Academic Catalog

Anthropology

Office: 3054 Faculty Administration Building; 313-577-2935
Chairperson: Krysta Ryzewski
Graduate Director: Yuson Jung
http://clas.wayne.edu/anthropology

Anthropology is a comparative social science that seeks to uncover principles that govern human behavior. Anthropology includes the four fields of cultural, biological, archaeological, and linguistic anthropology. Departmental strengths include applied anthropology, medical anthropology, historical archaeology, museum studies, cultural resource management / public archaeology, business / organizational anthropology, language and cognition, urban anthropology, paleo-diet, foodways, environmental anthropology, land-use studies, global health, and social entrepreneurship.

The Anthropology Department offers five different graduate degree options: Master of Arts (MA), Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology (Ph.D), and two joint PhD programs in Social Work & Anthropology (SWAN), Anthropology and Urban Sustainability (T-RUST) and MD-PhD. 

Alumni from Wayne State’s Anthropology graduate programs are readily employed in a wide range of areas. Some work in traditional institutions such as colleges, universities, and museums, but many are employed in public and private settings. These include health, governmental, international, and social agencies, business and organizational settings, public policy, research and development, design, as well as in positions within government, non-profit, and cultural institutions that require environmental management, historic preservation, archaeology, cultural heritage, and museum-based skills. A master's degree in Anthropology can prepare students for advanced study in professions such as medicine or law. Accordingly, graduate programs in Anthropology are designed to accommodate a variety of specific student interests and objectives.

Individuals who hold degrees in fields other than anthropology and desire admission to graduate degree programs will be individually reviewed. Admission will be granted at the discretion of the Graduate Committee after review of the applicant’s background, training, and academic standing; supplementary work may also be individually prescribed.

Academic Scholarship: All course work completed to satisfy the following degree requirements must be done in accordance with the regulations of the Graduate School and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. All students are required to obtain a grade of  ‘B’ in each course that counts toward the degree. A grade of ‘B-minus’ or below in two courses will be sufficient reason to dismiss a student from a graduate program.

To repeat a course, a student will need to submit a "Petition to Repeat a Graduate Course" form to the Graduate Committee for consideration. Students may not repeat a class without prior approval.

The Department only allows two course repeats for a class where a student receives an insufficient grade.

Department Faculty

BRAY, TAMARA L.: Ph.D., M.A., State University of New York; B.A., Beloit College; Professor

CHRISOMALIS, STEPHEN: Ph.D., McGill University; B.A., McMaster University; Professor

JUNG, YUSON: Ph.D., M.A., Harvard University; M.A., B.A., Seoul National University; Associate Professor

KILLION, THOMAS: Ph.D., University of New Mexico; M.A., B.A., University of Connecticut; Associate Professor

KIM, JAYMELEE: Ph.D., M.A., University of Tennessee; B.S., Rochester Institute of Technology; Assistant Professor

LESNIK, JULIE: Ph.D., University of Michigan; B.A., Northern Illinois University; Associate Professor

LUBORSKY, MARK: Ph.D., University of Rochester; B.A., Hobart College; Professor

LYONS, BARRY J.: Ph.D., M.A., University of Michigan; B.A., Washington University; Associate Professor

MASKE, ANDREW: Ph.D., Oxford University (St. Antony's College), U. K.; Professor and Director, Gordon L. Grosscup Museum

NEWMAN, ANDREW: Ph.D., City University of New York; B.A., Bard College; Associate Professor

OWOUR, PATRICK: Ph.D., Northwestern University; M.A., York University; B.A,. Maseno University. ; Assistant Professor

ROBBINS-PANKO, JESSICA: Ph.D., M.A., University of Michigan; B.A., Williams College; Associate Professor

RYZEWSKI, KRYSTA: Ph.D., Brown University; M.Phil., University of Cambridge; B.A., Boston University; Professor and Chair

SANKAR, ANDREA: Ph.D., M.A., B.A., University of Michigan; Professor

STILLO, JONATHAN: Ph.D., City University of New York; B.A., Central Connecticut State University; Assistant Professor

Emeritus Faculty

BATTEAU, ALLEN W.: Ph.D., M.A., University of Chicago; B.A., Bard College; Professor Emeritus

MONTILUS, GUERIN: Ph.D., University of Zurich; M.A., University of Paris, Sorbonne; B.A., Catholic University of Paris; Professor Emeritus

ANT 5060 Urban Anthropology Cr. 3

Social-cultural effects of urbanization from a cross-cultural perspective with emphasis on the developing area of the world. The process of urbanization; the anthropological approach in the area of urban studies. Offered Yearly.

