Anthropology (ANTH) < Northeastern Illinois University

Courses

ANTH-109B. First Year Experience: Skeletons In Chicago's Closet. 3 Hours.

Bones hold an enormous amount of information about individuals and populations. This active class investigates what can be learned from bones and teeth in the context of forensic anthropology, bioarchaeology, and paleobiology. We will start by learning the bones of the skeleton and move on to identifying age, sex, trauma, etc., in forensic and archaeological contexts. Finally, we will look at fossil bone and what it can reveal about past life. Students will work with bones and models in lab, complete group and individual projects, and will learn and apply useful techniques for college success. First year students only.

ANTH-109C. First Year Experience: Skin Of Chicago. 3 Hours.

We wear about 9 lbs. of it every day, but we take most of its functions, adaptations, uses, and subtle cultural signals for granted. Skin is something everyone should know inside and out. For anthropologists, skin is a place where issues of biology, comparative anatomy, culture, evolution, archaeology, tradition, taboo, ritual, art, diversity, and race all come together. An understanding of human skin helps to turn over the judgments people make about others based on skin color. Using Chicago as a field laboratory, we will discover the wonders of skin, ever mindful of how we fit inside our own.

ANTH-109D. First Year Experience: Aliens, Curses, And The Chicago Cemetery: Explaining The Past. 3 Hours.

Why have people proposed that aliens are responsible for the pyramids? This course explores how archaeologists evaluate data and reconstruct societies of the past by examining specific cases from scientific and other perspectives. You will also examine the implications of various interpretations of the past. The way we interpret the past can teach us a great deal about how modern thinking has informed, and is informed by, archaeology. This First Year Experience course counts for General Education credit in the Social/Behavioral Sciences.

ANTH-109E. FYE: Sweet Home Chicago: Identity And Culture In The Windy City. 3 Hours.

Identities comprise our sense of who we think we are and can include but are not limited to those stemming from ethnicity, race, faith, gender, class, and ability. Using ethnographic readings, films about the city’s subcultures, and students’ own experiences, this course explores how Chicagoans' identify with themselves and with one another. Students will use anthropology's insights to learn about different communities and neighborhoods and how and why identity matters. While covering a wide variety of topics, students will develop effective writing and communication skills that build a foundation for intellectual rigor and university success. First Year students only.

ANTH-201. Anthropology: Being Human. 3 Hours.

Anthropologists study what it means to be human, across all regions of the world and from the origins of the human species to life today. ANTH-201 introduces students to the subjects, methods, and theories of the three major subfields of anthropology--cultural anthropology, archaeology, and biological anthropology--and examines both what makes the subfields distinctive and how they connect to and complement one another. We will apply the multiple perspectives of anthropology’s subfields to contemporary issues in order to demonstrate the value of a holistic approach to understanding the human experience. Counts for either NS or SB GenEd credit.

ANTH-212. Introduction To Cultural Anthropology. 3 Hours.

Cultural anthropology is the study of contemporary human social life. In this course, students learn about the discipline by reading its recent scholarship and experimenting with its research methods. The course addresses multiple, diverse domains of the human experience, including language and art, gender and sexuality, kinship and family, race and ethnicity, economics and politics, religion and health, globalization and migration. Students develop an appreciation for cultural diversity as they read the results of anthropological research conducted the world over and hone their analytical skills as they investigate the cultural worlds they engage with right here in Chicago.

ANTH-213. Introduction To Archaeology. 3 Hours.

Archaeology focuses on past societies by uncovering and analyzing what they left behind. Students will explore the theories and methods archaeologists use to interpret, reconstruct, preserve, and ultimately learn from the past. This class highlights how archaeology can address important social, economic, and ideological questions including the origins of food production, social inequality, and civilization. This course fulfills General Education/UCC credit in the Social/Behavioral Sciences area.

ANTH-215. Human Origins And Adaptations. 3 Hours.

This multi-faceted, data-oriented course explores the biological diversity of humans and other primates in the past and present. Using fossil casts, hands-on activities, and the scientific method, students will analyze the evidence for more than six million years of human evolution. This course reviews the principles of genetics and inheritance and examines the evolutionary processes that contribute to modern human variation. Students will also explore the ecology and behavior of lemurs, monkeys, apes, and other primates and their significance for understanding our origins.

ANTH-221. Peoples Of South America. 3 Hours.

South America is home to the world’s driest deserts, some of its highest mountains, one of its richest fisheries, and an immense area of lowland rainforest. Explore the contemporary peoples and cultures of South America from the colonial period to the 21st century from Panama to the tip of Argentina. Students will learn about the effects of European and later national policies on indigenous populations, as well as strategies of resistance to those external pressures. (C).

ANTH-223. North American Indians. 3 Hours.

