ANTHROPOLOGY
Course Level: Graduate
Topics vary by section, may be repeated for credit with different topic. This course explores archaeological theories and frameworks that have emerged or seen strong developments since ca. 2000, such as labor, sexuality, queer, identity, pragmatist, and phenomenological theories. The centrality of theories in the broader practice of anthropological archaeology and how the broader political climate influences the emergence and decline of particular interests of archaeological theory is discussed. Usually offered every fall.
Course Level: Graduate
Foundations of Archaeology (3)
Marxism, Material Culture, and Space
Marxism has had a profound influence on the development of archaeological thought over the past 100 years. With its various emphases on material conditions, sociality, modern capitalism, labor, and other aspects of human existence, Marxism is a rich intellectual terrain within which archaeologists have framed their analyses of the human past, material culture, and the spaces and landscapes. This course focuses on understanding Marxism in archaeology as a philosophy, politics, and anthropological perspective. The class explores how key Marxian concepts, such as dialectics and praxis, have impacted and fed other kinds of perspectives in the field. Finally, Marxism is compared with other major perspectives in the profession.