Prerequisites: ANT 2100 with a minimum grade of D- or ANT 1100 with a minimum grade of D-

ANT 5140 Biology and Culture Cr. 3

Interrelationships between the cultural and biological aspects of humans; human genetic variability, human physiological plasticity and culture as associated mechanisms by which humans adapt to environmental stress. Offered Fall.

Prerequisites: ANT 2100 with a minimum grade of D- or ANT 2110 with a minimum grade of D-

ANT 5165 Shop 'Til You Drop: Consumer Society and Culture Cr. 3

Why do we want things that we don't need? Are we bound to consumerism in the global age? This course offers an overview of consumer society and examines consumption practices cross-culturally from an anthropological perspective. Offered Every Other Year.

ANT 5170 Political Anthropology Cr. 3

Ethnographic and comparative study of power, politics, and political organizations in non-state and state societies and in the colonial encounter; evolutionary, functionalist, practice-oriented, Marxist, feminist, and Foucauldian approaches to the study of power. Offered Intermittently.

Prerequisites: ANT 2100 with a minimum grade of D- or ANT 1100 with a minimum grade of D-

ANT 5180 Forensic Anthropology Cr. 3

Advanced survey of forensic applications in the natural, medical, legal, and behavioral sciences. Topics may include: toxicology, forensic pathology, fingerprints, ballistics, analysis of the human skeleton, body fluid identification. Lab component included. Offered Intermittently.

Prerequisites: CRJ 1010 with a minimum grade of D-, ANT 2110 with a minimum grade of D-, ANT 2130 with a minimum grade of D-, or CRJ 2130 with a minimum grade of D-

ANT 5210 Anthropological Methods Cr. 4

Intensive introduction to research methods, techniques and issues in anthropology. Students engage in a research experience supervised by the instructor, write a field journal, and complete a final exam. Exercises focus on data collection, data management, and data analysis. Techniques include participant observation, fieldnotes, and interviewing. Students learn how to use software packages employed by anthropological researchers in the computer lab. Offered Fall, Winter.

Prerequisites: ANT 2100 with a minimum grade of D- or ANT 1100 with a minimum grade of D-

ANT 5240 Cross Cultural Study of Gender Cr. 3

Evolutionary and cultural bases of gender roles using a world sample; division of labor, marriage and sexual behavior, power and ideology. Offered Intermittently.

Prerequisites: ANT 2100 with a minimum grade of D- or ANT 1100 with a minimum grade of D-

ANT 5270 Concepts and Techniques in Archaeology Cr. 3

Intensive introduction to archaeological interpretation, theory, and methods geared towards anthropology graduate students and advanced students from related fields. Examines intellectual history of archaeological ideas since mid-20th century and evaluates theoretical frameworks and techniques used to understand the archaeological record, material culture, past environments, social practices, political and economic organizations, and long term culture change. Also considers archaeology’s relationships with anthropology and the world beyond academia. Offered Winter.

Prerequisites: 3 of (ANT 1100 with a minimum grade of C or ANT 2100 with a minimum grade of C), ANT 3020 with a minimum grade of C, and ANT 3200 with a minimum grade of C

ANT 5280 Field Work in Archaeology of the Americas Cr. 4

Introduction to the practice and process of archaeological fieldwork. Students participate in survey and/or excavation of an archaeological site to learn the methods of archaeological recovery and analysis. This class can be counted as a field school. Offered Every Other Fall.

Fees: $50

ANT 5320 Language and Societies Cr. 3

For graduate students and advanced undergraduates with a background in linguistic anthropology. Students read classic and contemporary works of linguistic anthropology to expand knowledge of human language and sociality; conduct a major original research project. Offered Winter.

Prerequisites: ANT 3310 with a minimum grade of D- or LIN 3310 with a minimum grade of D-

Equivalent: LIN 5320

ANT 5370 Magic, Religion and Science Cr. 3

The nature and variety of religious belief and practice; theoretical interpretations. Offered Every Other Year.

Prerequisites: ANT 2100 with a minimum grade of D- or ANT 1100 with a minimum grade of D-

ANT 5400 Anthropology of Health and Illness Cr. 3

Concepts and theory in medical anthropology from cultural and biological perspectives. Topics include: cross-cultural aspects of sex and gender in health and illness, life course, sexuality, birth and death, biocultural approaches to healing and treatment, international health and epidemiology. Offered Every Other Year.

