Anthropology (ATH)
ATH 113. Investigating the Paranormal. (3)
The course examines the scientific method through investigation of paranormal topics such as hypothesis and data collection with hands-on experience using ghost hunting gear, the ecological realities related to Bigfoot, and the creation of an enchanted cultural landscape. The course is structured around a research proposal and preliminary investigation to find some real answers behind the Mothman, Frogmen, Ghosts, Glowing Goblins, and other mysteries of the Ohio Valley. PA-2A, SI-03, SI-04. CAS-C.
ATH 145. Lost Cities & Ancient Civilizations. (3)
Archaeological and anthropological exploration of human cultural, social, and ecological adaptations in global prehistory. Examines similarities and differences among ancient peoples and societies and their global contexts and interconnectedness in terms of political economy and social organization; technologies; environment; and religion and symbolic systems. IIC, IIIB. PA-2A, PA-4C. CAS-C.
ATH 155. What Does It Mean To Be Human?. (3)
This course uses an holistic approach to understand the social and biological underpinnings of what it means to be human. Topics include the biological and cultural origins of humanity, prehistory, human variation, and cultural diversity. IIC. PA-2A, SI-01, SI-02. CAS-C.
ATH 175. Global Cultural Diversity. (3)
Provides an appreciation of human cultural, social, and linguistic variation around the world and through time. Develops anthropological and ethnographic approaches to understanding cultural differences and similarities in political, social and economic organization; marriage and family patterns; environment and beliefs systems; and other aspects of globalized human cultural life. IIC, IIIB. PA-2A, PA-4C. CAS-C.
ATH 177. Independent Studies. (0-6; maximum 10)
ATH 185. Cultural Diversity in the U.S.. (3)
Anthropological and ethnographic approaches to the study of cultural, social, and linguistic variation in the United States, its territories, and borderlands. As an introduction to cultural anthropology, the course provides a foundation for understanding historical and contemporary contexts related to globalization and diaspora; ethnic, racial, and class identities; political economy and environment; belief systems; and ethnographic methodology. IC. IIC. PA-2A, PA-4A, SI-02. CAS-C.
ATH 190. Emergent Controversies: Anthropological Perspectives. (1-4; maximum 4)
Variable topics course that introduces students to the basics of anthropology and critical thinking using analyses and case studies of controversial emerging events and hotly debated contemporary issues. IIIB, IIC. PA-2A, PA-4C.
ATH 212. Introduction to Archaeological Theory and Methods. (4)
Introduction to theory, methods, and techniques of archaeology.
ATH 231. Investigating Culture: Theories and Methods in Cultural Anthropology. (3)
Survey of major theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches in cultural anthropology. History, themes, debates, and controversies are approached in terms of their intellectual lineage, theoretical content, fieldwork methodologies and ethics, policy applications, and global relevance. PA-1C. CAS-C.
ATH 248. Medical Anthropology. (3)
This course explores the ways in which an individual’s and communities’ health, health behavior, and health outcomes are embedded within dynamic cultural, social, political, economic, and biological systems. We bring a person-centered, holistic approach to better understand the experiences of illness and how those experiences are impacted by medical systems, offering an overview of the concepts and methods of a transdisciplinary medical anthropology. This course is part of a Miami Plan Advanced Writing Sequence. IIIB, ADVW. PA-1C, PA-4C, SI-05. CAS-C.
ATH 255. Introduction to Biological Anthropology. (3)
Introduction to biological anthropology, including evolutionary theory, human origins, models of human evolution, human variation, and primatology. IVA. PA-2B. CAS-C, CAS-D/LAB.
Cross-listed with BIO 255.
ATH 258. The Sciences of Mental Health. (3)
Students examine the neurobiological, psychological, and cultural contributors to mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, and substance abuse - as well as the ability of the brain to change in response to positive and negative experiences. Symptoms, mechanisms, diagnosis, treatment, and societal responses to mental health disorders will be covered with focus on resilience as students explore the ways their perception and engagement with the world impacts brain function, and vice versa. IVA, IC. PA-2B, PA-4B, SI-02, SI-05. CAS-C, CAS-D.
Cross-listed with BIO 258 and PSY 258.
ATH 265. Language and Culture. (3)
This course examines the interconnectedness of language and culture from ethnographic, interactional, and discourse-centered perspectives, Students will explore the ways in which language shapes our lives and our selves, and the substantial differences found in the human universal of language through the study of communicative practices in sociocultural context. IIC. PA-2A, SI-02, SI-04. CAS-C.
ATH 277. Independent Studies. (0-6; maximum 10)
ATH 301. Intercultural Relations. (3)
Development of intercultural awareness; in-depth study of theory and field-based research on the cross-cultural dynamics of cross-national encounters, trends, and events. Application of problem-solving tools in intercultural conflict. PA-4B, PA-4C, SI-01, SI-02. CAS-B.
Cross-listed with ITS.
