Course Listings

101 Biological Anthropology. A survey of major topics in biological anthropology, including: background material in genetics and evolution, non-human primate behavior, human evolution and biological variation, skeletal studies, and the concept of race. Emphasis on biocultural interactions. Occasional laboratory experiences complement lectures, reading, and discussion. (Meets the requirement for Natural Science credit.) (Does not meet the divisional requirement in the Social Sciences or the outside unit requirement for students majoring in the natural sciences.) (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Scientific Investigation of the Natural World requirement.) 1 unit.

102 Cultural Anthropology. The study of human societies through the central concept of culture. Explores such topics as meaning, adaptation, social organization, kinship, religion, environment, technology and conflict. Presents anthropological themes including holism, comparison, dynamism and cultural relativism, as well as methodological approaches to studying human experience in naturally occurring contexts. (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) 1 unit.

103 Introduction to Archaeology.  Archaeology is the study of past human societies through material remains. Archaeologists employ multidisciplinary methods to investigate anthropological questions in the past, using evidence provided by objects, buildings, and other material traces. Basic history, methods, theory, and politics of archaeology are presented. Students learn practical skills such as artifact analysis and site mapping as well as the course of human prehistory, from fossil ancestors to ancient states. 1 unit.

104 World Music. Surveys the musical cultures of the world in their social, historical, and theoretical contexts; develops comprehension of the essential philosophies and aesthetics of the music studied and the ability to identify, describe, and discuss various musical styles, compositional forms, and techniques through listening and performance exercises; emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach. 2 units.

105 Language and Culture. Examines the interconnectedness of language and culture from ethnographic and sociolinguistic perspectives. Comparative study of speaking in cultural context aimed at understanding the ways in which people use talk to cooperate, manipulate, structure events, and negotiate identities. Cross-cultural focus, with examples from such languages as Japanese, Navajo and Apache, African-American Vernacular, and French. (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) 1 unit.

123 American Sign Language I. Introduction to American Sign Language. Practice in signing and comprehension in American Sign Language (Ameslan or ASL). .25 unit.

124 American Sign Language I. Introduction to American Sign Language. Practice in signing and comprehension in American Sign Language (Ameslan or ASL). .25 unit.

201 Human Evolution. Fossil and genetic evidence for human evolution as well as the implications of evolution for understanding the adaptations of modern humans. Nature and timing of the developments that led from our distant, rodent-like ancestors to humans as we are today. Evolutionary theories that have been proposed to explain these changes. Adaptive significance of changes in the relationship between members of our lineage is also stressed. Through lectures, laboratories, discussions, and student presentations, students learn some of the basic principles of molecular genetics and discuss the use of genetics in evolutionary research. No credit toward Biology major if taken after Biology 231. Prerequisite: Biology 105 or 106 or 107 or 108 or 109 or Anthropology 101. (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Scientific Investigation of the Natural World requirement.) (Also listed as Biology 205.) 1 unit.

202 Human Biological Variation. Beginning with the genetic base, this course provides an anthropological approach to understanding biological variation within and between human populations. Traits of known and unknown inheritance, physiological adaptations, concept of race and interactions of human biology and culture are emphasized. Some laboratory exercises. (Meets the requirement for Natural Science credit.) (Does not meet the divisional requirement in the Social Sciences or the outside unit
requirement for students majoring in the Natural Sciences.) Prerequisite: Anthropology 101 or consent of instructor. 1 unit.

203 States and Empires in the Ancient Andes. Andean South America was home to some of the first and most complex societies in the Western hemisphere. People in the Andes built large cities and established states that came to control large areas. This course will focus exclusively on the development and expansion of states and empires in the pre-Columbian Andes, concentrating attention on Moche, Wari, Tiwanaku and the Inka. Emphasis will be placed on the use of ceremonial and monumental architecture, the development of pristine states, urbanism, and imperial expansion. No credit if taken after AN 207: Prehistory of the Andes. (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) .5 unit.