Prerequisites: ANT 2100 with a minimum grade of D- or ANT 1100 with a minimum grade of D-

ANT 5410 Anthropology of Age Cr. 3

Cultural construction of the life course; age categories such as childhood and old age examined from cross-cultural, historical, political and economic perspectives. Special attention to women's aging; role of biology and ethnicity in aging and death and dying. Offered Every Other Year.

Prerequisites: ANT 2100 with a minimum grade of D- or ANT 1100 with a minimum grade of D-

ANT 5420 Anthropology Practicum Cr. 3

Field placement in a service agency or other organization. Students provide volunteer assistance to an agency while conducting participant observation research exercises. Utilization of field experience to learn about a variety of research issues and methodologies. Offered Yearly.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students.

ANT 5450 Kinship and Social Relations Cr. 3

How are kinship relations created, transformed, reshaped, and unmade? How do people experience kinship, and what does it mean to be related? How do these processes, experiences, and imaginations vary across space and time? What is the role of kinship studies in anthropology, and how has this changed over the history of the discipline? This course explores these questions through a rigorous analysis of contemporary and historical readings in the anthropological study of kinship and social relations. This course will draw on case studies from the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia (Central, East, Southeast), and Melanesia. Offered Intermittently.

ANT 5500 Historical Archaeology Cr. 3

Historical archaeology studies the emergence and transformations of the Modern World (post-1500 AD) through the convergence of material remains (artifacts), documentary sources, and oral histories left behind by past societies. Case studies focus on the period between the16th-20th centuries and are drawn from local and global examples on major topics, such as capitalism, colonialism, race, inequality, gender, sexuality, age, politics, and heritage. Offered Every Other Year.

ANT 5510 Pre-Columbian and Mesoamerican Civilization Cr. 3

Survey of the history and characteristics of cultures in Mesoamerica prior to and after colonization, from the Olmec and Maya to the Aztec and their descendants. Offered Every Other Year.

Prerequisites: ANT 2100 with a minimum grade of D- or ANT 1100 with a minimum grade of D-

ANT 5565 Urban Archaeology Cr. 3

Urban archaeology in the modern and contemporary eras is introduced as an area of social and political engagement with the material remains of the past (ca. 1750 - present). Urban archaeology is entwined with issues of historic preservation, heritage management, city planning, and urban ecology. Class covers a variety of urban archaeology topics in modern and post-industrial Western societies, and involves interactions with Detroit's archaeological and heritage sites, digital humanities techniques, and other approaches that connect urban archaeology with the anthropology of the city. Offered Every Other Year.

ANT 5600 Museum Studies Cr. 3

Introduction to basics of museums, museum work, and museum theory. Topics include: collections management, data bases, interpretive exhibit methods, current issues in museum studies, legal concerns, role of museums as educational institutions. Offered Every Other Year.

ANT 5700 Applied Anthropology Cr. 3

The application of anthropological concepts and methods to contemporary issues of public concern in the United States and abroad. Offered Fall.

Prerequisites: ANT 2100 with a minimum grade of D-, ANT 1100 with a minimum grade of D-, or ANT 7005 with a minimum grade of D-

ANT 5900 Culture, Language and Cognition Cr. 3

Systematic investigation of the relationships among, language, cognition and culture, including issues relating to human universals, cross-cultural concept formation, metaphor, classification and the evolution of cognition and language. Offered Every Other Winter.

Prerequisites: ANT 3310 with a minimum grade of D-, ANT 5320 with a minimum grade of D-, LIN 3310 with a minimum grade of D-, LIN 5320 with a minimum grade of D-, LIN 3080 with a minimum grade of D-, or PSY 3080 with a minimum grade of D-

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Undergraduate level students.

Equivalent: LIN 5900, PSY 5900

ANT 5993 Writing Intensive Course in Anthropology Cr. 0

Satisfies General Education Requirement: Writing Intensive Competency

Disciplinary writing assignments under the direction of a faculty member. Must be selected in conjunction with a course designated as a corequisite. See section listing in Schedule of Classes for corequisites available each term. Satisfies the University General Education Writing-Intensive Course in the Major requirement. Within first three weeks of enrollment in corequisite course, student must notify instructor of enrollment in ANT 5993. Required for all majors. Offered Winter.

Prerequisites: (AFS 2390 with a minimum grade of C, ENG 2390 with a minimum grade of C, ENG 3010 with a minimum grade of C, ENG 3020 with a minimum grade of C, or ENG 3050 with a minimum grade of C) and (ANT 5310 (may be taken concurrently) or ANT 5996 (may be taken concurrently))

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students.

