Undergraduate courses

These summaries provide an overall sense of the courses and are not official course outlines. You will receive detailed course outlines for all courses you're registered in on the first day of class.

Courses are dependent upon enrollment numbers. 

Search for classes in Online Tools to confirm dates, days, times and locations.

Contact the Anthropology office if you have any questions.

Summer 2024 courses

Summer 2024 dates: May 13-June 28
Instructor: Dr. Amy Levine
Schedule: Tuesday 9-11 a.m. and Thursday 9-11:30 a.m.
Delivery: Online

Course description and objectives

This course aims to answer the question “What makes us human?” It is an introductory survey of the sub-fields of anthropology: archaeology, biological anthropology, cultural and social anthropology and linguistic anthropology.

Two broad principles underlie our understanding of human complexity.

All individuals and groups possess certain commonalities. In particular, genetic and other biological traits, sociality, language and a powerful symbolising capability.
Human culture is incredibly diverse and ever-changing.

We will explore the sub-fields of anthropology through a range of themes, including:

evolution
early humans
development of agriculture
emergence of cities and states
culture, supernaturalism, ethnicity and race
families, kinship and gender

Skills development

critical reading
writing
citation practices
anthropological terminology and concepts
ethical issues
cultural adeptness

Notes

This course is entirely online using Zoom and Brightspace. You must purchase a digital or analogue copy of the third edition of Through the Lens of Anthropology: An Introduction to Human Evolution and Culture (University of Toronto Press, 2022).

Summer 2024 dates: May 13-June 5
Instructor: Dr. CindyAnn Rose-Redwood
Schedule: Monday, Wednesday and Friday (synchronous) 9:30 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
Delivery: Online synchronous

Course description

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the discipline of anthropology’s role in framing notions of race and how this concept is often intertwined with ideologies of culture and power.

We will explore how the discipline has shifted from ideologies around scientific racism to understandings that race is a socially constructed notion produced by people to frame hierarchies of power over other people.

We will also examine the scholarly works of anthropologists who are currently encountering, critically examining, and challenging notions of race with respect to their own positionality and ethnographic fieldwork.

Through a series of readings, films, and lectures, this course will provide a better understand of how the concepts of race, culture, and power impact the everyday lives of people who are often placed under the “gaze” of anthropologists.

The course ends by considering directions for future research on race, culture, and power in anthropology. Students will examine anti-racist praxis in relation to moving anthropology forward as a discipline.

Course outcomes/objectives

critically examine anthropological scholarship and scholars writing about discourses on race, culture, and power
develop critical thinking skills on various themes around race and culture, and how hierarchies of power impact the lives of peoples around the world
explain how the discipline of anthropology contributed to framing discourses on race.
analyze and critique the positionality of anthropologists in terms of fieldwork
reflect on the impact of race as a social construct in relation to acts of racism

Topics may include

history of anthropological thought
Indigenous peoples, cultures, and power
Black feminist anthropology
Asians and racialization
policing
music as storytelling
migration
health inequities
anti-racism

Summer 2024 dates: May 13-June 28
Instructor: Mark McIntyre
Lecture schedule: Monday and Thursday 11:30 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
Tutorial schedule: Monday and Thursday 1-2:20 p.m.
Delivery: In person - CLE A207

Course description and objectives

This course gives students an overview of social and cultural anthropology – its origins, its distinctive methods and concepts, and its place in the contemporary world.

You will learn how to think about contemporary events from an anthropological perspective and how to better understand yourself in relation to others.

You will also learn to appreciate the diversity of topics that contemporary socio-cultural anthropology explores and the extent to which it can help you better understand a world where peoples and societies are increasingly interconnected.

By the end of the course, students should:

learn to think about contemporary events from an anthropological perspective
apply anthropological theories and concepts to real-world problems
have a greater degree of familiarity with the field of socio-cultural anthropology, its key concepts, theoretical orientations and methods
understand the historical developments that have shaped the subfield of sociocultural anthropology
learn to challenge their cultural biases and ethnocentric assumptions
demonstrate greater awareness of the cultural and social bases of human prejudice and discrimination
gain a better understanding of Indigenous peoples, histories and cultures, and the impact of colonization on individuals, families and communities
understand the ethical standards that anthropologists uphold

Skills development

Because this is an introductory course, it will offer the opportunity to exercise a wide variety of skills that are crucial in students’ academic and professional careers.

These include critical reading, analytical thinking, intercultural communication and the ability to undertake effective secondary research using online and traditional research sources.

The course also is a supportive environment for students to develop effective communication skills.

ANTH 381 - Cultural Anthropology - Field School Methods

ANTH 382 - Cultural Anthropology - Regional Topics

These courses are only open to successful applicants to the Ethnographic Field School in Cuba. Applications are now closed.

Summer 2024 dates: May 22-June 12
Instructor: Dr. Stephanie Calce
Lecture schedule: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8:30 a.m.-2:20 p.m.
Delivery: In person - COR B235

Limited enrolment: 24 students

Course description and objectives

This 4-week outdoor field course is an introduction to the field of forensic anthropological field techniques and crime scene interpretation. It combines methodological approaches to excavation and recovery from forensic science and archaeology with a focus on documentation and collection of relevant data.

This course will combine in-class instruction and outdoor processing of clandestine burials. It will cover topics on:

crime-scene protocols and record-keeping
establishing secure scene perimeters
mapping methods (high and low technologies)
establishing an excavation grid
excavation techniques (horizontal vs. bisect approaches)
stratification
collecting soils, tool marks and other evidence from the grave
casting soil imprints
taphonomy and taphonomic inference
photography
collecting evidence
maintaining chain of evidence
crime scene interpretation to reconstruct activities relating to a death event and body deposition

Skills development

Students will learn how to think critically, gaining hands-on experience in forensic field techniques that will require group decision-making and collaboration.  

They will acquire skills in spatial data analysis. These include mapping exercises, an essential component of this course, and learning new software related to 3D mapping and photogrammetry.

Students will develop essential skills in areas such as deductive reasoning, collection, analysis, interpretation and presentation of quantitative data. They will be trained in areas beyond archaeology. These include knowledge of medical and legal terminology and procedures necessary to communicate with other medicolegal professionals in a forensic context.

Students will develop their problem-solving, communication and presentation skills. The practical field experience in excavation methods may be applied to working in anthropological settings such as cultural resource management.

Materials fee  

Please bring $65.00 exact cash to the Anthropology office in Cornett B228. Due by the first day of class (Wednesday, May 22, 2024).

Fall 2024 courses - 100 and 200 level

Fall 2024
Instructor: Dr. Amy Levine
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course aims to answer the question "What makes us human?" It is an introductory survey of the sub-fields of anthropology: archaeology, biological anthropology, cultural and social anthropology and linguistic anthropology.

Two broad principles underlie our understanding of human complexity:

all individuals and groups possess certain commonalities - in particular, genetic and other biological traits, sociality, language and a powerful symbolising capability
human culture is incredibly diverse and ever-changing

We will explore the sub-fields of anthropology through a range of themes including, but not limited to: evolution; early humans; development of agriculture; emergence of cities and states; culture, supernaturalism, ethnicity and race; and families, kinship and gender.

Course outcomes/objectives

By the end of the course students should be able to:

explain the sub-fields and specializations of anthropology with examples;
critically discuss a range of key themes and methods relevant to the study of anthropology;
identify and evaluate factors that influence our interpretation and understanding of anthropology;
differentiate between pseudoscience and legitimate scientific practices; and
exhibit research and public writing skills required in anthropology, other disciplines, and employment situations.