204 Prehistory. Human habitation of a single continent or other major areas from earliest times, with emphasis on human interaction with environment. Changes in cultural patterns over time as manifested in the archaeological record.

Block 8: Prehistory: Southwest Archaeology. This course is an introduction to the cultures of the American Southwest, from the initial populations of the greater region through the wrenching contact of European conquistadores. One of the most diverse environments in the world is host to a rich, intriguing continuity. With occupation beginning sometime before 12,000 years ago, we have evidence for social and ritual complexity in the archaeological record dating before 2000 B.C. (B.C.E.). Current archaeological research in the American Southwest is redefining our concept of the adoption of agriculture in North America, our view of historically defined culture areas (Hohokam, Salado, Mogollon, Sinagua, Anasazi) with the probability of complex multi-ethnic communities, and the Southwest's former position as a region defining American archaeological method and theory. The course will begin with a historical review of Southwestern archaeology and move on to the current methodological and theoretical issues. (Also listed as Southwest Studies 200.) 1 unit.

207 Prehistory of the Andes. This course will examine the patterns of development of Andean culture from its earliest roots over five millennia ago through the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. We will look at how this unique environment gave birth to highly efficient adaptations and cultural systems. Emphasis will be placed on trade and interaction in the Andean sphere, the development of complex social and political structures, and early contacts with Europeans. The focus will be on recent archaeological investigations and interpretations combined with appropriate analogy from ethnohistory and ethnography. No credit if taken after AN 203: States and Empires in the Ancient Andes. (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) 1 unit.

208 Topics in Anthropology. Courses taught occasionally by visiting professors or by permanent faculty. Topics will vary from year to year.

Block 2: Topics in Anthropology: Anthropological Perspectives. This course begins with an exploration of ecological and demographic aspects of wildlife conservation — especially as they relate to primates. The course will then focus on cultural issues in conservation such as use of forest resources by local populations, changing resource use with modernization and globalization, and economic development of populations co-existing with primates.Prerequisite: (Contains CBL Content). 1 unit.

209 Topics in Anthropology. Courses taught occasionally by visiting professors or by permanent faculty. Topics will vary from year to year.

Block 5: Topics in Anthropology: Native Americans and Pop Culture. This course provides an introduction to, and critical analysis of, Native Americans’ relationship to U.S. popular culture. It will explore the ways in which Native Americans have been represented in mainstream pop culture, and how such representations articulate with racial stereotypes of Native Americans, mainstream interpretations of colonial history, and the oppression of Native American cultures beginning with American colonialism. The course will further examine the contemporary creation of popular culture by and for Native Americans. Through an exploration of various genres of contemporary Native American pop culture including film, popular music, comics and graphic novels, stand-up and radio comedy, and sports, we will address two critical questions: What uniquely Native American issues and/or experiences are expressed through contemporary Native American pop culture? In what ways might Native American pop culture contribute to contemporary political and cultural revitalization in Native American communities? 1 unit.

211 The Culture Area. Culture history and contemporary ethnic relations in geographic regions of non-Western areas of the world or of minority groups in the Western world. Areas offered vary; examples: native cultures of the Pacific Islands, the Arctic, Meso-America, North American Indians, etc.

Block 4: The Culture Area: Indigenous Peoples of Mesoamerica. This course provides an introduction to the indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica. Through this course, students will learn to identify and appreciate some major indigenous culture areas of Mesoamerica, and better recognize the cultural diversity that exists within this region. The course applies historical, ethnographic and anthropological linguistic approaches in exploring contemporary issues in Mesoamerican indigenous communities. We will discuss indigenous Mesoamerican religious systems, issues of racial/ethnic identity, ethnic relations, gender, and political activism, and we will further consider the origins and impacts of global influences on indigenous Mesoamerica. Special focus is placed on the Nahuatl (Aztec) of Central Mexico, Mayan communities of Guatemala and the Yucatán, the Yaqui of Northern Mexico, and the Mixtec of Oaxaca. (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) 1 unit.

