ANHB 2215/2282: Biological Anthropology: Human Variation 2006

Transcription

1 Biological Anthropology II: Human Variation Co-ordinator: Dr. Debra Judge 1.71 d ANHB; djudge@anhb.uwa.edu.au Unit website: Lecturers: Dr. Debra Judge Dr. Linc Schmitt (lschmitt@anhb.uwa.edu.au) Dr. Jim Chisholm (jchisholm@anhb.uwa.edu.au) Tutors: Debra Judge Jim Chisholm (jchisholm@anhb.uwa.edu.au) Brilliana von Katterfeld (brillianak@ichr.uwa.edu.au) Introduction Biological anthropology is concerned with the nature of variation and the ways in which the biology and behaviour of humans are influenced by genetic, developmental, ecological and cultural factors. This unit looks at human variation in contemporary populations from the perspective of evolutionary ecology. It focuses on ecological and evolutionary principles as applied to human evolution, the emergence of adaptations during the process of gene environment interaction during development, and the interplay of cultural and biological factors in human behaviour. Topics covered include principles of natural and kin selection, principles of human ecology, mechanisms of genetic variation, evolution of human development, and a biological approach to understanding culture as the process of social transmission of information a process that can produce both adaptation and maladaptation. Broad learning outcomes Outcomes Students will be able to recall and integrate key knowledge and concepts about: the methods of evolutionary biology and the place of evolutionary theory in understanding human variation genetic and epigenetic sources of human variation the value of multi-disciplinary perspectives in the biological sciences questions about human evolutionary and behavioural biology and ecology, particularly the processes whereby humans adapt to their material and socio-cultural environments the integration of biological and cultural processes in human adaptation and acclimation Students will acquire skills in: understanding models of comparative life history and formulating heuristic models of human cultural variation Verbal, quantitative, and graphic presentation of biological models Assessment Activity Tutorial discussion and written responses (15%) Midterm examination (20%) Final theory examination (40%) 1250 word paper examining ethnographic material using evolutionary & ecological principles (25%) Tutorial discussions & written responses (15%) Midterm examination (20%)

2 Critical reading of and application of heuristic models to ethnographic textual materials Final examination (40%) Advisable prior study 12 points of study from any Level 1 human biology, biology, psychology or anthropology units. (should these be listed?) Assessment timetable: Tutorial question sets due in tutorials 2, 5, 7, 9, 11 Midterm in class (20%) April 27 th. Essay (25%) due 16:30 May 26 to coordinator or in ANHB office. Final theory exam (40%) (see exam timetable) Unit Reading Texts: Evolutionary Analysis (S. Freeman and JC Herron) 2004, noted as EA below (chapter number.section) Ethnographic Reading Required: Shostak, M Nisa: The life and words of a!kung Woman. Vintage Books AND Select 1 of the following groups ethnographies** Inuit: Balikci, A The Netsilik Eskimo. Waveland Press. Greek & Mayan: Beyene, Y From Menarche to Menopause: Reproductive lives of peasant women in two cultures. State Univ. New York Press. Himalayan: Jones, RL. And Kurz Jones, S The Himalayan Woman: A study of Limbu women in marriage and divorce. Waveland Press. Hitchcock, JT A Mountain village in Nepal. Holt Rinehart and Winston Press. Amazonian: Chagnon, NA Yanomamo. Harcourt College Publ. African: Turnbull, CM The Forest People: A study of the Pygmies of the Congo. Simon & Schuster (or any later edition) ** If there is another group about which you would like to read that is not on this list, see the instructor for clearance before proceeding. Topical reading: In text and primary and review scientific articles by topic section. Introduction and Review: Review EA Ch 3, ; Read: EA Chapter 1. Ecology and Life history: Review: EA chapter 2

3 Read: EA chapters 9 11 Shostak Nisa: (and begin additional ethnographies of choice). Genetics: review: Read: EA chapters 4-6 (especially Ch 4); Chs 7, 14 Molnar, S Chapter 5 Traits of complex inheritance. In: Human Variation: Races, types and ethnic groups. Prentice Hall Publ. Pp Development: review EA chapter ; Read: EA chapter 18 Read: Bateson et al Developmental plasticity and human health. Nature 430: Bogin and Rios Rapid morphological change in living humans: implications for modern human origins. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A 136: Barker, DJP The developmental origins of chronic adult disease. Acta Paediatrica 446: Culture: EA chapter , Chapter 19 Boyd R. and PJ Richerson Chapters 1 and 3 in Culture and the Evolutionary Process. Univ Chicago Press. Pp 1-18, pp Heinrich, J and R. McElreath Evolutionary Anthropology 12: Related (interesting) reading: Langdon, SJ The Native People of Alaska: Traditional living in a northern land. Anchorage: Greatland Graphics An excellent addition to reading of the Balikci book on Inuits that provides information on variation due to ecological conditions and the multiple immigrations into the Bering Straits area. Lee, RB and Daly, R (eds) The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Hunters and Gatherers. Cambridge Univ. Press (With general introductions, organized by region and with special topic essays following. Includes 5 page summaries of over 50 H-G groups in North and South America, Eurasia, Asia, and Australia). Shostak, M Return to Nisa. Harvard Univ Press. (Shostak, diagnosed with breast cancer, returns to the!kung and to Nisa allowing a 2 nd look. A post-humus personal memoir and a return to the people presented in Nisa ). Fadiman, Anne The Spirit Catches you and you fall down. Farar, Straus and Giraux Excellent case study that demonstrates the importance of culture to medical and social response to illness. The focus is a Hmong child of an immigrant Hmong family living in California s central valley. Schepher-Hughes, N. Death without Weeping. Univ. California Press. Differential maternal investment in children in Brazilian shanty towns. Thomas, Elizabeth M. The Harmless People (San) Another ethnography of the San people in S. Africa.

