ANTHROPOLOGY 486/586: MIGRATION & ARCHAEOLOGY Fall Term 2017
Wednesday: 10:00 AM-12:50 PM, 8915 HUB Mall, University of Alberta John W. (Jack) Ives, Professor, Department of Anthropology
Executive Director, Institute of Prairie Archaeology Ph. (780) 248-2082 [email protected]
Course Content and Objectives
Once a mainstay in archaeological explanation, then an anathema, the topic of migration has resurfaced in recent years as a significant area of enquiry. The principal focus of the seminar will be to examine current theoretical and methodological approaches to the material culture consequences of prehistoric migration, using linguistic, human genetic, natural historical and other sources of pertinent information.
The specific objectives of the course are:
1. To apprehend migration as a subject of broad social science interest and enquiry.
2. To explore the history of migration as a concept applied in archaeology and anthropology.
3. To grasp the human biological implications of migration, but to see clearly the multitude of ways in which migration is a profoundly social and cultural phenomenon.
4. To examine a series of case studies concerning migration in prehistory, valuing interdisciplinary approaches along with archaeological data.
5. To provide a context and opportunity for students to explore a case study or facet of migration of particular interest to them.
By the end of this course, students can expect to have a nuanced appreciation of social science approaches to migration, with an eye to sophisticated ways of interpreting archaeological records for the fundamental reality of human population movements throughout prehistory and history. Students will gain insights into several of the more dramatic instances of human migration from a global perspective, practice seminar and presentation skills, and have the opportunity to do in-depth research into a human migration of particular interest to them.
Office Hours
I will hold office hours between 14:00-15:30 PM each Wednesday and Thursday in HUB 8915. Students unable to use these time periods can make alternative arrangements.
E-Class
Web support for the class will make use of University of Alberta access to eClass. There you will find glossary and web link information, learning modules for each segment of the class, announcements and information about assignments and grades. You should be checking eClass routinely through the week. Note slides will be posted prior to lectures to facilitate note taking. eClass support is not a replacement for sound note taking in class.
University of Alberta Policy Statements
Policy about course outlines can be found in the Evaluation Procedures and Grading System section of the University Calendar.
Academic Integrity
The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty. Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the policies of the University in this respect. Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Code of Student Behaviour (online at
http://www.governance.ualberta.ca/en/CodesofConductandResidenceCommunityStandards/CodeofStudentBeha
viour.aspx ) and avoid any behaviour that could potentially result in suspicions of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts and/or participation in an offence. Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University.
Learning and Working Environment
The Faculty of Arts is committed to ensuring that all students, faculty and staff are able to work and study in an environment that is safe and free from discrimination and harassment. It does not tolerate behaviour that undermines that environment. The department urges anyone who feels that this policy is being violated to:
• Discuss the matter with the person whose behaviour is causing concern; or,
• If that discussion is unsatisfactory, or there is concern that direct discussion is inappropriate or threatening, discuss it with the Chair of the Department.
For additional advice or assistance regarding this policy you may contact
The Office of the Student Ombuds . Information about the University of Alberta Discrimination and Harassment Policy and Procedures is described in UAPPOL .
Academic Honesty
All students should consult the information provided by the Office of Judicial Affairs regarding avoiding cheating and plagiarism in particular and academic dishonesty in general (see the Academic Integrity Undergraduate Handbook and Information for Students). If in doubt about what is permitted in this class, ask the instructor.
An instructor or coordinator who is convinced that a student has handed in work that he or she could not possibly reproduce without outside assistance is obliged, out of consideration of fairness to other students, to report the case to the Associate Dean of the Faculty. See the Academic Discipline Process .
Recording of Lectures:
Audio or video recording of lectures, labs, seminars or any other teaching environment by students is allowed only with the prior written consent of the content author(s) or as a part of an approved accommodation plan.
Recorded material is to be used solely for personal study, and is not to be used or distributed for any other purpose without prior written consent from the instructor.
Attendance, Absences, and Missed Grade Components
Regular attendance is essential for optimal performance in any course. In cases of potentially excusable absences due to illness or domestic affliction, notify your instructor by e-mail within two days. Regarding absences that may be excusable and procedures for addressing course components missed as a result, consult the Attendance and Examinations sections of the University Calendar. Be aware that unexcused absences will result in partial or total loss of the grade for the “attendance and participation” component(s) of a course, as well as for any assignments that are not handed-in or completed as a result.