This course examines the cultures of North American Indian populations from the time of European contact to the modern day. The record of Indian-non-Indian interactions and relationships from colonial times to the present is analyzed. Changes in Indian cultures are explored in light of external pressures from the state, environmental changes, and shifting internal dynamics. (C).

ANTH-224. Contemporary African Culture. 3 Hours.

This course introduces students to the diversity of contemporary African cultural life as it has been addressed by cultural anthropologists. In Africa one can find unique cultural practices and ways of living, as well as evidence that Africa is very much integrated into global economic and cultural flows. In this course students learn about Africans' experiences, both the patterns and the particularities, and gain a greater appreciation for the roles that Africans and African culture play in the world, including in the U.S. This course is cross-listed in the African and African American Studies Program (AFAM-224). (C).

ANTH-225. Peoples Of Mexico/Central America/Caribbean. 3 Hours.

This wide-ranging course surveys the contemporary peoples and cultures of Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean Islands, focusing on the diversity of ethnicities, languages, and local perspectives and responses to colonialism and globalization. (C).

ANTH-250. Latin American Archaeology. 3 Hours.

Interested in the roots of Latin American culture? This course provides an introduction to ancient indigenous civilizations that rose in three different geographic regions of Latin America: The Maya of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Mexico; the Mexica or Aztec of the Central Mexican Highlands; and the Inka of the Andes Mountains of Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador. The dramatic impact of Spanish contact and conquest on native populations will also be covered. This course is broadly comparative and relies heavily on visual media to convey essence of prehistory and early history of Latin American civilization. (A).

ANTH-252. North American Archaeology. 3 Hours.

This fascinating course explores the prehistory of Native Americans in the from the initial peopling of the New World through the subsequent domestication of plants and development of complex civilizations in the United States, Canada, and northern Mexico. The wide variation, and commonalities, in cultures, practices, and material remain are explored. (A).

ANTH-257. Guts, Glory And Gridirons: Football As U.S. Culture. 3 Hours.

Football plays an outsized role in U.S. culture. As the national pastime, football ramifies into diverse domains, such as cuisine, music, language and politics. This course surveys football historically and presently, including all age groups. Its purpose is to help students understand why we consider football as culture, controversial and a substratum of U.S. identity. Students will consider texts, films and podcasts from a variety of fields, such as anthropology, history, journalism, and literature. We will consider football as a reflection of contentious societal phenomena, such as physical well being, race, gender, class and sexuality.

ANTH-261. Biology Of Behavior. 3 Hours.

Why do we act the way we do? Are we at the mercy of our genes or does environment shape our behavior? This engaging course looks at the nature/nurture debate and will evaluate claims of the biological basis of behavior. Topics discussed include: communication and the origins of language, hormonal and genetic influences on behavior, sociobiology and the evolution of behavior, possible universals of human nature, and the use and misuse of biology to justify or condemn human behavior. Special emphasis on critical review of popular media claims of the biological basis of behavior. (B).

ANTH-282. Primates Of The World. 3 Hours.

Nonhuman primates pique our interests because they are simultaneously familiar yet exotic in their actions and interactions. From the bipedal hopping sifaka and the venomous loris to colorful monkeys and nepotistic chimpanzees, living nonhuman primates display an impressive assortment of behaviors, abilities, and adaptations. This class is an introductory survey of the diversity of our closest cousins, and will use readings, video, and lectures to highlight primate ecology, behavior, and the complex interactions between human and nonhuman primates. Students will learn how primatologists study primates in the wild and the different conservation efforts underway to protect their future. (B).

ANTH-300. Writing Intensive Program: Writing In Anthropology. 3 Hours.

This required course provides anthropology majors with practical training in all aspects of effective disciplinary writing, from the mechanical to the conceptual. Topics covered include: identifying and vetting sources, critical reading and note-taking skills, writing conventions, literature reviews, citations, crafting an argument, outlining, revision, academic integrity, and presentations. Students will engage in a series of stepped research and writing activities leading to a final project that demonstrates the skills accrued over the semester. This course fulfills the Writing Intensive requirement. It must be taken within 2 semesters of declaring the major and before taking most 300 level ANTH courses.
Prerequisite: ENGL-101 with a minimum grade of C.

ANTH-302. Human Osteology. 4 Hours.

There are 206 bones in the adult human skeleton and more in that of a juvenile. Skeletal analysis is a core focus of biological anthropology with applications in archaeology, anatomy, medicine, forensics, and paleontology. This course represents an intensive study of the human skeleton focusing on bone growth, morphological variation (sex, ancestry, etc.), and identifying trauma/pathology. Students will learn to identify and side each bone, its landmarks, and bone fragments in fetal through adult skeletons. Class will include a mix of lecture and concentrated work with the osteology collection. Students will complete a comprehensive analysis of a human skeleton. (B).

