You are in the official 1998-99 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.
Department of Anthropology
COURSES
Anthropology (Anth)
A. The Core Curriculum
1. Introduction to Physical Anthropology (3)
Examines the biological basis of being human. Compares humans with what are thought to be primate relatives. Traces speculated evolution of species from four-million-year-old
australopithecines to try to account for the great anatomical and biochemical
diversity among modern human populations. General Education BREADTH, Division
3. (CAN ANTH 2)
2. Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (3)
Examines the nature of culture, humanity's unique mechanism for adapting
to the changing environment. Explores the varieties of human life and explains
how culture has made possible the range of different and successful societies,
from hunters and gatherers to industrial civilization. General Education
BREADTH, Division 8. (CAN ANTH 4)
3. Introduction to Prehistory (3)
An exploration of human prehistory as revealed by the archaeological record.
Traces the evolution of culture, from its earliest expression in crude stone
tools more than 2 million years old, through the emergence of agriculture
and the first civilizations. General Education BREADTH, Division 3. (CAN
ANTH 6)
30. Critical Thinking in Anthropology (3)
Introduction to the basic concepts and skills of critical thinking illustrated
with anthropological topics such as race and intelligence, religion and
values, and social policy. General Education CORE, Critical Thinking.
100. Concepts and Applications (3)
This foundation course demonstrates the use of selected core concepts within
the context of a defined research project which the students carry out during
the semester. Acquaints students with the conceptual framework of the discipline
and the basic processes of anthropological inquiry. (Formerly Anth 103)
101. Fieldwork in Anthropology (3)
Prerequisite: Anth 100 or permission of instructor. An introduction to the
role, the theory, and the rudimentary techniques of fieldwork in archaeology
and ethnology. The class involves some field trips, which may include weekend
sessions.
B. CULTURAL Curriculum
102. Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology (3)
Prerequisite: Anth 1 or 2. A compendium of current thinking on language
from a variety of interdisciplinary perspectives. Discusses brain functions
and language process in human and nonhuman communication systems, and the
roles of language in human evolution, behavior, and thought.
104. History and Theory of Anthropology (3)
Prerequisite: Anth 2. A history of the growth of anthropological thought
through an analysis of the informational and explanatory powers of five
major theoretical schools: Nineteenth-century Evolutionists, British Functionalists,
Boasian Historical Particularists, Neo-Evolutionists/Marxists, and Cognitivists.
105W. Applied Anthropology (3)
Examination and assessment of the use of anthropological data and concepts
to address contemporary issues in education, health care, law, environmental
planning, and social services. Students work on applied problems and write
observations, plans, reports, and research documents geared to the needs
of professionals, service providers, and particularly planners in modern
institutional contexts. (Formerly Anth 144W)
115. Ethnography (3)
An examination of contemporary issues in anthropology based on evidence
from both classical and modern ethnographies. Considers strategies of qualitative
research and reporting, including ethics and the application of enthographic
research in modern societies. (Formerly Anth 129T)
116W. Anthropology of Religion (3)
Prerequisites: satisfactory completion (C or better) of the Engl 1 graduation
requirement, to be taken no sooner than the term in which 60 units are completed;
Anth 2. Examines the patterned belief systems of the world's tribal, peasant,
and sectarian societies. Stresses the role of religion in individual and
group perception, cognition, ritual, and social organization. Topics include
myth, magic, shamanism, mysticism, witchcraft, trance, hallucinogens, and
cultism. Meets the upper-division writing skills requirement for graduation.
General Education CAPSTONE Cluster course. (Formerly Anth 150W)
117. Folk Medicine (3)
Prerequisite: Anth 2. A cross-cultural examination of health practices and
of the cultural assumptions and attitudes on which they are based. Reviews
ethnomedicine, ethnopsychiatry, and epidemiology in the health care systems
of non-Westerners and of ethnic communities in pluralistic America. (Formerly
Anth 155)
118. Women: Culture and Biology (3)
(Same as W S 170.) Prerequisite: Anth 1 or 2. A cross-cultural and interdisciplinary
analysis of the determinants of female statuses and circumstances. Examines
theories, including biological and cultural determinism, which explain variations
in the expression of sexuality, maturation, reproduction, and the life cycle.
General Education CAPSTONE Cluster course. (Formerly Anth 170)
119. Law and Culture (3)
A comparative, holistic perspective on the evolution of law. Examines its
natures and origins, the basic assumptions behind legal systems, their cross-cultural
expression and effects, and the directionality of legal evolution. General
Education CAPSTONE Cluster course. (Formerly Anth 146)
120. Ethnic Relations and Cultures (3)
Prerequisite: Anth 2 or permission. The cultural and social origins of ethnicity,
and its opportunities and problems for contemporary mass societies. Offers
a critical review of major theories on ethnic politics, economics, and ideology
in the light of cross-cultural evidence. General Education CAPSTONE Cluster
course. (Formerly Anth 172)
123. Peoples and Cultures of Southeast Asia (3)
Prerequisite: Anth 2. An introductory survey of the cultural and historical
adaptations of societies in Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam;
and of Insular societies in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Examines
the major effects of culture contact between East and West. General Education
CAPSTONE Cluster course.
124. Peoples and Cultures of East Asia (3)
Prerequisite: Anth 2. Examines cultural pluralism. Considers cultural adaptations
and change among minorities such as Moslems, Tibetans, and Mongolians in
China, and ethnic groups of Japan and Korea. Outlines kinship, religion,
organization, and technological factors in the Asiatic culture complex.
