Maricopa Community Colleges  ASB100   19956-20086 
Official Course Description: MCCCD Approval: 07/22/08
ASB100 19956-20086 LEC 3 Credit(s) 3 Period(s)
Introduction to Anthropology
A survey of the origins of the human race, archaeology, language types, principal theories and problems of physical and cultural anthropology.
Prerequisites: None.
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MCCCD Official Course Competencies:
 
ASB100   19956-20086 Introduction to Anthropology
1. Identify the fields of anthropology, and explain how they are interrelated. (I)
2. Identify the basis for biological anthropology, and explain how it relates to human evolution. (II)
3. Trace the evolution of the human species. (III)
4. Define archaeology, and explain how it relates to studying past cultures. (IV)
5. Describe the evolution of cultures before the domestication of food. (V)
6. Describe the origins of agriculture. (VI)
7. Analyze various theories on the rise of civilization. (VII)
8. Explain how language and communication are related to culture. (VIII)
9. Describe patterns of subsistence and economy in different cultures. (IX)
10. Analyze kinship patterns, and explain how they relate to family and marriage. (X)
11. Explain how cultures develop laws and political systems and how they deal with conflict. (XI)
12. Describe how religion fits into different cultural settings. (XII)
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MCCCD Official Course Outline:
 
ASB100   19956-20086 Introduction to Anthropology
    I. Fields of Anthropology
        A. Anthropology as science
        B. Fields of anthropology
      II. Basis for Biological Anthropology
          A. Evolutionary theory
          B. Genetic variation and natural selection
          C. Primate adaptation
          D. Primate evolution
        III. Evolution of Human Species
            A. Hominid definition
            B. Hominid evolutionary sequence
          IV. Archeology
              A. How to study the past
              B. Goals of archaeology
              C. Archaeological evidence
              D. Doing archaeology
            V. Cultural Evolution Before Domestication of Food
                A. Processes of cultural evolution
                B. Major stages in Old and New World development
              VI. Origins of Agriculture
                  A. Theories of the origin of agriculture
                  B. Neolithic Culture
                VII. Rise of Civilization
                    A. Theories of the origin of civilization
                    B. Examples of Old and New World civilizations
                  VIII. Language and Communication
                      A. Communication process
                      B. Language and culture
                      C. Linguistic variation
                      D. Historical linguistics
                    IX. Subsistence and Economy
                        A. Patterns of subsistence
                        B. Production, distribution, and exchange
                      X. Kinship, Marriage, and Family
                          A. Kinship systems
                          B. Marriage and culture
                          C. Social and family groups
                        XI. Laws, Politics, and Conflict
                            A. Laws, norms, and types of laws
                            B. Political organization
                            C. Warfare between societies
                          XII. Religious Belief, Behavior, and Symbolism
                              A. Understanding religious belief
                              B. Supernatural forces and beings
                              C. Religious specialists
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