Topics may include

culture
primate diversity and conservation
human evolution, adaptation, and diversity
gender, kinship and sexuality
sustainability and climate change
colonialism and social inequality
health, people and the environment

Fall 2024
Instructor: William Campbell
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

The concepts religion and environment interact in interesting and often surprising ways. They each inform the other, even though neither concept is quite stable.

What we consider religion, what we consider the environment, as well as how we “ought” to interact with each are always being (re)negotiated. These (re)negotiations often reflect and/or are informed by broader, societal trajectories, such as politics, environmental movements and economics.

In this course, students will:

identify and articulate diverse forms which the relationship between religion and environment can take
apply a critical stance toward research literature examining these relationships
identify how these forms of relationship create the conditions of possibility for different environmental practices

Students should note that this course is not an overview of world religions’ perspectives on the environment.

While much of the course will indeed discuss the putative “major world religions”, it will not do so systematically, and much of the course content will discuss religious/spiritual practices that do not properly fit into a “major world religion” category, such as yoga, Indigenous spirituality, psychedelic mushroom consumption, farming disputes and more.

Nonetheless, these practices illustrate the myriad, overlapping, often contradicting ways that religion and environment interact.

Course outcomes/objectives

Students will develop the following through participation in this course:

first year academic writing skills
analysis of concepts that may not have obvious, intuitive relationships with each other
critical reading of research-based scholarly texts
a perspective of the course content the world which accounts for human diversity
group work capabilities

Fall 2024
Instructor: Dr. CindyAnn Rose-Redwood
Delivery: Online - Mondays (synchronous) and Thursdays (asynchronous) 9:30 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.

Course description

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the discipline of anthropology’s role in framing notions of race and how this concept is often intertwined with ideologies of culture and power.

We will also examine the scholarly works of anthropologists who are currently encountering, critically examining and challenging notions of race with respect to their own positionality and ethnographic fieldwork.

Through a series of readings, films and lectures, this course will provide a better understanding of how the concepts of race, culture and power impact the everyday lives of people who are often placed under the “gaze” of anthropologists.

The course ends by considering directions for future research on race, culture and power in anthropology. Students will examine anti-racist praxis in relation to moving anthropology forward as a discipline.

Course outcomes/objectives

critically examine anthropological scholarship and scholars writing about discourses on race, culture and power
develop critical thinking skills on various themes around race and culture, and how hierarchies of power impact the lives of peoples around the world
explain how the discipline of anthropology contributed to framing discourses on race.
analyze and critique the positionality of anthropologists in terms of fieldwork
reflect on the impact of race as a social construct in relation to acts of racism

Topics may include

history of anthropological thought
Indigenous peoples, cultures, and power
Black feminist anthropology
Asians and racialization
policing
music as storytelling
migration
health inequities
anti-racism

Fall 2024
Instructor: Leah Mernaugh Bergman
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

Coming soon.

Course outcomes/objectives

Coming soon.

Topics may include

Coming soon.

Fall 2024
Instructor: Dr. Melissa Gauther
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course provides students with an overview of social and cultural anthropology – its origins, its distinctive methods and concepts, and its place in the contemporary world.

In this course, you will learn how to think about contemporary events from an anthropological perspective and how to better understand yourself in relation to others. You will also learn to appreciate the diversity of topics that contemporary socio-cultural anthropology explores and the extent to which it can help you better understand a world where peoples and societies are increasingly interconnected.

By the end of the course students should:

learn to think about contemporary events from an anthropological perspective
apply anthropological theories and concepts to real-world problems
have a greater degree of familiarity with the field of socio-cultural anthropology, its key concepts, theoretical orientations and methods
understand the historical developments that have shaped the subfield of sociocultural anthropology
learn to challenge their cultural biases and ethnocentric assumptions
demonstrate greater awareness of the cultural and social bases of human prejudice and discrimination
gain a better understanding of Indigenous peoples, histories and cultures, and the impact of colonization on individuals, families and communities
understand the ethical standards that anthropologists uphold

Course outcomes/objectives

Because this is an introductory course, it will offer the opportunity to exercise a wide variety of skills that are crucial in students’ academic and professional careers.

These include critical reading, analytical thinking, intercultural communication and the ability to undertake effective secondary research using online and traditional research sources. In addition, the course will provide students with a supportive environment to develop effective communication skills.

Fall 2024
Instructor: Dr. Lindsay Der
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course introduces the sub discipline of archaeology, highlighting a few of the many places, theories, methods, techniques, and people(s) who have illuminated our shared human history. We consider the kind of questions archaeologists ask, how the archaeological record is formed, how archeologists collect data, conduct analyses, and interpret their findings. The course is not a comprehensive review but aims to examine the processes through which human history is encountered, narrated, and mobilized in the present. The laboratory sessions provide hands-on experience with techniques discussed in lectures and/or the readings. Please ensure that you have registered for both the lecture and a lab section.

Course outcomes/objectives

Become familiar with common terms and concepts in archaeology
Identify types of archaeological evidence and interpretations
Consider the utility of different archaeological methods and techniques
Describe and categorize commonly recovered archaeological material

Fall 2024
Instructor: Dr. Ammie Kalan
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course is an introduction to the subfields of biological anthropology, emphasizing the past and present evolution and diversity of human and nonhuman primates.

Course topics include evolutionary theory, population genetics, primatology, paleoanthropology and contemporary human diversity and adaptation.

Lab exercises will cover human osteology, fossil identification, comparative skeletal anatomy, human genetic principles and physiological differences in human populations.

The major objective of this course is to introduce students to the range of theoretical and methodological techniques within biological anthropology that help us to understand human biological variation and evolution.

Fall 2024
Instructor: Dr. Melissa Gauthier
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course introduces students to the various methods of enquiry and interpretation used in anthropological research. With examples from across the subfields of anthropology, this course provides an overview of research design, ethical considerations and different quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection and analysis.

This includes participant observation, interviewing, ethnographic mapping and participatory visual methods. We will also address key debates about the production and status of anthropological knowledge and the relationship between theory and methodology.

This course is designed to help students improve their ability to:

critically evaluate anthropological research
select and apply appropriate methods of data collection and analysis for addressing specific research questions
assess the advantages and disadvantages of qualitative and quantitative methods in certain contexts 
critically assess how historical and contemporary factors can shape the power relations between researcher and participants
understand the ethical and political implications of anthropological research

Course outcomes/objectives

Students will gain valuable experience in anthropological research, critical analysis, academic writing and use of referencing.

This will involve synthesizing and evaluating information from scholarly sources and clearly communicating through academic writing and peer-to-peer discussions.

Through practical research exercises, students will develop foundational skills for the collection, recording and analysis of anthropological data.

Fall 2024 courses - 300 and 400 level

Fall 2024
Instructor: Mark McIntyre
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course aims at sensitizing the students to the often-forgotten presence of sounds in everyday life. More than just a phenomenological account of sound, the course proposes to consider all sound-related dimensions (noise, music, voice, silence, etc.) as significant elements of research and analysis.

It further takes sound as something to seriously reflect upon from an anthropological perspective. Throughout this course, students will have the opportunity (1) to map out and reflect upon ethnographies of sound, theories of sound, sound art works and recent writings in sound studies—a thriving field in the humanities and social sciences—and (2) to experiment directly with sound production.

In being involved in the production of soundscapes and other related sound installations/projects, students will be encouraged to think about how sound can be considered a significant element of research and theory-making.

