UNT Anthropology

Course Descriptions

ANTH 1010 General Anthropology
An exploration into the study of humans and culture(s), designed for those desiring to gain some understanding of the nature of anthropology and its unique approach to the problem of understanding the basic unity and the great diversity of human beings and their ways of life.

This course represents the basic introduction to anthropology as the discipline interested in the origins, development, and nature of humans and their culture(s). It exposes the student to the perspectives, methods and materials of the field through its four major subfield concentrations: physical anthropology, archaeology, linguistic anthropology, and social/cultural anthropology. The primary focus of the course is with humans, their physical and social/cultural nature. Among the topics to be addressed are: human evolution and variation, prehistory and culture change, human communication, social organization and structure. The course draws on a variety of societies and cultures in an attempt to understand human similarity and diversity.

ANTH 2045 Gender Across Cultures: A Multicultural Examination of Gender Roles
Women's roles are as diverse as the cultures they live in. Students in this course will look at women's political, economic, religious and social roles in a variety of human cultures. They will analyze the extent to which sex roles are biologically or culturally determined and examine the ways in which the roles of women in American society fit into the pattern of roles that women have held throughout human existence.

• Introduce you to the basic theories related to the study of race and ethnic relations.
• Examine the various perspectives relevant to ethnic studies (i.e. anthropology, sociology, history) to analyze how race relations have evolved in the U.S.
• Explain the tendencies that contribute to foster assimilation or cultural distinctiveness among various groups in the U.S
• Raise questions about continuing prejudice and racism in our society, and look at applied attempts to rectify racial distrust and alienation.

ANTH 2100 World Cultures Through Film
Through the use of ethnographic and documentary film as well as lecture/discussion this course will illustrate the life ways, values and beliefs of human societies throughout the world. This survey will include examples from native North America, Latin America, Australia, Southeast Asia, Africa, East Asia, modern North America, and Europe.

ANTH 2150 World Cultures
This team taught course concentrates on providing students with a better understanding and appreciation of the multicultural and multiracial world in which they live. Both historical (traditional) and modern influences that have resulted in the multicultural world of today will be discussed. Organized on the model of the major culture areas of the world (Europe, Middle East, Latin America, South Asia, Oceania and Pacific Rim, Far East and Southeast Asia), cultural specialists in these areas will be a regular part of the course.

ANTH 2250 Introduction to Sociocultural Anthropology
A survey of anthropological attempts to understand and explain the similarities and differences in human behavior, social institutions, and total ways of life. Extensive use will be made of descriptions of cultures from around the world.

This course examines human culture and various concerns of anthropology in the study of humans as cultural animals, to include the concept of culture, social, political, economic and religious systems. In addition, students will become familiar with the major theoretical approaches used to gain understanding of human sociocultural behavior (e.g., functionalism, structuralism, symbolic anthropology, and others). Significant attention will be directed at explaining the wide range of differences between human cultures.

ANTH 2350 Cultural Diversity in U.S. (American) Culture
Culture, cultural diversity and multiculturalism constitute some of the most significant social issues in America today. Oriented around the core concept of culture and cultural groups, the course is designed to introduce the student to the basic concepts of culture and cultural diversity, and develop an awareness and appreciation for the full range of diversity in the American (U.S.) culture. Special time and attention will be devoted to the origins, development and consequences of the diversity that plays such a central role in the lives of people in this nation-state culture.

ANTH 2500 Introduction to Archaeology
A survey of the techniques, method and theory of archaeology. An important focus of the course will be on the reconstruction of the culture and ecology of prehistoric societies in both the Old World and the New World.

This course balances instruction in the methods of archaeology and illustrative examples of their application. The first part of the course deals with finding archaeological sites and excavating them. Examples from Old and New World settings are considered. The analysis of artifacts and reconstructing past environments is considered next, with exercises using actual artifacts, pollen, animal bones, geology and soils analysis. Dating techniques include radiocarbon, potassium-argon, stratigraphy and artifact sequences. The synthesis of past archaeological data is considered from perspectives of cultural ecology, with emphasis on past economics, adaptations to past environments and cultural relations such as trade, migration and warfare. Culture change is considered explicitly, with examples such as domestication, origin of the state, etc.

ANTH 2700 Introduction to Physical Anthropology
Concentrates on the biological evolution and variation of humans from the point of view of physiological and cultural adaptation. Introduces the student to the basic materials, methods, and ideas of physical anthropology. Prerequisites ANTH 1010 or permission of the department.

This course considers the nature and sources of variation in human populations from both contemporary and historical perspectives. The biological basis of life, including human genetics, population dynamics and adaptive mechanisms are considered in detail. The evolutionary history of the primates and human ancestors are evaluated. Modern human variation and adaptations are reviewed, with attention to the notion of race. Detailed study of the fossil evidence for human evolution is done with the assistance of actual casts. Demographic and environmental backgrounds for these events are well developed. Theories of adaptation and change are evaluated in consideration of the fossil/archaeological data. Contemporary primates are studied as contrasts for models of human development, behavior and social organization.

ANTH 3100 Peoples and Cultures
Prehistory, history and ethnography of major culture areas of the world; social and cultural adaptations and practices. This course may be repeated as different culture areas are offered. Among culture areas to be offered North American Indians, American Southwest, Oceania, Latin America, Mediterranean Europe, Alaska, American Culture.

This course concentrates on the in-depth study of literate and non-literate societies and traditions grouped into loosely organized geographical areas wherein peoples have had to adapt to similar environments. While this course is offered on a regular basis during alternate semesters, specific culture areas are offered as faculty and student interest dictates. The following are taught from time to time:

ANTH 3100-001 North American Indians
When Europeans first encountered Native Americans, they found a bewildering array of life-ways and some incomprehensible customs. Since the origin of the science of humans, anthropologists have tried to fathom these cultures and behaviors. This course will acquaint students with both the wide variety of cultures that once existed on this continent and with scientific attempts to understand and explain the different cultures, social institutions, and personality types once exhibited by Native Americans.

