B.A. in Cultural Anthropology (Bachelor of Arts)

The B.A. Track in Cultural Anthropology focuses on the issues, modes of inquiry, fieldwork strategies, methods of data collection and analysis, and forms of ethnographic representation that characterize contemporary cultural anthropology. The Cultural Anthropology Track is intended for students interested in current cultural, social, and political issues, especially in understanding the relationship of global processes to new cultural forms and social inequalities. Students learn how cultural theory is integrated with empirical ethnographic research and how to balance knowledge of worldwide interconnections with in-depth knowledge of particular geographic regions (e.g., Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the United States). Students trained in Cultural Anthropology develop a unique set of skills enabling them to work successfully in many different cultural environments; a major in Cultural Anthropology also provides excellent preparation for students planning graduate training in anthropology or other disciplines, including professional training in law, teaching, and social work.

Requirements for a major in cultural anthropology

The degree code is 070.

Total number of required credits: 38 credits, of which at least 18 are at the 300 or 400 level.

Requirements for Cultural Anthropology track

INTRODUCTORY COURSES:

Both required - 6 credits

  • 01:070:101  Culture and Social Life (3) - fall 2019, spring 2020
  • 01:070:108  Language, Culture and Society (3) - fall 2019, spring 2020

GEOGRAPHIC AREA COURSES:

Two courses required - 6 credits

  • 01:070:223  Anthropology of Latin America - fall 2019
  • 01:070:238  Anthropology of Europe - spring 2020
  • 01:070:242  Anthropology of the MIddle East - fall 2019
  • 01:070:243  Anthropology of Africa - spring 2020
  • 01:070:244  Ethnographies of South Asia - fall 2019
  • 01:070:246  Anthropology of Southeast Asia
  • 01:070:248  Anthropology of China - spring 2020
  • 01:070:250  Anthropology of the Contemporary United States
  • 01:070:320  Diaspora, Race and Ethnicity in the United States
  • 01:070:338  Culture, Wealth, and Power in Africa
  • 01:070:379  Gender and Power in Africa
  • 01:070:389  Ethnography of Gender in South Asia

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES ON JUSTICE, INEQUALITY, AND DIFFERENCE: 

One course required - 3 credits

  • 01:070:303  Wealth and Culture - fall 2019
  • 01:070:304  Political Anthropology
  • 01:070:305  Anthropology of Developmen - fall 2019
  • 01:070:312  Language and Social Diversity - spring 2020
  • 01:070:319  Anthropology and Human Rights
  • 01:070:324  Globalization, Sex and Families - fall 2019 
  • 01:070:371  The Politics of Culture
  • 01:070:372  Body Politics - spring 2020        
  • 01:070:374  Localities and Global Systems
  • 01:070:376  Power and Difference
  • 01:070:378  The Anthropology of Gender
  • 01:070:380  Culture, Memory, History - spring 2020
  • 01:070:406  Rights and Wrongs of Indigenous Peoples - spring 2020
  • 01:070:486  Gender, Development, Environment: Policies, Politics, Perspectives

METHODS AND ANALYSIS IN CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY:

One course required - 3 credits

  • 01:070:317 Method and Analysis in Cultural Anthropology - fall 2019

CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY ELECTIVE COURSES:

Six courses required - 18 credits

  • 01:070:111  Extinction - fall 2019, spring 2020
  • 01:070:161  Anthropology of Robots and Artificial Intelligence - 1.5 credits - spring 2020
  • 01:070:170  Learning an Endangered Language - 1.5 credits - fall 2019
  • 01:070:203  Climate Change, Disaster, and Reconstruction - spring 2020
  • 01:070:216  Anthropology and Contemporary Issues
  • 01:070:217  Psychology and Culture
    01:070:220  Food and Culture - spring 2020
  • 01:070:222  Sexuality and Eroticism in Global Perspective
  • 01:070:223  Anthropology of Latin America - fall 2019
  • 01:070:225  Gender in Global Perspective - spring 2020
  • 01:070:230  Anthropology of Native North Americans
  • 01:070:238  Anthropology of Europe - spring 2020
  • 01:070:242  Anthropology of the Middle East - fall 2019
  • 01:070:243  Anthropology of Africa - spring 2020
  • 01:070:244  South Asia Ethnography - fall 2019
  • 01:070:246  Anthropology of Southeast Asia
  • 01:070:248  Anthropology of China - spring 2020
  • 01:070:250  Anthropology of the Contemporary United States
  • 01:070:293  Topics in Cultural and Linguistic Anthropology
  • 01:070:294  Current Issues in Cultural and Linguistic Anthropology
  • 01:070:295  Current Issues in Cultural and Linguistic Anthropology
  • 01:070:302  Culture and the Environment - fall 2019
  • 01:070:303  Wealth and Culture - fall 2019
  • 01:070:304  Political Anthropology
  • 01:070:305  Anthropology of Development - fall 2019
  • 01:070:306  Space, Place and Practice - fall 2019
  • 01:070:307  Medical Anthropology - spring 2020
  • 01:070:308  Anthropology of Religion - fall 2019
  • 01:070:309  Visual Anthropology - spring 2020
  • 01:070:311  History of Anthropology - fall 2019
  • 01:070:312  Language and Social Diversity - spring 2020
  • 01:070:317  Method and Analysis in Cultural Anthropology - fall 2019
  • 01:070:318  Reading Ethnographic Writing
  • 01:070:319  Anthropology and Human Rights
  • 01:070:320  Diaspora, Race, and Ethnicity in the United States
  • 01:070:322  Anthropology of Islam
  • 01:070:321  Latino Ethnography - spring 2020
  • 01:070:323  Women Writing Culture
  • 01:070:331  Xenophobia and the Other in Europe Today - fall 2019
  • 01:070:338  Culture, Wealth, and Power in Africa
  • 01:070:341  Language, Food, and Society
  • 01:070:342  Urban Ecologies - spring 2020
  • 01:070:360  Law, Justice, Rights - spring 2020
  • 01:070:367  Anthropology Goes to the Movies - fall 2019
  • 01:070:368  Media and Culture - spring 2020
  • 01:070:369  The Cultural Politics of Nazism
  • 01:070:370  Life and Death in Anthropological Perspective
  • 01:070:371  Politics of Culture
  • 01:070:372  Body Politics - spring 2020
  • 01:070:373  Visual Ethnography of Everyday Life      
  • 01:070:374  Localities and Global Systems
  • 01:070:376  Power and Difference
  • 01:070:378  Anthropology of Gender
  • 01:070:379  Gender and Power in Africa
  • 01:070:380  Culture, Memory, History - spring 2020
  • 01:070:389  Ethnography of Gender in South Asia
  • 01:070:401  Theories in Cultural Anthropology
  • 01:070:406  Rights and Wrongs of Indigenous Peoples - spring 2020
  • 01:070:407  Documenting Latino Lives
  • 01:070:410  Explanation in Anthropology
  • 01:070:417  Writing Ethnography - spring 2020
  • 01:070:486  Gender, Development, Environment: Policies, Politics, Perspectives
  • 01:070:495  Independent Study (by permission only) - fall 2019
  • 01:070:495  Independent Study (by permission only - spring 2020)
  • 01:070:497  Honors in Anthropology (first semester - 3 credits) - fall 2019
  • 01:070:498  Honors in Anthropology (second semester - 3 credits) - spring 2020

Honors in Anthropology credit, and one approved independent study course, may be used toward the elective requirement. No course may fulfill more than one requirement.

All courses applied to this major must be completed with a grade of C or better.