ATH 307. The Middle East: Anthropological Perspectives. (3)
Survey and analysis of various cultural groups in contemporary Southwest Asia and North Africa. IIIB. PA-4C. CASW-C.
ATH 312. North American Archaeology. (3)
Explores the major debates in the archaeology of North America from its first peopling through the colonial period up to the present, emphasizing intercutlual connections and the diversity and variability of the major cultural traditions. Variable topics include indigenous communities; archaeology of slavery; collecting, looting, and museum representation; and cultural resource legislation.
ATH 313. Latin American Archaeology. (3)
Explores the archaeology of Central and South America through topics such as the Aztec temples, Maya hieroglyphs, and Inka Imperial roads. Students learn about Latin America from the first people to European colonialism and beyond through scientific investigation and hands-on work with artifacts. CAS-C.
ATH 314. Old World Archaeology. (3)
Introduction to the archaeology of Africa and Eurasia in premodern contexts in order to understand ancient lifeways and cultural interactions in the Old World. Variable topics may include the emergence of modern humans in Africa; the development of complex societies in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt; the role of ritual and symbolism in ancient China; or the meaning of social violence in Western Europe.
ATH 321. Career Paths with Anthropology. (1; maximum 2)
This sprint course is designed to help orient students towards professional futures. Students will explore a variety of career pathways and ideate solutions to career concerns, and they will learn how to articulate the transferable skills and knowledge of anthropology in professional and pre-professional contexts.
ATH 325. Identity, Race, Gender, Class. (3)
Develops conceptual tools and critical perspectives that enable students to better understand and analyze the processes through which identities are constructed and experienced. Learning activities facilitate analysis of individual identities as experienced through the life cycle and across diverse cultural and subcultural contexts, and build a systematic understanding of the processes and dynamics through which identities and identity groups develop and interact. CAS-C.
Cross-listed with CRE/LAS/WGS.
ATH 327. Pokemon and J-Pop in Global and Local Contexts. (3)
This on-line, gamified course allows students to follow one of three learning paths: Global flow theory, J-pop in global contexts, or gaming and fan culture. Students explore complex anthropological and social science concepts such as globalization, political economy, and alterity as a Pokemon character with their own specific attributes. IC. PA-4B, PA-4C, SI-03, SI-04.
ATH 331. Social Anthropology. (3)
Exploration of classic and contemporary approaches to social practices and institutions, including kinship, law, political economy, religion and ritual, gender, identity, mobility and violence. CAS-C.
ATH 337. Play, Game & Design: The Anthropology of Creativity and Innovation. (3)
Investigates the place of play in human creativity and social life. Draws on ethnography, semiotics and processual theory to explore the relationship of play to ritual, art, and games and gaming. Explores the ways games and design decisions reflect and reproduce cultural categories, including those that create social inequities. Analyzes contemporary “design thinking” and other social and cultural efforts to harness play and creativity. CAS-C.
Cross-listed with IMS 337.
ATH 340. Internship. (0-20)
ATH 345. Global Media Ethnography. (3)
Examines anthropological and ethnographic frameworks to the study of global media flows across boundaries, borders, and time. Introduces ethnographic methods for studying and analyzing mediated performances, texts, and images, and explores how these cultural forms are instrumental in building and negotiating communities, cultures, and identities. IIIB. PA-4C, SI-03, SI-04. CAS-C.
ATH 355. Paleoanthropology. (3)
In-depth survey of the human fossil record as interpreted in the light of modern evolutionary theory. Taught alternate years.
Prerequisite: ATH 255 or permission of instructor, or BIO 206.
ATH 358. Travelers, Migrants, and Refugees: Transnational Migration and Diasporic Communities. (3)
Explores global flows of people across national and cultural boundaries; investigates ways dispersed people build and maintain social networks, communities, and identities. IIIB. PA-4C. CAS-C.
ATH 361. Language and Power. (3)
Explores the role of linguistic performance, verbal art, and other communicative practices in negotiating power and disparate access to opportunities and resources within and among social groups. Special attention will be given to how identities, ideologies, and worldviews are linguistically created, recreated, and challenged in global contexts. CAS-C.
ATH 364. Language and Culture in Native North America. (3)
Explores the multifaceted communicative and sociolinguistic practices of indigenous peoples of North America in historical and contemporary contexts. Topics include linguistic and cultural vitality; performance, popular culture, and ethnopoetics; identities and language ideologies; and emergent discursive practices. Recommended prerequisite: ATH 265 or ATH/ENG/GER 219.
ATH 377. Independent Studies. (0-6; maximum 10)
ATH 378. Doctors, Clinics, and Epidemics. (3)
Explores the contemporary social, cultural, and communicative practices of biomedicine, and links these to the responses to epidemics and social hierarchies that form its European roots. Engages various understandings of clinical language, communication, and structural inequities that challenge the efficacy of medical practice.
ATH 388. Culture, Art, and Artifacts. (3)
Explores the place of artistic expression and related material culture in diverse socio-cultural contexts. It uses various analytical approaches to address the cultural aspects of origins, function, symbolism, gender, psychology, and change emphasizing non-western cultures.
