Anthropology Introduction

Anthropology is an integrated and interdisciplinary field. It is by definition holistic in its approach to answering the question: What does it mean to be human? It is ideally suited to a critical understand of the broad past, present, and the future of human experience, cultural interaction, and the person in society. Anthropology, then, is embedded in a real working theory of cultural diversity. A minor in anthropology at Seattle University will prepare students to make their way through the quotidian realities of the cultural, political, and economic worlds in which they live.

The minor is designated to go beyond an introductory course and to develop students' abilities and skills in a knowledge of the field that will serve as a foundation for further study and/or career goals. Students pursuing a minor in anthropology will develop a broad understanding of human culture around the world and across time. They will achieve this through two types of classes. One type focuses on a mastering of knowledge of the varieties of human experience and their interactions across space and time. These classes include Introduction to Anthropology, Cultural Anthropology, and Personality and Culture.  The other class-type will allow students to apply anthropological methods and theories to contemporary problems and topics, i.e.: anthropology of religion, law, health and medicine, Northwest people, and Shamanism.

Students who complete an anthropolgy major:

•  Show command of cultural anthropology's disciplinary perspective.
• Are able to use anthropological research methods (participant observation, semi-structured interviewing, etc.) to gather data.
• Demonstrate the ability to analyze ethnographic data.
• Are able to use cross-cultural comparison to analyze social issues in a student's own society.
• Understand the history of anthropology's development and the historical contributions of major anthropologists to social science.

Anthropological perspectives are especially suited to complement majors in fields in which humans are central: pre-medicine, psychology, political science, urban planning, journalism, education, and business.