Ant 263: Humans and Race
Spring 2015
Syllabus*
*subject to change
Professor: Zachary Cofran
Lecture: 8.307, MWF 1:00-1:50 pm
Email: zachary.cofran@nu.edu.kz
Office: 8.507b
Office hours: M&F 2-3 pm, W 2-5 pm, and by appointment
In this course we will examine the nature of human biological variation, in the
contexts of genetics, anatomy, history, and society. Students will learn about why
humans vary, what this variation does and does not tell us about individual people,
and the ways in which social inequality ‘becomes’ human biology. The course will
begin by examining biological variation in humans. We will then focus on what the
term ‘race’ means biologically, and whether human variation fits such criteria. The
class will end by examining the relationship between human biology and society.
Course objectives
By the end of the semester, hard-working students will:
 understand how and why humans vary biologically
 appreciate the roles of genes and environment in contributing to human
variation
 appreciate the interplay between biology and society
 learn how to identify and comprehend quality scientific articles
 learn to research and present scientific information graphically
Textbooks & Readings
Mielke, Konigsberg & Relethford (2006). Human Biological Variation. New York:
Oxford University Press.
Muehlenbein, ed. (2010). Human Evolutionary Biology. Cambridge University Press.
Additional readings will be posted to Moodle. All readings should be read for the
week in which they are posted/assigned.
Grading
Participation = 20%
Pop quizzes over the current week’s readings can happen at any time.
Quizzes must be taken in class and cannot be made up. Your lowest score will
be dropped from the final grade.
Graphic explanations, 4x5% = 20%
You will create four (4) graphic summaries of natural/social scientific
information over the course of the semester, related to your infographic project.
This information must come from peer-reviewed journals or books, or official
government datasets. You may not present your sources’ figures as your own,
you must create your own images. With each graphic, you must provide the
source of information and briefly explain what the figure shows and how it
relates to your final infographic.
Infographic project (done in pairs and due in parts) = 20%
Ant 263: Humans and Race
Spring 2015
Participation in presentation week (20-24 April) = 5%
Final Infographic (08 May) = 15%
Midterm Exam = 20%
In class 06 March
Final Exam = 20%
In class 29 April
Except for a few points on the midterm, there will be no opportunities for extra credit.
Late policy
Work turned in late will not be accepted. I do not grant extensions. You must be in
attendance for quizzes and the midterm exam.
Academic Integrity
All work you submit must be your own. You may discuss assignments with
colleagues, but you may not turn in the same work (except on the Infographic; details
to follow). When you use references, other people’s ideas, and especially other
people’s direct words, you absolutely must cite them. Failure to cite is plagiarism
which will result in your failure of the assignment. Plagiarism and other academic
misconduct will be reported to the SHSS for possibly further disciplinary action.
Attendance
Whether you attend each class is ultimately up to you, but you will do better if you
come to class. Note that there will be quizzes every week which cannot be made up
if missed. Keeping up with course material and due dates are ultimately your
responsibility. Please do not waste either your or my time by sleeping in class (you
will be asked to leave).
Technology
You will do better in the class if you pay attention during lecture; cell phones and
other devices will distract you (and me) more than they will help you. Use of cell
phones is prohibited: if you are found to be on your phone in class you will have to
leave the classroom and you will receive negative participation points (points
previously earned will be lost). I may opt to apply this policy to other devices if I see
fit.
Schedule of topics, readings & assignments*
*Schedule and content subject to change
Due dates in red
Week 1: Overview and Introduction
Readings
History of Human Classification (Mielke Chapter 1).
Ethnicity and Race (Kottak, 2007, Chapter 4); Burchard et al., 2003. The importance
of race and ethnicity in biomedical research. New England Journal of Medicine
348: 1170-1175.
Week 2: Evolution & DNA
Ant 263: Humans and Race
Spring 2015
Readings
Genetic basis of human variation (Mielke Chapter 2)
Weiss and Buchanan, 2010. Evolution: What it means and how we know. In A
Companion to Biological Anthropology. Larsen, ed.
