Digging Deep: Plants, People and the Eco-archaeology of Agriculture

Taught by Professor Harmony Dalgleish and Jennifer Kahn

• 3 Credits
• COLL 300
• INTR 390
• REQUIRED Pre-meeting on:
  • November 11, 6:30-9:00 pm
  • December 2, 6:30-9:00 pm
  • December 6, 1:00-4:00 pm

Course Description:

The agricultural revolution, where plants and animals were first domesticated, was a significant tipping point in human history with widespread global impacts. Biologists usually approach the study of domestication through an organism-centric view, prioritizing the role that biology, ecology, and evolution has played in the domestication process. Anthropologists approach the study of domestication through a human-centric view, prioritizing the role of human agency. The over-arching goal of this COLL 300 course is for students to develop the skills needed to examine the human-agricultural nexus through a truly interdisciplinary, eco-archaeology lens. Throughout the course we will examine the entangled legacies of people, plants, and animals by exploring both the intended and unintended consequences of domestication. We will fuel student excitement in applying interdisciplinary approaches to solve contemporary problems such as food security and agricultural sustainability in the face of global climate change. This COLL 300 aims to challenge students’ ideas of domestication and the respective roles that both plants and people have had, and continue to have, in shaping our co-evolution throughout history in different locations across the world. Students will receive 3 credits towards ANTH, BIO, ENSP, NATV, AMES or APIA majors/minors in addition to the COLL 300 credit.