While attendance and participation are not reflected in grade assignments for this course, regular lecture attendance is imperative because lectures provide the key materials for the quiz, mid-term exam , term project and final exam. In class participation is very much encouraged when discussion is taking place.
Assignments are due at the time of submission specified in this syllabus; marks will be deducted for late submissions (10% per day).
Student Accessibility Services
If you have special needs that could affect your performance in this class, please let me know during the first week of the term so that appropriate arrangements can be made. If you are not already registered with
Student Accessibility Services , contact their office immediately (1-80 SUB; Email [email protected]; phone 780-492-3381; WEB www.ssds.ualberta.ca).
Grading
Assignment Weight Date Due/Presented
1. Analysis, Media Article 10% September 13
2. Term Project Outline with Preliminary Bibliography 10% October 18 3. Oral Presentations, Term Projects 30% November 22, 29
4. Term Project Paper 40% December 3
5. Case Study Coordination, Class Participation 10% Throughout Course
Marks for term work will be given in percentages; the percentage mark resulting from the entire term work then produces the final letter grade for the course.
Assignment #1, Analysis, Media Article (September 13 Presentations)
Find an article in the popular press with a headline making local, regional or national news, and send it to me as .pdf, link or some other convenient form by September 11. Although the article may have generated news about the immediate subject covered, follow the steps in the eClass module for this assignment to show how migration is an underlying cause. Prepare a three to five minute oral presentation with a small powerpoint for class to stimulate discussion of the article you chose.
Assignment #2, Outline for Term Project
For subject matter concerning prehistoric migration, provide a concise framing of an instructor approved topic (that will later be treated in the oral presentation and written term paper). This must include a summary of proposed sections of the presentation/paper, and a set of carefully researched, annotated references. The outline portion should be 2-3 pages: the references can vary according to topic, but at least 12-15 key, annotated articles or books should be listed. Specific instructions are in the eClass module for this assignment.
Term projects can involve either an instance of prehistoric migration of particular interest to you, or, comparative work on a facet of human migration in prehistory (e.g., gender in human migration, demographic modeling of migration, language change involving material culture during human migration, population movements of hominid species, environmental change or natural catastrophes and migration, etc.).
Assignment #3, Oral Presentation of Term Project
Our late November seminars will be devoted to oral presentations from students on their term project research. These will be ~20 minute powerpoint presentations, allowing an additional ~10 minutes for discussion and feedback. To provide the same amount of preparation time to all students,
powerpoints for ALL oral presentations will be due in class November 22. Specific instructions are in the eClass module for this assignment.
Assignment #4, Written Term Papers
The term paper should take advantage of outline and oral presentation feedback. It is not to exceed 20 pages in length for text (illustrations and references can take additional pages), doubled spaced, with American Antiquity style citations. Specific instructions are in the eClass module for this assignment.
Expectations for Graduate Student Participation in Seminars
This is a seminar course with participation of both graduate and undergraduate students. Some undergraduates may be less familiar with a seminar format. To help make this transition during the first third of the course, lecturers will present the majority of information, with less emphasis on discussion.
As the course proceeds, students will have increasing responsibility for presentations as well as entering into discussions and debates.
There will be some instances where there are assigned readings for general discussion. All students are expected to read and participate in discussion of required readings. The primary format for encouraging discussion will, however, involve case studies of prehistoric migrations. For each of the case study seminars, I have provided “seed” readings to provide an introduction to particular situations.
Student teams will be assigned to specific case studies. All students will be responsible for understanding the readings connected with a case study. Student teams presenting on a case study will be responsible for research arising from the readings (e.g., finding other relevant reference material), condensing that information for presentation to the class, and for helping to lead discussion.
Graduate students will need to know the same material, but are also expected to exercise leadership skills in heading up case study teams. Through email or informal meetings, graduate student team leaders should coordinate planning with team members for each case study. In the seminar, the graduate student team leader should provide a brief context statement concerning the case study, introduce each undergraduate presenting on a paper or topic, and provide a closing summation.
Undergraduates should present on specific papers or topics arising from the material being discussed.
Graduate students will be evaluated for their leadership and planning in coordinating the case studies with undergraduates (10% of the total grade) as well as for their general class participation (10% of the total grade). Assignments are due at the time of submission specified in this syllabus; marks will be deducted for late submissions (10% per day).
