> Kwantlen Polytechnic University > Calendar > Course Descriptions > Anthropology

This is an ARCHIVED version of the Kwantlen Polytechnic University Calendar for 2008-2009 (SPRING) and is provided for historical reference only. See the current version of the Calendar for updated information.

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Anthropology

ANTH 1100 CR-3

Social & Cultural Anthropology

Students will study the interrelationships among culture, community and well-being. They will examine the diversity of human thought and behaviour in cross-cultural perspective. Students will focus on topics such as ethnography, gender, marriage and kinship, culture and adaptive strategies, social and political organization, religion and world view, and globalization.

Transferable (refer to transfer guide)


ANTH 1200 (formerly 1211)    CR-3

Biological Anthropology

Students will explore human ancestry, fossil hominids, non-human primates, and modern human physical variation.  They will examine how we have evolved to become modern people and how our bodies and behaviour have been changed and shaped over millions of years.  Students will gain knowledge of the theories of Charles Darwin together with the modern synthesis of his ideas, which show how our genes have evolved in response to our environment.

Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
 

ANTH 1217 CR-3 (formerly 1125)

Forensic Anthroplogy

Students will study forensic anthropology in order to identify unknown human skeletal remains for legal purposes. They will learn techniques for assessing the age-at-death, stature, and sex. Students will also explore the validity of determining “race” or “genetic heritage” based on biological remains. Students will analyze the skeleton to the level of individual identity by understanding how disease, trauma, and behavioural patterns can leave their mark on bones and teeth, through an examination of the application of forensic anthropology in particular investigative cases. They will also learn how cause and manner of death, and the postmortem interval affect the ability to apply forensic anthropological techniques.

Transferable (refer to transfer guide) 

ANTH 1220 CR-3

First Nations Peoples and Cultures of British Columbia

Students will focus on the diversity of First Nations peoples and cultures of British Columbia, from the prehistoric past to contemporary societies. They will study traditional cultures in relation to regional culture and linguistic areas. Students will explore the impact of European influence on native life and cultures. They will examine the origin and nature of contemporary issues such as aboriginal rights movements, the treaty process, and special legal and cultural issues.

Prerequisites: ANTH 1100

Transferable (refer to transfer guide) 

ANTH 1260 CR-3

First Nations Peoples and Cultures of Canada

Students will focus on the diversity of First Nations peoples and cultures. They will study traditional cultures in relation to regional culture and linguistic areas. Students will explore the impact of European influence on native life and cultures. They will examine the origin and nature of contemporary issues such as aboriginal rights movements, the treaty process, and special legal issues.

Prerequisites: ANTH 1100

Transferable (refer to transfer guide) 

ANTH 1290 CR-3

Archaeological Field Studies I (course to be discontinued effective May 2009)

This is a field course in archaeology with an emphasis on the techniques of archaeological excavation. Additional topics include archaeological theory, techniques of laboratory analysis, site mapping and basic photography. This course consists of the first half of an eight-week field studies project and is offered only during the Summer. ANTH 1291 (Archaeological Field Studies II) is a continuation of this course and must be taken immediately after this course.

Prerequisites: ANTH 1112 or permission of department

Corequisites: ANTH 1291

Transferable (refer to transfer guide)

ANTH 1291 CR-3

Archaeological Field Studies II (course to be discontinued effective May 2009)

This is a field course in archaeology with an emphasis on the techniques of archaeological excavation. Additional topics include archaeological theory, techniques of laboratory analysis, site mapping and basic photography. This course consists of the second half of an eight-week field studies project and is offered only during the Summer. This course is a continuation of ANTH 1290 (Archaeological Field Studies I) and must be taken immediately after completing ANTH 1290.

Prerequisites: ANTH 1112 or permission of department

Corequisites: ANTH 1290

Transferable (refer to transfer guide)


ANTH 1300 CR-3 (formerly 1112)

Archaeology

Students will analyze the various methods and perspectives used by archaeologists to study ancient cultures from around the world. They will examine the major branches of modern archaeology, as well as the historical development of the discipline. Students will learn how archaeological sites form and become preserved over long periods of time, and will discover how archaeological data are collected and analyzed through survey, excavation and dating methods. They will learn methods used to reconstruct both the economic and sociopolitical organization of ancient societies through analysis and critical discussion. Students will survey world prehistory and critically evaluate the effectiveness of the various methods and approaches studied.

Transferable (refer to transfer guide)

ANTH 2100 CR-3

Methods & Ethics in Anthropology

Students will conduct an overview of anthropological methods such as cross-cultural comparisons, multi-sited ethnography, participant observation, surveys, archival research, media analysis, narrative, collaborative ethnography, and visual analysis. They will critically explore ethical issues that have emerged within ethnographic research while they apply methods to case study examples.

