Conquest and Colonialism

Designed to expose students to anthropological issues on European conquest and colonialism. Comparative view of colonialism through examination of case studies of encounters and entanglements between peoples of different cultural traditions during past 500 years. Particular interest is placed in rapid environmental and social transformations that ensued soon after contacts between indigenous groups and European explorers, emphasizing responses of indigenous peoples to such contacts. Focus on archaeological perspectives, particularly long-term dynamics of cross-cultural entanglements, and effects of such interactions in landscape, material culture, and past ways of life. Highlights significant contributions of archaeology to understanding often rapid and dramatic cultural changes experienced by peoples involved in colonial encounters.

P/NP or letter grading.