The anthropology Senior Capstone Experience is asignificant piece of independent researchexperience in the form of a thesis or projectundertaken by each senior with the guidance andmentorship of a department faculty member. Thesisproposals are typically developed during thespring of the third year in the AnthropologySeminar All senior capstone experiences mustinclude anthropological methods and theory. Astudent who successfully completes the SCE willreceive a grade of Pass or Honors and will beawarded 4 credits. A more extensive description ofthe SCE is available from the department chair.Discussion of a joint thesis, undertaken by astudent with two majors, can be found in theAcademic Program section of the catalog.

An introduction to music of the world, includingpopular, folk, religious and classicaltraditions. Explores the way ethnomusicologistsorganize and analyze knowledge about the world,while investigating the ways music acquiresmeaning in performances that are socially,historically, and culturally situated.

The study of human diversity with emphasis oncultural anthropology. Topics include theanthropological perspective, resources of culture,organization of material life, systems ofrelationships and global forms of inequality. Thecourse examines how anthropologists apply theirskills to solve contemporary human socialproblems. Basic ethnographic interviewing skills.Introduction to ethnography.

Exploration of the variety of past human societiesand cultures through archaeology, with an emphasisupon the interplay between environment andculture. The course covers a wide time span, fromthe biological evolution of hominids and theorigins of culture to the development of complexcivilizations and the more recent historical past.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can be foundthroughout our modern society. Programs such asMapQuest and Google Earth have brought thistechnology into the lives of many citizens of ourworld. More advanced software systems such asArcGIS are being used in academia, business, andgovernment to manage large datasets of spatiallylinked information and provide the users withpowerful analytic tools. The course lecturesreview the fundamental theories of GIS and alsofocus on the various organizational and ethicalissues that impact the implementation andsustainability of GIS in our society. The labportion of the course teaches the student howto operate the ArcGIS Desktop software product,ArcGIS Pro. Introduction to GIS is taught as a blended course,which means that online content is used tosupplement the course. The online content does notreplace the traditional lecture and lab componentsof the course, but is instead meant to enhance thecontent, and allow for materials to be availableoutside of class time. Content is reviewed priorto attending class, which provides time fordiscussion, clarification, and problem-solvingduring class time. All course materials along withlab assignments, quizzes, and exams are managed inour innovative Canvas virtual learningenvironment.

An examination of prehistoric and historicsocieties in the Chesapeake Region.Archaeological, historical, and environmentalevidence is used to understand culturaldevelopment and the relationships between peopleand their environment. Topics include the arrivalof humans in the region, Native American groups,colonial settlement in the Tidewater, and the 19thCentury. This course counts toward the ChesapeakeRegional Studies minor.

The department encourages students with priorcourses in anthropology to develop, with a memberof the department, internship opportunities.Students interested in pursuing internships shouldread Internships and Other Opportunities in thisCatalog. In addition to the requirements listedthere, interns should expect to write a paperdescribing their experiences, as relevant toanthropology, and connected to a reading list tobe developed and agreed upon by the intern and thesupervising faculty member. 45 hours are requiredper credit.

Topics not regularly offered in a department'snormal course offerings, chosen based on currentstudent interest and faculty expertise.

An agreement between a sponsoring faculty memberand a student, researching a topic of interestthat is relevant to a student's major or minor.Research is conducted on campus. Students must beenrolled before the research can begin. Graded A-For Pass/Fail.

An agreement between a sponsoring faculty memberand a student, researching a topic of interestthat is relevant to a student's major or minor.Research is conducted on campus. Students must beenrolled before the research can begin. Graded A-For Pass/Fail. 45 hours are required per credit.

An agreement between a sponsoring faculty and astudent letting the student study a topic ofinterest not offered at WC. 45 hours are requiredper credit.

An examination of the methods of archaeology andtheoretical perspectives. Course topics includeresearch design, site surveys, remote sendingtechnology, excavation techniques, datingmethods,the analysis of material culture, and theorybuilding. Students will be involved inexploration and research using the wide varietyofresources available in the region, includinglocalexcavations, local and regional archives, andmuseum collections.

This second course in geographic informationsystems builds upon the theories discussed inintroduction to Geographic Information Systems,and focuses on the more technical aspects of GIS.Laboratory activities teach the student to usemore advanced functions of GIS software, and thefundamentals of advanced GIS analysis and displayprograms. The student will also learn to operatea precision GPS field data collector.

