Major Requirements
The anthropology major at Trinity focuses on cultural anthropology, which is the interpretive study of human beings as they are culturally constituted and as they have lived in social groups throughout history and around the world. Anthropology is a comprehensive and comparative discipline that embraces human life in all of its diversity and complexity. Broad in focus, it seeks to understand in a non-ethnocentric manner why people—in both “exotic” and familiar settings—do what they do and what accounts for human differences as well as similarities. It asks how people use material and symbolic resources to solve, in often varying ways, the problems of living in the world and with each other. To arrive at their interpretations, anthropologists interweave the sciences, social sciences, and humanities, engaging in continuous dialogues with other disciplines.
Students majoring in anthropology study the discipline’s history, methodology, and contemporary concerns such as globalization, the environment, medicine and public health, urbanization, and economic upheavals. Since non-ethnocentric interpretations require familiarity with a particular cultural context, students also take courses concerning distinct ethnographic areas such as the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, North America, and South Asia. In addition, they take courses that emphasize issues of broad human concern, because interpretations of human similarities and differences can be achieved only through cross-cultural comparison. In selecting electives, students may choose either additional anthropology courses or appropriate courses in such cognate departments and programs as international studies, classics, religion, educational studies, music, sociology, and women, gender, and sexuality. Students will learn to write research proposals, design and carry out research projects, and analyze and disseminate research results in a variety of formats and channels.
REQUIREMENTS
The anthropology major requires 11 courses with a minimum grade of C-, including:
- Four core courses.
- ANTH 101. Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
- ANTH 301. Ethnographic Methods and Writing
- ANTH 302. History of Anthropological Thought
- ANTH 401. Advanced Seminar in Contemporary Anthropology
- Two ethnographic courses. Examples include:
- ANTH 228. Anthropology from the Margins of South Asia
- ANTH 243. Latin American and Caribbean Religions
- ANTH 305. Identities in Britain and Ireland
- ANTH 319: Contemporary Understandings of Puerto Rican Culture
- Electives: Five electives in anthropology or in cognate subjects. At least one of these must be at the 300 level. Examples include:
- ANTH 207. Anthropological Perspectives on Women and Gender
- ANTH 215. Medical Anthropology
- ANTH 227. Introduction to Political Ecology
- ANTH 245. Anthropology and Global Health
- ANTH 271: Anthropology of Museums
- ANTH 304: Material Religion
- ANTH 308. Anthropology of Place
The Writing Intensive Part II requirement may be fulfilled by taking a 300- or 400-level course in anthropology.
Students considering a major in anthropology are strongly advised to take ANTH 301. Ethnographic Methods and Writing in their sophomore or junior years. Students must consult with their adviser to determine the exact mix of courses that will meet their particular objectives.
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Internships: The department is a strong supporter of both half-credit exploratory and full-credit internships. Students have undertaken internship projects including studies of the anthropology of policy while working in the CT Lieutenant Governor’s office; readings on the anthropology of museums while interning at the Wadsworth Atheneum; and exploring the anthropology of digital media while interning in the communications office for the Lego Group.
Study away: The department urges, but does not require, its students to study away for one or two semesters. Some programs offer courses the department recognizes as creditworthy toward the major: examples include Trinity programs in Capetown, and non-Trinity programs at SOAS in London, Edinburgh, the University of London, Bogaziçi University in Istanbul, DIS in Copenhagen, and Australian National University. Some students remain abroad following their program courses to collect data for a subsequent honors thesis project. Early consultation with the department chair is advised for any student who wishes to study away and intends to take courses that could count toward the major.
Honors: In order to be eligible for honors in anthropology, students must have a B+ grade average in the major. Students who wish to qualify for honors must write a two-credit senior thesis. The first credit is based on a one-semester independent study in the fall of their senior year. Following the successful completion of the independent study, and with approval from the department, students may register for a one credit senior thesis in the spring. Honors will be awarded to students who have an A- or better on their thesis and who have maintained at least a B+ grade average in the major.
Here are some examples of recent theses:
- “In Search of Belonging: Reimagining Nostalgia and The Construction of Diasporic Identities” by Melina A. Tavarez, Class of 2023
- “Reimagining Yiddishkeit: Place and Belonging in a Modern Orthodox Synagogue Community” by Joshua Jacoves, Class of 2023
