Time Schedule:
Denise M. Glover
ANTH 458
Seattle Campus
Culturally mediated relationships between human and natural environment studied in a comparative and evolutionary framework. How do peoples in diverse cultures recognize and name plants and animals and understand their relationship with nature? How is this traditional ecological knowledge applied in people's daily lives? Prerequisite: either BIO A 201, ARCHY 205, or one 200-level ANTH course.
Class description
This course is an introduction to the inter-disciplinary field of ethnobiology—the study of knowledge of and beliefs about the natural world among human groups (ethnos). Formed out of the studies of ethnoscience in the discipline of anthropology, ethnobiology includes a variety of subject matters and theoretical approaches. We will discuss topics relevant to the field, including classification of natural kinds, subsistence, sustainability, resource management, and biopiracy, and will obtain an understanding of historical developments within the field. The course includes a lab component, where we will engage in hands-on exploration of important methodological techniques in ethnobiology, as well as several on-campus fieldtrips.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
A combination of lecture, discussion, and hands-on lab work.
Recommended preparation
Background in anthropology desirable, but not required.
Class assignments and grading
Writing (critical reading notes, term paper), mid-term exam, project (poster)
