Anthropology

专业详情

The Anthropology Department specializes in socio-cultural anthropology: the study of social and cultural forms of human life using ethnographic, historical, and comparative methods. Faculty in our department are engaged in research that addresses topics considered traditional such as the study of ethnicity, language, religion, family and kinship, or medical pluralism, and also new and emergent issues such as those relating to childhood, technological imaginaries, biomedicine, ecology, state, violence, and popular economies. In all cases, the acute awareness of shifting contexts in which institutions are embedded and the impact of global, regional, and national politics on social life is built into the methodology and the theory engaged by faculty and students. Faculty in our department have research expertise in the Americas, South Asia, the Middle East, and sub-Saharan Africa. Our research is oriented toward the investigation of a number of cross-cutting themes of trans-regional concern rather than a comprehensive coverage of global cultural areas.

The department’s distinctive orientation to anthropology can be characterized in terms of its orientation to non-European anthropological and philosophical traditions, alongside the dominant anthropologies which have been seen as definitive of the discipline in the past. In terms of specific topics, faculty in our department are engaged in research on violence, social suffering and theories of everyday life; the material and moral force of the state; money and value; environments; new kinship; anthropology of religion and secularism; anthropology of medicine; media and visual anthropology; health and well-being; and anthropology of language.

The department offers a B.A. program and a Ph.D. program. The B.A. prepares students either to continue to various employment opportunities or degree in anthropology (and related fields) or to develop anthropological skills and imagination as complementary to pre-professional training, such as medicine, engineering, and international relations. Undergraduate course work offers an introduction to the basic methodologies and theories of contemporary anthropology through discussion and directed research on these and other topical issues. Student advising helps interested students to develop concentrations, through sequences of complementary courses tailored to their own interests, including electives outside the department. In addition, majors have the option to pursue an honors program.

To complete an anthropology major, students must complete a total of 30 credits (10 courses) in Anthropology and foreign language through the intermediate level. Only with permission of the director of undergraduate studies may students use one class taken at another institution not directly equivalent to a JHU course towards the major. Students must take completed course materials to the director of undergraduate studies to discuss if a non-equivalent transfer course can apply towards the major. Majors must receive a grade of C or better in all major requirements and no major requirements may be taken satisfactory/unsatisfactory.