Anthropology Minor

Ethnobotany minor

Courses

Academic Standards

Anthropology
(College of Letters and Science)
Dona Warren, Chair of Philosophy Department
Room 489, Collins Classroom Center
Phone: 715-346-3340
E-mail: philosophy@uwsp.edu
Web: www.uwsp.edu/philosophy/

Faculty: S Aleman, I Choi, S. Ganapathy.  

Definition: Anthropology studies the evolution of the human cultural, linguistic and biological diversity, both in a contemporary context and in the context of historical and biological evolutionary changes that have resulted in a rich archaeological and ethnographic record of human physical and cultural adaptation and variety.

Mission: Anthropology, housed in the Department of Philosophy, offers students education in the skills of critical thinking, written and oral communication, and empathetic engagement with diverse worldviews, cultures, ethical systems and religions. The education we offer equips our students with the skills needed for a wide variety of professional careers and with the ability to adapt to the inevitable changes and challenges they will face after graduation in an increasingly globalized world.

Academic Standards

1. To ensure that your program is as well planned as possible, you must have an anthropology advisor.

2. You must have your advisor’s approval for all courses you select to apply to the minor.

3. To be accepted and retained as a minor and approved for graduation, you must have a minimum grade point average of 2.50 (2.75 to student teach) in courses counted toward the minor, including transfer courses and regardless of any declaration of academic bankruptcy. Courses taken pass/ fail or with a grade lower than C- may not be counted toward the minor. The department chair may allow exceptions. You may repeat a course in the minor only if you follow the policy on repeating courses found in the Academic Information section of this catalog.

4. Courses in anthropology are open to all students who meet the prerequisites.

Anthropology Minor
Consists of a minimum of 18 credits including:

1. Anthropology 101 or 110 and one from 311, 315 or 325.

2. Six additional credits in anthropology.

3. The remaining 6 credits may be completed with electives selected from appropriate courses in one or two of the following areas: anthropology, art and design, business and economics, communication, education, English, foreign languages, geography and geology, history, interior architecture, music, natural resources, philosophy, political science, religious studies, sociology, or theatre. Collateral courses must be approved by a member of the anthropology faculty.

Ethnobotany Minor
Stephanie Aleman, Coordinator
Room 489, Collins Classroom Center
Phone: 715-346-3340
E-mail: philosophy@uwsp.edu

Definition:  Ethnobotany is an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the relationships between plants and humans. Through an understanding of the biological and cultural aspects of these relationships, ethnobotany seeks to understand the practical, material, symbolic and identity-formed potential of plants for human populations. Ethnobotany is also concerned with the ethical and political aspects of global plant consumption, usage and ownership through the mechanism of intellectual property and the relationships between western ideals of conservationism and environmentalism and non-western cultures and practices.

The minor consists of a minimum of 26 credits including:

1. Anthropology 101 or 110.
2. One course from Anthropology 335, 339, 345.
3. Anthropology 380.
4. One course from Anthropology 320, English 392, Philosophy 380, Religious Studies 316.
5. Biology 130, 342, 353, 399 (Field Work in Ethnobotany).

Courses in Anthropology

ANTH 101(NW). Human Diversity. 3 cr. Introduction to anthropology that includes human evolution and biological diversity, human cultural and linguistic diversity, and archaeology. GDR:SS1

ANTH 102. Introduction to Archaeology. 3 cr. Introduction to the anthropological subfield of archaeology, which studies human cultures through the recovery, documentation, analysis, and interpretation of material remains and environmental data.

ANTH 110(NW). Contemporary Cultural Diversity. 3 cr. Introduces the field of cultural anthropology, and with examples, explores the contemporary challenges faced by diverse peoples around the world. GDR:SS1

ANTH 125(NW). Wisconsin Indian Cultures. 3 cr. Introduction to prehistoric, historic and contemporary American Indian cultures of Wisconsin. GDR:SS1

ANTH 199. Reading in the Discipline. 1 cr; pass/fail. Improve reading and thinking skills in anthropology. Taken in conjunction with designated sections of anthropology courses.

