academic disciplines. Besides learning about South Asia, we will learn from South Asia scholars, using their insights to re-consider the world and our places in it. Prerequisite: ANT100 or permission of the instructor. Ahmad

270 – 279. Topics in Anthropology. (S)

Lecture courses or seminars on theoretical or ethnographic subjects of current interest.

290. Independent Study.

330. Anthropological Studies of Religion. (S) Fall 2012

This course takes account of various aspects of religious and ritual practice, using material from both contemporary and classic ethnographies. Topics of special interest for the course will include, but not be limited to: cosmological constructions; initiation; possession; commensality; magic; witchcraft and sorcery; ritual aesthetics; and performance. Prerequisite: ANT 200. Same as RST 330. Bastian

340. Anthropology of Wealth and Poverty. (S) Spring 2014

Anthropological approaches to the relationship between economy and society, including intensive readings of theoretical and empirical literature. Topics include: the nature of rationality; Marxist and non-Marxist political economy; the nature and role of production and exchange; class-conflict; colonialism; and the making of the Third World. Prerequisite: ANT 200 or permission of the instruc- tor. Billig

342. Class and Culture. (S) Spring 2015

Is it better to like opera than NASCAR? Are such choices purely a matter of individual taste? This course examines the way tastes, habits and manners are formed within the context of class and status and also the way class and status are reproduced by such distinctions. Readings consist of theoretical literature, ethnographies and fiction focusing mainly on the U.S. Prerequisite: ANT200 or permission of the instructor. Billig

350. Anthropology of Tourism. (S) Spring 2013

This course analyzes tourism as a cultural phenomenon through issues such as the origin of tourism, authenticity and the commodification of culture, the exotic “other,” gender, and sustainable or responsible tourism. Through films, lectures, readings, and discussions, we will explore the impact of tourism on both the hosts and the guests as we look at what has become the world’s largest industry. Prerequisite: ANT 200. Cable

355. The Body. (S) Spring 2012

Examines contemporary theoretical and ethnographic discussions relating to the human body. Topics covered will include social constructions of gender, reproduction and reproductive technologies, cultural ideologies of sexuality, social inscriptions on the body, “the body in extremis,” cultural depositions of the corpse and what some might call hybrid, cyborg or even virtual bodies. Prerequisite: ANT 200 or permission of the instructor. Same as WGS 355. Bastian

360. Language and Culture. (S) Spring 2014

This course focuses on themes that explore the link between culture and language, including the processes of language change, different visions of literacy and the relationship of technology to language. It also addresses more theoretical concerns, such as language ideology and power and resistance. Readings vary from densely theoretical to richly ethnographic. Prerequisites: ANT 200 or permission of the instructor. Staff

365. Queens, Goddesses and Archaeology. (S) Spring 2013

This course will consider how archaeologists examine gender and interpret the roles of women in ancient subsistence economies, politics and religions. To achieve this goal we will discuss the roles of women in egalitarian and stratified societies and explore the actions and status of both high-ranking and everyday women in the ancient world. Prerequisites: ANT 100, ANT 102, ANT 200 or permis- sion of the instructor. Same as WGS 365. M. A. Levine

370 – 379. Topics in Anthropology. (S)

Lecture courses or seminars on theoretical or ethnographic subjects of current interest.

390. Independent Study.

410. Anthropological Methods. (S) Every Fall

A practicum in anthropological fieldwork, including exercises in participant observation, interviewing, framing a research question, analysis and interpretation of data. Prerequisite: ANT 200.

Taggart

411. Archaeological Methods. (S) Fall 2012

This course will provide students with hands-on training in archaeological field and laboratory methods. In the first half of the semester, participants will travel to a local field site and learn techniques of archaeological data recovery, including survey, mapping and excavation. In the second half of the course, the focus will be on lab analysis, including the processing and interpretation of artifacts recovered during the field component of the course. Special attention will be given to computer techniques applicable to archaeological analysis. Students should expect to spend time outdoors and to dedicate at least one or two weekend days to field trips. M. A. Levine, Smith

470 – 479. Topics in Anthropology. (S)

Lecture courses or seminars on theoretical or ethnographic subjects of current interest. Prerequisite: one course from the 200-level.

490. Independent Study.

Senior level independent study directed by the Anthropology staff. Permission of chairperson.

Topics Courses Expected To Be Offered In 2011-2012

First-Year Seminar: Pyramids, Plazas, and Palaces.
Archaeology of Mesoamerica.
Anthropology and the Environment.
Anthropology of Ghosts and Spirits.
Archaeology of Death.
Andean Archaeology.
Anthropology of Central America.
Medical Anthropology.
Archaeology of Space and Place.
Archaeology of Inequality.
The Maya.
Political Anthropology.
Anthropology of Media.