Code and section: ANTH*1150*DE

Term: Winter 2026

Instructor: Karine Gagné

Details

ANTH*1150 Introduction to Anthropology

Winter 2026

Section: DE 01

Department of Sociology and Anthropology

Credit Weight: 0.50

Calendar Description

This course deals with humankind from a broad historical and cross-cultural perspective. Theoretical models, case studies and specific methods will be presented. Course topics include the origin and transformations of human society, the relationship between biological and cultural traits, human language, variation in family structure and religion, inequalities, identity, well-being, and the economic and political aspects of human society.

Pre-Requisite(s): None

Co-Requisite(s): None

Restriction(s): None

Method of Delivery: Online

Final Exam

Date:

Time:

Location: Online via the Quizzes tool in CourseLink using LockDown Browser

Note: Please read the important information about exam timing in the Assessment Description section under Final Exam in this Outline.

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Instructional Support

Instructor

Dr. Karine Gagné

Email: gagnek@uoguelph.ca

Office: MacKinnon Building, room 643

Hello, I’m Karine Gagné, your instructor. Welcome to our Introduction to Cultural Anthropology course. I am a Associate Professor and anthropologist at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Guelph. I do research on climate change and human-animal relations in the Himalayas.

With this online course, we will mainly communicate through online discussions, but when you need to get my direct attention, particularly if you need advice regarding any urgent or personal issues, it is best to use my regular email: gagnek@uoguelph.ca Please ask any other course or topic related questions publicly in the ask your instructor group so others may also benefit. I will hold limited office hours online, so if you do wish to meet with me an appointment can be arranged by e-mail.

Office Hours via Zoom: Please send me an email (gagnek@uoguelph.ca) to let me know if you would like to meet and I will set a meeting in Microsoft Team. Please note that further details will be posted in the Announcements. See also Communicating with Your Instructor.

Teaching Assistant(s)

Students are designated to a specific TA so if you wish to discuss your research paper with a TA you will be communicating with the person who will grade it. Dedicating a portion of the class to a specific TA also keeps things easier for us to manage the workload. Take a look at the class list under Tools and find your surname to see which TA has been designated your portion of the class list.

 

TA Name: TBD

Email: TBD

 

TA Name: TBD

Email: TBD

 

TA Name: TBD

Email: TBD

Required Textbook

Title: Cultural Anthropology: A Perspective on the Human Condition, fifth Canadian edition

Author(s): Emily A. Schultz; Robert H. Lavenda; Roberta Robin Dods; Mary-Lee Mulholland

Edition / Year: 5th / 2023

Publisher: Oxford University Press Canada

ISBN: 9780195402551

Course Materials

This course requires the use or purchase of the above mentioned textbook. The textbook is available as an online textbook. It is also possible to buy a print copy of the textbook, but note that the paper version costs more than the online textbook.

Supplementary Materials

This course includes supplementary materials. These materials are meant to supplement the required readings and course content. You can explore the materials at your own pace. Supplementary materials are found in the tab “topics” and “reflections” of each unit.

Course Website

CourseLink (powered by D2L’s Brightspace) is the course website and will act as your classroom. It is recommended that you log in to your course website every day to check for announcements, access course materials, and review the weekly schedule and assignment requirements.

https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/shared/login/login.html

Course Learning Outcomes

Anthropology is a social science that employs objective field research to help us understand the common truths about the existence of human beings. Anthropologists examine diverse products of culture, tradition, language, religion, politics, subsistence, culture change and other human beliefs and behaviours. Anthropology consists of four sub-fields of anthropology; Cultural, Biological, Linguistic, and Archaeology. Our emphasis will be primarily on Cultural Anthropology, sometimes also referred to as Social Anthropology or Socio-Cultural Anthropology. We will also explore some of the other sub-fields as we move through the material.

The purpose of this course is to provide a comprehensive overview of all humans, as seen by anthropologists. This takes us from our origins and place in the animal kingdom to the long-term history of diverse cultures. The focus on human diversity is on a global scale and includes language, physical appearance, customs, beliefs and our past. While we will touch on these topics, the emphasis will be on the social organization and cultures of contemporary global peoples.

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• Explain the core concepts that distinguish anthropology from other academic disciplines
• Discuss how anthropologists view the world; be aware of some differences of opinion and viewpoints among anthropologists
• Describe the main technical terms and concepts used by anthropologists
• Explain the differences between the four main sub-disciplines of Anthropology and how each contributes to a holistic understanding of Homo Sapiens as a species
• Explain how anthropologists use and define the word culture in the context of human belief and behavior.
• State the impact of cultural differences, as well as the more universal aspects of human cultural uniformity and be able to identify ethnocentrism, the value of cultural relativism, and strategies to overcome our own cultural biases.
• Distinguish between an anthropological and a non-anthropological perspective on a wide range of issues that flow from being human, ranging from biological diversity, religion, politics, family, race, ethnic relations among other topics, as well as examine the relevant cultural elements of any society from an anthropological perspective.
• State how culture has shaped the development of human societies and appreciate its role in shaping human history.

Method of Learning

This is an interactive online course, which differs from traditional courses in that it requires more self-pacing/self-monitoring from students. The course has been designed to not only help students master course concepts and content. It also seeks to help students identify how anthropology can apply to a wide variety of professional and personal contexts.

To successfully complete this course, it is important that you begin work as of the very first week of classes and participate regularly throughout the semester. This course requires five to six hours of online access per week. You are expected to complete all weekly learning activities in the text and read the weekly unit. Discussions will involve reading posts and posting your contributions within your small discussion group.

Note: Although there are two (2) Graded Discussions in this course, there are also opportunities to discuss course content and concepts through 12 Non-Graded Weekly Discussion. Use these conversations with your peers to further your knowledge about the key areas of anthropology covered by this class. At the minimum, this will help you better prepare for the Graded Discussions and other course assessments!