Cayla B. Colclasure

ANTH 101: Introduction to Anthropology

Spring 2024

Course description

Anthropologists use a wide array of methods to study humankind, past and present. The field of anthropology encompasses archaeology, sociocultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, human biology, and more. We will draw from these different anthropological approaches to examine several topics including colonialism, identity, and social inequality.

By the end of this course, students will be familiar with many of the major concepts and methods used by anthropologists. This course is designed to help students understand how anthropology can help us learn about pressing social issues such as globalization and how anthropology can be applied in the real world.

ANTH 151: Anthropology of Food and Culture

Summer 2023, Summer 2024

Course description

By the end of this course, students will be able to 1) demonstrate how factors such as culture, history, and environment interact with foodways, 2) evaluate relevant anthropological literature on food and culture, 3) explain the key concepts, methodologies, theoretical approaches, and issues of concern within the anthropology of food, 4) examine issues surrounding global food systems, modern agriculture, culture and cuisine, labor movements in food industries, and the impacts of these issues on the individual, 5) design and implement an anthropological research project. 

Students will engage with the global processes shaping the lives and foodways of people around the world. Students will learn about cross-cultural understandings of food, and explore the social, cultural, historical, and political-economic dimensions impacting global foodways. 

Introduction to Historical Archaeology

Ready to teach.

Course description

In North America, the period with which “historical archaeology” is concerned generally begins in the 16th century CE and continues up to 50 years ago (an arbitrary moving endpoint– some historical archaeologists also do “contemporary” archaeology which includes pasts as recent as yesterday). In this course, you will learn the methods used by historical archaeologists and you will practice some of these yourself by visiting an archive, conducting an oral history interview, and analyzing historical artifacts. By reading published findings from historical archaeologists, you will learn how past peoples’ everyday lives were impacted by (settler)colonialism, chattel slavery, industrialization, and other historical systems and processes.

The Archaeology of Capitalism

Ready to teach.

Course description

Capitalism is an economic system wherein private individuals or businesses own the “means of production” (i.e. the factories, raw materials, and other resources necessary to produce products or render services) and the majority of people sell their labor to these individuals and businesses for wages. There is also a capitalist ideology which accompanies this economic system, and both elements have shaped the world we live in over the past several centuries. This is an upper-level seminar where you will read widely about what historical archaeology can teach us about the impacts of capitalism on societies and people’s lived experiences. You will pair up with a classmate to formulate a final project centered around a specific relevant topic, and produce a podcast episode based on your research.

Archaeological Methods and Practice

Ready to teach.

In this course, you will learn the fundamentals of archaeological field and laboratory methods. We will begin by exploring archaeological research design and project management before turning to practical skills for the field. You will learn how to operate a total station, establish a grid for survey and excavation, and record findings. You will work with a collection of artifacts to understand how they should be processed, analyzed, and cataloged. Finally, you will learn about archaeological ethics through careful exploration of professional codes and guidelines, considering real-world applications, and participating in a mock “Ethics Bowl” inspired by the annual competition held by the Society for American Archaeology.

Labor in the American South

In development.

The American South is often constructed in the national consciousness as anti-labor due to the prevalence of anti-union policies throughout right-to-work states. However, the region has a rich history of labor organizing. In this course, we will examine southern labor movements, past and present. You will learn about 19th-century coal mining rebellions, early 20th-century textile mill strikes, and late 20th-century campus worker organizing. We will then turn our attention to ongoing movements, such as those around migrant workers rights in farming and food-processing industries and unionizing Amazon warehouses. We will consider how factors such as race, gender, and nationality play into the social dynamics of these movements. You will work on your final group project throughout the course, where your team will choose a specific event or movement and create a mini museum exhibit to display on our campus.