Course outcomes/objectives

think creatively about how sound can become an element of research and analysis in anthropology
reflect critically on sound in your everyday life and in relation to your own research interests
discuss recent and historical research, works and projects constructed on an analysis of sound from various perspectives and approaches: anthropology, sociology, visual and media arts, music, sound studies, communication, etc.
determine how sound can enhance the visual dimension of films, exhibitions and research
produce simple to more complex sound clips and/or soundscapes in order to explore research interests and questions in anthropology and other disciplines

Fall 2024
Instructor: Dr. Tatiana Degai
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This is a reading intense and practice-based course that offers insights into the meanings of and approaches to ethnographic research. We will focus on the main principles, ethics and methods contemporary ethnography employs.

This class is organized as a cooperative and collaborative discussion group and think tank with contributions expected from all. Over the course the students will develop a deeper understanding of the methodologies that might fit their future research.

Students are expected to be prepared to discuss the readings for each class meeting, contribute to small group (peer-review) and whole class discussions.

Course outcomes/objectives

become familiar with qualitative research methods and approaches
practice conducting independent ethnographic research including conducting interviews and fieldnote analysis
build and strengthen the skills of making public presentation
build and strengthen the skills of writing an ethnography
practice conducting peer evaluation

Fall 2024
Instructor: Dr. Lindsay Der
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course will introduce the basic tenets of research, highlighting how research projects are created and undertaken by archaeologists and biological anthropologists.

This course will immerse students in the research process from beginning to end, including research design, development of the research proposal, hypotheses and research objectives/questions data collection, basic data analysis, interpretation and knowledge mobilization.

Students will also engage in discussions of best practices and ethics in research, as well as of the biases inherent to all research that reflect our social, economic and academic environment.

While there will be some lectures, wherever possible classes will feature an experiential approach so that students gain hands-on, practical experience. Classes will largely take the format of a “research group” setting: we will spend the time talking about research, designing group research projects, working through problems, and collaborating.

This course will also include some components related to professionalization, such as grant writing, elevator pitches and the CV.

Course outcomes/objectives

By the completion of this course, you will be able to:

understand the major components of research design
develop effective skills in the implementation of different aspects of the research process
prepare a research grant/fellowship/scholarship application
disseminate research results
critically assess and evaluate research publications
engage in professionalization

Fall 2024
Instructor: Dr. Tommy Happynook
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course will introduce students to the current realities of Indigenous peoples' health in Canada. We will explore the health experiences of Indigenous peoples in Canada: past, present and future.

Students will learn about the history of colonization and its impacts on Indigenous people’s health. Students will also be introduced to traditional/contemporary ways that Indigenous peoples are reclaiming/revitalizing cultural healing and health practices.

Course outcomes/objectives

Upon completing this course, you will have a fundamental understanding of:

the impacts of colonization on Indigenous peoples’ health in Canada
the relationship between people, land, health and how this is experienced by Indigenous peoples and communities
how holistic approaches and cultural practices enhance the health of Indigenous peoples and community
the diverse ways Indigenous peoples/communities are putting into practice processes of reclamation and revitalization of health

Fall 2024
Instructor: Dr. Tommy Happynook
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course explores the ways that Indigenous Peoples, communities, organizations and nations contend with contemporary issues brought about by Canada’s historic and continuing legacy of colonization.

The course provides an opportunity to develop fundamental understandings of contemporary Indigenous social, political, legal and cultural issues at the core of Indigenous experiences in Canada.

Weekly topics will discuss the links between the historic and contemporary impacts of colonization, as well as how Indigenous Peoples, communities, organizations and nations are overcoming the impacts of colonization through acts of revitalization and reclamation.

Course outcomes/objectives

Upon completing this course, you will have a fundamental understanding of:

the impacts of colonization in Canada and its relationship to contemporary Indigenous issues
the experiences of Indigenous Peoples, communities, organizations and nations in a Canadian context
the many ways Indigenous Peoples, communities, organizations and nations are overcoming the impacts of colonization
how to begin to interact respectfully with Indigenous Peoples, communities, organizations and nations
where you belong in conversations related to contemporary Indigenous issues

Fall 2024
Instructor: Dr. Iain McKechnie
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course surveys the vast and vibrant human history in British Columbia represented at Indigenous and historic-era archaeological sites. It highlights recent research on the coast, plateau and subarctic, considering the many ways Indigenous peoples thrived in diverse places and communities, from the last glaciation into the current moment.

We will specifically examine how archaeological research has been conducted in the province by investigating foodways, settlement practices, as well as environmental and sea level changes.

Course outcomes/objectives

learn about archaeology in BC; how sites have been investigated, the information they contain and their significance to Indigenous communities
identify types of ancient human places and how archaeological observations can have implications for governance, policy, science and engineering today
learn about the role that archaeological data and theories have had in portraying Indigenous histories in legal settings and in reconciliation efforts
consider how the locations and conditions of archaeological sites are revealed and affected by post-glacial environmental changes and geohazards

Fall 2024
Instructor: Dr. Yin Lam
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

In this course, the Pleistocene archaeological record of Africa will be used as a framework for activities designed to practice and enhance academic skills.

The course material surveys over 3 million years of archaeology, from the earliest known traces of stone tool use until the beginning of the Holocene.

To provide a framework for the interpretation of the archaeological record, the course offers an introduction to the climate, ecology, fossil hominins and modern foraging populations of Africa while acknowledging the colonial nature of the practice of African archaeology, past and present.

Course outcomes/objectives

Students engage in two assignments based on fundamental academic activities.

The first is the preparation and delivery of a class presentation based on library research.

The second is an exercise in peer-review, conducted anonymously, in which students write a paper on the same topic, read and review the papers of classmates and revise their papers based on their classmates’ feedback.

Fall 2024
Instructor: Dr. April Nowell
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

Drawing on lectures, slides, films, assigned readings, hands-on lab experiments and class discussions, this course explores cave art and portable art (including figurines) made from 40,000 – 10,000 years ago during the Upper Paleolithic. 

Specifically, we will look at techniques of manufacture, analysis, interpretation, dating and conservation.  We will consider questions such as who made this art, can we infer its meaning(s), what does it tell us about the cognitive capacities of our ancestors, can we use art to study the individual in the past and should we even use the term “art” to describe these images? 

The second half of the course will focus on regional developments within Paleolithic art (e.g., Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Siberia, South Africa and Australia). Students are expected to become cognizant of key issues in Paleolithic art and the history of research in this discipline and to be able to recognize images, artifacts and artistic styles from sites in different regions of the Old World.

Course outcomes/objectives

research
critical reading
academic writing (clear, focused, data supported writing)
public speaking/academic presentation

Fall 2024
Instructor: Dr. Ammie Kalan
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course introduces the discipline of primate behaviour and its many contributions to evolutionary anthropology. Students will learn the natural history, behaviour and ecology of various primate groups as well as primate taxonomy and evolutionary patterns.

Various issues in primate conservation will be presented and discussed, especially in relation to wild populations living increasingly in human-modified environments. Multi-species comparative approaches will be used to illustrate concepts and theories throughout the course.

Assessments include a midterm, quizzes and a project (to be conducted in pairs) which will help to develop your own research skills, promote creativity and encourage you to explore your own interests in primate behaviour and/or conservation.

Course outcomes/objectives

succinctly summarize the historical and colonial roots of primatology
accurately explain major theories relevant to primate behavioural ecology
clearly describe a variety of behaviours and cultural traditions unique to primates
comprehensively list the ways in which humans are special from all other primates using the comparative method
critically analyze topical issues in primate conservation considering the needs of both people and nonhuman primates

Topics may include

primate cognition
foraging ecology
primate cultures
animal communication
wildlife conservation

Fall 2024
Instructor: Dr. Alison Murray
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course explores skeletal biology, variability in the modern human skeleton and the mechanisms through which skeletal diversity is shaped in our species.

