ANTH 2575 - UNRAVELING THE ANTHROPOCENE

Minimum Credits: 3
Maximum Credits: 3
Our current moment in planetary history is one in which Earth's environmental systems are dominated by humans. Scientific consensus is that this period - called the Anthropocene - can (and should) be distinguished from what went before and what will come after. Still debated, however, are questions about the timing, nature, and outcomes of the Anthropocene. This course offers a critical introduction the Anthropocene, and explores the ways that archaeology offers insights into interactions between human societies and their environments. We will cover the underlying theoretical issues, survey the methodologies employed, and critically examine cross-cultural narratives about past human-environment interactions that archaeologists produce. Drawing on these conceptual tools, we will examine debates about the origins and antiquity of the Anthropocene, its identification in the archaeological record, and the uses of the concept by in the present. Finally, we will use our discussions about the Anthropocene to answer important question facing humanity today: How sustainable are the current ecologies of this planet? What kinds of changes can we expect in our own lifetimes?
Academic Career: Graduate
Course Component: Lecture
Grade Component: Grad LG/SNC Basis

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