ATH 390. Horizons Of Anthropology. (1-3; maximum 12)
Seminar focused on recent anthropological research.
Prerequisite: permission of instructor.
ATH 395. Primate Biology and Behavior. (3)
Taxonomic survey of the primate order including anatomy, distribution, adaptation, and morphological characteristics of various taxa. Selected primatological topics including primate conservation, reproduction and development, manipulation, and tool use. Recommended prerequisite: ATH 255 or BIO 206; junior or senior status; or permission of instructor.
Cross-listed with BIO.
ATH 403. Anthropology of Religion. (3)
Examines the study of religion anthropologically and ethnographically, exploring topics of historic interest such as conversion and pilgrimage and emerging debates such as the globalization of religion. Emphasizes the power of religion in human cultural life and its relationship to other social institutions through the study of indigenous religious traditions and major world religions. Introduces anthropological paradigms including cultural materialism, interpretive approaches, structuralism, and religion as an evolutionary adaptation.
Prerequisite: ATH 155, 175, 185, 231 or 301.
ATH 405. Food, Taste, and Desire. (3)
Explores food consumption as a meaningful practice embedded in local, national, and global relations and in social, economic, and political contexts. Topics include history of food consumption; food and power; nation, the state, and food; gender, sexuality and consumption; consumption, marketing, and subjectivity; globalization; hunger and memory; need, taste, and desire; and food aesthetics, moralities, and poetics. CAS-C.
ATH 411. Applied Anthropology. (3)
New possibilities for using anthropological principles and methods in contemporary nonacademic settings.
ATH 416. Applying Archaeology. (3)
Capstone with variable topics and experiential learning in SW Ohio on the theories, methods, and practices of archaeology, including research design and field methods; material culture studies; and archaeology’s role in cultural heritage projects and debates.
ATH 421. Public Anthropology Seminar. (3)
This capstone seminar focuses on professionalization and engagement using anthropological perspectives to address critical and timely issues in the public sphere. Topics include synthesis of holistic approaches and methodologies; refinement of research goals, career potentials, and professional objectives; and multimodal and multimedia communication of anthropological perspectives to wider publics. SC. CAS-C.
Prerequisite: ATH 212, 231, 255, and ATH 265, senior status and anthropology major, or permission of instructor.
ATH 425. Ethnographic Field Methods. (3)
Organization, observation, measurement, and strategy in ethnographic field research.
ATH 436. Havighurst Colloquium. (3)
Exploration of significant issues related to Russian and post communist affairs. Each semester focuses on a central theme or topic that is examined through presentations, readings, research, discussion, and writing. May be repeated once for credit with only 3 hours counting towards the history major.
Cross-listed with CLS 436; HST 436/HST 536/536; POL 440/POL 540/540; RUS 436/536; and REL 470A.
ATH 448. Developing Solutions in Global Health. (3)
In this course you will learn to work on a team to write an anthropologically informed grant proposal to address a health inequity. In this course you will learn to recognize illness and health as a consequence of complex bio-cultural, environmental, social, and political processes, and thus this course is intentionally transdisciplinary, inviting majors from across the university to work together to develop a solution for a complex problem in global health. This course is part of a Miami Plan Advanced Writing Sequence. ADVW. PA-1C. SC.
Prerequisite: junior or senior status.
Prerequisite or Co-requisite: GHS 491 Leadership in Global Health is a co-requisite ONLY for those students who are taking ATH 448 as the capstone for their minor in Global Health.
ATH 471. Ecological Anthropology. (3)
Survey of ecological methods and models used by anthropologists in the analysis of cultural-environmental relations and in conservation planning.
Prerequisite: ATH 155, 175 or 185, or permission of instructor.
ATH 477. Independent Studies. (0-6; maximum 10)
ATH 480. Independent Reading for Departmental Honors. (1-6)
ATH 491. Anthropology Practicum. (1-4; maximum 8)
Taken in conjunction with a methods course, a fieldschool, or an on-site research-based learning opportunity in anthropology. Students conduct supervised research-oriented projects such as ethics, research design, internships, ethnographic participant-observation, site analysis, and data analysis. This course is a flexible offering so that faculty and students can develop learning opportunities in response to current and changing issues and needs in the discipline. Permission of the instructor.
ATH 496. Observing Primate Behavior. (4)
Theory and method in the study of primate behavior. Applied behavioral primatology entails original research projects done at an appropriate venue, e.g., Cincinnati ZOO. CAS-QL.
Prerequisite: ATH 255 or BIO 206, junior or senior status, or permission of instructor.
ATH 498. Evolution of Human Behavior. (3)
Ethology and ecology of Homo sapiens, from comparative and evolutionary perspectives, drawing on primatology, paleoanthropology, and sociocultural studies of traditional societies. SC.
Prerequisite: junior or senior status; nine advanced hours of BIO; permission of instructor.
Cross-listed with BIO 498.
ATH 677. Independent Studies. (0-6; maximum 10)