125. Tradition and Change in China and Japan (3)
(Same as Hum 140.) Examines the current aspirations and problems of the
Chinese and Japanese in terms of their traditional cultures, and explains
how their histories, values, world views, and intellectual traditions affect
their lifestyles and their international relations today. General Education
CAPSTONE Cluster course. (Formerly Anth 186)
126. Cultures and Foods of East Asia (3)
(Same as AsAm 151.) Treats cuisine as a systematic product of the interaction
between culture and ecology. Focuses on sociocultural rather than bio-nutritional
factors in the preparation and ritual implications of food in Mainland and
Insular Asia. Students learn to prepare and serve a variety of Oriental
dishes. (Formerly Anth 181)
130. Peoples and Cultures of the Southwest (3)
Prerequisite: Anth 2. A survey of Native American cultures of the Southwestern
United States and Northwestern Mexico from their prehistoric origins to
the present. Emphasis is placed on cultural continuity and change during
the past 400 years of contact with western culture. (Formerly Anth 127)
138T. Topics in Cultural Anthropology (1-6; max total 12 if no topic
repeated)
Prerequisite: varies with title. Special studies in the theory and practice
of organized cooperation and conflict in nature and culture. (Formerly Anth
149T)
C. ARCHAEOLOGY Curriculum
140. Contemporary Archaeology (3)
Prerequisite: Anth 3 or permission of instructor. Examines archaeological
theory (both historical and contemporary) as well as methods and techniques
used by archaeologists to gather, analyze, and interpret data. (Formerly
Anth 106)
141. Prehistory of North America (3)
Prerequisite: Anth 3. Traces the development of Native American cultures
from the Arctic to Mesoamerica, from the peopling of the continent to early
historic times. Examines the archaeological evidence for the antiquity,
spread, and variation of cultural adaptations to changing ecological conditions.
(Formerly Anth 131)
142. Old World Prehistory (3)
Examination of current knowledge of the prehistory of one area of the Old
World. Chronologies, current findings, and important issues in theory method
are reviewed. Consideration of these matters in relation to work in archaeology
throughout the world and to work in closely related disciplines such as
biology and geology. Some historic archaeology may also be included. Areas
include Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Australia. (Formerly
Anth 132)
143. Archaeology and Prehistory of California (3)
Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Origins and prehistory of the California
Native Americans. Examination of the archaeological record, both statewide
and regionally, with emphasis on adaptations to natural and social environments
from 12,000 B.P. until early historic times. (Formerly Anth 139T)
145. Cultural Resources Management (3)
Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Provides an in-depth overview of
historic and prehistoric cultural resources (districts, sites, buildings,
and objects), their significance, and their management in the U.S. Topics
include the legal context for CRM, identifying and evaluating cultural resources,
assessing effects, treatment planning, and careers in CRM. (Formerly Anth
139T)
159T. Topics in Archaeology (1-6; max total 12 if no topic repeated)
Prerequisite: varies with title. Special studies in archaeological methods,
techniques, history and theory, or of prehistoric culture areas not covered
in the regular curriculum. (Formerly Anth 139T)
D. PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY CURRICULUM
161. Fossil Man (3)
Prerequisite: Anth 1. A critical examination of the fossil evidence for
hominid forms and behaviors in the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs. Focuses
on the specific evolutionary factors which led to the emergence of modern
humanity.
162. Primates (3)
Prerequisite: Anth 1. An introduction to the study of primate biological
and behavioral evolution. Explores sociobiological theory in order to explain
the unity and diversity of social behavior in prosimians, monkeys, and apes.
163. Human Variation (3)
Prerequisite: Anth 1. A cross-cultural examination of variations in human
morphology, physiology, and biochemistry. Establishes the correlation between
variations in human biology and variations in climate, culture, nutrition,
and disease.
164. Human Osteology (3)
Prerequisite: Anth 1. Introduces a range of analytic techniques for extracting
information from human skeletal remains: sexing and aging, osteometry, odontometry,
the examination and diagnosis of epigenetic traits and pathological lesion,
and the statistical interpretation of skeletal data.
169T. Topics in Physical Anthropology (1-6; max total 12 if no topic
repeated)
Prerequisite: Anth 1. Special studies of the discovery and interpretation
of information in physical anthropology, and of the application of this
subdiscipline in legal, medical, and scientific research.
E. ADVANCED STUDY CURRICULUM
190. Independent Study (1-3; max total 6)
See Academic Placement - Independent
Study. Approved for SP grading.
192. Directed Readings (1-3; max total 3)
Prerequisite: normally open only to students who have completed the core
curriculum. Supervised reading on a student-selected topic outside the regular
curriculum, conducted through regular consultation with a faculty sponsor.
193. Internships in Anthropology (1-6; max total 6)
Prerequisite: Anth 1 or 3. Interns will work on a variety of tasks involving
the analysis and curation of archaeological collections; design and curation
of museum displays; the collection and analysis of physical anthropological
data, including working with primates at local zoos; and ethnographic data
collection. (Formerly Anth 109)
194. Honors Thesis (1-3; max total 3)
Prerequisites: normally open only to students who have completed the core
curriculum and who maintain a GPA in anthropology of at least 3.5. Development
of a student report or paper into a manuscript of professional and publishable
quality. Requires approval by an Honors Committee of three faculty members.
(Formerly Anth 199)
195. Colloquium (1)
Each spring semester students and department faculty will meet three times
to discuss current problems in the field of anthropology. These three hour
seminars will be led by a faculty member. Students will be expected to do
all assigned readings and complete a paper on one of the topics discussed.
197T. Current Topics in Anthropology (1-6; max total 12 if no topic
repeated)
Subject matter of these courses combines topics from the various subfields
of anthropology, providing the student with a more integrated view of the
discipline.
