Anthropology Department
Anthropologists share in the universal human trait of curiosity about ourselves and other people, past and present. We ask questions about a broad range of human experiences, such as:
- How universal are the gender roles we are familiar with?
- Is it human nature to be warlike? Peaceful?
- Does “human nature” even exist?
- Have European, Asian and Latino immigrants adapted to American life in similar, or in different, ways?
- How do cities change the behavior of their inhabitants?
- How and why did humans shift from being nomadic hunter-gatherers to being sedentary farmers?
- How does popular culture reflect and influence contemporary society?
- What impact does international tourism have on traditional societies?
- How are rural peoples dealing with globalization and trade agreements like NAFTA?