ANTH 3100-002 South Asia
South Asia, a vast, culturally rich and diverse area, is often compared to the subcontinent of Europe in size, population, number of major languages, and geographical and ethnic variation. This region, which actually surpasses Europe in its diversity of peripheral peoples, is also the seat of one of the oldest civilizations of the world - the Indus Civilization. This course surveys the diverse cultures and traditions of South Asia, each with its own unique history covering thousands of years. From the days of prehistory to the present period of profound social, economic, political, and technological changes, this course provides an in-depth background and understanding of the peoples and cultures of this area.

ANTH 3100-003 Oceania and the Pacific
The islands and peoples of the Pacific have always occupied a very special place in the imagination of the world. To many, the islands represent adventure and escape, fantastic scenery and tropical paradise. To speak of Polynesians, Micronesians, Australians, Melanesians, or Indonesians is to bring to mind some of the most exotic and interesting cultures and peoples of the world. This course will survey the diverse cultures and traditions of the Pacific, each with its own unique style and history covering thousands of years. A comprehensive treatment of the geography, politics, history, ethnography and economics of each culture group will be addressed. From the discovery of these islands to the present period of profound culture change, the course will provide an in-depth background and understanding of the people and cultures found in this area and the faces which have shaped the contemporary world of the Pacific.

ANTH 3100-004 Maya Culture
This course is designed to study the past and present Maya culture utilizing the anthropological perspective. The holistic understanding of the ancient Maya civilization illuminates crucial economic, political, and ideological contemporary processes; students are exposed to the analysis of intriguing symbolism embedded in the ancient Maya calendar, as much as to the understanding of colonial and current Maya rebellions. Reading material, lectures, and ethnographic documentaries provide the source of data and information to understand the intricate cultural processes that have affected the Maya since pre-Hispanic times.

ANTH 3100-005 Latin America
This course is designed as a general survey of several Indian cultures in Mexico and Guatemala. Each of these contemporary cultures is a product of a unique Indian heritage and 16th Century Christianity as it was introduced by the Spanish Conquistadors. The readings and lectures of this course provide the historical background for each group considered and an examination of the contemporary cultures. Generally the course focuses on Indian belief systems, particularly those aspects that are concerned with cultural ideas of religion, economics, politics, magic and witchcraft, and native medical practices. This course also includes a consideration of this area as a third world nation and the effects of its modernization on Indians in both rural and urban settings.

ANTH 3100-006 Africa
This course is this course is designed to explore the diversity of African people and culture through a variety of sources — ethnographies, films, literature, and narratives.  We will address both the reality of life in contemporary Africa as well as the way it has been portrayed by anthropologists, explorers, historians, and the media.  While this is an anthropology course, the subject of the course is Africa, not the history of anthropology in Africa.  This means that we’ll look in detail at the continent’s rich geography, environment, history, politics, religion, economics, and ethnicities, as well as the challenges that current events in Africa pose for the rest of the world.

ANTH 3100-007 Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia presents a bewildering array of cultures that some observers call a paradise for anthropologists. The people who live in the hills and valleys of this culture area are striking for their cultural diversity and similarity of adaptation to the monsoonal tropics. From this context has emerged some of the leading theoretical thrust in anthropology. This course presents a cultural survey of mainland and insular areas which spans the prehistoric periods and the development of indigenous cultures, the period of empires influenced by India and China, the merger with the Islamic world, Western colonialism and emerging nationalism, and the modern period of seeking its global identity.

ANTH 3100-008 Middle East
This course focuses on a culture area that is perhaps the most unstable and volatile region within the world today. The Middle East is perhaps one of the most unusual areas of human adaptation and at the same time, is an area full of cultural diversity and similarity. The course will review the prehistory and history of this region. Special attention will be given to the Colonial and religious history of the area that underlie most of its current problems. Its unique role in the developing world economic system will be addressed, as well as those current phenomenon which make it such a volatile area.

ANTH 3100-009 Indian Cultures of the American Southwest
This course provides the student an in depth study of the Indian cultures in the Southwestern culture area of North America which includes all or portions of the states of Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico as well as northwestern Mexico. The course begins with the study of archaeological traditions of the Anasazi, Hohokam, Mogollon and Patayan and proceeds with the study of the four major cultural traditions of the area, the Pueblo, Apache, Uto-Aztexan speakers and Yuman speakers. Case studies of several societies will provide the student with a look at the richness and depth of these life ways.

ANTH 3100-010 Far East
This course presents an overview of cultures and contemporary issues in societies in the Far East, in the context of social and political change and development. Students will compare anthropological and ethnographic studies of the Peoples' Republic of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan, supplemented by selected research from sociology, history, and political science. The course will focus on specific areas of cultural and social change in each society, including kinship and family, ethnicity, economic and political development, industrialization, urbanization, and health and social policy.

ANTH 3100-011 Mesoamerica
This course uses anthropological theory and perspectives to examine the indigenous, colonial, and mestizaje cultures of Middle America from prehistoric to contemporary times. Beginning with the peopling of the Americas and concluding with a review of the current issues and politics of the Nation-States that now comprise this geographic region, the student will explore the dominant culture groups that have comprised this region. Focusing primarily on Mexico, the course will also examine the specific issues of colonialism, imperialism, and neo-colonialism including synchronized Catholicism, peasant rebellions, class and ethnic differences, migration, and globalization. The class will finish with a brief introduction to Chicano and other Latino groups in the United States.

