NTHROPOLOGY
PRING
C OURSE I NFORMATION : Unique #30510
MWF 2-3 pm, JES A307A
C OURSE I NSTRUCTOR : Dr. Deborah Bolnick
E-mail: deborah.bolnick@mail.utexas.edu
Phone: (512) 471-7532
Office Hours: EPS 1.106, Mondays 10am-12pm or by appointment
T EACHING A SSISTANT : Andrew Barr
E-mail: wabarr@gmail.com
Office Hours: EPS 4.146, Wednesdays 3-5pm
C OURSE D ESCRIPTION :
This course surveys the patterns of biological variation within and between human populations. After covering the basic principles of genetics and evolutionary theory, we will examine the genetic, physical, and behavioral traits found in our species. We will consider these traits from an anthropological and scientific perspective, and will discuss both the microevolutionary and cultural processes that have shaped these traits. We will also explore how culture can influence our understanding of human biology, and we will discuss how studies of human variation have impacted society in the past and present. For all topics (including controversial topics like race or sex differences), we will carefully and critically examine the scientific data that have been collected, as well as how these data have been interpreted in scientific journals and in the popular press.
C OURSE R EQUIREMENTS :
1. Midterm Exam 1 (20%). The first midterm exam on Friday, October 2 will cover material presented in the lectures, discussions, films, and readings. The exam format may include multiple choice, matching, short answer, and essay questions.
2. Midterm Exam 2 (20%). The second midterm exam on Wednesday, November 4 will cover material presented in the lectures, discussions, films, and readings following the first midterm. The exam format will be similar to that of the first midterm.
3. Final Exam (20%). The final exam on Wednesday, December 9 (9am-12pm) will be comprehensive, but with an emphasis on material presented in the last third of class. Exam format will be similar to that of the midterms.
4. Research Paper (20%). The research paper (6-8 pages, double-spaced) will allow you to explore a relevant topic in more detail. A paper outline and annotated bibliography (5%) will be due on
Friday, October 16, and the research paper (15%) will be due on Friday, November 20.
Detailed instructions and topic suggestions will be handed out in September.
5. Class Participation and Reading Responses (15%). This portion of your grade will be based on your participation in class activities and discussions, which will be interspersed among the lectures. Seven days will be devoted primarily to group discussion. On these days, you are expected to
have read the assigned readings BEFORE coming to class, and you will turn in a short (1 page, double-spaced)
response to the readings at the beginning of class.
6. Genetics Assignment (5%). A take-home assignment will be due on Monday, October 26.
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R EQUIRED R EADINGS :
1. Marks, Jonathan. 1995. Human Biodiversity: Genes, Race, and History. Aldine de Gruyter.
2. Mielke, James H., Lyle W. Konigsberg, and John H. Relethford. 2006. Human Biological
Variation. Oxford University Press.
3. A packet of other required readings is available at Abel’s Copies (University Towers, 715D West
23 rd Street, 472-5353).
C OURSE W EBSITE :
Class information, handouts, and a discussion forum will be available at the course website on
Blackboard (http://www.courses.utexas.edu). Course updates will also occasionally be sent to your university e-mail account. Please check both regularly.
G RADING P OLICIES :
If an assignment is turned in late, the assignment grade will be lowered by 10% for each day that the assignment is late. If a serious issue (i.e. illness, family death, etc.) arises that may prevent you from attending class, turning in an assignment on time, or taking an exam, contact Dr. Bolnick by e-mail or telephone as soon as possible to discuss an assignment extension or to schedule a make-up exam.
Final letter grades will be assigned using the following scale: A (90-100%), B (80-89%), C (70-79%),
D (60-69%), F (0-59%). Plus/minus grades will be assigned.
Re-grading Policy: If you believe that an exam or assignment has been graded incorrectly, submit a written request for a re-grade to Dr. Bolnick within one week of when the graded exam or assignment was returned. The written request should include an explanation of your position and be attached to the graded exam or assignment. If you suspect that a simple addition error has been made, speak to
Dr. Bolnick to have the error corrected.
Credit/No-Credit Policy: To receive credit for this course if you enrolled on the pass/fail basis, you must 1) take the three exams, 2) turn in a research paper, and 3) receive the equivalent of a D or higher in this class.
Cheating/Plagiarism Policy: If you cheat or plagiarize, the university guidelines for disciplinary action will be followed. Any cheating or plagiarism will be reported to the Dean of Students and will result in failure of this course. For more information, see http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs
(especially the sections on Academic Integrity, Plagiarism, and Discipline Procedures).