Prerequisites: ANTH 1100

Transferable (refer to transfer guide)

ANTH 2120 CR-3 (formerly 1229)

Cross-Cultural Women’s Studies

Students will explore the social and cultural roles of women within the context of culture, politics and society. They will critically examine the politics of gender, reproduction, education, the feminization of poverty, and the impact of environmental change on women. Students will examine, from classical anthropological and feminist perspectives, the ways in which women mobilize in response to these forces.

Prerequisites: ANTH 1100

Transferable (refer to transfer guide)

ANTH 2133 CR-3 (formerly 1230)

Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft

Students will investigate the broadly defined interrelationships between culture and religious beliefs, and practices. They will focus on topics such as religious symbols, magic, and witchcraft; rites of passage; spirit possession; and religion in popular culture.

Prerequisites: ANTH 1100

Transferable (refer to transfer guide)

ANTH 2160 CR-3 (formerly 1240)

Culture and the Environment

Students will analyze the adaptive strategies employed by different cultural groups around the globe. They will examine the complexity of human relationships with the environment in a world where conflicting cultural systems are often competing for survival.

Prerequisites: ANTH 1100 or 1300 or 1112

Transferable (refer to transfer guide)

ANTH 2163 CR-3 (formerly 1275)

Culture, Health and Well-Being

Students will investigate the interrelationships among culture, community and well-being. They will explore anthropological topics such as healing systems; culture, spirituality, and well-being; the language of distress; social suffering; and, practitioner-patient interactions.

Prerequisites: ANTH 1100

Transferable (refer to transfer guide)

ANTH 2217 CR-3

Forensic Methods & Analysis

Students will examine the techniques and problems associated with the recovery and analysis of material evidence and human remains. They will utilize lecture, field and laboratory skills in the investigation of serious crimes which range from the search for, and excavation of, clandestine graves, to the international investigation of crimes against humanity. Students will focus on the integration of the anthropological, archaeological and legal disciplines.

Prerequisites: ANTH 1217

Transferable (refer to transfer guide)

ANTH 2300 CR-3

Archaeological Methods

Students will conduct an in-depth review of current methods in anthropological archaeology. They will examine the historical development of the discipline and study the nature of the archaeological record, including categories of data and site formation processes. Students will study research design, data collection, dating methods and classification of artifacts. They will critically evaluate methods used to examine prehistoric technology, environmental reconstruction, subsistence and diet, and trade patterns.

Prerequisites: (ANTH 1300 or 1112) and (ANTH 2320 or 2340)

Transferable (refer to transfer guide)


ANTH 2301 CR-3
(This new course is effective May 2009)

Archaeological Methods for Cultural Resource Management 

Students will develop a hands-on understanding of a number of aspects of archaeological methodology central to cultural resource management (CRM) work. They will learn to apply these methods to the analysis of archaeological and landscape data, including how to report and organize the results of these analyses. Students will also be tasked with other important aspects of methodology in CRM, which include mapping, site forms, reports, budgets, and proposals.
 
Note: This course is co-requisite with ANTH 3361 and offered as field school studies during summer term.

Prerequisites: 30 credits of 1100-level or higher, including ANTH 1300

Corequisites: ANTH 3361

Transferable (refer to transfer guide)


ANTH 2310 CR-3

Archaeology of Death

Students will examine the key concepts and methods used to analyze the funerary rituals and burial practices of ancient and recent societies. They will examine the theories and methods used by archaeologists to understand the social and ideological aspects of mortuary behavior. Students will study various forensic techniques used to analyze human remains from ancient and recent burials, and critically analyze the kinds of information they provide. They will also examine the ethical issues involved in the analysis of human remains from archaeological sites from a variety of different perspectives.

Prerequisites: ANTH 1300 or 1100 or 1217

Transferable (refer to transfer guide)

ANTH 2320 CR-3 (formerly 1215)

Archaeology of the Old World

Students will be introduced to Old World Prehistory from the origin of the earliest modern humans through to the development of agriculture and complex state societies. They will examine the evidence for early human migrations from Africa into Europe and the Asia Pacific region. Students will study the rise of early farming communities in each area and then study the evolution of complex state societies. They will also examine an overview of the ancient civilizations of: Egypt and Mesopotamia; the early states of Africa and Europe; the evolution of Indus Valley civilizations and the early states of East and Southeast Asia. Students will critically evaluate the theories and methods of data analysis used to study these ancient cultures.

