ANTH 458 A: Ethnobiology: Plants, Animals, and People

In Ethnobiology (ANTH 458) we will delve into the interdisciplinary field of ethnobiology/ethnoecology, examining cultural systems of knowledge about the natural world. It is open to non-majors. This is a seminar-style course. It counts for MAGH credit. Here is more information about the course: This course is an introduction to the inter-disciplinary field of ethnobiology/ethnoecology—the study of knowledge of and beliefs about the natural world among human socio-cultural groups (ethnos). Formed out of the studies of ethnoscience in the discipline of anthropology, and an overall general anthropological interest in how humans relate to and interact with the non-human world, ethnobiology includes a variety of subject matters and theoretical approaches, which we will explore. We will discuss topics relevant to the field, including classification and naming systems of natural kinds, animals as food and animals as pets, ethics and biopiracy, sustainability & resource management, Indigenous and localized understandings of the natural world. You will also obtain an understanding of some key historical developments within the field. The course includes engaged, hands-on exploration of important methodological techniques in ethnobiology, as well as several on-campus field trips