ANTH-303. Who Owns The Past?. 3 Hours.

The past is not neutral, but is instead romanticized and glorified by political movements, sold for profit, re-enacted as entertainment, and consumed by tourists. This course examines the role of the past in the present from multiple perspectives, including those of scholars, museums, developers, collectors, descendant communities, local and national governments, NGOs, and the tourism industry. Understanding similarities and differences between multiple and often competing claims, valuations, and uses of the past demonstrate why the past matters in the present and, ultimately, for the future. (A).

ANTH-305. Archaeology Of Conflict And Warfare. 3 Hours.

This course adopts a comparative approach to the study of conflict and warfare in the ancient world. The scope includes prehistoric and historic time periods that represent a wide range in cultures and geography, and features examples from nearly all continents. Students will examine architecture, artifacts, bones, art, and more to explore the range and nature of human conflict, how it has changed over time, and some associated outcomes. Students will apply lessons of the past to modern situations and will also examine parallels with the modern era to emphasize the comparative perspective. (A).

ANTH-306. The Rise Of Complex Societies: The Archaeology Of State Formation And Urbanization. 3 Hours.

This course provides an in-depth, comparative exploration of the emergence of social hierarchy and centralized political formations in the Old and New Worlds. Students will become familiar with the political institutions, economic structures, and religious traditions of the world's earliest "civilizations" in the Americas, the Near East and China while probing anthropological theories on the rise of cities and states. Students will develop an understanding of the varied factors that drove parallel or divergent forms of social complexity and will partake in archaeological problem-solving involving both method and theory. (A).
Prerequisite: ANTH-213 with a minimum grade of C.

ANTH-307. Anthropology Of Gender, Sexuality And The Body. 3 Hours.

The course introduces students to approaches to gender in cultural anthropology, focusing especially on the body as the site where these historically and culturally specific notions of difference and identity are realized. Course materials address a variety of gendered bodily experiences cross-culturally and investigate the ways they are implicated in notions of masculinity and femininity. Course topics include initiation practices and other means of attributing sex/gender identities; reproduction and fertility control; beauty and body image; health and illness; warfare and violence; and sexuality and sexual orientation. (C).

ANTH-309. Egyptian Archaeology. 3 Hours.

This course is explores ancient Egyptian society and culture from the Predynastic through the New Kingdom periods, with an emphasis on internal and external factors that helped shape and mold change and expansion of Egyptian society. Students will develop an understanding of long-term political, social, religious, and economic developments along the lower Nile River. (A).

ANTH-310. Middle Eastern Archaeology. 3 Hours.

The Middle East is widely known as “the cradle of Western Civilization,” and this course explores the archaeological evidence for ancient cultures of the Middle East, particularly areas of modern-day Kuwait, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey, from prehistoric times to the fifth century B.C. Ancient Mesopotamian societies, including Akkadia, Assyria, Babylonia, and Sumer are examined through the end of the Iron Age. (A).
Prerequisite: ANTH-213 with a minimum grade of C.

ANTH-311. Designing Your Future: Next Steps. 1 Hour.

This course, open to all majors, highlights the relevance of a liberal arts education in today's world and the particular strengths it provides. The course guides students in identifying the key skills they have gained through completing their degree and in articulating the value of those skills to potential employers and graduate programs. Coursework includes a skills inventory, hands-on training in producing effective CV/resumes, cover letters, and graduate program statements of purpose, and a collaborative research project through which students will compile, analyze, and share information and planning regarding their postgraduation endeavors. Best taken in Jr. or early Sr. year.

ANTH-313A. Chimpanzee 101: Community, Culture, And Conservation. 1 Hour.

Field studies of wild chimpanzees in the 21st century have dramatically reshaped our understanding of these great apes and their kinship with us. It is clear that chimpanzees display an exceptional level of behavioral diversity and that some learned behaviors are passed through the generations within distinct communities. This one credit course takes a deep dive into chimpanzee behavioral ecology, hunting and tool culture, and will also detail recent community conservation efforts to protect chimpanzees and support their human neighbors. Prior anthropology coursework not necessary; just bring your curiosity to learn about our closest biological relatives. (B).

ANTH-313C. 23 And Who?: Realities Of Personal Genetic Testing. 2 Hours.

Millions of people – maybe you too – have sent a sample of their DNA to direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies who promise results indicating ethnicity, ancestry, mental health insights, disease risk, Neandertal-relatedness, and so much more. This 2 cr. class will explore the phenomenon of personal genetic testing, its benefits and limitations, and the nature of genetic indicators for ancestral origins. Students will also examine personal privacy concerns as well as ethics and group identity issues that arise from the industry, including use of the growing DNA databases by law enforcement, pharmaceutical and insurance companies, and governments. (B).

