There are hundreds of Indigenous nations and cultures on Turtle Island, which colonists commonly call North America. Each nation has its own worldview, language, governance system, spiritual system, family customs, and stories. Some common elements emerge among these nations, such as holistic views of human life, strong ties to lands and territories, and the importance of reciprocal relationships among human beings and other forms of life. In this course, students will explore both the diversity and unity that exists among Indigenous peoples on Turtle Island, with a focus on local Indigenous nations. They will be confronted with elements of colonization as well as the changing relationship between Indigenous peoples and non-Indigenous anthropologists. Finally, students will be given the opportunity to improve their ability to consider issues that Indigenous peoples face today from Indigenous and anthropological perspectives.
There are hundreds of Indigenous nations and cultures on Turtle Island, which colonists commonly call North America. Each nation has its own worldview, language, governance system, spiritual system, family customs, and stories. Some common elements emerge among these nations, such as holistic views of human life, strong ties to lands and territories, and the importance of reciprocal relationships among human beings and other forms of life. In this course, students will explore both the diversity and unity that exists among Indigenous peoples on Turtle Island, with a focus on local Indigenous nations. They will be confronted with elements of colonization as well as the changing relationship between Indigenous peoples and non-Indigenous anthropologists. Finally, students will be given the opportunity to improve their ability to consider issues that Indigenous peoples face today from Indigenous and anthropological perspectives.
- Editing Teacher: Jacky Vallée
Love, conflict, food, play, art, money, power, sex, family, religion, music, games, language and communication, health concerns, technology, resistance, the environment – these among many other things are a universal part of being human! However, they have changed in many ways since our species, Homo sapiens, first emerged. Further, they do not mean the same for all peoples of the world. This course introduces students to the perspectives and methods that anthropologists use to understand what it means to be human, with all our similarities and differences. Through the lenses of cultural anthropology, biological anthropology, archaeology, and linguistic anthropology, we will seek to understand humanity through a holistic perspective that considers all aspects of our lives to be inter-related and inter-dependent. By tracing our evolution as a species students will be able to contextualize biological and cultural changes over time in relation to our environments and to consider how our biological and cultural aspects are intertwined. Considering our biological and cultural similarities and differences across peoples allows students to understand how resourceful and resilient humans are and that all cultures have their own internal logic and ways of adapting to changing circumstances while maintaining a sense of cultural cohesion over time. These perspectives are helpful to anyone wanting to work toward a world in which human diversity is considered a strength and in which our unity as a species brings us together toward well-being and respect for all.
- Editing Teacher: Jacky Vallée
There are hundreds of Indigenous nations and cultures on Turtle Island, which colonists commonly call North America. Each nation has its own worldview, language, governance system, spiritual system, family customs, and stories. Some common elements emerge among these nations, such as holistic views of human life, strong ties to lands and territories, and the importance of reciprocal relationships among human beings and other forms of life. In this course, students will explore both the diversity and unity that exists among Indigenous peoples on Turtle Island, with a focus on local Indigenous nations. They will be confronted with elements of colonization as well as the changing relationship between Indigenous peoples and non-Indigenous anthropologists. Finally, students will be given the opportunity to improve their ability to consider issues that Indigenous peoples face today from Indigenous and anthropological perspectives.
Additional Information: Considering the growing impetus toward decolonizing education and of the evolution of anthropological thought, this course will place an emphasis on Indigenous worldviews and experiences. While the course will meet the official objectives of this course, it will do so in a way that centers Indigenous knowledges. When applicable, we will compare Indigenous worldviews with the Eurocentric views that have traditionally held sway in anthropology and other disciplines and highlight the importance of recognizing Indigenous knowledge in academia. Throughout the different topics, we will highlight the ways in which Indigenous peoples have always resisted colonial interference and how they continue to work to heal and revitalize their cultures and languages today.
- Editing Teacher: Jacky Vallée
This course will introduce students to the wide range of social and cultural diversity that exist in the world in order to develop a comprehensive approach when thinking about the human condition. We will examine all aspects of human life through anthropology’s sub-fields. These include cultural anthropology (the diverse ways of life, how people give meaning to their experiences), biological anthropology (the study of human evolution and adaptation), archeology (the study of past human societies through their material remains) and linguistic anthropology (how language and symbols are used).
Cover image credit: https://www.deviantart.com/isaiahdjkim/art/Lyra-s-Anthropology-341117591
- Editing Teacher: Jacky Vallée
- Editing Teacher: Mark Prentice
- Editing Teacher: Jacky Vallée