4 Plagiarism The University of Western Australia takes very seriously the matter of academic misconduct by students and has policies in place that define misconduct (including plagiarism) and the penalties that apply. The consequences for misconduct can be severe, including exclusion from the university. All students are expected to make themselves aware of the definitions and policies relating to academic misconduct, found at the websites below, and with any additional requirements or stipulations that may be provided by individual unit co-ordinators. data/page/20839/stumiscondinfo.rtf When you obtain authority to log in to the unit website, you will se an online module on academic conduct which you are strongly advised to complete in your own time. Lecture Schedule Lec 1-10 Date Lecture Topics & Reading Evolution & Ecology Review: EA Ch 3, Reading: EA Ch 1,2, 9 Begin reading ethnographies (especially Nisa) 1 Tues Feb 28 Introduction to Human Variation Begin Question Set 1 2 Thurs Mar 2 Humans as mammals: Introduction to Life history theory (size and reproduction) Tutorial 1 Introductions: Observing variation through ethnographies 3 Tues Mar 7 Humans as Primates: Long slow lives & phylogenetic constraints 4 Thurs Mar 9 Humans as adaptable primates: Life course & Social living Tutorial 2 Using life history models to organize thinking about human variation (Question Set 1 due in tutorial)

5 5 Tues Mar 14 Variation: Environment & Technology 6 Thurs Mar 16 Gatherers & Hunters Tutorial 3 Culture core An ecological organizing model 7 Tues Mar 21 Film: Baka: People of the Rainforest 8 Thurs Mar 23 Pastoralists Tutorial 4 Resources and human variation 9 Tues Mar 28 Horticulture and Agriculture 10 Thurs Mar 30 Guest lecture: Tsaatan Reindeer herders of Mongolia (Dr. David Bellatalla) Tutorial 5 Variation in humans over time and space (Question Set 2 due in tutorial) Lec Genetics Read: EA Chs 4-6 (especially 4), 7, 14 Molnar2002. Ch 5: Traits of complex inheritance. Check, E The X factor. Nature 434: Tues Apr 4 Genetic Variation I: (Linc Schmitt) 12 Thurs Apr 6 Genetic Variation II: (Linc Schmitt) Tutorial 6 Genes and phenotypes 13 Tues Apr 11 Genetic Variation III: (Linc Schmitt) 14 Thurs Apr 13 Genetic Variation IV: (Linc Schmitt) Tutorial 7 Phylogenetic reconstructions of genetic history (Question Set 3 due in class on Thursday) Apr NON TEACHING STUDY BREAK 15 Tues Apr 25 ANZAC holiday 16 Thurs Apr 27 MIDTERM EXAM IN CLASS (20% ) No tutorial this week

6 Lec Development Review: EA Ch Read: EA Ch 18 Read: Bateson et al Developmental plasticity and human health. Nature 430: Barker, DJP The developmental origins of chronic adult disease. Acta Paediatrica 446:26-33 (on unit website) 17 Tues May 2 Development I: Phenotypic plasticity (Jim Chisholm) 18 Thurs May 4 Development II: Age at menarche I - The bioassay model. (Jim Chisholm) Tutorial 8 Development: Interactive process 19 Tues May 9 Development III: Age at menarche II - The socioassay model. (Jim Chisholm) 20 Thurs May 11 Development IV: Fetal origins of adult disease (Jim Chisholm) Tutorial 9 Developmental variation: Predicting future environments? (Question Set 4 due in tutorial) Lec Culture and Integration Reading: EA Ch 11, 12 Boyd and Richerson Culture and the Evolutionary Process. Chs 1&3 Heinrich, J and R. McElreath The evolution of cultural evolution 21 Tues May 16 Guest lecture: Morphometric variation in South African populations (Dr. Dan Franklin) 22 Thurs May 18 Large brains, a tool of long life and social learning Tutorial 10 Evolution of the brain and social learning 23 Tues May 23 Cultural variation II: dual inheritance model of culture 24 Thurs May 25 Cultural variation III: social transmission Tutorial 11 Biological model of culture (Question Set 5 due in

7 PAPER DUE tutorial) Fri May 26 PAPER ( 25%) DUE TO ANHB OFFICE BY 4:30 PM Late papers without medical excuse will be penalized 5% per day 25 Tues May 30 Long life & Change: adaptation and maladaptation 26 Thurs June 1 Ecology and evolution of human variation Tutorial 12 Review and questions? * unless otherwise noted lecturer is Dr. Debra Judge