Faculty and professional interests Jon Wagner, chair
North America, contemporary mythology, human evolution andadaptation
David Amor
Media and social change, political economy of media
Lawrence Breitborde
Anthropological linguistics, language and identity,sociolinguistics, Africa
Nancy Eberhardt
Psychological anthropology, Southeast Asia, religion, gender
Pavel Osinsky
Macrosociology, globalization, political sociology
Amy Singer
Sociology of gender, popular culture, social inequality
Jill Wightman
Latin America, social theory, anthropology of religion Cooperating faculty from other programs
Diana Beck, Educational Studies
Frederick Hord, Black Studies
Donna Jurich, Educational Studies
Duane Oldfield, Political Science Lecturers
Nicole Civettini
Wendel Hunigan
Carol St. Amant Anthropology and Sociology provide a comparative framework for interpretingand explaining human social behavior. Traditionally, sociologists haveinvestigated the structure and dynamics of industrialized societies, oftenemploying survey research techniques and quantitative analysis. In contrast,anthropologists have researched non-industrial societies and small communitieswithin industrialized states using the characteristic methodology ofparticipant observation, in which the investigator lives with a group andbecomes familiar with its customs, language, and view of the world. Despite these differences in emphasis and method, the two disciplines drawfrom a common body of theory, and the distinction between them is breaking downin contemporary social science. Since bureaucratic, industrialized societieshave touched the lives of nearly every human group on this planet, the twodisciplines have increasingly come to deal with a common, unifying theme: thenature of industrial society, its antecedents, and its impact upon thetraditional societies of the Third World. Thetwo disciplines also share a common concern with more fundamental theoreticalissues: What is human society? How did it arise? How have people made meaningout of their environment and of their experience? What is the extent ofvariability in human experience and social organization? For these reasons, thedepartment presents the two fields as interdependent. Courses in the department focus on the problems of contemporary industrialsociety, on the nature of non-industrial societies, on the impact oftechnological and administrative change on the traditional societies of the Third World, and on the methodological and theoreticalissues that arise in the study of these topics. Students majoring in the department should call upon the faculty to assistthem in designing a personalized program of study, emphasizing relevant coursesin allied disciplines and independent study or research as required. Thosecontemplating the major are urged to take courses in allied departments(particularly economics, political science, psychology, black studies, genderand women's studies and history, as well as in philosophy and mathematics). The departmental curriculum contributes to the College's Key CompetencyRequirements as follows: - Writing Key Competency- ANSO 330 and 399 serve as writing-intensive courses for majors
- Speaking Key Competency- ANSO 399 serves as a speaking-intensive course for majors
- Information Literacy andInformed Use of Technology - The following skills are developed invarious departmental courses through a combination of relevantassignments, tutorial guidance, classroom presentation, and formalworkshops.
- Ability to assess reliability of sources on the World Wide Web
- Use of bibliographic databases
- Effective use of PowerPoint presentation software
- Ability to prepare and format academic research for submission in digital form
Students are required to culminate and demonstrate each ofthese skills in the core course sequence required of all majors: Theories,Methodologies, Research Design, and Research Seminar. Anthropology and Sociology Course Descriptions
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