Download Unit 1—Key Concepts - Oregon State University

ANTH 477/577
Ecological Anthropology
M,W 3:30 – 4:50 (Waldo 201)
4 Credit Hours
Prerequisite: 3 Credits of Social Science
Instructor: Dr. Bryan Tilt
Office: Waldo 209
Office Hours: T 3:30-4:30, Th 12:00-1:00, by appointment
[email protected]
737-3896
Course Web Site: On OSU Blackboard System
Course Description:
Ecological anthropology examines the relationship between humans and their
environments. This course has two primary aims: 1) to provide a foundation of
knowledge about past and present theoretical perspectives in ecological anthropology;
and 2) to survey some of the important contemporary issues in ecological anthropology
as they relate to general anthropology, archaeology, biological sciences, ecology, and
related fields.
Course Outcomes and Skills for Undergraduate Students:
Upon completing this course, undergraduate students should be able to:
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Identify and describe various theoretical perspectives on the interaction between
human cultural systems and their environments;
Analyze cultural interaction with the environment for hunter-gatherers,
pastoralists, agriculturalists, and urban dwellers;
Outline past and present theory in ecological anthropology, including cultural
ecology, evolutionary ecology, historical ecology, political ecology, spiritual
ecology, reproductive ecology, and cognitive anthropology;
Produce a comprehensive book review on a case study related to one aspect of
ecological anthropology
Course Outcomes and Skills for Graduate Students:
Upon completing this course, graduate students should be able to:
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Design a conceptual model of the human-environment interactions for a specific
cultural group;
Demonstrate a command of past and present theory in ecological anthropology
through in-class discussions, essays, and exams;
Produce an in-class presentation and annotated bibliography on a specific problem
or controversy in ecological anthropology
Required Texts:
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1- Netting, Robert McC. 1993. Smallholders, Householders: Farm Families and the
Ecology of Intensive, Sustainable Agriculture. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
2 – Crumley, Carole L. 2001. New Directions in Anthropology and Environment:
Intersections. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press.
3- Milton, Kay. 1996. Environmentalism and Cultural Theory: Exploring the Role of
Anthropology in Environmental Discourse. New York: Routledge.
4- Reading packet available at the Anthropology Department office (Waldo 238)
Course Requirements and Grading:
Requirements for the course are as follows:
Item
Midterm Exam
Final Exam
Class Participation
Case Study Book Review (Undergraduates)
Annotated Bib. and Presentation (Graduates)
Total
Points
100
100
50
100
100
350
Midterm Exam: The midterm exam will be held in class, and will involve the
definition of key terms, short answer questions, and 1 or 2 essay questions that ask you to
synthesize and think critically about course materials. You should bring a blue book for
this exam.
Final Exam: The final exam will also be held in class. It will be similar in format
to the midterm exam, and will be comprehensive (ie. it will cover material from the entire
quarter). You should bring a blue book for this exam.
Class Participation: You should plan on attending class regularly and
participating actively in activities and discussions. Thoroughly reading the assigned
books and articles will help you to make insightful comments and ask good questions.
Case Study Book Review (Undergraduate Students Only): In order to get
more depth of information on a particular topic related to ecological anthropology,
students will choose a book-length case study to read in addition to other course materials.
I will circulate a list of acceptable books, and you may choose any one you like. I suggest
that you select a book as soon as possible in order to get a head-start on your reading.
Around the middle of the term, students will be required to turn in a 200-word abstract
that summarizes the main points of the book. This is the first step in producing a book
review. The book review should be five pages (double-spaced) in length, and should
address the following: the problem being studied; goals or hypotheses of the study; study
population and location; research methods used; main findings and/or arguments; and
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broader significance to the field of ecological anthropology. The book review is due in
class on June 5.
Annotated Bibliography and Presentation (Graduate Students Only): There
are several graduate students who are taking this course for 500-level credit. In addition
to the requirements described above, graduate students will be expected to provide class
members with a greater depth of information on particular topics in ecological
anthropology by researching a topic, compiling and annotating a bibliography, and
reporting your findings to the class.