The study of the biological differences of sex inrelationship to the cultural construction ofgender. The importance of modes of productionand ideology in forming gender concepts for allhuman societies. Cross-cultural issues of genderidentity, roles, relationships, and equality orinequality.

This course utilizes a holistic approach toexplore the evolution of the human species.Students learn the basics of evolutionary theory,biology, and fossil and archaeological evidencethrough lectures, discussion, readings, videos andhands-on learning. This course is divided intothree main sections titled: (a) how evolutionworks, (b) the history of human lineage, and (c)evolution, technology, and modern humans.

Prehistory of the Americas and survey ofindigenous cultures in Latin America today(Mesoamerica, the Andean countries and theAmazonian countries). Introduction toenvironmental anthropology and applications toenvironmental issues.

This course introduces students to the growingfield of medical anthropology. We explore thediverse ways that people understand health,illness, the body, and healing, and how those aremediated through cultural beliefs and practicesaround the world. We also consider a variety ofinterrelated global processes that shape people'sexperiences of health and well-being inlocally-specific ways. Students learnanthropological methods and theories whichcomplement more mainstream approaches to publichealth.

In this course, we examine both overt and covertforms of surveillance, control, and confinement inhistorical and contemporary contexts. We considerless repressive forms of control, which are ofteninvisible to us even as they powerfully shape anddefine our lives, as well as more repressive formsof state power. An anthropological lens helps usconsider the many ways that prisons and punishmentare deeply entrenched in U.S. culture, sociallife, and political-economy. We draw upon avariety of theoretical frameworks, includingFoucault, Marxism, critical race theory,disability studies, and others, each of whichoffers a unique way to make sense of our coursetopics. Rather than approach the prison as a setof buildings and experiences over there (apartfrom un-incarcerated life), we ask how the samesocial processes that make prisons possible arewoven into many aspects of our social, cultural, political, and economic experiences. We payparticular attention to the intersections of race,class, and gender with prisons/social controlthroughout U.S. history. Finally, we explore thecreative ways that people critique, resist,imagine, and organize for more liberatory futures.

This course introduces students to theanthropological study of indigenous peoples andhow they respond to the forces of globalization. Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) refers toknowledge base acquired by indigenous and localpeoples over many hundreds of years throughdirect contact with the environment. It includesnomenclature, classification, beliefs, rituals,technology, environmental management strategiesand worldviews - all of which have helped shapeenvironments for millenia. This course exploresthese different forms of knowledge and poses aseries of questions about their importance anduse, such as: How is globalization affecting TEK?Who possesses TEK? Who owns TEK? Should theowners of TEK be compensated for their knowledge?Does TEK promote sustainability? Can nation-statesutilize TEK? What are the impacts on indigenousgroups when TEK in promoted? How can traditionalknowledge of the natural world be responsibly andethically collected, studied and applied in modernmedicine and global commerce?

The department encourages students with priorcourses in anthropology to develop, with a memberof the department, internship opportunities.Students interested in pursuing internships shouldread Internships and Other Opportunities in thisCatalog. In addition to the requirements listedthere, interns should expect to write a paperdescribing their experiences, as relevant toanthropology, and connected to a reading list tobe developed and agreed upon by the intern and thesupervising faculty member. 45 hours are requiredper credit.

Topics not regularly offered in a department'snormal course offerings, chosen based on currentstudent interest and faculty expertise.

An agreement between a sponsoring faculty memberand a student, researching a topic of interestthat is relevant to a student's major or minor.Research is conducted on campus. Students must beenrolled before the research can begin. Graded A-For Pass/Fail.

An introduction to archaeological fieldworkmethods and to the theoretical concerns ofanthropological archaeology. Includesparticipation in archaeological survey andexcavation as well as lectures, readings, andwriting assignments. It typically is a six-weeksummer program, with a minimum obligation of 20hours per week. This course is open to allstudents.

Students with an interest and background inanthropology may, working with an ANT facultymember, develop either a research project or acourse of study pursuing an ANT subject or topicnot covered by regular ANT courses. The studentand faculty member agree on a reading list, andeither a formal research project or a substantialpaper. Students meet regularly with the instructordemonstrating progress in, and knowledge of, thereadings; and to discuss, and receive guidance onthe project or paper. 45 hours are required percredit. (Students may not use independent studycourses to gain academic credit for the SCE).