The course assesses the ways in which this skeletal variation can tell us something about the origins of bipedality in our species, about behaviour and locomotion in the past, and about the importance of sport and physical activity in modern humans for bone health.

Course outcomes/objectives

Students who have learned successfully in this course will be able to:

understand the complex relationships between genetic adaptation and plasticity during the lifespan (epigenetic, developmental, behavioural) in shaping the adult human skeleton
apply this understanding to the interpretation of variation in skeletal morphology in the past, in relation to diet and health, ageing, locomotion and behaviour among fossil and prehistoric humans
contribute to current discussions on the role of ageing, fracture risk, public health and physical activity

Fall 2024
Instructor: Dr. Yin Lam
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

In this course on archaeological faunal analysis, the majority of class time will be spent in the lab, where each student will study modern reference material and analyze a faunal assemblage from a local archaeological site.

Lectures will cover basic zooarchaeological methods and topics. Assessment is based on practical identification exams, a paper and class presentation based on library research, and the report on the archaeological faunal assemblage.

Course outcomes/objectives

become proficient in the identification of the bones of several local species of mammal
use Excel or similar software to document faunal assemblages, conduct basic analyses and produce graphs
conduct library research and critically evaluate published presentations of zooarchaeological data
revise library research papers into PowerPoint presentations and deliver in class

Fall 2024
Instructor: Dr. Lindsay Der
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

What can archaeology tell us about the vices of past peoples, cultures and societies? This course will be a survey of case studies from a wide-ranging selection of regions and time periods, organized thematically around different so-called wicked behaviours.

Rather than focus on the heroes of the past, this course will highlight the material remains of people behaving badly and engaging in deviant activities. Topics will include psychedelic drug use, cannibalism, prostitution and the smuggling of illicit contraband, among others. Along the way, we will question whether these individuals are truly the villains of the past or if it is our own misconceptions that make them appear so.

Course outcomes/objectives

Though this course is in a survey format, students will have an opportunity to evaluate, debate and critically engage with how archaeologists read the past. To that end, by the completion of this course you will be able to:

link archaeological evidence to human behaviours
contemplate how our own biases and positionality affect our interpretations
evaluate, critique and question narratives derived from the material record
develop and articulate your own opinion through a persuasive, coherent and well-reasoned argument
analyze peer-reviewed sources

Fall 2024
Instructor: Dr. Kaela Parker
Delivery: Online

Course description

Many cultures around the world have distinguished between ‘us’ and ‘them’ or ‘other’. The ways of separating these two spheres may incorporate ideas associated with perceived cultural or physical differences.

Ultimately, the concept of human diversity has had enormous repercussions from the level of individual identity through to the far extremes of racial segregation and genocide throughout human history. However, can this diversity be categorized? How can it be discussed and understood and what is its basis?

This course will engage in a critical examination of the concepts surrounding human diversity. It will then proceed with a consideration of the biological and genetic basis for human variation. Through this, types of diversity and their biological basis will be explored.

Interacting roles of heredity, culture and environmental diversity will be presented, and the modern implications of race concepts, of human diversity and health will be discussed. Finally, the changing nature of human diversity will be explored.

Course outcomes/objectives

understanding human diversity and the complexities surrounding our understanding
discussing the fundamental concepts surrounding genetics and evolution
honing critical thinking
writing, discussing and leading a group talk

Fall 2024
Instructor: Dr. Daromir Rudnyckyj
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course aims to strengthen understanding of contemporary anthropological thought and practice by drawing attention to the historical processes, events and individuals that have shaped anthropological knowledge.

We will track key developments in the history of anthropological theory from the late 18th century to the 1970s. Among the key themes and concepts that we will consider are progressive developmentalism, evolution, society, culture, capitalism and class.

Readings, lectures and discussion will focus on changing definitions of anthropology’s subjects, objects and methods across several prominent schools of thought, including but not limited to British social anthropology, French structuralism and American symbolic anthropology.

How have these and other trends in anthropological theory conceived of the notions of culture, society and the subject? How have they helped us think about meaning, practice and power? The objective of this class is to provide students with an overview of the history of anthropological theory and the ability to identify the problems and innovations in the development of anthropological thought.

Course outcomes/objectives

working knowledge of key vocabulary, ideas, assumptions and individuals in the history of anthropology through to the 1970s
comprehension of how knowledge production is shaped by social, political and economic contexts
understanding the relationship between contemporary anthropology and earlier approaches
describing and analyzing anthropological theories, concepts and their implications
initiating and engaging in productive discussions of topical material
the ability to analyze texts through both expository writing and oral presentation

Fall 2024
Instructor: Dr. April Nowell
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course is designed as an in-depth investigation of the major methodological and theoretical issues confronting archaeologists today.

Emphasis is placed on the ways in which archaeologists reconstruct human behavior using the archaeological record and how different theoretical approaches relate to the types of data recovered and the interpretation of those data.

The first third of the course is designed to provide students with a solid background in the past 60 years of archaeological thought while the final two thirds of the course will focus on where the discipline is today.

It is expected that students will leave the course with a thorough understanding of the theoretical foundations of the discipline, an awareness of issues facing archaeology today and an ability to critically evaluate the primary literature in our field.

Course outcomes/objectives

research
critical reading
academic writing (clear, focused, data supported writing)
academic debate
public speaking

Fall 2024
Instructor: Dr. Iain McKechnie
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course explores how coastal archaeological data is increasingly central to extending ecological observations of coastal environments within the interdisciplinary framework of marine historical ecology.

It considers anthropological theory, Indigenous perspectives and marine ecology through case-study readings spanning the worlds’ oceans and coastlines.

As this is a 4th-year seminar, students will be supported in developing analyses as part of group and individual research activities. Together, we will seek to expand the analytical potential of coastal archaeological sites and refine understanding of global environmental change using archaeological information and other archives.

Course outcomes/objectives

Coastal archaeological sites are ubiquitous, but most people (and many marine scientists) don’t yet recognize how these vulnerable places can help to inform marine conservation, ocean governance, climate change and environmental histories.

We will read, discuss and explore how this knowledge is being applied globally. In addition to assignments and class activities, each participant will be draft a research proposal for a generic funding agency to partner with local communities to address a relevant coastal or marine conservation issue involving archaeological information.

Fall 2024
Instructor: Dr. Alison Murray
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This seminar course explores evolutionary theory as applied to anthropological questions relevant to humans and non-human primates.

The course examines how foundational concepts and thinkers in evolutionary theory have shaped scientific and popular perceptions about humans, and how evolutionary anthropologists are critically re-evaluating these models and their historical biases.

Course outcomes/objectives

Students in this course will learn to:

think critically about the evolutionary explanations on which the field has been based
identify and integrate ideas and evidence presented in the human evolutionary literature
contribute to current discussions around the historical biases inherent in biological anthropology

Topics may include

the legacy of Darwin’s ideas
challenging tenets of "evolution by natural selection": Are humans really unique? Is adaptation only about the genes? Is race actually biological? Is sexual selection really at play in humans?
popular misconceptions around Neanderthals, gendered divisions of labour and the evolution of running, play, sport and dance

Fall 2024
Instructor: Dr. Tatiana Degai
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

Arctic is home to unique ecosystems with fragile biological diversity as well as rich cultures celebrated by Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

The goal of this course is to offer an introduction into the broad array of the contemporary issues of the Circumpolar North with primary focus on Arctic Indigenous Peoples, Arctic knowledge systems, environmental stewardship and policies.

The core questions that will be addressed during this course are:

What is Arctic today?
What is the place of humans in Arctic’s past, present and future?

