Explores the role of life stories in cultural processes. Focus is on anthropology and autobiography, autoethnography, life history, and narrative constructions of selfhood in different cultural contexts. Explores the principles of cultural dynamics and the sources of cultural change in innovation and diffusion. Focuses particularly on the anthropological theories, methods, and findings relevant to problems of directed culture change, especially as illustrated by non-literate and peasant groups in contact with western civilization. This course, conducted during the summer sessions, consists of on-site and classroom instruction in techniques of archaeological survey, excavation, laboratory, processing, and analysis.
Students can receive either three or six hours of credit.
Enrollment by permission of instructor only. Prior course work in anthropology desirable but not necessary. To learn strategies of coping with practical problems of teaching undergraduate anthropology, students assist one or more professors to gain experience in preparing lectures, grading, and constructing examinations. Not to be counted toward the degree requirement.