ANTH 3100-012 Latinos in the US
This is a course about a people known today as Hispanics, Chicanos, Tejanos, Latinos, Mexican Americans, among many other names. The course provides a foundation in identity and resistance theories that allow the exploration of the various constructions of Mexican American ethnicity and race from an anthropological perspective; a review of the historical constructions of race and ethnicity and how these two categories of difference are synonymous at some times and analogous at other times; and an insight into the historical and social constructions of Mexican and Mexican American identity; and allows critical analysis of the social and political implications of being "Mexican American" today.

ANTH 3100-013 Europe
This course is designed with the idea in mind that, to understand the people in Europe, we need to understand the impact of broader trends and institutional frameworks. We will therefore tack back and forth between micro- and macro-level analyses. This course will cover issues of cultural pluralism in Europe; nationalism and ethnic conflict; power, nation-states and the European super-state; questions of tradition and modernity; religion and secularism; gender and sexuality.

ANTH 3350 Anthropology of American Culture and Society
Anthropologists have increasingly turned their attention to the study of American culture and society using the same methods and theory that have proven so valuable in the study of the small-scale, exotic or "primitive" culture. What they have found is both enlightening and interesting. There is an American culture, just as rich, deep, and frequently bizarre or irrational as Americans tend to perceive other cultures of the world to be. Through lecture, film, observations and interviews within the local community, students in this course will examine American culture through the eyes of the anthropologist. By focusing on American beliefs and values, rites of passage, communication systems, culture transmission and acquisition, marriage and mating patterns, myth and curing rites, ritual and ceremony, business, religious, and social organization of American society, the student will gain insight about their own culture and society. Through this course, students will gain a conscious understanding of the American way of life. More importantly, students will become aware of the difference between ideal culture and real culture, between what Americans think they do and believe, and what Americans really do in their daily lives.

ANTH 3650 Origins of Civilization
The comparative study of the cultural, technological and ecological patterns of change leading to urban civilizations. Surveys the archaeological evidence of the domestication of plants and animals, and the emergence of villages. The art, architecture, economic, and sociopolitical characteristics of early civilizations in the Near East and Mesoamerica are examined.

ANTH 4010 Language and Culture
This course focuses on language and all other forms of human communication within the context of culture and society, human thought and behavior. Special attention is paid to the relationships between culture and language, the social uses of language, language as a model for interpreting culture, language and all other forms of non-verbal communication within speech interactions. Extra-linguistic communication (e.g. proxemics, kinesics, and the use of such things as territory, body ornamentation and dress as communication), usually meaning out-of-awareness communication for most speakers, will be addressed as cultural communication.

ANTH 4020 Applied Anthropology
This course is concerned with the development, theory, methods and approaches of what has been referred to as applied or practical anthropology. Through extensive case materials, the course will examine both the current and historical roles and contributions of the various subfield specialists in the application of anthropology perspectives, methods and techniques, of substantive findings to problems of culture (e.g. culture change, public policy, medical anthropology, cultural resource management, forensics, community development, urban planning, organizational and business culture, transnational activities, etc.). Special attention will be directed at developing some understanding and appreciation of the problems and ethics involved in such applied or practical activities, and to developing the necessary skills for assuming such a role as applied or practical anthropologist.

ANTH 4030 African-American Culture
The present-day descendants of human beings seized in Africa and forcibly brought to the Americas as slaves have a "double consciousness" (W.E.B. DuBois, The Souls of Black Folk, 1903). African-Americans understand themselves as inheritors of a rich culture which emerged out of cultural elements from two Old Worlds - Africa and Europe - but which developed a unique form in the New World context. This course explores this double consciousness through anthropology. It examines the historical roots of African-American culture, representations of Black culture in classic anthropological literature, social structural aspects of African-American life through the lens of political economy, "Black English," and representations of Blackness in American popular culture.

ANTH 4050 Contemporary Ethnic Groups
In this course the students will examine the complexities and intricacies involved in the definition of 'ethnic group' in the contemporary world. Different case studies will be used to gain understanding and data for the definition of the term. The approach of the course is empirical and multidisciplinary, that is socioeconomic organization, political systems and ideological creations will be taken into account in order to analyze ethnic groups and the role they perform within national and international contexts. The role and performance of the anthropologists in both the analysis and the creation of images regarding the ethnic groups existing today is also emphasized.

ANTH 4250 Development of Anthropological Thought
An overview of the history of Anthropological thought from its origins to the contemporary schools of Anthropology, with emphasis on the scientific, intellectual, and sociopolitical causes and consequences of changes in major conceptual orientations to man and culture. Prerequisites ANTH 2250 or permission of the institute.

Recommended for students in their third (junior) year, since the course lays a theoretical foundation for other upper division courses. The purpose of this course is to develop appreciation and understanding of the origins and development of the major theoretical and methodological orientations of anthropology from its foreshadowings in the Enlightenment to the crystallization of most of the major anthropological points of view in the early twentieth century. Students will be acquainted with the specifically anthropological, and the wider extra-anthropological, intellectual and sociopolitical influences and the implications of the various anthropological conceptions of society, culture, and their inter-relationships. An effort will be made to show not only how ideas about sociocultural phenomena have changed, but why they have changed. The following anthropology theories will be discussed in their historical context: 1) the progressivism of the French and Scottish enlightenment; 2) racial determinism and racism; 3) biological and social Darwinism (or Spencerism); 4) nineteenth century cultural evolutionism; 5) dialectical and historical materialism; 6) historical particularism (Boasianism), configurationalism and cultural relativism; and, 7) social realism and cultural determinism; 8) structuralism; 9) symbolic and interpretive schools; 10) political economy; 11) recent trends and postmodernism in anthropology.

