1
Kent
Fall 2014
HUMANS AND ANIMALS
ANT 390C,
Office: CN 106 M
Hours: M-F: 9:30-10:30; or, by appointment
Phone: 556-2933 or 556-3167 (dept.); e-mail: kentj@msudenver.edu
OVERVIEW This course is an introduction to the anthropology of humans’ relationships with
animals, in all times and in all places. Those relationships have changed. But, so have humans.
And, so have non-human animals. It is likely that the relationships will continue to change. In
this class, we will look at the factors underlying such changes and see how these factors affect
one another. We begin with a discussion of humans as animals, again both in the present and in
the past. We then move to a consideration of how animals have been and are perceived crossculturally, both as “self” and as “other”. Included here are human-animal transformations,
animals as prey, origin stories, animals as sacred ancestors, spiritual helpers, animal-related
proverbs and other moral tales, and animals as political and commercial resources. Connected to
this is a look at how some animals are seemingly useful to humans and how humans are useful to
some animals. This would include the concepts of taming, domestication, pet-keeping, Biblical
do’s and don’ts, witches' familiars, and food taboos. Also considered are animals perceived or
defined as not useful. In some societies, a process known as domestication led to nomadic or
agro-pastoralism; in others, the result has been the development of ranching and farming; and, in
a few, to agribusiness, factory farms, supermarkets, fast food, and the global economy.
Simultaneously, however, animals continue to play roles in human societies that are continuously
being reinvented. Included here are "toons", comic strips, team mascots, video games, virtual
pets, service animals, fur coats, zoos, nursery rhymes, sex, and vampire and lycan films, to name
a few. We also will examine changing attitudes toward some species. Included here are topics
such as dog shows, ASPCA, contemporary sport hunting, PETA and other animals rights groups,
service animals, and vegan practices. An ultimate topic we can address is: what will our future
be, with (and without) animals?
1. TEXTS
There are three required texts:
Bulliet, Richard W.
2005 Hunters, Herders, and Hamburgers: The Past and Future of Human-Animal
Relationships. Columbia University Press, New York.
DeMello, Margo
2012 Animals and Society: An Introduction to Human-Animal Studies. Columbia University
Press. New York.
Shipman, Pat
2011 The Animal Connection: A New Perspective on What Makes Us Human. W.W. Norton &
Company, New York.
2
2. OTHER REQUIRED READINGS:
The following articles are required (see Schedule section for when each is assigned).
They are available by going to the Blackboard page for the course.
Bloch, Linda-Renée and Dafna Lemish
1999 Disposable Love: The Rise and Fall of a Virtual Pet. New Media & Society 1(3):283303.
Cohen, Joel B.
2000 Playing to Win: Marketing and Public Policy at Odds over Joe Camel. Journal of Public
Policy & Marketing, 19 (2): 155-167.
Dobney, K. and Greger Larson
2006 Genetics and animal domestication: new windows on an elusive process. Journal of
Zoology 269: 261 – 271.
Driscoll, Carlos A., David W. Macdonald, and Stephen J. O’Brien
2009 From wild animals to domestic pets, an evolutionary view of domestication. Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences, 106 ( suppl. 1): 9971–9978.
Evans, Erin
2010 Constitutional Inclusion of Animal Rights in Germany and Switzerland: How Did
Animal Protection Become an Issue of National Importance? Society and Animals 18:
231-250.
Franklin, Adrian
1999 Animals and Modern Cultures (chapter 7: “Animals and the Agricultural Industry”, pp.
128 – 144 + bib). Sage Publications, Ltd., London.
Foltz, Richard
2010 Zoroastrian Attitudes Towards Animals. Society and Animals 18: 367 – 378.
Kent, Jonathan D.
1987 The Most Ancient South: a Review of the Domestication of the Andean Camelids. In
Studies in the Neolithic and Urban Revolutions, edited by Linda Manzanilla, pp.
169-184. BAR International Series No. 349. Oxford, England.
Larsen, Clark Spencer
2003 Animal Source Foods and Human Health during Evolution. Journal of Nutrition 133
(supplement 1): 3893S–3897S.
Neal, Arthur G.
1985 Animism and Totemism in Popular Culture. Journal of Popular Culture 19 (2): 15-23.
Phillips, Barbara J.