215 Research Design: Method and Theory. Research design, method and theory across the discipline of anthropology. Topics include selecting research problems and sites, engaging literature, data-gathering and analysis, Institutional Review Board approval and ethical issues. Theory and application of contrasting paradigms (i.e. positivist, interpretivist) across each of the four major subfields. Emphasizes commonlaities across the discipline in major theoretical currents (i.e. cultural ecology, functionalism, symbolic, historical materialism, postmodernism, feminism, and practice theory). Prerequisite: Anthropology 101, 102, 103 or 105 or consent of instructor. (Also listed as Race and Ethnic Studies 215.) 1 unit.

221 Topics in Ethnomusicology. Special topics in ethnomusicology, approached through emphasis on a particular musical area, theoretical issue, genre or repertory, compositional technique, or instrument. The course is devoted to non-western musical cultures. 1 unit.

236 Peoples of Latin America. Introduces anthropological perspectives on Latin America, including South and Central America and with some references to the Caribbean. A historical and geographical overview is followed by investigation of key cultural themes and problems faced throughout the region: the legacy of European colonialism and U. S. imperialism; dependent development; political forms from authoritarian to democratic; machismo and marianismo as gendered ideologies; the Protestant challenge to Catholic ubiquity; environmental crises; urbanization; foreign debt; and ethnic conflict. 1 unit.

237 Blacks in the Caribbean and Latin America. Compares the experiences of diverse groups of the African Diaspora, with special emphasis on the Caribbean basin and Brazil. Topics include: race, racism and nation-building; the legacy of slavery and contemporary labor processes, conceptualizing the "Africa" in African-American cultures; variable social constructions of racial categories; maroons and other communities of resistance; and several African-American religions (Candomble, Umbanda, Voudoun, Santeria, Rastafarianism). (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) 1 unit.

238 Gender and Class in Latin America. Introduces anthropological perspectives on gender and class dynamics, including South and Central America along with the Hispanophone Caribbean. Readings center on women's role in production, reproduction, and development, while also incorporating specific approaches to masculinity and men's social roles. Emphasizes ethnographic analyses in which class and gender are treated as interconnected categories. (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) 1 unit.

239 Women, Men, and "Others:" Gender Cross-Culturally. A cross-cultural approach to gender, emphasizing variability in the ways gender shapes social interaction and organization. After addressing the relationship between biological sex and culturally constructed gender and diverse sex-gender systems, the course proceeds to closely examine non-binary gender systems, where "third" (or more) genders emerge: hijras in India, berdaches in diverse Native American peoples, and travestis in Brazil. Various anthropological and feminist theoretical frameworks are applied. (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) 1 unit.

242 The Anthropology of Food (with Emphasis on Writing). This course will explore food concepts, analytical methods, and the food habits of different ethnic groups. The class will have a field trip to the San Luis Valley, and to Northern New Mexico to document the production of food among farmers, cattle ranchers and restaurateurs. (Limited to 12 students.) (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) 1 unit.

243 Hispanic Folklore of the Southwest. (with Emphasis on Writing). This course is designed to introduce students to several approaches in folklore studies and to Mexican material culture, religion, music, and prose narratives in the Southwest region of the United States. We will examine how the different approaches used by historians, literary critics, anthropologists, and folklorists can enhance the study of Hispanic folklore and material culture. (Limited to 12 students.) (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) (Also listed as Southwest Studies 200.) 1 unit.

245 Popular Culture. This course will present students with different concepts related to popular culture, as exemplified by diverse cultural forms: film, music, literature, and material culture. Through the course students will become acquainted with the theories of structuralism and post-structuralism, Marxism, feminism, and post-modernism. These theories will allow students to develop a clear understanding of the different paradigms and their limitations in cultural studies. (January half-block.) .5 unit.

251 The Study of Folklore I. A survey of the main forms of folklore, with emphasis on definition, identification, and collection of traditional oral forms (tales, legends, myths, ballads, beliefs, jokes, riddles, etc.) Includes a collecting project designed to introduce students to the traditional expressions of ethnic or other cultural groups. (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) 1 unit.