ANTH 4400 Environmental Anthropology
Environmental anthropology may be considered the study of applied, action, and/or advocacy research addressing practical environmental issues, problems, concerns, and questions. Typically, such study involves the dynamic interaction between human beings and their ecosystems with an emphasis on the cultural dimension. This course in environmental anthropology will focus on major environmental questions, problems, and issues in the world with an emphasis on methods for applied research illustrated by selected case studies from different parts of the globe. Some of the topics to be covered will include land/sea and natural resources, food production systems, deforestation, range destruction, population problems, poverty and environmental justice, natural hazards and risks, resource conflicts and warfare, over fishing, economic development, mineral and oil extraction, cultural landscapes, and environmental and bio-diversity conservation.

ANTH 4600-001 Evolution of Man
This topic section focuses on the evolution of humans. Commencing with the human emergence in the animal kingdom and relying upon the fossil record of past human forms and even pre-human forms, the course attempts to study the reconstruction of the human physical past. This course also utilizes the materials of paleontology (those who study and search for extinct flora and fauna), osteology (the study of bones), geology (the study of geological information, climates, environments and life), primatology (the study of the primate animal), and genetics (the study of how traits are passed from generation to generation) to develop the understanding of how humans came to be through the various mechanisms of change and change that has operated on the human organism throughout its existence. The course will also delve into the concept of physical evolution through the various suggestions, which account for that evolution. The various theories of science proposed for human origin and development, orthogenesis, sociobiology, creationism and others will be discussed.

ANTH 4600-002 Osteology
This topic section focuses on the study of the skeletal system of humans and on the relationship of the human skeletal materials to the evolution of humans as well as to the archeological record of prehistoric human groups. Students in this course will become familiar with human skeletal anatomy and skeletal orientation; the microscopic analysis of bone and tissue as well as macroscopic analysis of all bones in the human body. Because of the amount of information that can be potentially derived, significant emphasis will be placed on human dentition. A variety of techniques, methods, and interpretations of data will relate to such questions as population genetics of skeletal populations, the social dimension of mortuary practices, and pre-history population dynamics.

ANTH 4600-003 Primate Behavior
This section focuses on the study of the human animal as a primate. As primates are the closest relatives to humans in the animal kingdom, especially in terms of blood, social behavior, and physical appearance, the purpose of this course is to distinguish those characteristics which are distinctly human from those which may be primate in general. Students will examine such things as primate communication systems, intelligence, and cultural attributes in addition to their physical characteristics and differences. Students will focus on anatomical comparisons and embryo study to examine the physical differences among the primates, as well as various primate studies emphasizing social behaviors and patterns.

ANTH 4600-004 Museology
This course focuses on the in-depth study of museums as repositories for collections of significance to humans. Concentrating on all of the types of museums (art, historical, natural history and science), students will gain significant understanding of 1) the historical development of museums; 2) what is collected and how it is cared for; 3)artifact and exhibit display; the method of researching and documenting collections; and, 4) the various uses of museums. The course will cover the administrative and organizational aspects of museums as well as consider the ethical problems associated with museum activities.

ANTH 4600-005 Bio-Cultural Perspectives on Health
This course is a survey of the evolution of various human diseases through time and how humans have adapted to them. It focuses on evolution and evolutionary medicine as tools for understanding populations and disease, as well as some of the adaptations humans have made (both genetic and behavioral). Some of these changes are adaptive; some have become maladaptive as culture and environmental change has occurred.

ANTH 4600-007 Human Adaptation
This course examines human adaptation, i.e., the mechanisms and processes whereby the human organism has attained a beneficial adjustment to the environment. These adjustments can be either temporary or permanent, acquired either through short-term processes of lifetime processes, and may involve physiological, structural, behavioral, or cultural changes aimed at improving human's functional performance in the face of environmental stresses. The course also examines the role of environmental stresses as they relate to differential mortality and fertility to establish adaptive changes in a population, thus attaining a level of genetic adaptation. Topics and case studies will include temperature regulation, acclimation and acclimatization in hot and cold climates; solar radiation; high altitude; and accommodation to energy demands (e.g., malnutrition, starvation, and obesity).

ANTH 4600-011 Human Ecology
Human Behavioral Ecology (HBE) is an attempt to understand the observed diversity in human behavior as arising from common human adaptive goals in diverse environmental settings.  It uses anthropological methods of participant observation but is more quantitative than many sociocultural methods.  It is based on Darwinian models and also draws from economics and formal decision making.  This approach generates testable hypotheses from the more general propositions found in theory.  Since it began in the mid 1970’s with a strong focus on optimal foraging theory and the foraging economies it has matured with the addition of evolutionary biological models to reproductive and social behavior.  It now includes resource distribution, life history characteristics, social hierarchies, the origins of agriculture among other topics and rests on ecological base.

ANTH 4610 Topics in Sociocultural Anthropology
Selected topics of interest and significance in sociocultural anthropology. Among the varied topics that students can expect to be offered at different times are Education and Anthropology, Urban Anthropology, Anthropology of Art, Anthropology of Warfare and Conflict, and Cultural Ecology. May be repeated for credit when topics change. Prerequisite ANTH 1010, or ANTH 2250, or permission of the division.

While this course is offered on a regular basis each semester, particular topics are taught irregularly. The following topics and sections are currently taught under this course:

ANTH 4610-001 Ethnomusicology - see also MUET 4500, which counts towards the major
A selected survey of non-Western music to be chosen from the following geographical areas Africa, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania. Musical traditions will be studied from a perspective that emphasizes music as an integral part of society and culture.

ANTH 4610-002 Seminar in Sociocultural Anthropology
A survey of anthropological attempts to understand and explain the similarities and differences in culture and humans. This course serves as a high level introduction (review) to the discipline of anthropology with a primary emphasis on sociocultural anthropology, allowing individuals to pursue their own particular or specific interests. The course is designed for graduate students combining anthropology with other fields as part of their graduate programs but whose exposure and background in the discipline is limited, and undergraduate seniors bringing their undergraduate program to a conclusion and planning on pursuing further additional training and careers in anthropology.