Texts & Readings
There is no assigned text for this course. Readings will be posted in learning modules on eClass. Bruce Trigger’s (2006) A History of Archaeological Thought, second edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press is not required reading but is a helpful source for the historic parts of the introduction to the course. The following list also contains useful general reference material (Anthony, Bretell and Hollifield, Cabana and Clark, Rouse) or books with material to be used in case studies (the remainder of the list).
Other Readings, Migration & Archaeology
Anthony, David W., 2007, The Horse, the Wheel, and Language. How Bronze-Age Riders from the Eurasian Steppes Shaped the Modern World. Princeton: Princeton University Press. (Available also at this U of A link: http://www.library.ualberta.ca/permalink/opac/6244190/WUAARCHIVE ).
Brettell, Caroline B. & James F. Hollifield (eds), 2000, Migration Theory: Talking across Disciplines.
New York: Routledge.
Cabana, Graciela S. and Jeffrey J. Clark (eds) , 2011, Rethinking Anthropological Perspectives on Migration. Gainesville, Florida: University Press of Florida.
Dunnell, Robert C. and Edwin S. Hall, Jr., 1978, Archaeological Essays in Honor of Irving B. Rouse.
Moulton Publishers, New York.
Forbis, Richard G. ,1977, Cluny. An Ancient Fortified Village in Alberta. Occasional Papers No. 4, Department of Archaeology, University of Calgary.
Hall, Richard, 2007, Exploring the World of the Vikings. Thames & Hudson, London.
Ives, John W., 1999, Rise of the Black Dragon. Catalogue for the International Exhibition, 76 pp.
Provincial Museum of Alberta. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Rockman, Marcia and James Steele (eds), 2003, Colonization of Unfamiliar Landscapes: The Archaeology of Adaptation, edited. New York: Routledge. (Available also at this U of A link:http://www.library.ualberta.ca/permalink/opac/6011666/WUAARCHIVE ).
Rouse, Irving B., 1986, Migrations in Prehistory. Inferring Population Movement from Cultural Remains. New Haven: Yale University of Press.
Weekly Schedule
Week Date Topic Assignments & Readings
1 Sept 6 Ives, Lecture:
Ø Introduction/Organizing for the Course Ø History of Migration in Archaeological
Thought
eClass Readings Module:
Migration Theory
2 Sept 13 Ives, Lecture and Discussion:
Ø Migration in the Social Sciences Ø Migration in Archaeological Thought
Today
Ø Principles of Historical Linguistics Ø Genetics & Linguistics
eClass Readings Module:
Migration Theory &
Anthropology
Media Analysis Due, Presentations in Class 3 Sept 20 Ives, Lecture and Discussion:
Ø Relevance & Archaeology: the Northern Puebloan World in the 13th Century
eClass Readings Module:
Migration & Change in the Puebloan World 4 Sept 27 Ives, Lecture and Discussion:
Ø Dene-Yeniseian Ø Apachean Migration
eClass Readings Module:
Dene-Yeniseian, Apachean Migration 5 Oct 4 Ives, Migration in Heavily Settled Landscapes:
Ø The Jurchen and the Jin Dynasty Ø The Manchus and the Qing Dynasty
eClass Readings Module:
Jurchen and Manchu Dynasties
6 Oct 11 Debate: Is the One Gun Phase in Alberta an instance of prehistoric migration?
eClass Readings Module:
One Gun Phase 7 Oct 18 Case Studies: Landscapes with Other Hominins
Ø Northern Eurasia Paper Outlines Due eClass Readings Module:
Landscapes with Other Hominins
8 Oct 25 Case Study: Vacant Landscapes Colonization of Sahul
Colonization of the Americas
eClass Readings Module:
Colonization of Sahul and the Americas
9 Nov 1 Heather Young Leslie:
Ø Migrations in Polynesia
eClass Readings Module:
Polynesia 10 Nov 8 Eric Damkjar:
Ø Arctic Small Tool tradition (ASTt) settlement of the High Arctic
eClass Module: ASTt Readings
11 Nov 13-17 Ø Fall Reading Week
12 Nov 22 Student Term Project Presentations All Oral Term Project Presentations Due 13 Nov 29 Student Term Project Presentations
14 Dec 6 Course Wrap-up