3
1996
Advertising and the Cultural Meaning of Animals. Advances in Consumer Research 23:
354- 360.
Savage-Rumbaugh, Sue, Kanzi Wamba, Panbanisha Wamba & Nyota Wamba
2007 Welfare of Apes in Captive Environments: Comments On, and By, a Specific Group of
Apes. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 10 (1): 7 – 19.
Serpell, James A.
1995 From Paragon to Pariah: Some Reflections on Human Attitudes to Dogs. In The
Domestic Dog: its Evolution, Behavior, and Interactions with People, edited by James
Serpell, pp. 245 – 256. Cambridge University Press, England.
_____
2002 Guardian Spirits or Demonic Pets: the Concept of the Witch’s Familiar in Early Modern
England, 1530 – 1712. In The Animal/Human Boundary: Historical Perspectives, edited
by Angela N.H. Creager and William Chester Jordan, pp. 157 – 190. University of
Rochester Press.
Sutton, Mark Q.
1988 Insects as Food: Aboriginal Entomophagy in the Great Basin (Chapters 1 and 2, pp. 1-22
+ bib). Ballena Press Anthropological Papers No. 33 (Series editor Thomas C.
Blackburn). Ballena Press, Menlo Park, CA.
GRADES:
The student's grade will be based on:
a. internet research assignments and write-ups (2 @ 50 pts each)
= 100 points
b. presentation (50 pts)
= 50 points
c. midterm and final exams (60 pts each)
= 120 points
d. participation
= 20 points
TOTAL
290 points
The following point totals and percentages will be used at the end of the semester to determine
the student's letter grade:
A = 243 or more points -- 90-100%
B = 216 – 242.5 "
-- 80-89%
C = 189 – 215.5 "
-- 70-79%
D = 162 – 188.5 "
-- 60-69%
F = less than 150 points
You should keep track of the total points you have to calculate your grade to date.
EXAMS:
EXAMS will be made up of take-home questions that the student will hand in on the due
date (see schedule). Coverage is up to the day prior to the EXAM and is non-cumulative. See
section below on “Missed classes, late exams, and assignments”.
INTERNET ASSIGNMENTS
4
These two assignments are worth 50 points each, and details will be discussed during the
class. Due dates are on the schedule. The first will provide the data for an in-class presentation
that will be graded separately. Late turn-in lose 2 points per calendar day.
PRESENTATION
There will one of these, worth 50 points. It should be approximately 7 – 10 minutes long
and will be based on student research associated with the first internet assignment and/or other
readings. More details on this will be provided in class. A presentation schedule will be
established once topics are chosen by students. Students who do not give their presentation on
the day scheduled will not receive any points.
PARTICIPATION, MISSED CLASSES, LATE EXAMS AND ASSIGNMENTS:
Attendance will not be taken except during the first few days of class and during
presentations (this latter part is the basis of the participation grade). All materials from classes
and presentations are the student's responsibility, so if you do miss, you are advised to obtain
notes from another class member (or two). Tape recorders are permitted. Because a good deal
of the material presented in class is in the form of visually-based presentations, it may be
difficult to completely "make up" a missed class. Some handouts, required readings, and this
syllabus will be on-line. Assignments and exams are due by the dates given on the schedule.
Late turn-ins lose 2 points per calendar school day. Late final exams cannot be accepted, so
students not turning the exam in by the start of the scheduled final will receive no credit on the
exam.
GENERAL SYLLABUS POLICIES – Fall, 2014
1.
WITHDRAWING FROM THE COURSE
Withdrawal (W):
The Withdrawal (W) notation is assigned when a student officially withdraws from a course via
ConnectU after the drop deadline (census date) and before the withdrawal deadline posted in the
2014-15 Academic Calendar: http://www.msudenver.edu/events/academic/ (November 5, 2014).
Deadlines differ proportionally for courses offered during part of a semester, including late-start
and weekend courses. Students should refer to the Student Detail Schedule via ConnectU to
review drop and withdrawal deadlines for individual courses. When a student withdraws from a
course, no academic credit is awarded. The course remains on the student’s academic record with
a “W” notation and counts toward the student’s attempted hours. The course is not calculated in
the student’s GPA or quality points. After the withdrawal deadline, students may not withdraw
from a course and will be assigned the grade earned based on the course syllabus.