255 Language Acquisition. Explores the way in which humans learn their native language. Topics include developmental stages, the biological basis for language acquisition, and the relationship between cognitive and linguistic development. Critical examination of primate language ability. Students work with young children in the early period of language learning. 1 unit.

258 Introduction to Linguistics. Explores the structures and functions of languages throughout the world, seeking to uncover both shared and variable patterns across languages. Introduces the tools of modern linguistics for recording and analyzing sound systems, words, syntactic and semantic structures, and the
communicative uses of language. Provides background for understanding contemporary issues relating to language. 1 unit.

260 Language & Gender. Explores how language is used by women and men in sociocultural context. Examines and critiques anthropological and sociolinguistic research on the relationship of language and gender. Readings provide a cross-cultural perspective and students collect and analyze samples of language use in their own speech community. 1 unit.

291 Southwest American Indian Music. Music and culture of Southwest American Indians, with emphasis on Pueblo and Athabascan peoples. Considers origins narratives, cosmology, ritual drama, dance, and other aesthetic modes as related to Southwest Indian musical performance. Addresses traditional as well as new music. This course meets the ethnomusicology requirement for the music minor. No prerequisites. (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) 1 unit.

294 Latino Musics of the United States. Explores the role of music in the expression of ethnicity and ethnic identity among Latino peoples of the United States. Various musical styles and genres performed by New Mexicans, Texas-Mexicans, Puerto Rican Americans, and Cuban Americans are considered. Traditional and popular Latino musics are examined within their cultural and historical contexts. 1 unit.

295 Indonesian Music. Surveys Indonesian history, culture, society, religion, and aesthetic values through music. Students become familiar with a variety of Indonesian musical repertories, styles, and performance contexts, including court traditions of Java, Sunda, and Bali and village traditions throughout the Indonesian archipelago. Traditional as well as new music are discussed. (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) 1 unit.

301 Human Osteology. This lab-based course is a detailed study of the anatomy of the human skeleton as a dynamic, living system. Special emphasis will be placed on the interpretation of skeletal remains from archaeological and forensic contexts. Consideration is given to the growth, structure, and function of bones, and to bioarchaeological and forensic aspects such as the determination of age, sex, stature, and pathology from skeletal remains. We will combine theory, its applications, and the limitation of osteological methods with laboratory analysis. The relevant techniques for the reconstruction of past populations and the assessment of human biological variation will be introduced. Prerequisite: Anthropology 201 or 202, statistics suggested. (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Scientific Investigation of the Natural World lab or field requirement.) 2 units.

303 Bioarchaeology. An investigation of how information from human skeletal remains in archaeological contexts, both prehistoric and historic, is obtained and interpreted. Examples include disease, stress indicators, injury and violent death, physical activity, tooth use and diet, and demographic histories. Emphasis on the interactions between biology and behavior and the influences of environment and culture on skeletal and dental structures. Strong laboratory component with complementary lectures and discussion. (Limited to 15 students.) Prerequisite: Anthropology 201 or 202 or consent of instructor. Statistics suggested. 1 unit.

306 Primatology. Social structure and behavior of various non-human primates. Contrasts made between behavior as free-living forms in natural habitats and in captivity. Physiological characteristics and environmental adjustments of primates explored. Inferences about social life of earliest humans made from behavior of contemporary non-human primates. Prerequisite: Anthropology 101 or consent of instructor, statistics recommended. 1 unit.

308 Topics in Anthropology. Problems on the frontier of anthropology or on the frontiers between anthropology and other disciplines. Examples may be primitive government or religion, cognition, folklore, cultural ecology. Prerequisite: Anthropology 101 or 102 or consent of instructor. 1 unit.

Block 1: Space and Place. In this course we will cover a wide range of theoretical and methodological approaches in anthropology that relate to studies and interpretations of space and place. An important goal is to encourage wide-ranging curiosity about the social construction of spaces and places, from small-scale structures to large-scale landscapes. As a group we will do close readings and have critical discussions on selected written works that anthropologists have used to analyze the ways in which people use spaces (as rooms, buildings, street grids, fields, or regions) to articulate social relations. 1 unit.