ANTH 4610-003 Migrants and Refugees
This course focuses on the social groups of migrants and refugees who have significantly contributed to the development of human cultures from paleolithic times to the current world situation of dramatic refugee movements that number close to twenty million people worldwide. It examines the migratory effects on enculturation, socialization, adaptation and assimilation. The course offers an anthropological perspective of migration by utilizing longitudinal frameworks, rather than acute episodes.

ANTH 4610-004 Folklore
This purpose of this course is to provide an overview of the concept of "folklore," as a universal activity of nearly every society now known to exist around the world. The definitions and uses of the terms associated with folklore will be explored. This course will survey folklore in a comparative way, to explore similarities and differences, within and between culture groups. The purpose is to expose the place of folklore in the daily lives of various cultures.

ANTH 4610-005 Urban Anthropology
In this course students apply the anthropological approach to the study of human behavior in an urban context. Beginning with an overview of cities through time and across cultures, students learn about the rise of cities in human prehistory as well as about the different types of cities found cross culturally. The student then learns how to look at cities through an anthropological lens and do field projects analyzing some aspect of city behavior anthropologically. The final section of the course focuses on modern American cities.

ANTH 4610-006 Human Sexuality
This course focuses upon human sexuality, one of the most powerful subjects that affect human lives. The biological, behavioral and cultural aspects of this topic will be examined within varied sociocultural traditions. Students can expect to cover such topics of human sexuality as biological origins of sexuality, psychological and social determinants of sexual behavior, morality and standards, relation of sex to a variety of social relations, as well as some of the more current issues and aspects of sexuality garnering the attention of the world's societies.

ANTH 4610-007 Violence, Terror, and Terrorism: Creating Cultures of Fear
This course will offer a broad examination of violence and terrorism in cross-cultural context. It has been designed to give you grounding in the basic concepts in defining the social creation of fear, as well as the historical perspectives of specific case studies from around the world and within the U.S. We will critically analyze the way that social structures and the media create, maintain, and change the expression and experience of terror. Finally, there will be opportunity for students to divide into groups to pursue and present their own research on issues of violence and terror.

ANTH 4610-008 Symbolic Anthropology
The discipline of anthropology provides many theoretical perspectives that can be used in describing and understanding the peoples and cultures of the world. Among these, the anthropological consideration of symbolism provides a unique view of cultural beliefs. All cultures utilize symbols and symbolic constructions to give meaning to their reality. This course is an introduction to symbolic anthropology and the forms and uses of symbolism in a variety of world cultures including modern America. Attention is given to how symbols are used to give meaning to social life, how they define and create belief systems including traditional anthropological concerns with religion, kinship, politics, economics, and business and advertising. This course will draw on examples from several different cultures to illustrate and explain the prominent theories in symbolic anthropology.

ANTH 4610-009 Psychological Anthropology
This course explores the relationship between the self, culture and society. It compares concepts of self, socialization and behavior in anthropological and psychological theory and research, universal concepts of human nature, and examines processes of interpretation by individuals in diverse cultural and social groups over the life span. Sociocultural contexts of alternative states of consciousness and mental illness re also compared.

ANTH 4610-010 Drug Use and Culture
This course provides students an opportunity to critically examine drug use and how it interacts with culture. Various drugs and substances will be highlighted through a cross cultural perspective from prehistoric times to the present. The first half of the course concentrates on the use of medicinal and psychoactive substances in traditional cultures around the world. The second half of the course details the development of synthetic substances and the development of the "drug problems" of modern society. It will attempt to show how the relationship between the cultural belief system and the utilization of various substances are connected and how political organization, culture contact and culture change have contributed to the present situation.

ANTH 4610-011 Race, Ethnicity, and Identity
This course explores the theories of race, ethnicity and identity formation from an anthropological perspective. It is a course designed to provoke and challenge classic assumptions about who creates and comprises the categories of minority, majority, migrant, citizen, gender groups, and other such modes of delineation that separate and divide. The class begins by taking "whiteness" as the category against which other forms of identity - color, language, ethnicity, religion, gender, etc. - are created and maintained. The class analyzes the ways in which national discourses, printed texts, films, mass media, and other forms of communication perpetuate these categories and differences.

ANTH 4610-012 Holistic Health and Alternative Healing
This course provides students with core concepts related to holistic health and alternative medicine. Students will be part of various educational activities aimed to stimulate understanding of cross-cultural principles involved in holistic health. A critical analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of currently available practices of alternative medicine is pursued in this course.

ANTH 4610-013 Anthropology of Business
Anthropologists have developed numerous tools for analyzing culture and culture change. Many of these can be put to use in studying business organizations. This course is a look at business organizations from an anthropological point of view. Often an organization's productivity or lack thereof is directly related to the degree to which its strategy and culture mesh. Methods used in anthropology can aid in defining the specific culture of an organization and in providing strategies for change within it. Thus this course will explore those anthropological tools that can be useful in increasing productivity in business organizations.

ANTH 4610-014 Anthropology of Aging
This course is a survey of the aging process in cultures outside of the US.  Comparisons will be made between the US various ethnic groups and other cultures worldwide.  Key concepts about aging, the terminology of aging, demographic and history of the study of aging will be presented.  It is the purpose of this course to provide the student with general information about aging in other cultures and specific information about the aging process in human populations.

ANTH 4610-016 Design Anthropology
Design anthropology is a rapidly growing field of employment for those who wish to work in business contexts. In this course, students learn the fundamentals of this field. By collaborating on an applied project, they gain practice in the research methods of participant observation, interviewing, and videotaping. They learn to engage in collaborative analysis using qualitative software. And they work with designers and customers to translate their research into practical applications.

