Welcome to A104!

This course is designed to introduce students to the central concepts, theories, and methodologies of the discipline. The course provides a comparative perspective of the differences and similarities that exist among human societies on a local and global scale. Through this course and its focus on key debates within the discipline, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the relevance of anthropology to everyday life.

Although the format of instruction for this course is a combination of lecture and discussion, it relies heavily upon small group discussion. Students are required to actively participate in class discussion of the materials. Students will also be required to utilize Oncourse extensively, for basic contact with the instructor as well as for online discussion forums. Given the scope of the course, there may be some readings that will not be fully explored during the class period. Students are still responsible, however, for ALL of the required readings.