ANTH-313D. Dog Is My Copilot: The Enduring Relationship Between Humans And Canines. 1 Hour.

This interdisciplinary course addresses relationships between people and dogs across time and space. Dogs were the first animals domesticated by humans, and our physical and social evolutions were closely entwined. As in-between figures, straddling wild and domestic, animal and human, and nature and culture, dogs blur the boundaries of taken-for-granted categories. Dog-human relationships both point out the limitations and extend the possibilities of what and who we are, individually and in relation to one another. We will investigate what these relationships reveal about constructions of personhood, enactments of family and relatedness, and animal ethics.

ANTH-313F. Anthropology And Film. 1 Hour.

Anthropologists have long used film as research method and means of presenting findings. As do written ethnographies, ethnographic films raise questions about representation that have been at the heart of auto-critiques within the field. Whereas earlier ethnographic films sought to portray “disappearing worlds” and anthropologists as off-screen narrators, contemporary films are collaborative, reflexive, experimental, and challenge the boundaries between documentary and other kinds of filmmaking. We will read about and watch many examples of ethnographic films. In addition, we will look through the other end of the lens and examine how anthropology and anthropologists have been portrayed in popular film.

ANTH-314. Anthropology Of Religion. 3 Hours.

Study of the ways that religions, both past and present, act to support or alter the social systems or sub-systems with which they are associated. The ways that individuals respond to the value systems and world views of various religions are examined, as well as the individual motivations for adherence to the various religions. (C).
Prerequisite: ANTH-212 with a minimum grade of C.

ANTH-315. Greek Archaeology: Bronze Age. 3 Hours.

The archaeology of Aegean Greece, from 3600-1000 BCE, is the focus of this engaging course. It includes the ancient societies of mainland Greece, Crete, and the Cyclades. As the origins of dynamic city-states, urbanization, art, and a writing system in the eastern Mediterranean, these areas are not only fascinating in their own right, but also prefigured later Classical and Hellenistic civilizations. (A).

ANTH-316. Greek Archaeology: Classical Age. 3 Hours.

This course explores the archaeology of ancient Greece from the end of the Bronze Age (1000 BCE) through the death of Alexander the Great (323 BCE). This fascinating era includes an examination of the Greco-Persian wars and the Greek colonization of Spain, France, Italy, and the shores of the Black Sea. We will explore the roles that politics, religion, and commerce played in the development of Classical Greek society, as evidenced in the archaeological record. (A).
Prerequisite: ANTH-213 with a minimum grade of C.

ANTH-317. Medical Anthropology. 3 Hours.

This course presents cultural anthropological perspectives on the subjects of health, illness, and healing. Students are introduced to illness categories, healing practices, relationships between patients and healers, and notions of the body as they exist cross-culturally. Course materials will address health and healing as associated with biomedicine, religion, spirit possession, and a range of other cultural responses to human suffering and its resolution. (C).

ANTH-319. Prehistory Of Africa. 3 Hours.

Africa is the sole source of evidence for the origins of many significant cultural developments and technological innovations. This course surveys the archaeological evidence for human behavioral patterns from the earliest hominins to the eve of European colonization of this highly diverse continent. Principal themes include: origins of human culture; Early, Middle, and Late Stone Ages; origins of food production and complex societies; history of ancient kingdoms including internal growth and external influences; and the impact of Islam and the European contact with Africa. This course is cross-listed in the African and African American Studies Program (AFAM-319). (A).

ANTH-320. Religion In Africa. 3 Hours.

Religion is a subject that has fascinated anthropologists since the discipline’s beginnings. In this course, we look at religion as it is practiced across the African continent, in all its diversity and complexity. Readings include ethnographic examples of African approaches to Christianity, Islam, spirit possession, and religious healing that reveal the relevance of practices by means of which participants both analyze and respond to the world around them. This course is cross-listed in the African and African American Studies Program (AFAM-320). (C).

ANTH-321. Race And Language. 3 Hours.

Communication is fundamental to human life and to who we are. This course explores how and why people talk, write, and interact, to establish, convey, and negotiate race. Students will use ethnographic examples, assigned readings, podcasts, and films to survey the anthropological understanding of race, language, and culture. Whether in the context of language socialization through storytelling, or multilingualism and language ideologies, everyday speech is social action that informs power, agency, representation, and identity. Cross-cultural examples include Black ASL, e-chat, landscape memories for Western Apache, "jock talk," and experiences of race, ethnicity, and nationality for Chicago Latinx youth. (C).

ANTH-323. Evolution Of Skin Color. 3 Hours.