ANTH 311. Human Evolution. 3 cr. The study of human evolution, including anatomical, physiological and behavioral adapations, primate ecology, and behavior, and population dynamics. Intro biology course recommended as preparation.

ANTH 315(NW). Principles of Archaeology. 3 cr. Theory and methods of archeology. Examine world archeology, especially North America. GDR:SS1

ANTH 320(NW). Anthropology of Religion. 3 cr. Explore diversity of religious practice worldwide with in-depth exploration of selected traditions. GDR:SS1

ANTH 325. Culture and Language. 3 cr. Survey anthropological linguistics. Topics include evolution of language, basic language structure, how language structures and reflects cultural and social differences, and the preservation of language diversity. GDR:SS1

ANTH 335(NW). Peoples of South America. 3 cr. Survey cultures of native South Americans with predominantly non-European ancestry. In-depth exploration of selected peoples of indigenous and African ancestry. ANTH 101 or 110 recommended. GDR:SS1

ANTH 338(NW). Peoples of the Pacific. 2-3 cr. Ethnological survey; cultural organization of Pacific societies and significance of social change. GDR:SS1

ANTH 339(NW). Native Cultures of North America. 3 cr. Selective survey of the evolving cultural heritage of native North Americans. GDR:SS1.

ANTH 340. Field and Laboratory Techniques in Archaeology. 3 cr. Techniques, methods and procedures of field and laboratory archaeology discussed and practiced in actual working conditions on an archaeological excavation. Summer only. May repeat for 6 cr max.

ANTH 345(NW). Native Peoples and Cultures of MesoAmerica. 3 cr. Explore societies and cultures of the indigenous peoples of Mexico and Central America from prehistory to the present. ANTH 101 or 110 recommended. GDR:SS1

ANTH 350. Cultural Ecology. 3 cr. How cultures interact and adapt to their material and social environments. Prereq: 101 or Sociology 101 or cons instr. GDR:EL

ANTH 353. Cultural Emphasis in Ethnobotany. 3 cr. Human/plant relationship from a variety of cross-cultural perspectives meant to shed light on the use of plants as a form of symbolic expression in terms of belief systems, identity construction, ethics, political systems, and worldview. Prereq: 110 or 101, or Biol 130, 160.

ANTH 371(MNS). Contemporary Topics in the Anthropology of Native North America.  3 cr. Introduction to aspects of contemporary cultural and social life in Native North American communities. Topics include: the politics of identity and race, economic development, cultural revitalization and the emergence of global indigenous movements. Prereq: 110 or 101..

ANTH 372. Environmental Anthropology. 3 cr. Upper-division seminar. Employ contemporary and historical anthropological theories in order to better understand cultural aspects of human-environmental interactions, as well as contemporary challenges of environmental conflict and global environmentalism. Prereq: 110 or 101.

ANTH 380(NW). Anthropology of Health and Disease. 3 cr. Anthropological approaches to the knowledge and understanding of health and disease in various cultures. GDR:SS1

ANTH 390/590. Special Topics in Anthropology. 1-3 cr. Subtitle will designate area.  May repeat for credit with different subtitle.

ANTH 392. Anthropology Internship. 1 cr. pass/fail. Intern provides small group writing and reading assistance in selected anthropology courses. Prereq: Cons instr.

ANTH 393. Field Trips in Anthropology. 1-3 cr. Direct observation of anthropological data within an environmental context; required readings and field notebook. May repeat with change of locale/topic. May not earn credit in Geog 393 or Geology 393 under same topic/locale.

ANTH 395/595. Special Topics in Anthropology. 1-3 cr. Subtitle will designate area. May repeat for credit with different subtitle.

ANTH 399. Independent Study. 1-3 cr. Independent study of any area of anthropology arranged with instructor and cons chair. Credit based on scope of project. May repeat for 6 cr max.

Anthropology Latent Courses: Not offered recently. For a full course description, see the printed version of the catalog listed behind the course number (xx-xx).

• 334          Peoples of Europe, 3 cr, (95-97)

• 450/650    Anthropological Theory, 3 cr, (95-97)