Administrative Withdrawal (AW):
The Administrative Withdrawal (AW) notation is assigned when a student, or representative,
requests to be withdrawn from a course due to unforeseen or extenuating circumstances beyond
the student’s control. When the “AW” notation is assigned, no academic credit is awarded. The
course remains on the student’s academic record with an “AW” notation and counts toward the
student’s attempted hours. The course is not calculated in the student’s GPA or quality points.
5
Students may request an administrative withdrawal from the Office of the Registrar after the
drop deadline (census date) posted in the 2014-2015 Academic Calendar. Deadlines differ
proportionally for courses offered during part of a semester, including late-start and
weekend courses. Students should refer to the Student Detail Schedule in ConnectU to review
drop deadlines for individual courses.
Although requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, examples include the death of an
immediate family member, serious illness or medical emergency, or other life-altering event.
The student must provide supporting documentation to substantiate the request.
Students who request an administrative withdrawal may also request a tuition refund by
filing an Undergraduate Tuition and Fees Appeal through the Office of the Bursar.
This policy is included in the online University Catalog in the Academic Policies and
Procedures section: http://catalog.msudenver.edu/content.php?catoid=13&navoid=502
2.
INCOMPLETE POLICY
The Incomplete (I) notation may be assigned when a student, who was achieving satisfactory
progress in a course and who had completed most class assignments, is unable to take the final
examination and/or did not complete all class assignments due to unusual circumstances such as
hospitalization or disability. Incomplete work denoted by the Incomplete “I” notation must be
completed within one calendar year or earlier, at the discretion of the faculty member. If the
incomplete work is not completed within one year, the “I” notation will convert to an “F.”
Students must have completed at least 75% of the course work to qualify for consideration for an
incomplete. The student must be passing the course in order to be granted an incomplete. The
course counts toward the student’s attempted hours, does not count toward earned hours, and is
not calculated in the GPA or quality points until a grade is posted.
Determination of eligibility does not guarantee that an incomplete will be granted. Students who
do meet the qualifications may request an incomplete from the faculty member who is teaching
the course. The decision to grant an incomplete is up to the faculty member or at the department
chair’s discretion. The decision to grant an incomplete as an accommodation based on a
student’s disability shall be made by the faculty member or the department chair, if the faculty
member is not available, in consultation with the Director of the Access Center.
If an incomplete is granted, the student and instructor should fill out and sign an Incomplete
Agreement form to clarify what the student needs to do to complete the course.
Graduating seniors may not graduate with an “I” on their MSU Denver academic record if:
 The course in which the “I” was assigned is required for graduation, or
 a “D” or “F” assigned for that course would result in an overall GPA less than 2.00.
6
The “I” notation may not be given for a self-paced course. If a student does not complete a selfpaced course within the semester that he or she enrolled in the course, he or she must re-enroll
in the course in order to complete it.
If a student receives an “I” in an online class, the instructor should contact the Educational
Technology Center, whose staff will add the student to the online course roster so that the
student will be able to logon to the course. This step must be done by the instructor each
semester that the student continues to work on the course.
In order for an “I” to be changed to a letter grade, the incomplete work must be completed for
the course for which the student originally registered. The student should NOT re-enroll for the
same course, unless intending to retake the entire course. In this case, the student will pay tuition
and fees.
3.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
Academic dishonesty is a serious offense at the University because it diminishes the quality of
scholarship
and the learning experience for everyone on campus. An act of Academic Dishonesty may lead
to sanctions
including a reduction in grade (up to and including a permanent F for the course), probation,
suspension, or
expulsion. Academic dishonesty includes cheating, fabrication, and plagiarism, submitting the
same paper
or work for more than one class, and facilitating academic dishonesty. For definitions and more
information, see the Student Engagement and Wellness website:
http://www.msudenver.edu/studentengagementandwellness/studentconductandconflictresolutions
ervices/studentconductservices/academicintegrity/academicdishonesty/ .
4.
MSU DENVER POLICY STATEMEMT ON SEXUAL HARRASSMENT, GENDERBASED DISCRIMINATION AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE
Title IX addresses sexual harassment, gender-based discrimination and sexual violence. Sexual
violence includes attempted or completed rape or sexual assault, as well as sexual harassment,
stalking, voyeurism, exhibitionism, verbal or physical sexuality-based threats or abuse and
intimate partner violence. Title IX is helpful as it aims to create educational environments absent
from all forms of sex discrimination. Students may report incidents in which the alleged
perpetrator is a student to the Deputy Title IX Coordinator/Assistant Dean & Student Conduct
Officer by calling 303.556.3559 or by going to Tivoli 311.