Course discussions, readings and assignments are aimed to enhance the understanding of interconnections between Arctic climate, environment and societies at the local and global scales.

Course outcomes/objectives

understand the unique place of the Arctic at the global scale
navigate across the challenges and solutions in relation to life in the Arctic
practice creative presentation design
situate anthropological discourses in relation to the Peoples of the Arctic 
practice written and oral communication

Fall 2024
Instructor: Dr. Cassandre Campeau-Bouthillier
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

Anthropology of the body is intended to disrupt, provoke, and enrich how we think about bodies and how we construct "the body."

While we tend of think of bodies as natural and "taken for granted," this course will examine how bodies are culturally, historically, politically and economically constructed.

We will examine how disciplines both within and outside of anthropology have contributed to how we currently think about and discuss bodies and embodiment.

The course builds on current and historical constructions of embodiment in anthropology as well as disciplines outside of anthropological work to create a ground for understanding how bodies can be approached both theoretically and in the field.

In this course, students will learn to think critically about how bodies are conceptualised in anthropological theories and different ways in which bodies are understood in various cultural practices and contexts. We will examine how bodies are not only "talked about" but also presented in various cultural and historical practices.

Students will:

learn how to distinguish between different notions of bodies and embodiment across history and cultures, and how these contribute to current anthropological theory and practice
examine how bodies are constructed in our own context (Victoria, BC)
be reflexive about our own notions of embodiment and how these affect how we think and act around bodies

Course outcomes/objectives

Students will:

learn key terms and concepts related to bodies and embodiment in anthropology
develop knowledge to think critically about how bodies are conceptualised and examined in different cultural and historical contexts
learn how distinctions between bodies as natural and bodies as cultural aren’t always as clear-cut as they seem distinguish and think critically about how bodies are (re)presented visually in different contexts, and how these representations serve to produce particular knowledge(s) about bodies
apply this knowledge and critical thinking by writing a research paper on a topic related to bodies and bodily practices.

Spring 2025 courses - 100 and 200 level

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. Erin McGuire
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course is an introductory survey of the sub-fields of anthropology: archaeology, biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, and linguistic anthropology.

Two broad principles underlie our understanding of human complexity:

All individuals and groups possess certain commonalities - in particular, genetic and other biological traits, sociality, language and a powerful symbolising capability.
Human culture is incredibly diverse and ever-changing.

We will explore the sub-fields of anthropology through a range of themes, identify the roles anthropology plays today and explore how anthropologists contribute to tackling global issues like sustainability and social inequality.

Course outcomes/objectives

By the end of the course students should be able to:

explain the sub-fields and specializations of anthropology with examples
critically discuss a range of key themes and methods relevant to the study of anthropology
identify and evaluate factors that influence our interpretation and understanding of anthropology
differentiate between pseudoscience and pseudoarchaeology and legitimate scientific and archaeological practices
exhibit research and public writing skills required in anthropology, other disciplines and employment situations

Topics may include

culture
primate diversity and conservation
human evolution, adaptation and diversity
environmental archaeology
public archaeology
sustainability and climate change
colonialism and social inequality
health, people and the environment

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. Lindsay Der
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

Who were the earliest ancestors of humans and how did they live millions of years ago? When did people first arrive in North America and how did they get here? Why do some societies become states while other remain egalitarian? This course traces the trajectory of the ancient human past, beginning in the Paleolithic period, with anatomically modern humans and hunter-gatherers, and ending in the emergence of complex state and non-state societies. We will cover major transformative events in the story of human culture and society, such as the origins of agriculture and the development of urban life. Archaeological case studies will span the Old World and New World, including the Middle East, Mesopotamia, Western Europe, Mesoamerica, and the Northwest Coast.

Course outcomes/objectives

This course is not just about ancient sites and archaeological discoveries, but to gain an understanding of how the study of the human past has the potential to inform our present and future. To that end, by the completion of this course you will be able to:

Develop and foster an appreciation and respect for other cultures and societies.
Identify and explain what archaeology is and fundamental archaeological concepts.
Evaluate hypotheses for major events and developments in human history and connect these developments to social change.
Communicate ideas effectively and clearly in writing and orally.
Reflect on the relevance of the past in the present.

Spring 2025
Instructor: Mark McIntyre
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course provides students with an overview of social and cultural anthropology – its origins, its distinctive methods and concepts and its place in the contemporary world.

By the end of the course students should:

learn to think about contemporary events from an anthropological perspective
apply anthropological theories and concepts to real-world problems
have a greater degree of familiarity with the field of socio-cultural anthropology, its key concepts, theoretical orientations and methods
understand the historical developments that have shaped the subfield of sociocultural anthropology
learn to challenge their cultural biases and ethnocentric assumptions
demonstrate greater awareness of the cultural and social bases of human prejudice and discrimination
gain a better understanding of Indigenous peoples, histories and cultures, and the impact of colonization on individuals, families and communities
understand the ethical standards that anthropologists uphold

Course outcomes/objectives

Because this is an introductory course, it will offer the opportunity to exercise a wide variety of skills that are crucial in students’ academic and professional careers.

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. Rachel Brown
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course is an investigation into the intersections of religion, culture and food. We will address food prohibitions, rituals involving food and food symbols that are present (or absent) in the various traditions.

We will pay particular attention to how religious groups use food to construct relationships (real or imagined) between individuals, the community and nonhuman beings (animals, deities, ancestors) and to construct and maintain cultural norms and values.

Course outcomes/objectives

identify the major theoretical issues in the anthropology of food and religion
develop a basic knowledge of a variety of religious, spiritual and cultural traditions
critically engage with discourses around race, gender, migration, class, colonialism and the impact of intersectional identity on religious practice
develop skills in experiential learning and writing through course assignments
develop an appreciation for the diversity of religiosity in various cultures and contexts

Topics may include

food prohibitions and regulations
food and identity
Indigenous foodways and relationality
food, religion and (post)colonialism
religious food activism
religion, food and climate

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. Daromir Rudnyckyj
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

We use money so frequently that life without it seems almost unimaginable. Many of the daily relationships we have with other people (bus drivers, baristas, cashiers and even friends and family) and certainly almost any work we do involves paying or receiving money. Yet, we almost never stop to think about what money is or how it works.

But how does it work?

How is it possible that one can walk into the Bibliocafé and exchange some shiny, stamped metal objects, brightly coloured pieces of paper (or nowadays small, ornately designed polymer sheets) for a cup of coffee, or better yet, food? What gives this metal, paper and plastic such power?

This is an introductory lecture course that presumes no prior knowledge in anthropology. It explores the history and culture of money. It seeks to show how the monetary system we use today and take to be universal is in fact the specific outcome of a series of random events that began in ancient times.

We will critically reflect on the use of money in contemporary Canada by contrasting it with examples of money and money-like systems that have existed in other times and cultures.

We will further seek to understand how money is changing today and what the implications of these changes are for economic development, addressing poverty and inequality, and political power. In so doing, we will critically evaluate money in the many forms it has taken historically, from gold, grain, beads and shells to paper, plastic, computer code and bitcoin.

Course outcomes/objectives

understand how anthropological approaches are useful in uncovering the assumptions embedded in everyday economic activities and the use of money
develop skills to critically analyze how the role money plays in society, culture and politics
develop the ability to understand ideas and behaviours in specific cultural and social contexts
learn to recognize that social creations, such as money, are not natural outcomes of some pre-given order but are instead deeply shaped by history and culture
develop critical thinking and reading skills

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. Lindsay Der
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

Coming soon.

Course outcomes/objectives

Coming soon.

Topics may include

Coming soon.

