Anthropology

This course is part of the Laurea Magistrale degree program and is intended for advanced level students. Enrollment is by permission of the instructor. This course examines archaeological research on the human body and dress in ancient civilizations, in terms of clothing, ornamentation, and body modification. The course considers different approaches and sources to define the topic and explores the way and extent to which these matters contribute to our understanding of ancient societies. By integrating textual sources, iconographic documents, and archaeological evidence, the course delves into dress as a dynamic index in the construction of identity and instrumental in mediating social, political, and ritual relationships within the cultural environment. Through the study of various case studies across the Mediterranean, students acquire theoretical and practical knowledge of the discipline and are able to critically engage with the current debate in relation to wider social processes. By the end of the course students will have verified the procedures used in archaeological research, ranging over the entire process from discovery to publication; they will be au fait with the state of knowledge on field work, on responsible technical and scientific productions and on designing international research. The skills acquired equip them to tackle the requirements of research, conservation, and protection of the archaeological heritage within their own competences.

This course explores anthropological approaches to large-scale matters of concern. Looking at, for example, the wars in Syria and Ukraine, the pandemic, climate change, and emerging authoritarianism, it analyzes intensifying and interconnected critical states and investigates their local implications. It does this by examining the concept of crisis within anthropology and questioning how critical aspects of power, politics, and globalization affect our contemporary world. The course is divided into 14 seminars with the following thematic orientations focused on the anthropology of emergencies, crises, and chronicities; conspiracy; authoritarianism; pandemics; climate change; migration; de-, post, and neo-colonialism; extractivism. 

This course covers basic evolutionary biology as applied in biological anthropology, covering evolutionary theory, socio-biology, and primate behavior. The course combines weekly lectures with tutorials, where students discuss key readings linked to issues presented in the lectures, gain scientific comprehension skills, and learn how to communicate scientific findings in biological anthropology to the public. Major topics covered include a summary of the history of the theory of evolution, genetics and heredity, sexual selection, nature and nurture, and human biological diversity; and an outline of the taxonomy, anatomy, ecology and behavior of primates, as well as primate conservation.

The Czech Republic is known for its rich cultural heritage, and its cuisine is an integral part of its identity. This course examines the historical, cultural, and social influences that have shaped Czech cuisine, and how this cuisine reflects the country’s culture and values. In addition to exploring the traditional Czech cuisine, its ingredients, and the methods used in preparing them, the course analyzes their nutritional value and impact on the overall health of the population, looks into recent food and consumption trends, food marketing, tourism, and sustainability. Throughout the course, students engage in critical thinking and analysis, as well as hands-on activities such as food preparation and field trips.

The course addresses the relations between art and anthropology, and explores what anthropologists can say about aesthetic experience through a range of ethnographic examples. It explores the growing epistemological entanglement of contemporary art and anthropology. Contemporary artists are increasingly concerned with anthropological issues and the "art world" is continuously growing, embracing new artists and communities. What understanding can anthropology bring to the questions that plague contemporary art? Can the work of contemporary artists help anthropology develop new forms of research and output?

In this course, students delve into the cultural, historical, and economic significance of France’s most iconic culinary staples, analyzing their impact on modes of production, consumer behavior, and France’s national branding in a globalized market. Drawing on anthropology, food studies, and economics, it examines market trends in French food within the context of France’s mythical status as a gastronomic nation par excellence. The course traces the history of the Michelin-star restaurant rating system, ideologies of terroir, and claims to unique French savoir-faire when it comes to food. It also considers contemporary challenges to French food traditions—from the impact of climate change on cheese-making and farming, to how rising food prices are leading to a decline in domestic consumption—and emerging trends relating to the rise of global fast food in the land of the gastronomic meal. Through a variety of case studies the course offers insights into the cultural and economic implications for local producers, businesses, and the wider food industry ecosystem of such events as the recent baguette strikes, international foie gras controversies, the emergence of bean-to-bar chocolate in France, and the growing market for biodynamic wines. The class savors the complexities of France's gastronomic landscape through a variety of site visits which connect in-class discussions of France’s iconic culinary heritage with first-hand observation of diverse locations of contemporary food production and consumption in and around Paris.

This course aims to situate your fieldwork experiences within the context of China’s unprecedented socioeconomic transformations. It provides you with conceptual and methodological tools for approaching their field placements; to evaluate your own experiences and observations through critical reflection; and to integrate your understanding of the everyday life of Chinese through written exercises and ethnographic practices.

This course examines ancient and historic societies in the North American Arctic and Greenland, with emphasis on Pre-Dorset and Dorset (Paleo-Inuit), ancestral Inuit (Thule), and historic Inuit peoples. It covers the region’s culture history, how diverse societies emerged in challenging environments, and the analytical challenges specific to northern archaeological research. It also considers emerging research directions in Arctic studies, including advancements in community-based participatory research, archaeological engagement with Inuit ways of knowing, ancient DNA and isotope analyses, climate change research, and the management of at-risk sites.

This course offers an introduction to the field of transcultural studies. It explores some of the processes of creative adaptation of foreign ideas and interactions between cultures on multiple levels to better understand human communication. Upon completion, students are expected to acquire knowledge of the transcultural approach and to understand the constructed nature of concepts such as boundaries, culture, nation, society, and civilization.

This course focuses on past diets, adopting archaeological, ethnographic, historical, literary, linguistic, anthropological, and heritage studies perspectives. It discusses what diet did we evolve to eat, how technological development changed our dietary habits, what role food played in past cultures, how food-related decisions affected societies, what effects food globalization had on traditional diets, when subsistence activities started impacting environments, and what is human food and the omnivore’s dilemma. Teaching introduces how we study food consumption in the past. The core of the course overviews the prehistory and history of foodstuffs and diets, as well as the issues arising from them. The concluding sessions focus on ongoing debates on food and diet, conducted in the light of the interdisciplinary approaches adopted in the course and through an understanding of dietary history.