Accommodations: I encourage students with disabilities to meet with me at the beginning of the semester to discuss any needs. Any student with a disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) may request appropriate academic accommodations from the Division of Diversity and
Community Engagement, Services for Students with Disabilities (in the Student Services Building; see http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/ssd or call 471-6259 or TTY 471-4641 for more information).
Attendance: I do not take formal attendance, but I am aware of who consistently comes to class and who does not. Attendance is necessary to earn the points for class participation, and consistent attendance can help to raise your grade if you end up with a borderline final grade. Whether or not you come to class, you are responsible for keeping up with what happens in class.
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S CHEDULE OF T OPICS , R EADINGS , AND I MPORTANT D ATES :
HB = Human Biodiversity book by Marks; HBV = Human Biological Variation book by Mielke et al.
Date Topics and Due Dates (in bold) Readings
W Aug. 26 Introduction
F Aug. 28 Science and the Study of Human Variation Marks (A), Marks (B)
M Aug. 31 History of Human Variation Studies I HB ch. 1, 3
W Sept. 2 History of Human Variation Studies II HB ch. 4
F Sept. 4 Racial Classifications and Human Biodiversity HB ch. 6, 7
M Sept. 7 NO CLASS (Labor Day)
W Sept. 9 Film: Race – The Power of an Illusion, Episode 1 HB ch. 9, Dupré
F Sept. 11 Film: Race – The Power of an Illusion, Episode 3
M Sept. 14 Problems with the Racial View of Human Diversity Goodman
W Sept. 16 Race as a Social Construct Fish, Lee
F Sept. 18 Discussion: Race, Biology, and Culture
Reading Response #1 Due
M Sept. 21 Race, Medicine, and Disease HB ch. 11, Satel, Kahn
W Sept. 23 Genetic Basis of Human Variation HB pp. 29-33, Ramagopalan
F Sept. 25 Folk Heredity and Eugenics HB ch. 5, Sinnott & Dunn
M Sept. 28 Film: Cracking the Code of Life, Part 1
W Sept. 30 Review for Midterm Exam/Research Paper Directions
F Oct. 2 Midterm Exam 1
M Oct. 5 DNA, Mutation, and Genetic Variants HBV ch. 2
W Oct. 7 From DNA to Phenotype HBV pp. 189-198
F Oct. 9 Discussion: Metaphors & Genetic Essentialism Nelkin & Lindee
Reading Response #2 Due
M Oct. 12 Population Genetics HBV ch. 3
W Oct. 14 Microevolutionary Forces I
F Oct. 16 Microevolutionary Forces II
Research Paper Outline/Bibliography Due
M Oct. 19 Reconstructing Population History HBV ch. 12
W Oct. 21 Discussion: Microevolution Case Studies Check, Schroeder et al.,
Reading Response #3 Due Salas et al.
F Oct. 23 Simple Genetic Traits I: Blood Group Variants HBV ch. 4
M Oct. 26 Simple Genetic Traits II: Hemoglobin Variants HBV ch. 6, pp. 131-135
Genetics Assignment Due
W Oct. 28 Film: Cracking the Code of Life, Part 2
F Oct. 30 Discussion: Contemporary Eugenics Issues HB pp. 148-154, Rennie,
Reading Response #4 Due Harmon
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Date Topics and Due Dates Readings
M Nov. 2 Review for Midterm Exam
W Nov. 4 Midterm Exam 2
F Nov. 6 Complex Traits I: Human Body Form HBV ch. 9, 10
M Nov. 9 Adaptation, Acclimatization, and Acclimation HB ch. 10
W Nov. 11 Human Plasticity
F Nov. 13 Discussion: Neandertal Cold Adaptation Holliday, Steegmann et al.
Reading Response #5 Due
M Nov. 16 Complex Traits II: Skin, Eye, & Hair Color Variation HBV ch. 11
W Nov. 18 Complex Traits III: Behavioral Variability HB ch. 13, Berkowitz
F Nov. 20 Intelligence and IQ HBV pp. 341-351, Cohen
Research Paper Due
M Nov. 23 Sex and Gender Differences Hall, Ripley et al.