ANTH 4610-017 Health, Healing, and Culture: Introduction to Medical Anthropology
This course presents perspectives in contemporary medical anthropology, with a focus on the biocultural basis of health and sociocultural variations in illness and healing (ethnomedicine). It includes study of comparative health systems, political-economic and ethical issues in health and care, health professions and patients' views of illness. Cases from Asian, African-American, and Mexican cultures are compared.

ANTH 4610-018 Ethnicity, Poverty, and Health: Cultural Issues of Health and Disease
This course is designed to provide students with a basic framework of knowledge regarding multicultural issues involved in health care. This course will help students increase their awareness and sensitivity to the health care needs of the various cultural and ethnic groups living in the U.S.

ANTH 4610-019/5620 Anthropology of Education
This class will introduce students to issues and approaches relevant to the study of education within the field of anthropology. The course will be divided into three analytical sections. The first section will provide an introduction to anthropological concepts and anthropological methods used in the study of education and schooling. This section will examine the relation between anthropology and education by emphasizing the significance of cultural transmission. The second section will be devoted to an examination of cultural transmission and appropriate approaches. In this section, students will be exposed to works in the field of anthropology of education that examine cultural difference, minority status, and learning. The third and last section of the course will emphasize recent approaches to questions of cultural transmission. In particular, this section will highlight new perspectives and critiques related to current and relevant educational "problems" found in societies such as the U.S.

ANTH 4610-021 Anthropology of Gender and Violence
This course is grounded in the thesis that gender is a cultural construction in all societies. This course unifies different forms of gender violence under the rubric of how children are raised to perpetuate, or be victims of, violence and how an atmosphere conducive to gender violence can become institutionalized within a society. A fundamental argument of the course is that we, in the US, tend to individualize acts of violence but would be better served by analyzing violence as a social product. We explore topics of engendered violence such as: acquaintance and date rape; workplace sexual harassment; domestic violence; rape as a tool of war and militarism; and human trafficking. We apply critical thinking skills in delving into such topics as pornography, bride burning, honor killing, male and female genital cutting, and others. We attempt to challenge conventional wisdom and easy conceptualizations of these topics by looking at insider opinions, historical contexts, colonial influences, and other critical political economic factors.

ANTH 4610-030 Anthropology in Public Health
This course will introduce students to the contributions of anthropology in public health.  It highlights the socio-cultural perspective on the fundamentals of public health,  including but not limited to international health, domestic health, epidemiology, infectious disease, child survival, women's and men's health, and health policy.

ANTH 4610-088/089/090/091 Ethnographic Field School
This course concentrates on developing first hand field methods in anthropology. Students will put in practice the unique field methods used in anthropology, especially "participant observation," by traveling to a domestic or international field site and immersing in the local culture. The student will gain an in-depth understanding of contemporary and historic culture through relevant literature on the area and anthropological field methods, and through practical experience by putting field techniques and methods of data gathering and analysis to work in the field.

ANTH 4620 Topics in Archaeology
Selected topics of interest and significance in archaeology. Subjects such as Zooarchaeology, Texas Archaeology, and Pacific Island Archaeology are potential topics to be offered during different semesters. May be repeated for credit when topics change. Prerequisite ANTH 2500 or consent of division.

While this course is offered on a regular basis each year, particular topics are taught irregularly based on instructor availability, student interests and need. The following topics and sections are currently taught under this course:

ANTH 4620-001 Old World Archaeology
A survey of the culture of Africa, the Near East and Europe from the earliest sites to Bronze Age Greece. Based on a foundation of cultural ecology and cultural evolution, the students will examine changes in population size, economy, and technology within the context of past environments. Topics of special interest include Neanderthal culture, Upper Paleolithic hunters and artists, and the origins of domestic plants and animals in the development of humans and cultures in the Old World.

ANTH 4620-003 Texas Archaeology
This course specifically focuses on Texas, providing the prehistorical and historical development of peoples and cultures within the state. Dividing the state into seven distinct areas, the students will focus on the adaptation and development of people and their cultures through regional analysis and study. The ethnohistorical perspective on Indian groups prior to European contact and after contact will also be an important part of the course. Through this regional study, students will also be exposed to the history, method and theory, and taxonomic classifications of groups and traditions in Texas Archaeology.

ANTH 4620-005 Mesoamerican Archaeology
This course focuses on the prehistory and cultural development of Mesoamerica. Using Archaeological theory and perspectives, the student is introduced to early human occupation in this geographical region from post-Pleistocene adaptations, the domestication of plants and the origins of sedentary life. Special attention will be directed at the emergence of early civilizations in Mesoamerica; the Preclassic Olmec, Teotihuacan, Monte Alban; the Classic Maya and Zapotec; and, the Postclassic Aztec and Miztec. The period of Spanish conquest will also be studied.

ANTH 4620-008 North American Archaeology
The broadest objective of this course is to provide a forum for discussion of the archaeological record of the colonization and subsequent occupation of North America, as it bears on our understanding of human biocultural evolution.  Incidental to this overarching perspective is the notice that in order to assess the evolutionary record of North American natives, we must be properly equipped with knowledge of the necessary archaeological and ancillary methods, and with the data considered essential to conduct such an inquiry.

ANTH 4620-011 Zooarchaeology
Zooarchaeology is an analytical specialty within archaeology that studies the animal remains recovered from archaeological sites to understand past subsistence patterns and past environments. In this class we will explore the major methodological issues within zooarchaeology, as well as substantive topics such as animal domestication, butchery patterns, and zooarchaeology's relevance to conservation biology.

ANTH 4620-012 Pacific Island Archaeology
This is a regional archaeology course that covers the prehistory of Oceania, which includes the culture regions of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. The course examines the major issues in Oceanic prehistory, such as migration and colonization patterns, human impacts on the island environment, development of trade and exchange systems, and circumstances for greater social complexity.

