Courses » » Anthropology 298. Experimental Courses

Introduction to Archaeology

This course will serve as an overview of the field of archaeology, a sub-discipline of anthropology. Archaeology is defined as the study of human cultures and societies through their material remains. The course will begin with an historical look at archaeology as a field of study, the development of various theories and methods used in archaeological research, how data is collected and analyzed, and how archaeologists draw conclusions to interpret and reconstruct the past. We will focus on human prehistory – the period of time before written records and the development of human culture globally. We fill also consider some of the “big questions” in archaeology – when did domestication of plants and animals begin and when did cities and civilizations evolve. Because this in introductory course, the format will be primary lecture with some discussion and archaeological related problems.
Alex Trayford

Peoples and Cultures of the Middle East

This course will introduce students to the Arab Middle East from Morocco to Iraq and Syria to the Persian Gulf. We will explore how the experiences of ordinary men, women, and children are shaped by their cultures and how these have changed over time from before the great state-making events of the 20th century. A particular focus of the course will be Islam as a major influence in everyday life and the way that its implementation alters structures of power and authority. The course will also examine other influencing factors such as development and modernization efforts, work patterns, family and community, and gender relations as they shape individuals’ lives, beliefs and hopes.