W Nov. 25 Discussion: Biology and Sexual Orientation HBV pp. 336-341, Levay &
Reading Response #6 Due Hamer, Byne, Gooren
F Nov. 27 NO CLASS (Thanksgiving)
M Nov. 30 Deviance, Criminality, and Aggression Clark & Grunstein, Witkin et
al., Sapolsky, HB ch. 12
W Dec. 2 Discussion: Biological Origins of Violence Thornhill & Palmer, Begley
Reading Response #7 Due
F Dec. 4 Course Wrap-Up/Review for Final Exam HB ch. 14
Wednesday, December 9: Final Exam (9am-12pm, location to be announced)
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C ONTENTS OF C OURSE R EADER :
Marks J. (A) 2009. Why I Am Not a Scientist: Anthropology and Modern Knowledge. Berkeley: University of
California Press. pp 1-24.
Marks J. (B) 1996. The anthropology of science part II: scientific norms and behaviors. Evolutionary
Anthropology 5:75-80.
Dupré J. 2008. What genes are and why there are no genes for race. In: Koenig BA, Lee SS, Richardson
SS, editors. Revisiting Race in a Genomic Age. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press. pp 39-55.
Goodman AH. 1995. The problematics of "race" in contemporary biological anthropology. In: Boaz
NT, White LD, editors. Biological Anthropology: The State of the Science. Bend, OR: International Institute for Human Evolutionary Research. pp 215-239.
Fish JM. 1995. Mixed Blood. Psychology Today Nov/Dec:55-80.
Lee SM. 1993. Racial classifications in the US census: 1890-1990. Ethnic and Racial Studies 16:75-94.
Satel S. 2002. I am a racially-profiling doctor. New York Times Magazine May 5.
Kahn J. 2007. Race in a bottle. Scientific American 297:40-45.
Ramagopalan SV, Knight M, Ebers GC, Knight JC. 2007. Origins of magic: review of genetic and epigenetic effects. British Medical Journal 335:1299-1301.
Sinnott EW, Dunn LC. 1925. The problems of eugenics. Principles of Genetics: An Elementary Text, with
Problems. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co. pp 402-415.
Nelkin D, Lindee SM. 1995. Chapters 1 and 3. The DNA Mystique: The Gene as a Cultural Icon. New York:
W. H. Freeman and Company. pp 1-18, 38-57.
Check E. 2006. How Africa learned to love the cow. Nature 444:994-996.
Schroeder KB, Schurr TG, Long JC, Rosenberg NA, Crawford MH, Tarskaia LA, Osipova LP,
Zhadanov SI, Smith DG. 2007. A private allele ubiquitous in the Americas. Biology Letters 3:218-223.
Salas A et al. 2005. Shipwrecks and founder effects: divergent demographic histories reflected in
Caribbean mtDNA. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 128:855-860.
Rennie J. 1994. Grading the gene tests. Scientific American 270:89-97.
Harmon A. 2006. Couples cull embryos to halt heritage of cancer. New York Times, Sept. 3.
Holliday TW. 1997. Postcranial evidence of cold adaptation in European Neandertals. American Journal
of Physical Anthropology 104:245-258.
Steegmann AT, Cerny FJ, Holliday TW. 2002. Neandertal cold adaptation: physiological and energetic factors. American Journal of Human Biology 14:566-583.
Berkowitz A. 1996. Our Genes, Ourselves? BioScience 46:42-51.
Cohen MN. 2002. An anthropologist looks at “race” and IQ testing. In: Fish JM, editor. Race and
Intelligence: Separating Science from Myth. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. pp 201-224.
Hall RL. 1991. Sex differences, biocultural. Encyclopedia of Human Biology, Volume 6. pp 845-852.
Ripley A et al. 2005. Who says a woman can’t be Einstein? Time 165:50-61.
LeVay S, Hamer DH. 1994. Evidence for a biological influence in male homosexuality. Scientific
American May:44-49.
Byne W. 1994. The biological evidence challenged. Scientific American May:50-55.
Gooren L. 2006. The biology of human psychosexual differentiation. Hormones and Behavior 50:597-601.
Clark WR, Grunstein M. 2000. The genetics of aggression. Are We Hardwired? The Role of Genes in Human
Behavior. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 157-175.
Witkin HA et al. 1976. Criminality in XYY and XXY men. Science 193:547-555.
Sapolsky RM. 1997. The trouble with testosterone. The Trouble with Testosterone, and Other Essays on the
Biology of the Human Predicament. New York: Simon and Schuster. pp. 339-342.
Thornhill R, Palmer CT. 2000. Why men rape. The Sciences January/February:30-36.
Begley S. 2009. Why do we rape, kill, and sleep around? Newsweek (June 29):52?
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