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. Alison Murray
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course is an introduction to the subfields of biological anthropology, stressing the past and present evolution and diversity of humans and nonhuman primates.

Course topics include evolutionary theory, population genetics, primatology, paleoanthropology and contemporary human diversity and adaptation.

Lab exercises will cover human osteology, fossil identification, comparative primate skeletal anatomy, human genetic principles and physiological differences in human populations.

The major objective of this course is to introduce students to theoretical and methodological techniques within biological anthropology and to the significance of evolutionary perspectives on humans and our primate relatives.

Course outcomes/objectives

Students will learn how to think critically about the application of an evolutionary perspective to understanding and explaining human and primate biology, behaviour and variation.

Lab sessions will develop essential skills in the collection and analysis of morphological and quantitative data.

Note

Mandatory lab sessions are part of this course and must be enrolled in separately.

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. Helen Kurki
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

Coming soon.

Course outcomes/objectives

Coming soon.

Topics may include

Coming soon.

Spring 2025
Instructor: Mark McIntyre
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course introduces students to the various methods of enquiry and interpretation used in anthropological research.

With examples from across the subfields of anthropology, this course provides an overview of research design, ethical considerations and different quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection and analysis. This includes participant observation, interviewing, ethnographic mapping and participatory visual methods. We will also address key debates about the production and status of anthropological knowledge and the relationship between theory and methodology.

This course is designed to help students improve their ability to:

critically evaluate anthropological research
select and apply appropriate methods of data collection and analysis for addressing specific research questions
assess the advantages and disadvantages of qualitative and quantitative methods in certain contexts 
critically assess how historical and contemporary factors can shape the power relations between researcher and participants
understand the ethical and political implications of anthropological research

Course outcomes/objectives

Students will gain valuable experience in anthropological research, critical analysis, academic writing and use of referencing.

This will involve synthesizing and evaluating information from scholarly sources and clearly communicating through academic writing and peer-to-peer discussions.

Through practical research exercises, students will develop foundational skills for the collection, recording and analysis of anthropological data.

Spring 2025 courses - 300 and 400 level

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. D. Burnett
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

In this course, students will develop an understanding of the critical relationship between global social and economic processes, the earth, and the health of humans.

The readings and lectures emphasize how local experiences of health are linked with global economic and political processes through the changing environment.

The first half of the course covers models of health, concepts of globalization and historical changes in disease and health. We focus in particular on the pandemics of cholera, malaria and HIV from a global historical perspective.

The second half of the course explores case studies on gender, food security, war and violence, the politics of primary health care, environmental degradation and health among colonized peoples.

Through careful presentation of lectures, video and publicly accessible case materials, students will develop skills to analyze health challenges facing many peoples of the world today.

Course outcomes/objectives

understand the intersections between the well-being of individuals and the cultural, historical and environmental conditions within which a person lives
develop the ability to observe global health patterns and to analyze global trends
develop an in-depth understanding of health issues among particular populations
apply knowledge of trends to real case materials through in-class exercises
develop skills in the critical analysis of representations about the health of others

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. Amy Levine
Delivery: Online

Course description

From amulets to antibiotics, medical anthropology examines ideas of what it means to be sick, to be a healer and to be healed from a cross-cultural perspective.

Medical anthropology looks at traditions of diagnosis and healing across the globe, exploring sickness and health as shaped by wider cultural values, political conditions, ideas about knowledge, the role of medical technologies and notions of rights and responsibilities.

This course encourages students to examine concepts of disease, suffering, health, identity and well-being in their immediate experience and beyond. In the process, students will gain a working knowledge of ecological, feminist, critical, science and technology studies and applied approaches used by medical anthropologists.

The universality of biomedicine will not be taken for granted. Rather, we will examine the plurality of skills and expertise generated by the various political, economic, social and ethical demands under which biomedicine has developed in different places and at different times. The course will also begin to critically assess some recent efforts to decolonize medical anthropology.

Course content will include studies from at least three continents, which includes recently published research on Indigenous Canadians, Kashmiris and others.

Course outcomes/objectives

define some key concepts in the field of medical anthropology
understand some key assumptions and values embedded in biomedicine
critically assess the ethics and effectiveness of global health research, policy and program initiatives aimed at reducing health inequities
apply concepts derived from medical anthropology to the analysis of everyday problems

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. Helen Kurki
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course introduces students to quantitative data analysis in anthropology. It is designed for students with little or no previous experience in this area but who wish to achieve basic statistical literacy, enabling them to perform common statistical analyses and understand statistical results reported in the literature.

The course format includes lectures and computer-based labs, with a focus on the theory, application and interpretation of statistical analyses and information. The relationship between research questions and statistical design will also be examined. Data analysis applications will be based in R and RStudio.

Course outcomes/objectives

This course aims to aid students in learning to:

explain statistical concepts such as types of quantitative data, probability, normal distributions, hypothesis testing and confidence intervals
evaluate the appropriate use and interpretation of statistical analyses
interpret statistical results, both numerical coefficients and graphical representations
apply common statistical analyses and create graphical representations using R programming language and the RStudio GUI
explain how virtual (computer-based) approaches are being applied to quantitative data analysis in biological anthropology and archaeology

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. Tommy Happynook
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

The course provides an opportunity to develop fundamental understandings of contemporary Indigenous social, political, legal and cultural issues at the core of Indigenous experiences in Canada.

Course outcomes/objectives

Upon completing this course, you will have a fundamental understanding of:

the impacts of colonization in Canada and its relationship to contemporary Indigenous issues
the experiences of Indigenous Peoples, communities, organizations and nations in a Canadian context
the many ways Indigenous Peoples, communities, organizations and nations are overcoming the impacts of colonization
how to begin to interact respectfully with Indigenous Peoples, communities, organizations and nations.
where you belong in conversations related to contemporary Indigenous issues

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. Alison Murray
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

In this course, the primary objective is to examine the anatomy and functioning of the human musculoskeletal system as a foundation for further studies in areas such as bioarchaeology, forensic anthropology, paleopathology and paleoanthropology, among others.

Students will learn to identify the elements of the human skeleton and major skeletal landmarks, skeletal muscle anatomy, skeletal growth and development, and basic skeletal biology and histology.

The ethical considerations of studying human remains will be a consistent theme. The lecture component will focus predominantly on the biological, developmental and functional components of the musculoskeletal system. Weekly lab sessions will enable students to engage in hands-on activities aimed at identification of the skeletal structures and an appreciation for human skeletal variation.

Course outcomes/objectives

Students will have the opportunity to develop skills relating to the handling and identification of human skeletal remains. Written exams and bell-ringer format tests will be the primary assessment methods.

Note

Mandatory lab sessions are part of this course and must be enrolled in separately.

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. Tatiana Degai
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course is designed to introduce the students to the diverse stories of Indigenous languages and cultures. 

We will explore the links between languages and cultures, analyze the histories and experiences of language shift in different language communities, discuss language ideologies and refer to historical and political trends.

The core questions of this course are to understand why language and culture diversity is important, what processes lay behind Indigenous languages, how sustainability of the languages can be achieved and what role anthropology plays or can play in these processes.

This course is a combination of discussions of the readings, language immersion activities, language revitalization activities, response papers, group work and student presentations. The final assignment of this course is developing a research proposal that aims at strengthening a chosen Indigenous language.

Course outcomes/objectives

knowledge building around relationships between languages and cultures
critical analysis of the processes that lay behind language vitality
practice collaborative group work
situate anthropological practices in language revitalization  
practice research proposal writing

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. Andrea Walsh
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

In this course we focus on the role of Canadian museums today as places of cultural resurgence for Indigenous Peoples and reconciliation for all Canadians.

