Teaching

Anthropology 2040 Anthropological Linguistics
This course is an entry-level introduction to linguistic anthropology, which stresses the interactions between language, culture, and social identity. We will also examine the origin and development of language, explore the variation in modern languages, learn about different writing systems, discuss non-verbal communication, examine how gender and social identity impact languages, and discuss how language changes over time and through space. This class is in essence a course in applied anthropology, and will focus on the application and practical use of core anthropological concepts. As a result, it will focus heavily on group and interactive activities, such as meeting weekly with an international student. By the end of the semester, students will understand the role language plays in structuring our social relationships, and will have gained the essential tools for learning and analyzing languages in social and cultural contexts.

Anthropology 4620 North American Archaeology
This course is a sweeping survey of the prehistory of North America. An examination of the rich and diverse cultures is presented by exploring the ecology, prehistory and even political and religious systems of prehistoric inhabitants of the continent. The class begins by looking at the ethnographic diversity and commonalities of Amerindians, and then explores the arrival of the First American using data from throughout the New World. We next examine the Archaic period occupation of North America, during which we will consider the factors underlying the adoption of domesticates such as maize, beans, and squash. We will also examine the increasing social complexity and regionalization as it is reflected in places like Chaco Canyon, Cahokia, and Monks Mound. Other topics that are touched upon are the roles of technological innovations of important items such as the bow and arrow and the production of pottery.

Anthropology 4001/7001 The Archaeological Analysis of Ceramics
The goal of this course is to introduce the student to the basic methods and concepts used in the archaeological analysis of pottery. By the end of the semester the student will understand the various ways that pottery is created and how archaeologists can use ceramics to gain insights into everything from the organization of craft production to trade to symbolism. The course is taught as a laboratory class in which hands-on experience is stressed; expect to get muddy and dusty! Typically the class spends the first class period of each week discussing the readings and then spends the remaining class period conducting various analyses and exercises. Unless otherwise noted in class, a prepared written report of the analysis (typed, double-spaces, in 12-point font) is due by the Tuesday of the following week. Lab reports will not be accepted hand written or late.

Anthropology 8287 Seminar in Archaeological Method and Theory
This graduate level course presents an intense examination of the various theories and methods used in Americanist archaeology between about 1910 and 2005. Approaches covered include culture history, cultural reconstruction, processual archaeology, behavioral archaeology, Darwinian archaeology, and post-processual archaeology, which includes cognitive, structure, critical, Marxist, gender, praxis, and symbolic archaeology. By the end of the class, students will understand the principles of each theory, and will be able to apply and evaluate work in each perspective.

Anthropology 4600/7600 People of the American Southwest
This course explores the diverse native peoples of the American Southwest and Northern Mexico. Aspects of their prehistory, history, subsistence strategies, kinship, social organization, language, and religion are explored. To a limited degree Hispanic and Anglo American occupations are discussed. Students by the end of the semester will hopefully respect and appreciate the cultural diversity in the Southwest, and understand the differences and similarities between Rancherias peoples and people that live in pueblos, the differences between Eastern and Western Pueblos, and modern issues such as gaming, education, and health.

Anthropology 4650 Prehistory of Mesoamerica
In this course we explore the prehistory and history of Native Peoples of Mesoamerica. We will examine these rich and diverse cultures by studying the various groups' ecology, prehistory and history, as well as their political and religious systems. Part of our studies will include reading the Popol Vuh, which is the Mayan book that discusses how the world was created and rights to rulership. This book formed the core of Mesoamerican religion and leadership, and therefore helps archaeologists understand Mesoamerica’s past better. Themes that are intertwined and reflected in codices, calendars, iconography, and the archaeological record include animism, blood, duality, maize, sacred plants, divination, and shamanism.

Anthropology 3600 North American Indian Culture
This course presents Native Peoples of North America from both a historical and contemporary ethnographic perspective. We will examine these rich and diverse cultures by exploring the various groups' language, ecology, prehistory and history as well as their political and religious systems. The cultural summaries reported in the required text are derived from ethnographic and ethnohistoric sources and include information about the current status of the cultures and their economic/legal status within the modern political system. The summaries cover traditional anthropological concerns such as origins/history, religion, kinship, political structures, subsistence (technology, material goods), settlement patterns, and entertainment. In addition, generalizations and theories gained from cross-cultural comparative studies of Native North American are discussed.

christine vanpool | department of anthropology | college of arts & science | university of missouri

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