7
If the alleged perpetrator is an MSU Denver employee, visitor to campus or a non-student,
please report the incident to the Title IX Coordinator/Executive Director of Equal Opportunity &
Assistant to the President, by calling 303.556.4746 or by visiting the Student Success Building,
#440.
Students who wish to make a criminal report of an incident should contact Auraria Police by
calling 303.556.5000 or 911 on campus or other appropriate law enforcement agency if the
incident occurred off campus.
5.
MSU DENVER POLICY STATEMENT ON STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Metropolitan State University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer; applications from
minorities and women are particularly invited. Metropolitan State University of Denver does not
discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation or
disability in admissions or access to, or treatment or employment in, its educational programs or
activities. Inquiries concerning the University grievance procedures may be directed to the
designated MSU Denver officials. Inquiries concerning Title VI and Title IX may be referred to:
Dr. Percy Morehouse, Jr.
MSU Denver Office of Equal Opportunity
Campus Box 63, P.O. Box 173362
Denver, CO 80217-3362
Ph: 303-556-4746
Inquiries concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or 504 may be referred to:
Mr. Lloyd Moore
Faculty & Staff ADA Coordinator
MSU Denver
Campus Box 47
P.O. Box 173362
Denver, CO 80217-3362
Ph: 303-556-8514
Mr. Steve Monaco
Student ADA Coordinator
Ph: 303-556-3881
Mr. Greg Sullivan
Director Access Center
MSU Denver
Campus Box 56
P.O. Box 173361
Denver, CO 80217-3361
8
Ph: 303-556-8387
Otherwise, all inquiries may be referred to the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of
Education, 1244 Speer Boulevard, Denver, CO 80204, 303-844-3723.
6.
CLASS ATTENDANCE ON RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS
Students at MSU Denver who, because of their sincerely held religious beliefs, are unable to
attend classes, take examinations, participate in graded activities or submit graded assignments
on particular days shall, without penalty, be excused from such classes and be given a
meaningful opportunity to make up such examinations and graded activities or assignments
provided that advance written notice that the student will be absent for religious reasons is given
to the faculty members during the first two weeks of the semester.
Nothing in the paragraph above shall require MSU Denver faculty members to reschedule
classes, repeat lectures or other ungraded activities or provide ungraded individualized
instruction solely for the benefit of students who, for religious reasons, are unable to attend
regularly scheduled classes or activities. However, presentations, critiques, conferences and
similar activities involving individual students shall be scheduled to avoid conflicts with such
students’ religious observances or holidays provided that reasonable advance notice of
scheduling conflicts is given to faculty members. Because classroom attendance and
participation is an important aspect of learning, MSU Denver students should not register for
courses if regularly scheduled classes or activities routinely conflict with their religious
observances or holidays (e.g., conflicts resulting in weekly absences for an entire semester). Any
MSU Denver student who believes that an MSU Denver faculty member has violated this policy
is entitled to seek relief under Section V of the MSU Denver Equal Opportunity Grievance
Procedure.
7.
STUDENT EMAIL POLICY
Electronic communication (i.e., email and personal portal announcements) is a rapid, efficient
and cost-effective form of communication. Consequently, reliance on electronic communication
is expanding among students, faculty, staff and administration at MSU Denver. Because of this
increasing reliance and acceptance of electronic communication, forms of electronic
communication have become in fact the means of official communication to students, faculty and
staff within MSU Denver. This policy acknowledges this fact and formally makes electronic
communication an official means of communication for the University. This policy does not
apply to term papers, assignments, or other student work for which non-electronic submissions
are required by individual course instructors.
9
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE:
This schedule is subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances. Students should be sure to
check on whether such changes have occurred (especially if you missed or came late).
Week 1 (8/19 – 8/21)
HUMANS AND ANIMALS
Course overview
Definition issues
Readings: Bulliet text chapters 1 & 2; DeMello text: 3-43.
Week 2 (8/26 – 8/28)
HUMANS AS ANIMALS
Classification; Evolutionary concepts; Comparative anatomy
Tools and behavior; ape/hominin split
Readings: Shipman, Prologue and chaps. 1-3; DeMello text: 44-middle of pg. 49.
