What and where and who is Native North America? To find out, this introductory undergraduate course examines representations of Native Americans in movies, in anthropology, and in their own words and films. To understand the great diversity of indigenous peoples in North America, we learn about different communities such as the Western Apache, Cherokee, and Seminole. To understand some shared experiences of indigenous peoples, we will discuss themes such as colonialism, identity, and sovereignty. We will cover topics ranging from making museum exhibits to making decisions about who to marry, and we will critique practices of representation and authority. Students will learn what it means to apply anthropological methods and perspectives to understanding human experience. This class will thus provide students an introduction to cultural anthropology and prepare them for future courses in this field.
ProfessorJen Shannon
See the University Catalog for specifics, recommendations, and prerequisites.