The course addresses a large question: how are museum and heritage professionals changing their mandates and practices to reflect present day ethical, moral, and legal obligations to Indigenous communities whose belongings were removed and are now in museums?

To answer this question, we will use a case study approach that combines reading, audio and visual resources and experiential learning. During the semester our class will be in conversation (in person and over Zoom) with a minimum of 5 Indigenous heritage professionals working in or through museums in BC and Canada.

These engagement sessions are designed as open conversations with heritage professionals about their work as curators, conservators, directors of repatriation and public programming.

The case study approach is supported by our learning about provincial, national and international reports and policies affecting museums and their communities. Importantly, we will be exploring Indigenous–led work of heritage professionals through individual First Nations, Metis and Inuit organizations and policy making by provincial and national museums. Our work with these publications will have a focus on repatriation and the creation of exhibitions.

Assessment of student learning will be based on:

a series of short written reflections following the Indigenous heritage professional sessions
one exam focused on understanding present museum-associated issues including policies
a curatorial research/exhibition project (chosen from a selection of topics) resulting in a virtual exhibition

In some years, a class-based research project may be scheduled in collaboration with a First Nation or Indigenous organization. Students can expect one optional field trip based on course content to a local museum or exhibition during the semester.

Course outcomes/objectives

learn about critical historical events and movements as part of museums practice in Canada
develop critical skills for looking at the historical construction of cultural representations through museums as well as present day decolonial approaches to museology and work by heritage professionals
learn from case study implementation of policies and reports including:
- Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls To Action
- Canadian Museums Association’s New Partnership Agreement and Moved To Action Report
- the Royal BC Museum’s Repatriation Handbook
- the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)
- BC’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA)
have opportunities to converse with and learn from practicing Indigenous heritage professionals
gain practical skills in archival and curatorial research as well as further develop critical writing skills

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. Christopher Ames
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course surveys the origins and contemporary practice of archaeology in the public context, exploring the role that archaeology plays in the management of cultural heritage at the provincial, national and international levels.

Topics and case studies will include Canadian and international heritage legislation and policy, professional ethics and the social relevance of cultural heritage, while also examining the intersection of archaeology and land use planning, development and Indigenous rights.

In the process, students will learn how and why archaeological overview assessments, impact assessments, mitigation studies and site damage assessments are undertaken.

Course outcomes/objectives

Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:

identify the institutions, mandates and regulations that govern Cultural Resource Management (CRM) practice, with a focus on Canada and particularly British Columbia
understand the basic protocols and components of CRM practice
critically evaluate professional CRM documents and publications
understand the relationships between research, planning and management, stewardship, ethics, Indigenous peoples and public interest in the context of CRM
critically discuss professional ethics in the context of CRM

Students who successfully complete this course will develop the following skills:

a foundation in global heritage legislation and policy, with a focus on Canada
a strong understanding of the regulations, guidelines, and practice of CRM in BC
ability to identify ethical issues in CRM and know where to find resources to resolve them
recognition of the current and future challenges for CRM, both locally and globally

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. Melanie Chang
Delivery: Online (you may listen to the archived lectures at any time)

Course description

This undergraduate course, suitable for both majors and non-majors, will outline Neandertal biology, behaviour and current debates over the place of the Neandertals in human evolution.

The main goal of the course is an up-to-date understanding about who the Neandertals were, and how they lived, through the examination of paleontological, archaeological, and molecular data.

What did they look like? What did they eat? What sort of tools did they make? Were they our ancestors or not? What’s this I hear about a cave bear cult? As we evaluate the available evidence (and its limitations), we will also investigate the history of scientific and popular thought about Neandertals, and how it has reflected changes in broader societal attitudes over time.

The course will include in-class, hands-on laboratory activities and open discussions. The reading list will range from selected journal articles to excerpts from popular literature like Clan of the Cave Bear.

Course outcomes/objectives

Students who have learned successfully in this course will:

be familiar with the available osteological, archaeological and genetic data regarding Neandertal biology and behaviour
understand the phylogenetic significance of the Neandertals and their relationship to more ancient hominins as well as modern humans
be able to critically evaluate paleoanthropological data and theories

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. D. Burnett
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

Taken together with its companion course, Anthropology 400A (History of Anthropological Theory), this course aims to acquaint the anthropology major with the history and development of the discipline's major schools of thought.

These two courses focus on historical and contemporary developments in anthropological theory while also exploring the contemporary critical issues which both unify the discipline and create an association of semi-autonomous fields of study.

Anthropology 400B takes its starting point as the 1970s and continues on to discuss the most recent theoretical debates. Although the course is primarily concerned with theoretical issues in social and cultural anthropology, an attempt will be made to relate these debates to their influence on anthropology's other subdisciplines -- when relevant.

Course outcomes/objectives

Students taking this course should expect to:

gain knowledge of terminology, concepts, theories, ethical issues/standards and cultural adeptness
develop their skills in understanding (reading for ideas, listening for key ideas and claims, evaluating claims, synthesizing information, critically evaluating information, discerning context, process and knowledge production)
practice knowledge application and research related skills (developing questions, integrative thinking, defining a problem, analyzing context, assessing evidence)
improve their communication skills (oral communication and presentation, writing to specifications, citation practices, summarizing and synthesizing information, structuring and forwarding an argument)

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. Daromir Rudnyckyj
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This hands-on theory and practice course teaches: (a) anthropological research methods, (b) cutting-edge theory in economic anthropology and the anthropology of money and (c) how to use theoretical analysis to better understand empirical research. Through lab participation, students become part of the Counter Currency research team.

Based on cutting-edge theory in economic anthropology and in interdisciplinary social scientific research on money that calls for knowledge production by destabilizing materialist/idealist binaries, the Counter Currency Lab combines methods from the anthropology, history, sociology and other academic fields. The aim is to understand money and inequality through the development of a currency research platform.

Students work collaboratively with each other and professors to inventory and analyze archival materials in the anthropology of money and develop individualized research projects based on course materials.

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. Tommy Happynook
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course will explore Indigenous ontology, epistemology and pedagogy through an experiential process of learning.

Students will:

be introduced to the history and impacts of colonization on Indigenous peoples in Canada
learn about the continuation and revitalization of Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing
come to understand how Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing are influencing and enhancing current academia
work on developing critical thinking skills and build on written and oral communication skills

Course outcomes/objectives

By the end of this course students will:

understand the importance of Indigenous worldviews and identity
understand the importance of Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing
understand the impacts of colonization on Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing
understand how Indigenous ways of knowing are being revitalized
advocate for the inclusion of Indigenous knowledge and worldviews in academia

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. Iain McKechnie
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course introduces students to important current issues in the archaeology of Northwestern North America, particularly the coastal and island areas.

This part of the world has a very rich and exciting archaeological record spanning almost 14,000 years. Topics may include:

the post-glacial occupation of the coast
household archaeology
social complexity
lithic analysis
ground stone technology
faunal analysis
spatial analysis
change and continuity in the archaeological record
ethical considerations in BC archaeology and Indigenous archaeologies

The focus will be on thematic questions of how archaeologists gain knowledge (or think they do!) rather than exactly “what happened when and where” in a strict cultural history sense.

These thematic topics will involve readings and exercises focused on topics of methodological and theoretical interest. Cultural history and integration of method and theory will be explored through individual research essays.

An introductory course in archaeological method and theory is required, normally ANTH 240, while ANTH 340 (Archaeology of BC) is desirable. The format of the class, which meets in a 3-hour time block, will include lectures, structured class discussions, guest lectures and student presentations.

We will work with some original archaeological material, transforming it from things in bags to useful data. We will also do some structured exercises in artifact replication in this class. Some optional field trips will be scheduled on weekends later in the term. There will be no exams in this course.