ANTH 4620-014 Ethics in Archaeology
This class explores the ethical, legal, and practical dimensions of ‘doing’ archaeology today. Topics covered include cultural resource management, repatriation, looting, and collections management will be examined from the viewpoints of archaeologists, descendant communities, government administrators, and the general public.

ANTH 4700 The Supernatural: Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion
This course focuses on one of the more unique aspects of human culture and behavior, religion or supernatural belief. As approached from the perspective of Anthropology, the study of religion is both comparative and wide-ranging. The study of religion has played a central role in the theoretical development of Anthropology. In this course students will study that role as well as the origin, development and function of religions in human societies. They will learn about a wide variety of Anthropological topics dealing with religion like myth, ritual, totemism, magic and shamanism. By comparing what is "religious" in many cultures, they will develop a better understanding of the relationship between human beings and religion and of their own religious beliefs as well.

ANTH 4800 Anthropological Field Methods
This course concentrates on the FIELD METHODS of anthropology, in particular, the unique "participant observation" methodology, considered by many as one of the real contributions of anthropology in the study of humans and their behavior. Through practical experience and exposure to the relevant literature, the student will gain an in-depth understanding of the issues and aspects, benefits and limitations, problems and difficulties of the field techniques and methods of date gathering and analysis. The student will also gain an awareness and understanding of research in a culture other than their own as well as an appreciation of the interactional aspects in dealing with people from a variety of culture backgrounds.

ANTH 4810 Archaeological Field School
Comprehensive training in site survey, excavation techniques, laboratory processing, restoration and analysis of archaeological materials through direct participation in an archaeological field project. Held off-campus; room and board fees may be required. Usually offered only during the summer months and based on the availability of field projects. This course is taught in cooperation with the Institute of Applied Sciences. Prerequisite ANTH 2500 or permission of the division.

This course provides a thorough training in field archaeological research. Specific techniques of site survey, site testing and excavation are taught in real settings; e.g., mapping, grid layout, use of transit, record keeping, special sample collection, screening techniques and feature excavation. Emphasis is placed on the geology an stratigraphy of sites. Processing of artifacts and bones (cleaning, labeling, sorting, classification and packaging) is taught.Interpretation of field data, including cultural stratigraphy, past environments and site correlations is accomplished through assigned exercises in report preparation.

ANTH 4900-4910 Special Problems
Individual study on specific research topics or subject matter not contained within the normal anthropology inventory at UNT. The course allows individuals to pursue research on topics of interests through readings or directed activity under the guidance and supervision of a faculty member on a one-to-one basis.

ANTH 4920 Cooperative Education in Anthropology
Supervised work in a job directly related to the student's major, professional field of study or career objectives. Prerequisite(s) 12 hours credit in anthropology; student must meet the employer's requirements and have consent of the department chair. May be repeated for credit.

Graduate Courses

Beginning in fall 2007 graduate course numbers will change. The new numbers are listed below.

ANTH 5000 Seminar in Sociocultural Anthropology
A survey of anthropological attempts to understand and explain the similarities and differences in culture and humans. This course serves as a high level introduction (review) to the discipline of anthropology with a primary emphasis on sociocultural anthropology, that also allows individuals to pursue their own particular or specific interests. The course is designed for graduate students combining anthropology with other fields as part of their graduate programs but whose exposure and background in the discipline is limited, and undergraduate seniors bringing their undergraduate program to a conclusion and planning on pursuing further additional training and careers in anthropology.

ANTH 5010 Anthropological Thought and Praxis I
Considers the history of anthropological concepts, the major historical debates in anthropological theory, and historical tensions between applied and theoretical knowledge. Special emphasis is given to critical examination of concept and theory formation, and the application of anthropological ideas to the problems of everyday life.  Prerequisite: ANTH 5000 or 12 hours in anthropology.

ANTH 5021 Anthropological Thought and Praxis II
Considers contemporary anthropological concepts and theories and the major debates that have been produced by them. Special emphasis is given to the most recent tensions and debates on the relationships between theoretical and applied knowledge. Specific attention is paid to the relationships between social theory and social policy formation.  Prerequisite: ANTH 5010.

ANTH 5031 Ethnographic and Qualitative Methods
Focuses on ethnographic and qualitative methods and the development of the skills necessary for the practice of anthropology. Special emphasis is given to qualitative techniques of data collection and analysis, grant writing, the use of computers to analyze qualitative data, and ethical problems in conducting qualitative research.

ANTH 5041 Quantitative Methods in Anthropology
Provides quantitative and statistical skills to complement those used in qualitative and ethnographic research: research design, sampling and scaling techniques, tests for reliability and validity, and tests of association and significance. Special emphasis is given to the use of SPSS.

ANTH 5050 Pre-Practicum: Problems and Cases in Applied Anthropology
Examines case studies and specific problems in applied anthropology, and guides students in preparing for the practicum.  Students are exposed to the practice of anthropology in a variety of settings, such as health, business, development, education, environment, crime, ethnic and race relations, and social policy.  The class will include case study readings and guest speakers to help students discover the range of what applied anthropologists do, and help focus their own interests.  In addition, students will learn how to identify potential agencies as practicum sites, how to approach them, and how to develop a practicum proposal.

ANTH 5100 Organizational Anthropology
Anthropologists have developed numerous tools for analyzing culture and culture change. Many of these can be put to use in studying business organizations. This course is a look at business organizations from an anthropological point of view. Often an organization's productivity or lack thereof is directly related to the degree to which its strategy and culture mesh. Methods used in anthropology can aid in defining the specific culture of an organization and in providing strategies for change within it. Thus this course will explore those anthropological tools that can be useful in increasing productivity in business organizations.

ANTH 5110 Design Anthropology
Design anthropology is a rapidly growing field of employment for those who wish to work in business contexts. In this course, students learn the fundamentals of this field. By collaborating on an applied project, they gain practice in the research methods of participant observation, interviewing, and videotaping. They learn to engage in collaborative analysis using qualitative software. And they work with designers and customers to translate their research into practical applications.