309 Topics in Anthropology. Problems on the frontier of anthropology or on the frontiers between anthropology and other disciplines. Examples may be primitive government or religion, cognition, folklore, cultural ecology.

Block 5: Topics in Anthropology: Archaeology of Colonialism. The purpose of this course is to consider the theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches employed in the study of the archaeology of colonialism. Originally called acculturation, or culture-contact studies, archaeologies of colonialism provide insight into the long-term impacts of colonial encounters, the role of material culture in daily life and the building of social relationships, and the landscapes of colonial power that structured both these relationships and our interpretations of them today. In this course we will examine how different archaeologists envision and approach colonial entanglements between Europeans and indigenous peoples. The course will take a case-studies approach, and we will read works that highlight how researchers bring together multiple lines of evidence in their interpretations of colonial encounters. Prerequisite: Anthropology 103 or consent of instructor. (Also listed as Race and Ethnic Studies 200.) 1 unit.

Block 8: Topics in Anthropology: Culture in Language and Mind: Cognitive Anthropology. This course will explore cognitive anthropology, which is concerned with the relationship between language and mind, how cultural worlds are created and structured through language, and how individual languages shape the attitudes and behaviors of their speakers. Contemporary cognitive anthropology has shown that the most salient aspects of human experience, including visual, auditory and other sensory experiences, are expressed through language as a means of structuring and sustaining certain worldviews. Students will be introduced to foundational literature in cognitive anthropology as well as focusing on the most recent research in this field. We will consider both potential universals in human thought as expressed through language and the diversity of worldviews and behaviors that are present between language communities. Prerequisite: Anthropology 101 or 102 or consent of instructor. 1 unit.

310 Anthropology and the History of Ideas. The intellectual history of sociocultural anthropology will form the foundation of this course. It will discuss the ideas and intellectuals who contributed to the development of anthropology as a scholarly discipline and will consider the following theoretical perspectives: evolutionism, functionalism, historical particularism, cultural materialism, and interpretive approaches. Also, it will examine field research strategies that shaped anthropology. Prerequisite: Anthropology 102 or consent of instructor. 1 unit.

315 Advanced Integrative Seminar. Focuses on a single topic examined from the perspective of multiple subfields of anthropology, including, but not limited to violence; warfare; domestication; evolution; expressive culture; gender, race and ethnicity; social complexity or globalization. Team-taught by faculty from distinct anthropological subfields. Prerequisite: Anthropology 215 or consent of instructor. 1 unit.

320 Field Archaeology. Design, implementation, analysis and interpretation of archaeological field research. Students construct a research design and spend four weeks collection archaeological data in the field. Field techniques may include survey, mapping, artifact analysis, and excavation. Upon return to campus, students complete analysis and produce a written report detailing the results of their research. (Also listed SW 320.) Prerequisite: Anthropology 103 or consent of instructor. 2 units.

321 Rio Grande - Culture, History and Region. An interdisciplinary course based on history, culture, and water issues. It will explore the cultural heritage and creativity of groups whose historical experience has been shaped by the Rio Grande basin from its origin in Colorado to its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico. The course will engage a broad American and international public in the exploration of how the river basin and the people who live within it change, evolve, and develop together, and can affect each other. Limited to 12 students. Prerequisite: Anthropology 102 or consent of instructor. (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) 2 units.

324 Archaeologies of Landscape. Ancient places were imbued with values, histories, and meanings that can tell archaeologists about many things, including political authority, social identity, and ritual practices. This course considers current theoretical and methodological approaches to the reconstruction of past social landscapes emerging from within archaeology, anthropology, and geography. Diverse landscapes are examined from the across the ancient world. Field trip to archaeological landscapes in the Southwest. Prerequisite: Anthropology 103 or consent of instructor. (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) 1 unit.

