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for a past academic year. Please see the current academic year for up to date information.
| Unit name |
Current Debates in Biological Anthropology |
| Unit code |
ARCH30016 |
| Credit points |
20 |
| Level of study |
H/6
|
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
|
| Unit director |
Dr. Mwenza Blell |
| Open unit status |
Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
ARCH10005 - Introduction to Biological Anthropology
|
| Co-requisites |
None
|
| School/department |
Department of Anthropology and Archaeology |
| Faculty |
Faculty of Arts |
Description including Unit Aims
This seminar-based course brings together current issuers in biological anthropology and will reflect the dynamic research interests of staff. A unique feature of this course is that it combines both social and biological approaches to current issues, including (but not limited to) topics such as health, well-being, population, cognition and language, and social/cultural diversity. Students will examine both the causes and consequences of global variation in a number of domains.
Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
- 1) Explain (with case studies) and critically evaluate different perspectives in debates in biological anthropology.
- 2) Describe and critically interpret both qualitative and quantitative data relevant to debates in biological anthropology.
- 3) Describe the different disciplines involved in current biological anthropology issues and critically appraise their contribution to current debates.
- 4) Identify, extract, and use qualitative and quantitative data from a range of academic and development sources.
- 5) Write and orally present a report that integrates social, biological and demographic data.
- 6) Discuss how an integrated bio-cultural anthropology can help policy-makers identify the main priorities for quality of life improvements across the globe.
Teaching Information
10 x 2hr lectures
3x 1 hr seminars
Assessment Information
All assessment is summative
- Independent Learning Outcomes (ILOs) 1,2,4-6: Report, 3,500 50%
- ILOs 1,2,5,6: 20 minute oral presentation 25%
- ILOs 1-3,6: Class test 25%
Reading and References
- World Bank (Annual) World development report www.worldbank.org
- Croll, E. 2000 Endangered daughters: Discrimination and development in Asia. Routledge.
- Evans, N. 2009. Dying Words: Endangered Languages and What They Have To Tell Us. Wiley.
- Farmer, P. 1999. Infections and inequalities: The modern plagues. London: University of California Press
- Henrich, J. et al. 2010. The weirdest people in the world.?. Behav Brain Sci 33:61-83.
- Phillipson, J. Lowe, P and J.M. Bullock. 2009. Navigating the social sciences: interdisciplinary and ecology. Journal of Applied Ecology 46: 261-264/.
- Wilkinson, R. and Pickett, K. 2009. The spirit level: why more equal societies always do better. London: Penguin.