Human skin color displays a magnificent range of variation that far exceeds the black and brown and white we speak of everyday. This class examines the biology and evolution of human skin pigmentation and how anthropologists study a feature that leaves no fossil trace. Drawing from a diversity of fields, students will explore the biology of skin pigmentation, the factors that affect it temporarily, and the evolutionary processes that have produced the range we see in the world today. Understanding the biological nature of skin color will help to temper the cultural biases we have ascribed to it. (B).

ANTH-325. Archaeology Of Sex, Gender, And Sexuality. 3 Hours.

This course explores sex, gender, and sexuality in archaeology, historically, theoretically, and methodologically. Students will engage with a variety of perspectives and frameworks, including feminist approaches, for understanding the construction of personhood in the past, with attention to the relationship between concepts, practice, and evidence. The course will cover case studies from a diversity of temporal periods and geographic regions, placing emphasis on the articulation of gender with other aspects of identity and difference. Students will also examine the political implications of archaeological studies of gender, including perspectives and practices that foster a diverse and inclusive discipline.

ANTH-327. Dental Anthropology: Dental Morphology, Evolution, And Adaptation. 3 Hours.

This class will explore the evolution of mammalian teeth with a specific focus on primates. Students will first study the morphology, development, and functional adaptations of dentition. Special attention will be paid to the relationship between dentition and feeding ecology. The second portion of the class will primarily focus on the human dentition. Topics covered will include dental traits, the genetics of trait inheritance, geographic variability, and the application of dental anthropology in the bioarchaeological context. Throughout the semester students will be able to handle and study dental casts and will complete in-class labs on a variety of topics.
Prerequisite: ANTH-215 with a minimum grade of C.

ANTH-329A. Evolution Of The Human Diet. 3 Hours.

The human diet is a product of evolution, culture, and the environment. This class will explore nutrition, its influence during development, the role of diet in human speciation events, and evidence of diet in the archaeological record. Students will examine foraging strategies in contemporary human populations and how food choice might be influenced by genetics. Health implications of dietary shifts, including the development of agriculture and industrialization, will also be discussed. Finally, a portion of the course will focus on how non-human primate dietary adaptations and behaviors can be used to better understand our own lineage’s changing dietary profile. (B).
Prerequisite: (or) and.

ANTH-332. Human Growth And Development In Evolutionary Perspective. 3 Hours.

Anthropologists study the dynamics of human growth and development from an evolutionary perspective. In this course, we will investigate the history of the study of human growth and the biological principles of growth. Students will examine the genetic and hormonal effects on human and other mammal growth including nutrition, disease, socio-economic status, pollution etc. Highlighting unique features of human growth in its various stages, we will also examine how anthropologists interpret variation in growth patterns among human populations and the possible adaptive significance of this variation. (B).
Prerequisite: ANTH-215 with a minimum grade of C.

ANTH-335A. Zooarchaeology. 3 Hours.

Zooarchaeology focuses on the identification and analysis of faunal (animal) remains from archaeological sites and what they can tell us about past human ecology and behavior. Zooarchaeologists study which animals were hunted and how they were butchered, prey and camp seasonality, the role of hunting versus scavenging, and the processes of animal domestication. This course will introduce students to theory and method in zooarchaeology and the basics of faunal analysis using lecture, review of current professional literature, discussion, and hands on labs. Students will relate their findings to broader questions in archaeology, paleontology, and paleoanthropology. (A).
Prerequisite: ANTH-213 with a minimum grade of C.

ANTH-337A. Anthropology Of Death. 3 Hours.

In death, the human body is transformed by the living into a powerful symbol. Treatment of the corpse is linked to ideas of death, the afterlife, and social boundaries. Studies of ancient burials reveal the nature of funerary practice and belief, as well as social organization. Human remains are often involved in rites of passage where the deceased are separated from the living and transformed into ancestors and other beings. This course focuses on how anthropologists study funerary rituals and beliefs about death from a cross-cultural perspective, and will examine the meaning of human practices of death and burial. (A).

ANTH-339. Paleoanthropology: The Fossil Record Of Human Evolution. 3 Hours.

Paleoanthropology is the study of the human fossil record. This exciting course examines over 7 million years of human evolution and the biological processes that have shaped this most unique radiation. Using fossil casts, computer models of early humans as well as replicas of archaeological artifacts, students will explore the fundamentals of paleoanthropological research. The course will detail the controversies and differing interpretations of the fossil evidence for human evolution including the most current proposed evolutionary relationships of early humans to Homo sapiens. (B).
Prerequisite: ANTH-215 with a minimum grade of C.

ANTH-343. Anthropology Of The Body. 3 Hours.