ANTH 5201 Medical Anthropology
This course presents information central to understanding the area of medical anthropology, the focus of practitioners of this area, and the major concepts which guide the activities of cultural anthropologists working in different societies. The linkage between culture and health is central toward understanding human adaptations to a variety of environments around the world. The preparations which humans make in response to illness, sickness, and disease are examined in the context of the climates, geographies, flora and fauna in which populations live. Presented are the research methodology, terminology and outcomes of health/medical projects attempted by anthropologists in other western and non-western cultures.

ANTH 5210 Anthropology in Public Health
This course will introduce students to the contributions of anthropology in public health.  It highlights the socio-cultural perspective on the fundamentals of public health,  including but not limited to international health, domestic health, epidemiology, infectious disease, child survival, women's and men's health, and health policy.

ANTH 5220 Introduction to Health Services Research
This course surveys the history of the development of the field of health services research; the interdisciplinary contributions of the disciplines of sociology, economics, anthropology, gerontology, political science, and public health to the field; and the use of survey research to collect information on health status and health services utilization.

ANTH 5300 Migrants and Refugees
This course focuses on the social groups of migrants and refugees who have significantly contributed to the development of human cultures from Paleolithic times to the current world situation of dramatic refugee movements that number close to twenty million people worldwide. It examines the migratory effects on enculturation, socialization, adaptation and assimilation. The course offers an anthropological perspective of migration by utilizing longitudinal frameworks, rather than acute episodes.

ANTH 5400 Environmental Anthropology
Environmental anthropology may be considered the study of applied, action, and/or advocacy research addressing practical environmental issues, problems, concerns, and questions. Typically, such study involves the dynamic interaction between human beings and their ecosystems with an emphasis on the cultural dimension. This course in environmental anthropology will focus on major environmental questions, problems, and issues in the world with an emphasis on methods for applied research illustrated by selected case studies from different parts of the globe. Some of the topics to be covered will include land/sea and natural resources, food production systems, deforestation, range destruction, population problems, poverty and environmental justice, natural hazards and risks, resource conflicts and warfare, over fishing, economic development, mineral and oil extraction, cultural landscapes, and environmental and bio-diversity conservation.

ANTH 5620 Anthropology of Education
This class will introduce students to issues and approaches relevant to the study of education within the field of anthropology. The course will be divided into three analytical sections. The first section will provide an introduction to anthropological concepts and anthropological methods used in the study of education and schooling. This section will examine the relation between anthropology and education by emphasizing the significance of cultural transmission. The second section will be devoted to an examination of cultural transmission and appropriate approaches. In this section, students will be exposed to works in the field of anthropology of education that examine cultural difference, minority status, and learning. The third and last section of the course will emphasize recent approaches to questions of cultural transmission. In particular, this section will highlight new perspectives and critiques related to current and relevant educational "problems" found in societies such as the U.S.

ANTH 5700 Topics in Sociocultural Anthropology
Cross-cultural and ethnographic investigation, analysis and discussion of a significant, contemporary topic of interest to students in various graduate programs. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

ANTH 5710 Symbolic/Cognitive Anthropology
The discipline of Anthropology provides many theoretical perspectives that can be used in describing and understanding the peoples and cultures of the world. Among these, the anthropological consideration of symbolism provides a unique view of cultural beliefs. All cultures utilize symbols and symbolic constructions to give meaning to their reality. This course is an introduction to Symbolic Anthropology and the forms and uses of symbolism in a variety of world cultures including modern America. Attention is given to how symbols are used to give meaning to social life, how they define and create belief systems including traditional anthropological concerns with religion, kinship, politics, economics, and business and advertising. This course draws on examples from several different cultures to illustrate and explain the prominent theories in Symbolic Anthropology.

ANTH 5800 Applying Anthropology: Practicum I
Provides experiential learning in applied anthropology through placement in business, government, community, and social service organizations and agencies. Students design and implement an applied anthropology project under the supervision of a faculty member. This 96-hour (minimum) placement is planned in cooperation with the student to meet specialized career goals.  They should accomplish as many hours as possible during Practicum I; they can finish the hours under Practicum II.  Prerequisites: ANTH 5010, 5015, 5020, 5040, 5060.

ANTH 5810 Applying Anthropology: Practicum II
Provides experiential learning in applied anthropology through placement in business, government, community, and social service organizations and agencies.  This course is a continuation of Practicum I.  Students finish up any remaining research.  They deliver their findings to the client.  They also prepare a written report and a verbal presentation for the department of anthropology.  Prerequisites: ANTH 5010, 5015, 5020, 5040, 5060, 5800.

ANTH 5900 Special Problems
Individuals study on specific research topics or subject matter not contained within the normal Anthropology inventory at UNT. The course allows individuals to pursue research on topics of interests through readings or directed activity under the guidance and supervision of a faculty member on a one-to-one basis.

ANTH 5910 Special Problems
Individuals study on specific research topics or subject matter not contained within the normal Anthropology inventory at UNT. The course allows individuals to pursue research on topics of interests through readings or directed activity under the guidance and supervision of a faculty member on a one-to-one basis.

Listen to the latest SfAA Podcast

Visit our blog

Recent News:

Barbara Rose Johnson Lecture

The anthropology department welcomes Barbara Rose Johnson for a guest lecture on Friday, Nov 13 at 2pm in the ENV Bldg room 115.  Dr. Johnson is an environmental anthropologist who studies the relationships between environmental crisis and human rights.  Her current [...]

Jannell Robles

Anthropology senior Jannell Robles was recently invited to speak at the PACS Circle of Impact dinner about her experiences as an anthropology and PACS student.  Great job Jannell!