ANTH 4803 - Anthropology of Things

“The Anthropology of Things” introduces students to both theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of material culture. Museums are concerned with exhibiting materiality and the category of “things” through history. Rather than just asking how people make things, this course will explore how objects mediate social relationships and have an agency of their own. Things have meanings that shift through time, and that give us a window into history and cultures. Theories from semiotics, anthropology, history, social memory and gender studies will be presented to give students the tools to interpret objects in the museum context.

Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: ANTH 1102, HIST 1111, or HIST 1112

Hours:
3