Fall 2010 Courses

1000 Introduction to Sociology (4 sem. Hours) Adopting a cross-cultural and comparative approach, this course provides a comprehensive overview of sociological principles. Using the sociological imagination, students will explore the relationship between individuals and their social environment, as well as the origin, structure, and function of various social institutions.  Specific issues include the self and society, marriage and the family, education, religion, popular culture and mass media, class, gender, and race/ethnicity.  This class satisfies Core 6 requirements.

1100 Introduction to Anthropology (4 sem. Hours) This course introduces cultural anthropology as a way of understanding and studying culture in all its complexity.  The class is discussion-driven and relies on ethnographic texts as primary learning resources.  Class discussions will encourage students to consider the implications of cultural variability and to ask deep questions about the nature of human experience and social conditions.  At the end of the course, students will possess the tools to examine culture much more closely and critically and to evaluate deep-seated assumptions about the way the world works. This class satisfies Core 6 requirements.

1110 Introduction to Archaeology and World Prehistory (4 sem. Hours) This class is designed to introduce students to the world's prehistory and to the anthropological field of archaeology.  The class begins with the human family's earliest appearance approximately 5-6 million years ago in Africa and, through the course of the semester, travels down winding global paths to the dawn of written history.  As the class works together to unravel humanity's complex past, students may also learning something about the present and our future. 

2100 Research Methods and Statistics (4 sem. Hours) This course is required for sociology/anthropology majors and is typically taken in the junior year.  The course focuses on learning the basics of research design and execution.  At the end of the course, students will be able to design and conduct their own social science research and evaluate the research of others.  Both qualitative and quantitative methods are covered, but quantitative research methods are the primary focus.  The course trains students to use a statistical software package as well.

2850 Native Peoples and the Environment (4 sem. Hours) A course that explores the relationship between native peoples and their environments across the world from an anthropological perspective.  Students will study the unique adaptations that different indigenous societies have made to survive in diverse environments, as well as recent changes to these adaptive systems in the face of global processes.  This class also explores cultural perceptions and understandings of nature as well as conflicts over indigenous rights to land and resources.

3210 Urban Life (4 sem. Hours) This class investigates the social, economic, and political processes that have given rise to the modern American city and which continue to shape urban communities.  Students will examine how issues of race, class, gender, and age intersect at the city center to shape life experiences, social policies, popular media, and city planning. Sources include both scholarly works and popular representations (film, music, and art) to help students better understand urban realities and misconceptions.

3220 Class, Gender, and Race (4 sem. Hours) This course examines the nature and dynamics of class, race, and gender, and explores issues of class, social status, power, and prestige in the United States.  Readings and discussions also include issues of public policy in America and the future of the American class structure, gender equality/inequality, and race relations.

4730 Geographic Information Systems and Archaeology (4 sem. Hours) This class is designed to teach students the methods and theory of regional analysis in archaeology, as well the practical requirements of using GIS and other spatial technologies. The CGMA project specifically and Mediterranean archaeology generally provide our launch points for the course. 

4750 Disney and the American Way of Life (4 sem. Hours)  This class examines "Disney" and its relationship to American culture. The course approaches the subject from a social science perspective that utilizes anthropological and cultural studies methods and theory in order to explore how Disney has both shaped and been shaped by American culture. The central premise of this course is that Disney has represented a major cultural force in the development of the American way of life since the early 20th Century.

4900 Senior Seminar in Anthropology (4 sem. Hours) This is the capstone course for majors with an anthropology focus.  The course examines the scope of anthropological theory, starting with the earliest anthropologists like Franz Boas and ending with contemporary thinkers at the forefront of the discipline.  This class is taught in a seminar style, where students are expected to pose penetrating questions about anthropological theory and to take a leadership role in class discussions.

4910 Senior Seminar in Sociology (4 sem. Hours) This class will review the major schools of contemporary sociology by reading from the primary works of the scholars who represent these schools and writing responses to them. The main objectives include demonstrating and evaluating the importance of contemporary sociological theories, developing analytical and evaluative skills through regular writing assignments, and creating a major research project using empirical data and quantitative analysis.

As well as the following Core 1 class with a focus in anthropology:

1000 Sustainable Millsaps (4 sem. Hours) An Introduction to Writing and Thinking class that allows students to explore the relationship between people and their environments through the lens of sustainability, especially ideas about campus sustainability as well as sustainability within the wider Jackson community.  This class looks at the definition of sustainability, whether being sustainable is desirable, and what sustainability looks like in action.  Course includes 15 hours of sustainability service.  This class satisfied Core 1 requirements.