326 Religion & Ritual. Introduction to the comparative study of religion based on anthropological research among native peoples and folk traditions. Topics may include: shamanism, peyotism, witchcraft, the genesis of religious cults, syncretism of native religions with major religious traditions, ritual processes. Consideration of major cultural theories arising from the study of religion and ritual. Prerequisite: Anthropology 102 or consent of instructor. 1 unit.

360 Historical Linguistics. Introduces the principles of language change and linguistic reconstruction. Topics include mechanisms of change, sociocultural factors favoring the spread of changes, and methods for determining linguistic relationships. Considers reconstruction of an unattested language and possible inferences about the environment and culture of its speakers. Examples and problems from a wide range of families, including Indo-European, Austronesian, Bantu, Sino-Tibetan, and languages of native North America. Prerequisite: Anthropology 258 or consent of instructor. 1 unit.

361 Grammar in Global Perspective. Investigates grammatical structures and their uses in a wide range of languages. Comparison of the varying ways in which meaning is encoded in grammar in languages of the Americas, Asia, Africa, the Pacific, and Europe. Emphasis on analysis and identification of recurring cross-linguistic patterns in morphology, syntax, and semantics. Prerequisite: Anthropology 258 or consent of instructor. 1 unit.

371 Culture Contact and Writing Cultures. This course will incorporate the work of anthropology and cultural studies to introduce students to how foreign cultures were experienced and represented by travelers, explorers, colonial administrators and anthropologists and will focus on forms of writing associated with conquest and colonialism. Students will then be introduced to the travel and tourism genre of representation and will analyze travel writing as cultural politics and the politics of tourism. The course will conclude with an examination of the new ethnography and writing cultures. Prerequisite: Anthropology 102 or consent of instructor. (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) 1 unit.

375 Peoples on the Move: Nomads, Migrants, Sojourners and Settlers. Emphasizes the interconnectedness and interpenetration of the world's peoples, offering an alternative to the atomized and bounded implications of concepts like "culture" and "society. " Course topics include: patterns of prehistorical expansion; forager vs. nomadic vs. sedentary societies; gypsies; the Navajo-Hopi land dispute; expatriate communities; and diverse cases of modern immigration and globalization. Prerequisite: Anthropology 102 or consent of instructor. 1 unit.

376 Culture and Power: Political Anthropology. A comparative, holistic study of formal and informal politics in diverse societies. The course focuses on three major themes: examining diverse political systems with emphasis on the emergence of the state; the relationship between power, ideology, and symbolic systems; power and controlling processes, with special attention to dominance, hegemony and resistance. Emphasis on full-length ethnographies. Prerequisite: Anthropology 102 or consent of instructor. 1 unit.

377 Living in the Material World--Economic Anthropology. Examines how people organize their material world to survive and to create meaningful systems of value. A variety of economic forms - small-scale societies with limited accumulation, gift economics, and commodity-based capitalism - are considered from a holistic, comparative perspective. The course concludes with as anthropological critique of colonialism, core-periphery relations, diverse forms of "capital," and globalization. This one-block course prepares interested students for a follow-up field course. Prerequisite: 102 or consent of instructor. (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) 1 unit.

380 Community-Based Field Course. An opportunity for students to engage in team-based, applied anthropological work on a focused project, this course is intended as a linked block that follows up advanced coursework in such areas of study as food, religion and ritual, political, economic, NAGPRA issues, or museum curatorial work. Sites for field-work will vary from year to year, but generally will be grounded in the Rocky Mountain West and/or Southwest Regions. Incorporates such hands-on activities as participant observation, interviewing, policy development and/or collections management, as well as training in qualitative and/or quantitative data analysis. Prerequisite: Corresponding 300-level course or consent of instructor. 1 unit.

400 Research in Anthropology. Student research projects, either independent or in collaboration with ongoing faculty research, based on field, laboratory or library research. Projects must be approved at least one block in advance of the actual block of research. Prerequisite: Consent of Instructor. 1 unit.