Our Values
Anthropology is the science that studies the human species, its relatives and antecedents. Anthropology is a diverse discipline that combines the social sciences, biological sciences, earth sciences, humanities, and the health sciences. Often conceived of as a set of sub-disciplines—cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, physical anthropology, and archaeology—it is necessarily interdisciplinary. Consequently, anthropology students are sometimes encouraged to take courses outside the major that relate to the particular area of anthropology that they are emphasizing. For example, biological anthropology students may take biology courses, while linguistic anthropology students may take courses in the Linguistics Department.
As a result of our field’s interdisciplinary commitments, many anthropology undergraduate students may double major, or combine the anthropology major with a minor in a complementary discipline. Anthropology graduate students use their degrees for a variety of purposes, from university teaching and research, to research and action in local, regional, and global community contexts. Students in the past have found it to be a useful preparatory degree for a variety of professions that benefit from a multi- and interdisciplinary study of the human condition (for example, business, law, medicine, education, and others).
Department Mission
The mission of the department of anthropology at is to promote the study of the human species. Anthropology studies our species from an integrative and interdisciplinary approach focusing on the biology, evolutionary history, sociocultural and linguistic diversity of humans. Anthropology, by nature, is comparative and integrative. The mission of the department also includes preparing students for life-long learning and a strong background for anthropology-related careers in the contemporary workplace or to continue their education at higher levels. The department offers a diverse curriculum leading to a Bachelor of Arts or Master of Arts degree. The primary responsibility of the department is to provide an excellent education through outstanding teaching. With this in mind, the primary responsibility of the faculty of the department of anthropology is to remain current in their specialties.
Statement on Inclusion and Respect for Diversity
In solidarity with vulnerable members of our campus and local communities, members of the Department of Anthropology support the statement on Diversity and Respect: “We as members of the Board of the Society for Applied Anthropology affirm our ongoing commitment to value human diversity in all its myriad forms and to encourage all of our members to provide safety and basic human rights for everyone. Anthropological perspective and practice are grounded in respect for all persons, civility, and thoughtful examination of ideas and policies. It is especially critical at times of uncertainty and change. We recognize a common responsibility to support community members who may feel threatened and to counter hostility toward immigrants and other marginalized groups. We pledge to continue to exercise and guard academic freedoms to examine and address such issues as perpetuation of inequalities and policies that oppress or degrade. We urge involvement of everyone in learning and working together to create positive social change, promote humane understandings, and encourage a variety of shared actions to further these goals.”
We further endorse both the and the statements calling for an immediate reversal of the Immigration Executive Order.
Statement in Support of Racial Justice Movements
The United States was brought into being and has been sustained through white supremacy, racial inequality, economic exploitation, and state-sanctioned violence. In spite of historical shifts and civil rights advances, Black people today continue to endure myriad forms of structural, symbolic, and physical violence. The police murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, and the vigilante murder of Ahmaud Arbery, exemplify this history of inequality and violence, as do the seemingly mundane everyday acts in which white citizens criminalize Black citizens for living their lives. American democracy stands at a crossroads. We can choose to stand by silently as racial inequality becomes increasingly entrenched, or we can choose to be proactive in raising the quality of life for all.
We, the Department of Anthropology at , stand in solidarity with the more vulnerable members of our community in support of racial justice. We unequivocally and vociferously assert that Black lives matter. We also specifically commit to clear and deliberate actions that contribute to expanding equity, including the following:
- We will continue to educate ourselves on ally-ship.
- We will continue ongoing projects of listening, amplifying the voices of others, and speaking out in public and academic forums.
- We will continue to use our classrooms to foster difficult conversations about systematic racism and symbolic violence.
- We will continue to incorporate the voices and experiences of Black scholars and activists into our curricula.
And finally, we will use our privilege and our institutional position to continue to support our colleagues, students, and community partners who are working to dismantle structures of oppression on our campus, and in the wider community and society.