The human body is a simultaneously biological and cultural entity—bones, blood, and flesh reveal the processes of biological evolution and also reflect cultural practices and ideas. This course takes a holistic approach to the body by juxtaposing perspectives from biological and cultural anthropology. For example, blood has adaptive biological qualities and is also a cultural metaphor for familial, ethnic, and national belonging. Senses reveal the evolutionary divergence of the human lineage and have prominent roles in different religious and healing practices. At the intersection of these perspectives lie significant insights regarding what it means to be a human being.

ANTH-349E. Environmental Archaeology. 3 Hours.

This course will provide an overview of how archaeologists study human-environment relationships. It will treat landscapes as dynamic products of natural processes, cultural activities, and social practices and expose students to the various techniques and methods by which archaeologists reconstruct ancient human-environment relationships, ranging from geomorphological to paleoecological methods. In addition to surveying techniques and methods useful to environmental archaeology, the course materials will include a series of empirical case studies detailing the anthropogenic landscape histories of several world regions. (A).
Prerequisite: ANTH-213 with a minimum grade of C.

ANTH-349S. Archaeology of South Asia. 3 Hours.

This course surveys the archaeology of South Asia, beginning with animal and plant domestication in the early Holocene and ending with the arrival of the British East India Company in the 17th century AD. Given the chronological breadth and spatial scope, the class will most fully detail archaeological and historical periods that contribute significantly to anthropological questions on the origins of domestication, the development of complex societies, the role of religion in early state authority, climate change and cultural change in the past, and the relationships between ancient agricultural and pastoral-based societies. (A).
Prerequisite: ANTH-213 with a minimum grade of C.

ANTH-355. History Of Anthropology. 3 Hours.

The course addresses developments in anthropology by tracing changes and continuities in the topics, theories, and methods employed in archaeology, biological anthropology, and cultural anthropology. Students will focus on the ideas and approaches that have informed the trajectory of a particular subfield. The course provides a historical context that enriches an understanding of anthropology not only as a field, but also as a part of a long, multidirectional disciplinary conversation.

ANTH-356. Human Diversity And The Question Of Race. 3 Hours.

Humans display a wide range of variation in their physical attributes. What is the relationship between this variation and racial categories and identities, and how has racial pseudo-science misled our understanding of actual biology? This thought-provoking anthropology course examines the hereditary, environmental, and evolutionary basis of how and why humans vary in features like skin color, eye shape, hair type, body proportions, freckles, blood type, disease susceptibility/resistance, and many other biological traits. Students will examine the range of human adaptations to different climates and environments and also learn why evolution sometimes operates to maintain deleterious traits in a population. (B).
Prerequisite: ANTH-215 with a minimum grade of C or BIO-303 with a minimum grade of C.

ANTH-357. Economic Anthropology: Shells, Pigs, And Gold. 3 Hours.

Is greed simply a part of human nature? do all humans simply have endless wants and desires for material goods? More than a century ago anthropologists began questioning assumptions of classical Western economics, and began to show that societies have diverse values as people pursue wealth and the good life. The course design gives students insights into the variety of economic systems by tapping into ethnographic literature that has overturned mainstream economic wisdom. Take a look at economics from a fresh and intriguing micro-level perspective that incorporates many other aspects of cultural life, including marriage and ecology. (C).

ANTH-359. Museum Studies. 3 Hours.

This course takes a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of museums, cultural heritage institutions, and natural history organizations and the contemporary issues and challenges facing them. Students will examine the theory and organization of museums as well as their historical and contemporary role in education, cultural preservation, research, and interpretation. This course will also take a critical look at the role of museums in colonialist endeavors, and at how they address social hierarches, race, and ethnicity. Students will enrich their classroom learning with working visits to a diversity of institutions in the Chicago area. Course is open to all majors.

ANTH-360. Scientific Racism: Eugenics Then And Again. 3 Hours.

Employing the new science of genetics, the early 1900's eugenics movement misused evolutionary principles to assert a racist, ableist agenda arguing for the inherent superiority and inferiority of different social groups. With widespread support from scientists, the movement resulted in laws governing marriage, immigration, incarceration, and reproduction. U.S. eugenics was so successful that its perspectives were adopted by the Nazis. This class will critically examine the misuse of science in eugenics and its legacy of racist ideas that continue to inform policy and popular imagination today. Students will also learn legitimate ways of invoking genetics relative to human variation. (B).

ANTH-363. Anthropology Of Tourism. 3 Hours.

This course introduces students to anthropological theories on tourism and to consider those theories in the contexts of the varied sites and forms of tourism practiced around the world today. The course will take a look at mass tourism as well as tourism that makes an effort to get "off the beaten track" in search of "authenticity" and "adventure” while also experiencing local tourist sites, commercialism, and cultural production of these contexts. Note that this course includes several field trips within Chicago.
Requirement: 45 credit hours completed.

ANTH-364. Culinary Anthropology. 3 Hours.

