The role of biological evolution in determining present characteristics and the role of culture in this evolution. Usually offered every spring. An exploration of the ways that cultural forces influence biographical pathways, life experiences, the patterning and expression of emotions, and the experience of mental illness. Emphasis on the emergence of the self in everyday interaction and at the intersection of language and thought. Usually offered alternate falls.
Topical emphasis varies for different semesters.
Emphasis on conflict and integration, ideas and beliefs as symbols of social relations, and problems of individual choice. Usually offered alternate springs. Topics vary by section, may be repeated for credit with different topic. Examination of a particular culture area to provide insight into the conditions that produced distinctive cultures in certain geographical regions. Rotating cultural areas include North American Indians, Latin America, Mexico and Central America, North American ethnic groups, Europe, India, Africa, China, and Japan.