This course introduces the student to the study oflinguistics. Concepts of both historical anddescriptive linguistics are included. Some of theareas of study are linguistic history andmethodology, language origin, language andsociety, language structure, dialects, andlanguage families.

In this course, we explore how anthropologists askand answer questions about culture, power, and thehuman experience. We learn about a range ofmethodological and theoretical approaches toanthropological inquiry, with particular attentionto the exciting possibilities that arise whenthinking across the sub-fields of culturalanthropology and archaeology. Through a series ofprojects, students learn research design and havethe opportunity to apply archaeological,ethnographic, and GIS methods to problems aroundus.

Introduction to underwater archaeology. Givesstudents an overview of the history and methodsof the field. In addition to class activities,students are involved in practical exercisessuch as mapping and data analysis; field trips,including remote sensing work on the college'sworkboat and visits to historic vessels; andoutside lectures on marine history andarchaeology. A basic understanding ofarchaeological method and theory is useful forthe course.

Students will be introduced to ethnomusicologicaltheory and method, while focusing on the musicalpractices of South and Central America and theCaribbean. Folk, ritual, popular, andart/classical traditions will be examined in thecontexts of cultural issues such as beliefsystems, politics, aesthetics, and identity.

The dangers of using the concept race. Focuson the cultural construction of ethnic, racial,and national identities in the contexts ofimmigration, colonialism, nationalism, andglobalization. Symbols of ethnic identity,stereotyping, style, tactics of choice,situational ethnicity.

This course introduces students toanthropological, ethnomusicological, andethnochoreological ethnographic fieldwork methods,including participant observation, ethnographicinterviews, and audio/video documentationtechniques. Students are exposed to bothAfro-Cuban religious and Cuban popular expressiveforms. Students learn about the interrelatednessof music, dance, visual arts, ritual, andreligious beliefs, as well as Cuban views on Cubanculture, gender, and race. Students attend/observeboth formal and informal music performances andtake music and dance lessons where they will havean opportunity to engage musicians on a one-on-onebasis. In addition to music-oriented activities,students learn about Cuba's cultural and economichistory by exploring Havana's rich museums,monuments, and plazas.By permission of the instructor.

Inside-Out is a course that brings together anequal number of Washington College [outside]students and incarcerated [inside] students tolearn side-by-side at a prison. The class involvesweekly class meetings at a prison, andtransportation to the prison is provided forWashington College students. Inside-Out isdesigned to meld theoretical knowledge, practicalunderstanding, and personal experience and thewisdom that derives from that experience. We use avariety of active learning and community-buildingtechniques that require student participation tobe most effective. Inside and outside studentscollaborate on final group projects. The topic ofthe class may vary, and the class may be repeatedwith a different topic.

Focusing attention on photography, film, and sincethe 1990s, new media, visual anthropology attemptsto untangle issues of subjectivity,marginalization, and meaning making. The coursetakes an anthropological look at the use ofvisual media in marketing, documentary filmmaking,gaming, music videos, and artistic installations.Wherever humans use visual images to communicate,an anthropological lens can be applied to developand critique cultural messages. Students developresearch projects that incorporate visualdocumentation from the earliest planning stagesthrough the final stages of public communicationand reflect on how this type of recording affectswhat is documented, how subjects are represented,the accuracy or reality of ensuinginterpretations, and the intent of the visualproduction.

The course examines the history of museums - art,anthropology, history, natural science, andchildren's - and the structuring of knowledge.Explore the politics of display in terms of whatis displayed and who writes the narrative, tounderstand how and why this knowledge may becontested, the influence and outcome of thevisitor's experience, and the importance ofcommunity collaboration. Learn about the practicalconsiderations of collections acquisition andmanagement, fundraising, and governance.

Pre-Contact North America is extraordinarily richin histories. The archaeology of North Americaaims to understand the diversity of historieslived by peoples from the Atlantic to Alaska, fromthe Plains to the Bayou, from nomadic hunting andgathering groups to large-scale horticulturalists.We explore the human experience on the continentnorth of Mexico from the first footsteps on thecontinent to the impact of European contact to therelationship between archaeologists and AmericanIndians today. By the end of this course,you will understand the history of archaeology inNorth America and the diversity of contemporaryNative American cultures.