Anthropologists and historians research behaviors, origins, and traditions of human association with a variety of foodstuffs and foodways. We do so all in an effort to answer the "when", "how", and "why" questions connected to particular foods and the contexts in which eating them became appropriate and sought after. In this course we explore eating, foodstuffs, and cookery from nutritional, artistic, sensual, political, socioeconomic, and popular perspectives, among others. Students also explore Chicago's world cuisines by dining in and out in a variety of symposia, combining good eating and good thinking. (C).
Prerequisite: ANTH-212 with a minimum grade of C or HIST-111 with a minimum grade of C.

ANTH-365. Anthropology Of Islam. 3 Hours.

Do all Muslims practice their faith in the same way? Is there really only one type of Muslim society? Based on consideration of major Islamic beliefs, the history of Islamic expansion and civilization, and the cultures of contemporary Muslim societies, the thesis of this course is that there are numerous cultural approaches to Islam. Students learn by reading within and outside of anthropology to better inform themselves of contemporary issues and understandings of the dynamism that characterizes Islamic cultures. (C).

ANTH-368. Primate Biology And Adaptation. 3 Hours.

The primate adaptive radiation is over 50 million years old and exhibits some of the most striking anatomical adaptations found among mammals. This course focuses on the morphological diversity of primates. We will first examine the evolution of traits that distinguish primates from other mammals, and will then shift focus to features that differentiate species and lineages within the Order. Specifically, adaptations related to diet, feeding, foraging, communication, predator avoidance, positional behavior, habitat, reproduction, among others, will be highlighted. Students will work extensively with scientific literature and the bone and cast collection. (B).
Prerequisite: ANTH-215 with a minimum grade of C or ANTH-282 with a minimum grade of C or BIO-320 with a minimum grade of C or BIO-327 with a minimum grade of C.

ANTH-371. Forensic Anthropology. 3 Hours.

Forensic anthropology is an applied science that uses the methodology of biological anthropology to evaluate human skeletal remains in a medico-legal context. This course focuses on the theory and practice of building biological profiles and analyzing circumstances surrounding human death. Students will review the current state of forensic anthropology using published studies on estimating age/sex/ancestry/etc., identifying bone trauma and the postmortem interval, and applying methods of individuation (facial reconstruction, odontology, X-ray, DNA, etc.). The course also highlights the ethics and cross-disciplinary nature of forensic anthropology, and its central role in mass/natural disasters and worldwide human rights violations. (B).
Prerequisite: ANTH-215 with a minimum grade of C or ANTH-302 with a minimum grade of C.

ANTH-373. Urban Anthropology. 3 Hours.

Urban anthropology is the holistic study of human beings in cities. This course addresses various aspects of the broad sweep of urbanization, from the ancient urban revolution of the present shift to a majority of people living in cities, focusing especially on the urban United States. We will engage with anthropological work that balances social theory with rich ethnographic portraits, opening debates on the meanings and values of urban life. We will examine race, gender, inequality, institutions, and case studies on immigration, gentrification and sustainability, and using Chicago as our laboratory, students will conduct and write ethnographies of their own. (C).
Prerequisite: ANTH-212 with a minimum grade of C.

ANTH-374. The Maya. 3 Hours.

This is an exciting and in-depth exploration of ancient Maya society from its origins to Spanish contact. The course reviews chronologies, geography, and time periods used by Mayanists to help understand larger trends in Maya society. You will also evaluate issues and debates that currently exist within Maya studies. These include questions of economy, politics, social organization, religion, and ideology. Finally, the decipherment of the Maya script is examined. You will have the opportunity to critically examine a specific topic during the semester. (A).
Prerequisite: ANTH-213 with a minimum grade of C or ANTH-250 with a minimum grade of C.

ANTH-375. Anthropology Of Globalization. 3 Hours.

The course will address social forces, practices, and experiences related to the ever-increasing transnational interconnectedness of societies across the world. Through readings from the anthropological literature on globalization and related issues, we will critically address the ways "globalization" is conceived and theorized by contemporary scholars; its effects on the construction of identity; the roles of commodities, consumer culture, and the media; and the ways in which the processes referred to as globalization both broaden and expand notions of "community" and "culture", and present new varieties and intensities of difference, disjuncture, and marginalization. (C).

ANTH-376. Primate Behavior. 3 Hours.

One of the evolutionary hallmarks of being a primate is sociality and primates exhibit a diverse array of behavioral adaptations for navigating complex social groups. Primate behavioral ecology is a fascinating field that informs our understanding of primate interactions and the origins of our own behavior. This course will highlight how primatologists study behavior and how evolution and ecological variables shape primate sociality in the contexts of group structure, male/female dynamics, reproduction, feeding, predation pressure and social learning, among other topics. Students will examine the diversity of primate sociality using current primatological literature, discussion, video, assignments and zoo visits. (B).

