New courses in Anthropology are periodically added to ensure a dynamic program with varying options for diverse academic interests.  Below is a list of anthropology courses that do not appear in The Miami Bulletin but that are now in our curriculum. Watch for their availability in each semester’s schedule.

ARCHAEOLOGY

ATH 314 Old World Archaeology (4) Introduction to Old World archaeology and the major evolutionary transformations of humankind.  The topics to be discussed include the origins and development of culture, the emergence of anatomically modern humans, the domestication of plants and animals, and the rise of complex societies.  Prerequisite: ATH 155.

ATH 415 Caribbean Archaeology: Field and Laboratory Methods (6) Introduction to field and laboratory methods in archaeology with an emphasis on the islands and coasts of the Circum-Caribbean region.

 

CULTURAL

ATH 348 Culture, Illness, and Healing (3) Introduces students to the topics and theoretical approaches of medical anthropology.  The course explores why disease emerges within particular socio-culture settings and how people in those settings understand and treat their ills.  Topics include historical and current pandemics, culturally specific illnesses, local medical practices, and individuals’ struggles with particular ills.  Prerequisite: ATH 155 or ATH 175.

ATH 402 Anthropology of the Circus (3) An anthropological examination of the development of the American circus from its European origins to its modern forms and the role it plays in American culture.  A class project involving the application of the makeup and attire of clowning performers is also included.  Click here to view pictures.  Prerequisite: ATH 155 or ATH 185, junior or senior status, or permission of the instructor.

 

ATH 403 Anthropology of Religion (3) Introduces the student to the range of anthropological theories and research strategies developed for the study of religious phenomena.  The nature or anthropological explanations of religious phenomena, the historical contexts in which these explanations were formulated, and their linkages to anthropological theory in general are explored in detail.  Topics to be discussed include the relationship between religion and culture, the meaning of religion in the lives of people, the role of religion and religious expression in the construction of human identity, syncretisms, and sociocultural transformation through religious ideas.  The cross-cultural comparative analysis of shamanism, trance and spirit possession, healing, magic, witchcraft, religious movements, rituals, and myth are also among the central topics to be covered.

ATH 428 Anthropology of Women’s Health (3) Explores how culture shapes women’s bodies and health from a cross-cultural perspective.  Topics include cross-cultural examinations of women’s life-cycle, illnesses, bodily violations, and notions of beauty.  Prerequisite: ATH 155 or ATH 175 or ATH 185 or instructor’s permission.

ATH 458 World Media: Texts, Contexts, and Audiences in the Global System (3) This course stimulates the imagination, offers opportunities for applying anthropological concepts, and reinforces critical thinking, research, and writing skills.  The course has three components.  In the first part, students will be introduced to anthropological models for thinking critically about media texts.  In the second, we will explore mass media texts from around the world based on three modules: 1) Bombay films, 2) Nigerian and Ghanaian video films, and 3) world news networks (comparing BBC, CNN, Al-Jazeera).  In the third part, students will demonstrate their own critical thinking, research and writing skills by producing a multimedia presentation (web site, data show or video) about some topic in transnational media.

ATH 484 Beyond the Field Experience: Processing Cultural Adjustments (3) Facilitates students’ reentry following study/work/volunteer experiences in other cultures abroad or at home and guides them on how to make the most out of their experiences.  Prerequisite: Instructor’s permission.