The department encourages students with priorcourses in anthropology to develop, with a memberof the department, internship opportunities.Students interested in pursuing internships shouldread Internships and Other Opportunities in thisCatalog. In addition to the requirements listedthere, interns should expect to write a paperdescribing their experiences, as relevant toanthropology, and connected to a reading list tobe developed and agreed upon by the intern and thesupervising faculty member. 45 hours are requiredper credit.

Topics not regularly offered in a department'snormal course offerings, chosen based on currentstudent interest and faculty expertise.

An agreement between a sponsoring faculty memberand a student, researching a topic of interestthat is relevant to a student's major or minor.Research is conducted on campus. Students must beenrolled before the research can begin. Graded A-For Pass/Fail.

An agreement between a sponsoring faculty memberand a student, researching a topic of interestthat is relevant to a student's major or minor.Research is conducted on campus. Students must beenrolled before the research can begin. Graded A-For Pass/Fail. 45 hours are required per credit.

Students with an interest and background inanthropology may, working with an ANT facultymember, develop either a research project or acourse of study pursuing an ANT subject or topicnot covered by regular ANT courses. The studentand faculty member agree on a reading list, andeither a formal research project or a substantialpaper. Students meet regularly with the instructordemonstrating progress in, and knowledge of, thereadings; and to discuss, and receive guidance onthe project or paper. 45 hours are required percredit. (Students may not use independent studycourses to gain academic credit for the SCE).

Discussion of significant contemporary issues inanthropology. Application of anthropology toethical issues and careers. Familiarity withprofessional literature and and professionalstyle guides. Research design and location andassessment of source materials. Grant writingand research. Exploration of careers and higherstudies in anthropology. Required course for allanthropology majors and minors. Should be takenin the spring semester of junior year.

This course focuses on the human-environmentrelationship and the state of world ecosystemsresulting from this interaction across space andtime. The course is focused on four paradigmscentral to the anthropological understanding ofthe human-environment relation. The first focuseson fundamental human-ecological principles; thesecond on the ecological dynamics of foraging anddomestication; the third on indigenous ecologicalknowledge and community-based conservation, andthe fourth on new approaches in human ecology.

By investigating the idea that what we view andexpress regarding cultural identity and culturaldifference is artificial, we can see that popularentertainment, global news broadcasts, monumentsand museums, and the internet might be doing morethan merely capturing, reporting, orexhibiting. Understanding this, we can uncoversomething more about how representations arecreated, how they have been manipulatedhistorically to oppress or devalue certain groups,and how they can be contested. Knowing that imagesare constructed and not real, we can turn ourfocus to how people can reclaim their identitiesand thus their own power through revising or evenappropriating the representations that have beenmade of them.

Provides a comprehensive overview of historicpreservation and cultural resource management aspracticed in the United States. Examines thehistory of the preservation movement, the role ofpreservation in American culture, and thelegislative framework for historic preservation. Reviews the growing field of cultural resourcemanagement, looking at issues in architecturaldesign, contract or salvage archaeology, andheritage tourism. Prerequisite: 200-levelcoursework in archaeology or American history, orpermission of instructor.

The department encourages students with priorcourses in anthropology to develop, with a memberof the department, internship opportunities.Students interested in pursuing internships shouldread Internships and Other Opportunities in thisCatalog. In addition to the requirements listedthere, interns should expect to write a paperdescribing their experiences, as relevant toanthropology, and connected to a reading list tobe developed and agreed upon by the intern and thesupervising faculty member. 45 hours are requiredper credit.

Topics not regularly offered in a department'snormal course offerings, chosen based on currentstudent interest and faculty expertise.

An agreement between a sponsoring faculty memberand a student, researching a topic of interestthat is relevant to a student's major or minor.Research is conducted on campus. Students must beenrolled before the research can begin. Graded A-For Pass/Fail.

An agreement between a sponsoring faculty memberand a student, researching a topic of interestthat is relevant to a student's major or minor.Research is conducted on campus. Students must beenrolled before the research can begin. Graded A-For Pass/Fail. 45 hours are required per credit.

Students with an interest and background inanthropology may, working with an ANT facultymember, develop either a research project or acourse of study pursuing an ANT subject or topicnot covered by regular ANT courses. The studentand faculty member agree on a reading list, andeither a formal research project or a substantialpaper. Students meet regularly with the instructordemonstrating progress in, and knowledge of, thereadings; and to discuss, and receive guidance onthe project or paper. 45 hours are required percredit. (Students may not use independent studycourses to gain academic credit for the SCE).