ANT 5996 Capstone Seminar in Anthropology Cr. 3

Required for majors. Review and integrate central practices and theories in anthropology through discussion of the four major subfields and applied areas of anthropology. Special attention will be given to new developments in the different fields. Recommended for new graduate students without extensive background in anthropology; also open to those outside anthropology who desire a thorough view of research areas and theoretical perspectives in anthropology. Offered Winter.

ANT 6290 Culture Area Studies Cr. 3

Culture and social changes. Origins and functional relationships, regional variation in population, settlement, culture contact, religion, migration, social institutions. Topics to be announced in Schedule of Classes . Offered Intermittently.

Prerequisites: ANT 2100 with a minimum grade of D- or ANT 1100 with a minimum grade of D-

Repeatable for 9 Credits

ANT 6510 The Inca and their Ancestors Cr. 3

Study of pre-Columbian cultures of South America. Archaeological and ethnohistorical data beginning with the Inca; foundations of Inca civilization; major cultures from different regions and periods in South American prehistory. Offered Every Other Year.

Prerequisites: 3 of (ANT 1100 with a minimum grade of C or ANT 2100 with a minimum grade of C), ANT 3020 with a minimum grade of C, and ANT 3200 with a minimum grade of C

ANT 6555 Cultural Resource Management and Public Archaeology Cr. 3

Practicum focuses on historical development of cultural resource management (CRM) in the U.S.; contemporary regulatory framework of CRM; practical experience in project planning, proposal writing, archival research, project management and the reporting process. Offered Every Other Year.

Prerequisites: ANT 5270 with a minimum grade of C or ANT 5280 with a minimum grade of C

ANT 6570 Archaeological Laboratory Analysis Cr. 4

Introduction to conventional and innovative laboratory methods used for the analysis of archaeological artifacts from both prehistoric and historic periods. Intensive hands-on class for advanced students using the collections of the Grosscup Museum of Anthropology. Offered Every Other Year.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

ANT 6650 Studies in Physical Anthropology Cr. 2-4

Selected topics in physical anthropology. Topics to be announced in Schedule of Classes. Offered Intermittently.

Prerequisites: ANT 2110 with a minimum grade of D-

Repeatable for 12 Credits

ANT 6680 Studies in Cultural Anthropology Cr. 2-4

Selected topics in cultural anthropology. Topics to be announced in Schedule of Classes. Offered Intermittently.

Prerequisites: ANT 2100 with a minimum grade of D- or ANT 1100 with a minimum grade of D-

Repeatable for 12 Credits

ANT 6993 History Communication Cr. 3

This course examines the challenges associated with communicating about the past in today’s media-saturated environment. Case studies include analysis of communication surrounding controversial historical issues such as slavery and race, to the examination of successful history communicators operating in various media. An important sub-theme focuses on best practices and ethics when it comes to communicating history to non-experts through emerging media. Students also learn how to “economize” the history communicator skillset for the workplace. Offered Every Other Fall.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

Equivalent: HIS 6993

ANT 7005 Proseminar in Anthropology I Cr. 3

Introduction to anthropological theory including key figures and issues across the discipline. Offered Fall.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

ANT 7010 Proseminar in Anthropology II Cr. 3

Examination of some major debates in anthropology in contemporary perspective; continuities and breakthroughs. Offered Winter.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

ANT 7030 Debates in Anthropology Cr. 3

Advanced seminar on enduring questions and key debates in anthropological thought over its history, including different subfields and allied social sciences. Offered Winter.

Prerequisites: ANT 7010 with a minimum grade of C

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Anthropology; enrollment is limited to Graduate level students; enrollment limited to students in a Doctor of Philosophy degree.

ANT 7200 Qualitative Modes of Inquiry and Methods Cr. 4

Qualitative modes of inquiry, methods techniques and research design. Students conduct independent field research and learn data collection methods. Offered Every Other Year.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

ANT 7420 Anthropology Practicum Cr. 3

Conduct applied anthropological field research as a team for an organization or institution; provide deliverables to the client. Practice research subject recruitment; anthropological methods (participant observation, interviews, focus groups etc.); qualitative data processing and analysis. Discuss research issues including ethics and obligations of involvement in fieldwork situations and prepare for career development using anthropological skills. Offered Yearly.

Restriction(s): Enrollment limited to students in a Master of Arts degree.

