SP24-ANTHRO

This course is designed to give the student a thorough understanding of human gross anatomy from embryological, functional and evolutionary perspectives. The course is divided into 4 Units (Thorax and Abdomen, Back and Upper Limb, Pelvis and Lower Limb, Head and Neck), each of which covers specific anatomical regions and introduces the major systems of the human body. Each unit will integrate anatomy with evolutionary and functional approaches on various aspects of anatomical complexes specific to that unit (e.g. Lower limb anatomy and bipedal locomotion, larynx and evolution of language, pelvis and evolution of rotational birth). This course is targeted at students who aim to pursue health-related professions (medical/dental graduate programs, nursing, PT/OT, PA, etc?), anthropology majors who want to build a solid background in human evolutionary anatomy into their training, as a component of the anthropology major pathways such as health & the body and Evolutionary anthropology, as well as the Culture, Health, and Science program.

Review of contemporary human variation in demography, morphology, physiology, and genetics. Emphasis on explaining, not just categorizing, the differences. Inter- and intra-population variation around the globe.

Community groups and networks of organizers, activists, and developers coalesce around efforts to create cooperative, democratic, and socially just ways of being in the world involving "alternative" economies: things like cooperatives, land-trusts, community-owned finance, fair trade networks, and so on. These projects are both grounded in local communities and linked into global networks including the solidarity economies movement aimed at creating economies that put people and planet before profit. This class will work with two solidarity economy networks in Massachusetts. Our aim is to do work - a combination of engaged service, research, and community dialogues - that helps to perform, inform, and strengthen local efforts and the solidarity economy movement more broadly. We approach this work from the perspective of Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR); a research process in which communities guide the work at hand.