Topic Selection. Topics for the bibliography and presentation project are as
follows (also listed in bold on the class schedule):
 April 26: Foraging strategies and conservation
 May 8: Land tenure and the “tragedy of the commons”
 May 15: Origins of agriculture
 May 17: Extensive (Swidden) agriculture
 May 24: Political ecology
 May 31: Population ecology and carrying capacity
 June 7: Sustainable development
You will have the opportunity to choose a topic of your liking. However, in order
to ensure that all topics are covered adequately, you may not get your first choice. A
bibliography of recommended sources for each topic will be handed out in class and
posted on the class web site.
Preparation. Preparation of the annotated bibliography will require a modest
amount of extra reading (typically 5-7 articles). The in-class presentation should focus on
providing the class with additional information on a specific topic, expanding on the
required readings and lectures for that topic, and assessing the validity of some of the
theories covered in the course.
Deliverables. The goal of this exercise is to produce two things: 1) an in-class
presentation, and 2) an annotated bibliography of sources on your panel topic. Your
presentation should be brief (<30 minutes) in order to allow time for discussion. Use of
visual materials, including Powerpoint or handouts, is strongly encouraged. I will grade
the presentation on content, accuracy, clarity, analytical insight, and effort. You may
organize the presentation any way you like, but in general it should contain an overview
of the basic issues involved, contrasting viewpoints, case studies, etc. The annotated
bibliography is due on the day of your presentation. It should include 5-7 scholarly
sources with thorough annotations that address the specific contributions of each book or
article you cite. Annotations may address the main theme of the article or book, the study
population (location, subsistence system, habitat, etc.), problem or hypotheses addressed,
methods and types of data reported, main conclusions drawn, broader implications in
relation to concepts in this course, etc.
Students with Disabilities:
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Accommodations are collaborative efforts between students, faculty and Services
for Students with Disabilities (SSD). Students with accommodations approved through
SSD are responsible for contacting the faculty member in charge of the course prior to or
during the first week of the term to discuss accommodations. Students who believe they
are eligible for accommodations but who have not yet obtained approval through SSD
should contact SSD immediately at 737-4098.
Expectations for Student Conduct:
Students are expected to maintain proper academic conduct in this class. This
includes treating peers with respect and meeting the conduct expectations of Oregon State
University regarding cheating or other behaviors. To review these expectations, please
visit the following Web site: http://oregonstate.edu/admin/stucon/achon.htm
Class Schedule:
DATE
Mon, April 3
Wed, April 5
Mon, April 10
Wed, April 12
TOPIC
Introductory lecture,
course overview
Foundations of
ecological
anthropology
Complex adaptive
systems
The new ecologies
Mon, April 17
Culture, cognition,
and environment
Wed, April 19
Human
READINGS
Steward, Julian H. 1977 (1955). “The
Concept and Method of Cultural Ecology.”
In J.H. Steward, ed. Evolution and Ecology.
University of Illinois Press. Pp. 30-42.
Rappaport, Roy A. 1971. “The Flow of
Energy in an Agricultural Society.” Scientific
American 224(3): 116-133.
Foin, Theodore C. and William G. Davis.
1987. “Equilibrium and Nonequilibrium
Models in Ecological Anthropology: An
Evaluation of ‘Stability’ in Maring
Ecosystems in New Guinea.” American
Anthropologist 89(1): 9-31.
Biersack, Aletta. 1999. “Introduction: From
the ‘New Ecology’ to the New Ecologies.”
American Anthropologist 101(1): 5-18.
Kottak, Conrad Phillip. 1999. “The New
Ecological Anthropology.” American
Anthropologist 101(1):23-35.
Kempton, Willett. 2001. “Cognitive
Anthropology and the Environment.” In
Carole L. Crumley, ed. New Directions in
Anthropology and Environment:
Intersections. Pp. 49-71.
Redman, Charles L. 1999. Human Impact on
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environmental
impacts in prehistory
Mon, April 24
Wed, April 26
Human Behavioral
Ecology
Foraging strategies
and conservation;
student presentation
Mon, May 1
Pastoral systems
Wed, May 3
Mon, May 8
Midterm Exam
Land tenure and the
“tragedy of the
commons”; student
presentation
Wed, May 10
Historical ecology;
forest ecosystems
Ancient Environments. Tucson: University of
Arizona Press. (Chapter 4: Animal
Exploitation). Pp. 53-80.
Winterhalder, Bruce and Eric Alden Smith.
2000. “Analyzing Adaptive Strategies:
Human Behavioral Ecology at Twenty-Five.”