Week 3 (9/2 – 9/4)
HUMANS AS ANIMALS (continued)
Language and cognition (linguistics and evolutionary psychology)
Are Humans unique?
Readings: Shipman, Chaps. 5, 6 and 8; Savage-Rumbaugh et al.2007; DeMello, 365-373
Week 4 (9/9 – 9/11)
1st INTERNET ASSIGNMENT OUT
Readings: Shipman, Chaps 9-11;
Week 5 (9/16 – 9/18)
ANIMALS AS OTHER
Human foraging (Archaeological and ethnographic evidence)
“Predomestication”
Insects as food
1st INTERNET ASSIGNMENT DUE
Readings: Bulliet text, chaps. 3 & 4; Sutton 1988
Week 6 (9/23 – 9/25)
ANIMALS AS OTHER (Continued)
Animals as sacred beings
Animal sacrifices; animal burials
Humans with dominion over the natural world
10
Biblical do’s and don’ts (sacrifice,food taboos)
MID-TERM QUESTIONS OUT
Reading: Foltz 2010; DeMello, Chapter 15
Week 7 (9/30 – 10/2)
ANIMALS AS OTHER (Continued)
Moral tales from animals
Spirit helpers and shamans
Witches’ familiars
Why pets?
Readings: Serpell 2002; Shipman Chap. 12; Bloch and Lemish 1999
Week 8 (10/7 – 10/9)
DOMESTICITY
10/7 MID – TERM ESSAYS DUE
10/9 STUDENT PRESENTATION ASSIGNMENT OUT
Readings: Shipman, Chaps. 13-15; DeMello, Chap. 5; Bulliet text, chapters 5 – 7
Week 9 (10/14 – 10/16)
DOMESTICITY (Continued)
Biological and cultural approaches
Fox farm experiment; zooarchaeology
Readings: Kent 1987;Dobney and Larsen 2006;
Driscoll et al. 2009
Week 10 (10/21 – 10/23)
STUDENT PRESENTATIONS
Week 11 (10/28 – 10/30)
ANIMALS AS RESOURCES
Animals as food (for humans)
Animal products: Hides, raw materials, fishmeal,
Baboon brains and other “Indy” experiences
Readings: Larsen 2003; Bulliet text chapter 8; Shipman,
Chaps. 15-17
Week 12 (11/4 – 11/6)
ANIMALS AS RESOURCES (continued)
Cattle ranching here and abroad
Agribusiness and Fast Foods
Food, Inc.
The cage-free chicken phenomenon
2nd INTERNET ASSIGNMENT OUT
Readings: Bulliet text, chapter 9; Franklin 1999; DeMello
Chap. 7
11
Week 13 (11/11 – 11/13)
TODAYS PETS
Pets as companions, Pet names, Pets and health
Pets as service animals
Vegetarians and vegans
Zoos
Readings: DeMello, Chaps. 6, 8, 10; Serpell 1995; Neal 1985
Week 14 (11/18 – 11/20)
CONTEMPORARY TRENDS AND THE FUTURE
11/20: 2nd INTERNET ASSIGNMENT DUE
Toons and other personified animals
Movies and animals (King Kong; Flicka, Lassie; Babe; Charlotte’s Web; Tarzan’s apes;
Team mascots and other forms of animal entertainment (lions in Rome, cockfights, bull fights,
pit bull battles, etc.)
ASPCA here and abroad; Animal-based medical research
animal advertising
Animals rights here and abroad
PETA here and abroad
FINAL ESSAY QUESTIONS OUT
Readings: Bulliet text, chapter 10; Evans 2010; DeMello, Chap. 9, 11-12, 16; Cohen 2000;
Phillips 1996
11/25 – 11/27 FALL BREAK, NO CLASSES
Week 15 (12/2 – 12/4)
CONTEMPORARY TRENDS AND THE FUTURE (continued)
Vegetarianism and Veganism
Hybrids of humans and animals
Patented animals (hello, Dolly!)
Future with and without animals
Readings: Bulliet text, chapter 11; DeMello Chap. 13, 18-20
12/11 FINAL EXAM ESSAYS DUE ON SCHEDULED FINAL DATE AT 12:30 P.M.