ANT 7422 Museum Practicum Cr. 3

The Museum Practicum course provides students with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a museum or cultural institution of their choice. With guidance from the coordinator of the Graduate Certificate in Museum Practice, each student will obtain a placement at an institution and undertake a project in a specific area of museum work under direction of an institutional site supervisor. Over the course of the semester practicum students will experience and reflect upon the working environment, challenges, and opportunities within the museum industry. Offered Yearly.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

ANT 7450 Kinship and Social Relations Cr. 3

How are kinship relations created, transformed, reshaped, and unmade? How do people experience kinship, and what does it mean to be related? How do these processes, experiences, and imaginations vary across space and time? What is the role of kinship studies in anthropology, and how has this changed over the history of the discipline? This course explores these questions through a rigorous analysis of contemporary and historical readings in the anthropological study of kinship and social relations. This course will draw on case studies from the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia (Central, East, Southeast), and Melanesia. Offered Intermittently.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

ANT 7605 Seminar in Problems and Concepts in Medical Anthropology Cr. 1-9

Topics to be announced in Schedule of Classes. Offered Intermittently.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

Repeatable for 9 Credits

ANT 7620 Seminar in Anthropology Cr. 3

Special topics seminar focused on central concepts and theories in anthropology. Exploration of current developments, problems and contemporary research orientations. Topics and sub-field orientation(s) to be announced in Schedule of Classes. Offered Fall, Winter.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

Repeatable for 15 Credits

ANT 7625 Material Culture and the Social Meaning of Things Cr. 3

Our relationship with objects, and various ways of looking at material culture as part of our social world. Understanding and appreciation of the materiality of our lives and the lives of peoples of different cultures. Offered Every Other Year.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

ANT 7630 Seminar in Problems and Concepts in Cultural Anthropology Cr. 2-3

Central concepts and theories. Current developments, problems and contemporary research orientations. Topics to be announced in Schedule of Classes . Offered Yearly.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

Repeatable for 9 Credits

ANT 7635 Globalization and Culture Cr. 3

Focuses on the discourse, debates, and practices of globalization from an anthropological perspective. Fast-paced seminar course for graduate students. Topics include: globalization, localization, and anti-globalization; citizenship and belonging; modernity; transnationalism; migration and diaspora; global food systems; consumption and production; popular culture; religion; development; methodological issues in studying global phenomena. Offered Fall.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

ANT 7680 Medical Anthropology Cr. 3

Core concepts and theoretical approaches, including: aging, life course, childhood, old age, disability, chronic illness, infectious disease, international health, organization of health care institutions, health policy, political economy of health, women's health, reproduction, technology, the body, bioethics, culture and cognition, death and dying, race and ethnicity, violence, sex and sexuality. Offered Every Other Year.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

Repeatable for 6 Credits

ANT 7780 Conceptualizing the Dissertation Cr. 3

Basic concepts, practices, and skills needed to develop and present a grant proposal for funding. Offered Every Other Year.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

ANT 7900 Synthesis Cr. 3

Integrative, holistic, and comparative examination of anthropology as the synthesis of diverse analytic perspectives and methodologies. Offered Winter.

Prerequisites: ANT 7005 with a minimum grade of C

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

ANT 7995 Directed Study Cr. 1-9

Offered Every Term.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

Repeatable for 9 Credits

ANT 7998 Field Problem Cr. 1-9

A research problem which requires field work or intensive and systematic reading of original technical literature. Offered Every Term.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

Repeatable for 9 Credits

ANT 7999 Master's Essay Direction Cr. 3

Offered Every Term.

Restriction(s): Enrollment limited to students with a class of Candidate Masters; enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

ANT 8999 Master's Thesis Research and Direction Cr. 1-8

Offered Every Term.

Restriction(s): Enrollment limited to students with a class of Candidate Masters; enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

Repeatable for 8 Credits

ANT 9990 Pre-Doctoral Candidacy Research Cr. 1-8

Research in preparation for doctoral dissertation. Offered Every Term.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

Repeatable for 12 Credits

ANT 9991 Doctoral Candidate Status I: Dissertation Research and Direction Cr. 7.5

Offered Every Term.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

ANT 9992 Doctoral Candidate Status II: Dissertation Research and Direction Cr. 7.5

Offered Every Term.

Prerequisite: ANT 9991 with a minimum grade of S

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

ANT 9993 Doctoral Candidate Status III: Dissertation Research and Direction Cr. 7.5

Offered Every Term.

Prerequisite: ANT 9992 with a minimum grade of S

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

ANT 9994 Doctoral Candidate Status IV: Dissertation Research and Direction Cr. 7.5

Offered Every Term.

Prerequisite: ANT 9993 with a minimum grade of S

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

ANT 9995 Candidate Maintenance Status: Doctoral Dissertation Research and Direction Cr. 0

Offered Every Term.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

Fees: $434.8

Repeatable for 0 Credits

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