Evolutionary Anthropology 9: 51-72.
Sahlins, Marshall. 1972. Stone Age
Economics. Chicago: Aldine-Atherton (Ch.
1: “The Original Affluent Society”). Pp. 139.
Kelly, Robert L. (1995) The foraging
spectrum: diversity in hunter-gatherer
lifeways. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian
Institution Press. (Ch. 1: Hunter Gatherers
and Anthropology).
Alvard, Michael S. 1998. “Indigenous
Hunting in the Neotropics: Conservation or
Optimal Foraging?” in Tim Caro, ed.
Behavioral Ecology and Conservation
Biology. New York: Oxford University
Press.
Borgerhoff-Mulder, Monique and Daniel W.
Sellen. 1994. “Pastoralist decisionmaking: a
behavioral ecological perspective.” In
African pastoralist systems: an integrated
approach, ed. Elliot Fratkin, Kathleen A.
Glavin, and Eric Abella Roth. Boulder, CO:
Lynne Rienner Publishers. Pp. 205-229.
Hardin, Garrett. 1968. The Tragedy of the
Commons. Science 162: 1243-1248.
McCabe, Terrence. 1990. “Turkana
Pastoralism: A Case Against the Tragedy of
the Commons.” Human Ecology 18: 81-103.
Balee, William. 1998. “Historical Ecology:
Premises and Postulates.” In William Balee,
ed. Advances in Historical Ecology. New
York: Columbia University Press.
Winthrop, Kathryn R. 2001. “Historical
Ecology: Landscapes of Change in the
Pacific Northwest.” In Carole L. Crumley,
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Mon, May 15
The origins of
agriculture; student
presentation
Wed, May 17
Extensive agriculture
and swidden systems;
student presentation
Mon, May 22
Intensive agriculture
ed. New Directions in Anthropology and
Environment: Intersections. Pp. 203-222.
Sutton, Mark Q. and Eugene N. Anderson.
2004. “The Origins of Food Production.” In
Introduction to Cultural Ecology. Walnut
Creek, CA: AltaMira Press. Pp. 169-186.
Sponsel, Leslie E. 1992. “The Environmental
History of Amazonia: Natural and Human
Disturbances, and the Ecological Transition.”
In Harold K. Steen and Richard P. Tucker,
eds. Changing Tropical Forests: Historical
Perspectives on Today’s Challenges in
Central and South America. Durham: Forest
History Society. Pp. 233-251.
Netting, Robert McC. 1993. Smallholders,
Householders. Chapter 1.
Netting, Robert McC. 1993. Smallholders,
Householders. Chapter 3.
Wed, May 24
Political ecology;
agriculture; student
presentation
Paulson, Susan, Lisa L. Gezon, and Michael
Watts. 2003. “Locating the Political in
Political Ecology: An Introduction.” Human
Organization 62(3): 205-217.
Li, Yongxiang and Bryan Tilt. 2006. “In
Search of Solvency: Changing Agricultural
Governance in an Ethnic Minority Region of
Southwest China.” International Journal of
Agricultural Resources, Governance, and
Ecology.
Mon, May 29
Wed, May 31
Mon, June 5
No Class (Memorial
Day)
Population ecology
and carrying
capacity; student
presentation
Reproductive
strategies; book
reviews due
Netting, Robert McC. 1993. Smallholders,
Householders. Chapter 9.
Cohen, Joel E. 1995. “Population Growth
and Earth’s Human Carrying Capacity.”
Science 269: 341-346.
Hewlett, Barry, et al. 2000. “Parental
Investment Strategies among Aka Foragers,
Ngandu Farmers, and Euro-American Urban
Industrialists.” In Adaptation and Human
Behavior: An Anthropological Perspective,
ed. Lee Cronk, Napoleon Chagnon, and
William Irons. Hawthorne, NY: Aldine de
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Wed, June 7
Spiritual ecology;
sustainable
development;
student presentation
Fri, June 16
Final exam (9:30 am,
Waldo 201)
Gruyter. Pp. 155-178.
Sponsel, Leslie E. 2001. “Do
Anthropologists Need Religion, and Vice
Versa? Adventures and Dangers in Spiritual
Ecology.” In Carole L. Crumley, ed. New
Directions in Anthropology and
Environment: Intersections. Pp. 177-200.
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