Course outcomes/objectives

Students will improve their critical reading and thinking skills through advanced readings from the professional literature, presentations, structured discussions and exercises and debate. There will be explicit instruction and feedback on giving short, effective presentations.

Students will work with original archaeological materials and experience the process of sorting, classifying and measuring specimens and analysing the resultant data. Some applied qualitative and quantitative research skills we be attained.

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. Lindsay Der
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

What do Coachella music festival attendees, the Nefertiti Bust and the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks have in common?

All three invoke heritage to convey messages and further agendas, whether it be through hipster headdresses, ancient artifacts or as a representation of major geological and evolutionary processes in Earth’s history.

In this course, we will explore the different kinds of heritage, including natural, cultural and mixed, as well as tangible and intangible forms, interrogating its promotion, erasure and manipulation from anthropological and archaeological perspectives. The course will also examine existing frameworks for the protection of heritage.

Course outcomes/objectives

question and challenge narratives and assumptions surrounding ethical dilemmas in heritage, such as ownership and access
develop and foster an appreciation and respect for other cultures
analyze, connect and interpret material from primary sources, placing texts and media in conversation
develop and articulate your own opinion through a persuasive, coherent and well-reasoned argument
identify and explain why heritage and is relevant to contemporary social issues today.
design and create a professional research poster and elucidate your ideas clearly to an audience with no prior knowledge of the topic

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. CindyAnn Rose-Redwood
Delivery: Online - Wednesdays (synchronous) 9:30 a.m. - 12:20 p.m.

Course description

Anthropology has a long and contradictory history regarding discussions of race and racism. The discipline is well-known for contributing to the notion of “scientific racism” and eugenics, yet it is also the same field that has made contributions to promoting anti-racism in recent years.

In this course, students will engage in critical analysis and discussions of the discourses on race and racism within the field of anthropology.

We will begin by taking a historical lens to examine how early anthropologists approached the study of race. Next, we will examine the work of anthropologists who have challenged racist viewpoints in the discipline.

A key part of the course also involves students learning about contemporary anthropological research and fieldwork involving notions of race and racism by scholars from diverse backgrounds.

Most importantly, the aim of the course is for students to learn how they themselves can actively engage in anti-racist thought and practice when it comes to advancing anthropological research and fieldwork practices.

Course outcomes/objectives

critically engage with anthropological scholarship and scholars writing about race, racism and the experiences of people characterized as racialized “others”
explain how race and racism have been discussed within the discipline of anthropology
analyze anthropological scholarship discussing race and racism and its impact on peoples around the world
develop concrete actions and anti-racist practices that can break down and challenge structural and institutional racism within the discipline of anthropology
reflect on one’s own role and responsibility to support anti-racist activism within anthropology

Topics may include

race, racism and anti-racism
politics of whiteness
eugenics
intersectional feminism
Indigenous anthropologies
immigration

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. Andrea Walsh
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

This course explores creativity as a way of producing knowledge in the discipline of anthropology and beyond. To do this we will spend time reading and looking at historical and contemporary graphic novels, visual stories/narratives and comics that build our understanding of multi-modal and graphic anthropology.

While we learn through these published works, students will participate in workshop/field trip classes focused on developing applied skills in visual communication and arts-based research methods. Specifically, we will take up drawing as an ethnographic research method.

Students will learn how to develop their own style of drawing as a research method and way to communicate research results. Weekly exercises/visual labs will help students develop their skillsets to use in their coursework. Any level of drawing experience is welcome (this includes no drawing experience!).

A principal focus of the course is students’ creation of creative research-based graphic stories. (Students’ topics to be chosen in consultation with Dr. Walsh can be anchored in anthropology or elsewhere, i.e. art studies, biology, computer science, music, healthcare, gender studies, etc.).

Each student’s research project will produce a 6–8-page graphic story. Students are free to explore digital programs for this project or create using media of their choice. The class will have 2-3 guest lectures by graphic anthropologists and comic artists who will share their practices and experiences with students.

Assessment for this course will focus on class participation, writing/journal reflections on published materials, and their creative research-based graphic story portfolio.

Course outcomes/objectives

acquire visual and creative research skills that may be applied in social science-based research and other professional contexts
understand the role creativity can play in problem solving and innovation
develop skillsets for listening, observing, and productively creating a project/product that visually communicates information to diverse audiences
understand the relationship between creativity, personal expression/experience and ethics in research

Spring 2025
Instructor: Dr. April Nowell
Delivery: On campus - face-to-face

Course description

The honours seminar is a capstone class that provides students with a collaborative intellectual community.

The honours seminar functions very much like a graduate seminar, providing mentorship in scholarly professional development, along with rich peer learning focused on bridging sub-field knowledge and integrative anthropological thinking to contribute to understanding current issues, ideas and debates.

Key milestones for the honours seminar will be working through fundamental elements of the research, writing and presentation of the honours essay.

Course outcomes/objectives

critical and integrative thinking, evaluating arguments, synthesizing information, comprehending the context of academic debate and argument
development and application of research skills including defining a research problem, creating a manageable research question, developing a research plan, identifying relevant sources, composing a literature review, generating relevant data and analysing data
verbal and written communication skills including summarizing information, synthesizing data, structuring an argument, offering constructive peer review, and revising work in progress
presentation skills including summarizing and communicating research results in conference-style presentations.

Course format

This class will be a 3-hour weekly seminar in the spring term. Students will be expected to come prepared and to participate actively in the conversations.

To facilitate the successful scoping, logistics and approvals of the honours essay, we will also be holding several shorter sessions together at a mutually agreeable time during the fall term.

In addition to these scheduled group seminar times, students will identify an honours supervisor – an anthropology professor intimately knowledgeable with the honours thesis topic – and organize individual meetings with them at key points throughout the term.

Undergraduate courses

Summer 2024 courses

ANTH 100 - Introduction to Anthropology

ANTH 150 - Race, Culture and Power

ANTH 200 - Cultural and Social Anthropology

ANTH 381 and 382 - Ethnographic Field School in Cuba

ANTH 384 - Forensic Anthropology Field Course

Fall 2024 courses - 100 and 200 level

ANTH 100 - Introduction to Anthropology

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ANTH 150 A01 - Spirituality, Religion, Eco-Ethics, and the Other-Than-Human World

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ANTH 150 A02 - Race, Culture and Power

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Topics may include

ANTH 150 A03 - Anthropology of Travel

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ANTH 200 - Cultural and Social Anthropology (Lecture & Tutorial)

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ANTH 240 - Archaeology (lecture & lab)

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ANTH 250 - Biological Anthropology (lecture & lab)

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ANTH 260 - Introduction to Anthropological Research

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Fall 2024 courses - 300 and 400 level

ANTH 303 - Anthropology of Sound

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ANTH 318 - Ethnographic Research Methods

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ANTH 319 - Research Methods in Archaeology and Biological Anthropology

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ANTH 331 - Anthropology of Indigenous Health

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ANTH 336 - Contemporary Indigenous Issues in Canada

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ANTH 340 - Archaeology of British Columbia

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ANTH 347 - The Pleistocene Archaeology of Africa

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ANTH 349 - Paleolithic Art

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ANTH 350 - Primate Behaviour and Conservation

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Topics may include

ANTH 358 - Biology of Human Skeletal Variability

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ANTH 360 - Zooarchaeology

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ANTH 392 - Archaeology of Vice

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ANTH 394 A02 - Evolution and Human Diversity

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ANTH 400A - History of Anthropological Theory

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ANTH 441 - Archaeological Theory

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