ANTH 150 Human Adaptation

What's it about?

ANTH 150, Human Adaptation, is a general introduction to the four fields of anthropology: physical anthropology, archaeology, cultural anthropology, and linguistics. In this course, we learn, talk, and write about

  • the things people leave behind and how we learn about our past (archaeology)
  • biological differences among humans
  • human evolution – our ancestors and our development
  • the differences between humans and other primates
  • natural selection – it’s not just survival of the fittest
  • linguistic (language) development and variation
  • cultural differences
  • cross-cultural issues

Course Information FALL 2009

CRN Meeting times Room
SYLLABUS
Unit 1
Test 9/22
Unit 2
Test 10/20
Unit 3
Test 11/17
Unit 4
Test 12/15
62131 TR 11:15-12:30 Manao 102
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*PDF files can be read with Adobe Acrobat Reader

FIELD TRIP! Join us for a Saturday trip to the Honolulu Zoo to visit the primates (date will be Oct. 17); sign up by October 9!
* $2/person
* wear covered shoes (NO slippers or sandals)
* bring questions about primates (monkeys and apes) for the zookeeper
* ask Aj. Pam if you want to bring a friend or family member (it depends on the size of the group)
* you may write about this for extra credit (special: 5 points)

Advice from ANTH 150 Students -- Doing Well in this Course

Homework Preparation Forms

Readings

Texts Required

1. Park, M. A. (2006). Introducing Anthropology: An Integrated Approach (4 ed). San Francisco: McGraw Hill.
2. An e-book version is available at CourseSmart.com for $48.50 (180 day subscription).
3. Quinn, D. (1992). Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit. New York: Bantam Books.

Articles, Video Handouts, and Class Slides

week 1: Secret of Haiti's Living Dead (Del Guercio)
week 1: Slides (What is Anthropology)
week 2: Slides (Scientific Method)
week 3: Slides (Evolution)
week 3: Blood, Genes, and Malaria (Diamond)
week 4: handout Allele Exercises

week 5: Slides (Culture)
week 6: Slides (Material Culture - Archaeology)
week 7: Slides (Primates)
week 7: Bonobo Sex and Society (de Waal)
week 7: Primate Taxonomy chart
week 8: Handout to accompany "Humans: Who Are We?" video (available on reserve in the library)
week 8: Handout Hominid Timeline
week 8: optional reading: Ardi (Artdipithecus ramidus)
week 8: Slides (Human Evolution)

week 9: Slides 3 / 6 per page (Primate Reproduction/Sexuality)
week 10: Slides 3/6 (Human Variation - Race)
week 10: Handout to accompany "Race: The Power of an Illusion" Part 1 (excerpted)
week 11: Forest Development the Indian Way (Reed)
week 11: Handout to accompany "Faces of Culture" (Foraging, Pastoralism, Horticulture, Agriculture) *available on reserve in the library
week 11: Slides (Eating! Subsistence)
week 12: The Visit (Geertz)
week 12: Slides (Social Organization)
week 12: Handout on kinship
week 12: Handout to accompany "Taboo: Marriage" (season 1 - available in the library)
week 13: Language Training of Apes (Savage-Rumbaugh)
week 13: Slides (Communication: Language)
week 14: Slides (Maintaining Order)
week 15: The Price of Progress (Bodley)
week 15: Slides (Culture Change)
week 16: What Can We Learn From Drunk Monkeys? (Small)
week 16: Slides (Evolution of Human Behavior)
week 16: Slides (Anthropology in Today's World)

*PDF files can be read with Adobe Acrobat Reader

Comparison of Chapters for Park 3rd and 4th Editions

4th edition (current) 3rd ed
1 Defining Anthropology 1
2 Methods of Inquiry 2
3 Evolution 3
4 Culture 7,11
5 Primates 4
6 Primate Evolution 5
7 Primate Sexuality 6
8 Biological Diversity and Race 8
9 Food 9
10 Social Organization 10
11 Communication 12
12 Maintenance of Order 13
13 Culture Change 14
14 Human Behavior 15
15 Anthropology in Today’s World 16

Download this chart (pdf).

For your project, you must choose EITHER the Research Paper OR the Service-Learning Option

Research Paper Service-Learning Option

Choose a topic that related to anthropology -- anything in anthropology. Go research it a little more in-depth and write a 4-5 page paper describing the current information on it.

Ajaan Pam must approve the topic and sources. Papers will be submitted to turnitin.com (enrollment number and password will be provided).

Use this CHECKLIST to prepare your research paper.

Spec: 4-5 pages, based on scholarly sources, keep topics narrow (focussed)

Service-Learning combines course learning objectives with community service and deliberate reflection.

Choose a community site at which to volunteer and practice applying an anthropological perspective. A minimum of 20 hours are required. Write up your observations, thoughts, knowledge gained in a reflective journal.

Ajaan Pam must approve the site. Three forms are required: 1) site proposal form, 2) risk, release, and waiver of liability form, 3) site supervisor evaluation form. The journal will be assessed using this rubric.

Extra Credit Activities

For all options, write a 1-2 page response paper (describe what you learned, what was useful, how it relates to our class, your thoughts, analyses...)