Lecture (LEC)

• COLL (CASE) S&H Breadth of Inq
• COLL INTENSIVE WRITING SECTION
• IUB GenEd S&H credit

• Above class COLL Intensive Writing section
• IUB GenEd S&H credit
• COLL (CASE) S&H Breadth of Inquiry credit

Topic: Bad language

We have so much to learn by studying the classic works of literature, most eloquent speeches and greatest wits. But what can we learn about our society by investigating its dark linguistic underbelly? How is it possible that certain strings of sounds, uttered in just the right social context, have the power to offend, hurt feelings, ruin careers, and even spark wars? This course provides a broad introduction to the field of linguistic anthropology, its key concepts, and its methods through an exploration of "bad language." In it we investigate a range of speech types--curses, oaths, insults, gossip, argument, taboo words, obscenities, blasphemy, slang--and the essential roles they play in our lives. At the same time, we develop a cross- cultural perspective by comparing our own notions of what counts as bad language with ways of speaking that others cultural groups consider rude, vulgar, and even dangerous. We will also explore how different societies set standards for pronunciation, word choice, spelling, speaking and writing, how those standards are enforced, and how/why they sometimes get contested or resisted. Under this heading we consider such issues as plagiarism, libel, hate speech, and the policing of bad grammar.

Lecture (LEC)

• COLL (CASE) S&H Breadth of Inq
• IUB GenEd S&H credit

• Above class meets with GNDR-G
• IUB GenEd S&H credit
• COLL (CASE) S&H Breadth of Inquiry credit

Topic: Brave new families

How do we define our families and the meaning of family ties? Who do we count as kin? How do our definitions compare with those instituted by governments, medical professionals, or cultural or religious communities? This course asks questions such as these as it examines the diversification of family in our contemporary era. By investigating familial contexts around the world, we will study the different values and principles that shape changes in family formation and roles. We will ask how different configurations of gender, sexual orientation, class, race and ethnicity, religion, and nationality affect how we form families, the significance of family ties, and the varied kinds of work that families do in our world today. We will also discuss how developments in medical science, such as assisted reproductive technologies, have transformed family composition and how we understand who counts as kin. We will use individual case studies to explore how changing values of care, new definitions of relatedness, and the shifting landscape of governmental and legal regulation are transforming family relationships as multifaceted sources of meaning and support in people¿s lives.

Lecture (LEC)

• COLL (CASE) S&H Breadth of Inq
• IUB GenEd S&H credit

• IUB GenEd S&H credit
• Above class meets with GNDR-G 205.
• COLL (CASE) S&H Breadth of Inquiry credit

Topic: Gender and tattooing

In this course, we will examine the historical, cultural, economic, and political significance of tattoos through anthropological and gender studies lenses. We will consider tattoo in relation to constructions of self and community, appropriation, resistance, and the assertion of multiple identities. We will also examine function and purpose of tattooing in both contemporary popular culture and more broadly, across different times and spaces as they relate to human bodily expression. Selected readings and visual materials will cover topics from the history of tattoo to sexism and colorism in the tattoo industry. The course will have an experiential component involving visits to a local tattoo shop.