Week 3: Skin Color
Readings
Jablonski, 2010. Skin Coloration. In Human Evolutionary Biology. In Muehlenbein,
ed.
Elias and Williams, 2013. Re-appraisal of current theories for the development and
loss of epidermal pigmentation in hominins and modern humans. Journal of
Human Evolution 64: 687.
Jablonski and Chaplin, 2013. Epidermal pigmentation in the human lineage is an
adaptation to ultraviolet radiation. Journal of Human Evolution 65: 671.
Week 4: Body & Blood
Readings
Zimmer, 2014. Why do we have blood types? Mosaic (http://bit.ly/1F7QX0U).
Meier, 2010. Classic Markers of Human Variation. In Human Evolutionary Biology.
Muehlenbein, ed.
Leonard and Katzmarzyk, 2010. Body Size and Shape: Climatic and Nutritional
Influences on Human Body Morphology. In Human Evolutionary Biology.
Muehlenbein, ed.
Week 5: Food
Infographic partner and topic submission (13 February, participation grade)
Readings
Lactase Restriction and Persistence (Mielke p. 177-181).
Tishkoff et al., 2007. Convergent adaptation of human lactase persistence in Africa
and Europe. Nature Genetics 39: 31.
Perry et al., 2007. Diet and the evolution of human amylase gene copy number
variation. Nature Genetics 39: 1256.
Week 6: Genes
Readings
Marks, 2010. Ten Facts about Human Variation. In Human Evolutionary Biology.
Muehlenbein, ed.
Week 7: Genetic Variation
Graphic 1: Variation (27 February)
Readings
Brown and Armelagos, 2001. Apportionment of racial diversity: A review.
Evolutionary Anthropology 10: 34.
Serre and Pääbo, 2004. Evidence for gradients of human genetic diversity within and
among continents. Genome Research 14: 1679.
Week 8: Recap & Exam
Midterm exam in class Friday 06 March
Ant 263: Humans and Race
Spring 2015
Week 9: Racialism
Graphic 2: Biology (13 March)
Readings
Hirschfeld, 1998. Natural assumptions: Race, essence, and taxonomies of human
kinds. Social Research 65: 331.
Setoh et al., 2013. Young infants have biological expectations about animals.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110: 15937-15942.
Week 10: Intelligence
Readings
Sternberg et al., 2005. Intelligence, race, and genetics. American Psychologist 60:
46.
Deary, 2013. Intelligence. Current Biology R673.
SPRING BREAK (no class 23-27 March)
Week 11: Eugenics
Graphic 3: Environment (03 April)
Readings
Micklos and Carlson, 2000. Engineering American society: The lesson of eugenics.
Nature Reviews Genetics 1: 153.
Inglis-Arkell, 2012. Why eugenics will always fail. Io9 (http://bit.ly/1F7SBzQ)
Week 12: Race & Medicine
Readings
Duster, 2005. Race and reification in Science. Science 307: 1050.
Phelan et al., 2005. The Genomic Revolution and beliefs about essential racial
differences: A Backdoor to Eugenics? American Sociological Review 78: 167.
Cooper, 2013. Race in biological and biomedical research. Cold Spring Harbor
Perspectives in Medicine. doi: 10.1101/cshperspect.a008573.
Week 13: Race, Health & Society
Graphic 4: Society (17 April)
Readings
Kuzawa and Sweet, 2009. Epigenetics and the embodiment of race: Developmental
origins of US racial disparities in cardiovascular health. American Journal of
Human Biology 21: 2.
Gravlee, 2013. Race, biology and culture: Rethinking the connections. In
Anthropology of Race: Genes, Biology, and Culture. Hartigan, ed.
Week 14: Infographics
Infographic workshopping
Week 15: Summary & Exam
Final Exam in class Wednesday 29 April
Final Infographic due Friday 08 May