ANTD26H3: Caveman, Farmer, Herder, Trader: Evolution of Diet in Society

Beginning with archaic Homo sapiens and ending with a discussion of how diet exists in a modern globalized cash economy, this course engages an archaeological perspective on changes in human diet and corresponding societal shifts. We will explore paradigmatic discourse around topics such as big game hunting, diet breadth, niche construction, and the Agricultural Revolution, while examining the archaeological record to clarify what "cavemen" really ate, inquire whether agriculture was as "revolutionary" as it has been presented, and delve into evidence of how colonialism, capitalism, and globalization have shaped our modern diet. Discussions will aim to interrogate current theories and contextualize why scientists (and the public) think the way they do about diet in the past and present.

[ANTA01H3 and ANTB80H3 and 1.0 credit from any course at the C-level] or [FSTA01H3 and 1.0 credit from any course at the C-level and permission of the instructor]
Natural Sciences