ANTH-377A. Anthropology Of Television. 3 Hours.

Cultural anthropologists have long trained their sights on the ordinary practices of everyday life, understanding that careful study of mundane activities yields insights into the weightiest questions of human experience. However, despite its ubiquity in popular culture and centrality as a form of representation and forum for cultural debate, anthropologists have only slowly come to the study of television. This course addresses the relatively recent but burgeoning anthropology of television and suggests that attention to the ways people around the world make, watch, interpret, discuss, and critique television programs provides an important vantage on the workings of culture, power, and knowledge in the contemporary world.

ANTH-378. Anthropology Of Power. 3 Hours.

The study of politics concerns who gets what, why, and how in societies. Anthropologists study political systems by examining the varieties of human practices involving rules and laws, persuasion and coercion. This course surveys how politics have been studied by anthropologists for the past 130 years, from indigenous North Americans to Trobriand Islanders and especially how anthropologists increasingly became political themselves as more and more peoples began living under the authority of modern nation states. (C).

ANTH-379A. Pan-African Association Internship. 3 Hours.

Interns work 10 hours per week for the duration of a semester at the Pan-African Association, an organization that provides services to refugees in Chicago. Interns assist with in-home mentoring, English language training, job readiness training, and community outreach, among other duties and projects. The PAA Internship provides high-achieving Northeastern students with the opportunity to learn about the experiences of refugees in the U.S. and gain experience in the work of a refugee services organization and provides PAA with committed, hardworking students who can serve the goals of the organization and the needs of its clients.
Prerequisite: ANTH-212 with a minimum grade of C or GS-201 with a minimum grade of C.

ANTH-380. Archaeological Field School. 6 Hours.

Want to work on an archaeological site? In this intensive field course, students will explore field, lab and survey techniques on an actual archaeological dig. Students will learn excavation techniques and protocol in the treatment and recovery of artifacts, ecofacts, features, and structures. Students will also develop skills in mapping and use of various field technologies including GPS. Instruction will also include lab methods for processing, analyzing and curating material remains. Location of Field School may vary year to year. (A) Prereq.: ANTH-213 or ANTH-250 or ANTH-374 or consent of instructor.

ANTH-3811. Independent Study In Anthropology. 1 Hour.

Academic credit for special research project student conducts with individual guidance from a faculty member. Projects that could be completed in an established course are not appropriate for Independent Study. Student must submit project proposal to the faculty member in the semester prior to the one in which project is to be conducted; see "Individualized Study" in anthropology program entry for more information. Student must have completed two courses in the anthropological subdiscipline of proposed topic prior to enrolling in Independent Study. Independent Study requires approval of instructor, department chair and college dean. (A,B,C) Prereq.: Consent of Instructor.

ANTH-3812. Independent Study In Anthropology. 2 Hours.

See course description for ANTH-3811.

ANTH-3813. Independent Study In Anthropology. 3 Hours.

See course description for ANTH-3811.

ANTH-3821. Fieldwork In Anthropology. 1 Hour.

Academic credit for ethnographic, primatological, archaeological, paleontological, forensic, applied, or other relevant and typically off-campus anthropological fieldwork opportunities arranged for by the student. Student enrolls with anthropology faculty member who guides and oversees work. Fieldwork in Anthropology credits are designed to help students improve research skills, apply principles learned in the classroom, take advantage of fieldwork opportunities, and explore career options. Students must have completed two courses in the anthropological subdiscipline of the proposed fieldwork prior to enrolling in Fieldwork in Anthropology. Fieldwork in Anthropology requires approval of instructor, department chair and college dean. (A,B,C).

ANTH-3822. Fieldwork In Anthropology. 2 Hours.

See course description for ANTH-3821.

ANTH-3823. Fieldwork In Anthropology. 3 Hours.

See course description for ANTH-3821.

ANTH-3824. Fieldwork In Anthropology. 4 Hours.

See course description for ANTH-3821.

ANTH-3871. Field Museum Internship. 1 Hour.

Student intern assists Field Museum staff behind the scenes in the Mammals section (anatomy, prep, curation) or Anthropology section (scientific illustration). Work varies with assignment and can include specimen preparation/processing, collections management, resolving taxonomic issues, research, data management, apprenticeship with professional illustrator, and more. Internship requires significant commitment of 15-20 hours/week for the semester and a journal or final project depending on credit hours (1-6). Additional requirements listed in Anthropology entry of online Academic Catalog. Eligible students apply for internship through NEIU Anthropology Department. Approval is subject to consent of Field Museum staff. (B).
Prerequisite: ANTH-302 with a minimum grade of C or ANTH-368 with a minimum grade of C.

ANTH-3872. Field Museum Internship. 2 Hours.