This course explores the cultural diversity of human societies and provides tools for thinking critically about the classic concepts, theories and methods of cultural anthropology. One of the most important ideas is that of culture itself, a central concept within the discipline of anthropology. Culture is to anthropology what society is to sociology—it is our main point of departure when thinking about what makes human beings tick. Our primary objective will be to understand both the universal manner in which all human beings constitute themselves through culture, and the great diversity of specific cultural expressions that have resulted from these processes.

View syllabus.

This course is independent study and is self-paced. Students have five months upon registration in which to complete all coursework and exams.

Textbooks and Materials

• Conrad P. Kottak. (2022). Cultural Anthropology: Appreciating Cultural Diversity, 19th edition. ISBN: 9781260259278.
• Bourgois, Philippe. (2002). In Search of Respect: Selling Crack in El Barrio, 2nd edition. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge. ISBN: 9780521017114

Additional course readings will be made available online.

Technical Requirements

Students are required to use a laptop or desktop computer with a high-speed internet connection. Tablets and smartphones are not supported. The computer should have a modern and updated operating system, at least 2GB of RAM, a webcam, a microphone and also meet Honorlock's system requirements for online testing.