Anthropology

What is distinct about us as a species? What are all the ways we are diverse and what does this mean for us? Anthropology uses scientific and humanistic perspectives, pulling together the study of human evolution, language, culture, and history to better understand who we are as humans and what our responsibilities are to one another and to the places we live.

Anthropology has been described as “open-ended, comparative, and critical.” No way of being human is the only possible one or the most natural one. Anthropology asks questions about humans that acknowledge our flexibility, vulnerability, and choices. Anthropology asks: Why this way rather than that one? Anthropology values diverse ways of thinking and problem-solving, and Anthropology is “not content with things the way they are” but seeks to positively contribute to a better future. (2018 Ingold, Tim. Anthropology and/as Education. New York: Routledge.)

The SBVC Anthropology program offers introductory courses in the four primary subfields: Biological Anthropology, Cultural Anthropology, Linguistic Anthropology, and Archaeology. Additional courses focus on food, religion, and visual culture.

Faculty have expertise in the areas of North American archaeology, gender, education, and urban gardening, and their research has taken them to Vietnam, Morocco, and Armenia. SBVC Anthropology and Global Studies faculty have been selected as Fellows of the American Council of Learned Societies and Stanford University's EPIC Community College Program.

All SBVC Anthropology courses transfer to CSU and UC schools. Taking an Anthropology or Global Studies course will help you improve your critical thinking skills and enrich your understanding of human diversity, preparing you for work in innovative teams that will enhance human life.