COURSES
Social Determinants of Health
Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) are conditions, forces, and systems that influence health outcomes. These conditions come from where people live, learn, work, and play and have a much greater impact on a person’s overall health than any other factor. In this course, we examine SDOH in different global contexts to attain a strong foundation in the economic, social, and political issues that give rise to disparities in health. We study how a person’s identity, education level, and employment status can impact the probability of attaining certain diseases and disabilities. We explore the challenges of migration where a person’s health outcomes can change based on shifts in power dynamics. We investigate how a person’s income and ethnicity can shape a community’s willingness to assist and care for that person. And, we confront modern health care systems that provide healing for some, while operating as a form of social control against others.
Ethnographic Research Methods
Ethnography is the systematic study, analysis, and presentation of human communities. In conducting ethnographic research, a researcher uses a variety of methods, including interviews, focus groups studies, coding, mapping, participant observation, and surveys to interpret meaning and experiences within specific cultures. This course uses anthropological fieldwork methods to document and understand local communities. Students become an ethnographer by conducting interviews, surveys, participant-observation, and other methods to interpret and understand people's daily lives. Students also learn to photograph, film, and document people's actions, behaviors, and beliefs in order to understand local communities. Each student is required to conduct his or her own research project, which they will then write into a final research paper.
African Music Economies (graduate seminar)
This course examines the performance, production, circulation, and protection of African music in African countries, as well as in the African diaspora. Many countries have thriving music economies with numerous radio stations, recordings studios, performance venues, and collective management organizations. Many artists also become wealthy from their music, though at the same time, many more struggle to make ends meet in the highly competitive music market. Focusing primarily on music with forays into other art forms, such as film and fashion design, this class explores 1) the changing popularity of African arts forms across the continent and other parts of the world; 2) the economic significance of these new or expanding industries associated with the arts; and 3) the influence that these changes has on both musicians and their music. Each week, we explore a new theme associated with the arts, including the political significance of popular music; the expanding role of private radio broadcasters and recording studios; law and rights in relations to notions of ownership in music; and the sounds of contemporary popular music on the continent.
Introduction to Global Anthropology
The focus of this course is around the concepts of culture and globalization. Culture refers to the learned system of beliefs, values, and rules for living which a group of people organize their lives. Influenced by media (television, the Internet, film, music, etc.), capitalism, free markets, travel, and communications, globalization is a term that helps describe our current century. It expresses the rapid movement of ideas, goods, services, and beliefs throughout the world. Through reading anthropological case studies and conducting our own research, this class aims to help each student comprehend the diversity of cultures throughout the world and the impact of global processes on those cultures.
Studies in Jazz
Studies in Jazz covers jazz from its roots to contemporary artists who perform today. A significant portion of the course is historical and begins with a focus on cultural traditions that gave rise to jazz music in the United States. In addition, the class examines significant events that shaped the rise and spread of jazz including the Great Migration and the commercialization of gramophone recordings. The course is designed to improve student knowledge of music generally and jazz specifically. While there are no music requirements for this course, you are expected to learn musical terminology and concepts, as well as be able to identify key jazz styles, performers and songs.
African Culture and Society
In this course, we examine multiple forms of music, literature, and art in sub-Saharan Africa to better comprehend their purpose and function in daily African life. Music, literature, and art reflect a diversity of ideas that exist on the African continent. These artistic forms teach us about history, politics, and culture, as well as artists’ views of their social conditions. By the end of this course, students will have a strong appreciation for the diversity of people and art in contemporary Africa, and a working knowledge of the current issues and concerns facing people living on the continent.
Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) are conditions, forces, and systems that influence health outcomes. These conditions come from where people live, learn, work, and play and have a much greater impact on a person’s overall health than any other factor. In this course, we examine SDOH in different global contexts to attain a strong foundation in the economic, social, and political issues that give rise to disparities in health. We study how a person’s identity, education level, and employment status can impact the probability of attaining certain diseases and disabilities. We explore the challenges of migration where a person’s health outcomes can change based on shifts in power dynamics. We investigate how a person’s income and ethnicity can shape a community’s willingness to assist and care for that person. And, we confront modern health care systems that provide healing for some, while operating as a form of social control against others.
Ethnographic Research Methods
Ethnography is the systematic study, analysis, and presentation of human communities. In conducting ethnographic research, a researcher uses a variety of methods, including interviews, focus groups studies, coding, mapping, participant observation, and surveys to interpret meaning and experiences within specific cultures. This course uses anthropological fieldwork methods to document and understand local communities. Students become an ethnographer by conducting interviews, surveys, participant-observation, and other methods to interpret and understand people's daily lives. Students also learn to photograph, film, and document people's actions, behaviors, and beliefs in order to understand local communities. Each student is required to conduct his or her own research project, which they will then write into a final research paper.
African Music Economies (graduate seminar)
This course examines the performance, production, circulation, and protection of African music in African countries, as well as in the African diaspora. Many countries have thriving music economies with numerous radio stations, recordings studios, performance venues, and collective management organizations. Many artists also become wealthy from their music, though at the same time, many more struggle to make ends meet in the highly competitive music market. Focusing primarily on music with forays into other art forms, such as film and fashion design, this class explores 1) the changing popularity of African arts forms across the continent and other parts of the world; 2) the economic significance of these new or expanding industries associated with the arts; and 3) the influence that these changes has on both musicians and their music. Each week, we explore a new theme associated with the arts, including the political significance of popular music; the expanding role of private radio broadcasters and recording studios; law and rights in relations to notions of ownership in music; and the sounds of contemporary popular music on the continent.
Introduction to Global Anthropology
The focus of this course is around the concepts of culture and globalization. Culture refers to the learned system of beliefs, values, and rules for living which a group of people organize their lives. Influenced by media (television, the Internet, film, music, etc.), capitalism, free markets, travel, and communications, globalization is a term that helps describe our current century. It expresses the rapid movement of ideas, goods, services, and beliefs throughout the world. Through reading anthropological case studies and conducting our own research, this class aims to help each student comprehend the diversity of cultures throughout the world and the impact of global processes on those cultures.
Studies in Jazz
Studies in Jazz covers jazz from its roots to contemporary artists who perform today. A significant portion of the course is historical and begins with a focus on cultural traditions that gave rise to jazz music in the United States. In addition, the class examines significant events that shaped the rise and spread of jazz including the Great Migration and the commercialization of gramophone recordings. The course is designed to improve student knowledge of music generally and jazz specifically. While there are no music requirements for this course, you are expected to learn musical terminology and concepts, as well as be able to identify key jazz styles, performers and songs.
African Culture and Society
In this course, we examine multiple forms of music, literature, and art in sub-Saharan Africa to better comprehend their purpose and function in daily African life. Music, literature, and art reflect a diversity of ideas that exist on the African continent. These artistic forms teach us about history, politics, and culture, as well as artists’ views of their social conditions. By the end of this course, students will have a strong appreciation for the diversity of people and art in contemporary Africa, and a working knowledge of the current issues and concerns facing people living on the continent.