Prerequisites: ANTH 1300 or 1112

Transferable (refer to transfer guide)

ANTH 2340 CR-3 (formerly 1216)

Archaeology of the New World

Students will examine the archaeological record of the New World. They will study prehistoric cultures from the time of human entry into the Americas to the rise of the Pre-Columbian civilizations of Mesoamerica. Students will analyze ancient civilizations including the Aztec, Toltec, and Mayan states of the Yucatan peninsula; the South American cultures of the Incas; and the Moche and Nazca peoples of Peru. They will then study the development of the ancient Mississippian culture in southeastern North America and critically examine current methods of analysis, interpretations and theoretical debates concerning the sociopolitical evolution of these societies.

Prerequisites: ANTH 1300 or 1112

Transferable (refer to transfer guide)


ANTH 3100 CR-3
(This new course is effective May 2009)

Anthropological Theory 

Students will examine the development and application of anthropological theory through an examination of ethnographies using different theoretical points of view. They will gain an understanding of how theory has been developed and used by anthropologists in the field, with examples to be drawn from a number of different areas and time periods. Students will apply theory as fieldworkers do, in order to understand social processes. They will be exposed to the major social theories and will practice how to choose, explain, and combine theories in research situations.

Prerequisites: ANTH 2100

Transferable (refer to transfer guide)


ANTH 3130 CR-3

The Sikhs: Cultre, Religion, and Society

Students will examine the cultural, religious, social and political developments in the Punjab over the past five centuries from the perspective of the Sikhs. They will focus on the cultural and social forces that shaped and consolidated Sikh religious beliefs, ritual practice, and social institutions. Students will explore the interrelationship between traditional pan-Indian customs, Punjabi folklore, and Sikh religious beliefs and practices. They will also explore the impact of the British Raj, including the Sikh reform movements, and will examine the contemporary issue of the Sikh search for a distinct political identity.

Prerequisites: ANTH 1100 or HUMN 1111

Transferable (refer to transfer guide)

ANTH 3168 CR-3

Deviance Across Cultures

Students will learn that although crime and deviance occur in all societies, they are not defined or treated in the same way from place to place. They will study anthropological concepts and theories to examine deviance from a cross-cultural perspective. Students will survey topics such as banditry and terrorism, criminal organizations, ‘treasure hunting’ on archaeological sites, deviance in folklore and popular culture, and social control.

Prerequisites: ANTH 1100, and 15 credits of any 1100-level or higher courses

Transferable (refer to transfer guide)

ANTH 3188 CR-3 (formerly 2333)

Visual Anthropology

Students will examine the primary aspects of visual anthropology. They will focus on anthropological representations of the interrelationships among culture, society, and the individual through the written and spoken word, still photographs, film, and video. Students will critically apply anthropological concepts and ideas to the study of culture and the politics of representation in popular culture.

Prerequisites: ANTH 1100 and 30 credits of any 1100-level or higher course

Transferable (refer to transfer guide)  

ANTH 3330 CR-3

East Asian Archaeology

Students will study the origins and development of complex societies in East Asia. They will analyze the archaeology of China, Korea, and Japan, including an exploration of key issues in cultural evolution and interaction. Students will examine major topic areas such as: early human migrations into the region; early foraging economies; the development of food production; and the evolution of social complexity. Students will critically analyze the current methods and theories used by archaeologists in studying the evolutionary development of East Asian civilizations. Students will examine the modern cultural context of prehistory in East Asia as a source of discussion on ethnic identity.

Prerequisites: (ANTH 1300 or 1112) and ANTH 2320

Transferable (refer to transfer guide)

ANTH 3340 CR-3
(This new course is effective May 2009)

British Columbia Archaeology 

Students will examine the pre-contact and proto-historic archaeology and cultures of British Columbia's aboriginal peoples. They will study the environmental adaptations and complex cultural developments of both interior and coastal groups, and will develop an understanding of the great diversity and depth of B.C.'s native cultures. Students will critically analyze the theories and archaeological evidence of prehistoric cultural developments in the area from the earliest occupations up to contact with Europeans and Americans.
 
Note: This course is offered as field school studies during summer term.

Prerequisites: 30 credits of 1100-level or higher, including ANTH 1300

Transferable (refer to transfer guide)


ANTH 3361 CR-6
(This new course is effective May 2009)

Archaeological Field Studies 

Students will study and practice the basic techniques of archaeological survey and excavaton. They will learn and examine field techniques such as site survey and mappling; GPS data collection, mapping, and analysis; excavation methodology; analysis of site stratigraphy; and the proper documentation, collection and curation of field data. Students will examine how archaeological remains are cleaned, sorted and properly stored in the laboratory and will apply preliminary data analysis methodology.
 
Note: This course consists of a six-week field studies project and is offered only during the summer term. The co-requisite course is ANTH 2301.

Prerequisites: 30 credits of 1100-level courses (including ANTH 1300 or equivalent), and permission of the department of selection committee

Corequisites: ANTH 2301

Transferable (refer to transfer guide)