Bi7878 General Anthropology I: Biological Anthropology

Faculty of Science
Autumn 2012
Extent and Intensity
2/0. 2 credit(s) (plus 2 credits for an exam). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
prof. PhDr. Jaroslav Malina, DrSc. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Jaroslav Malina, DrSc.
Department of Anthropology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: prof. PhDr. Jaroslav Malina, DrSc.
Supplier department: Department of Anthropology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Timetable
Wed 16:00–17:50 Bp1
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is offered to students of any study field.
Course objectives
"Where are we? Who are we? Where are we going? "- the answers to these fundamental questions are contained in this lecture series designed for Masaryk University students. The program is based on empirical studies (biological, social and cultural anthropology), in which lecturers from the Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, actively participate. It is based on the knowledge that humans and communities, their origins, evolution and transformation are determined by the interaction of biological, medical, psychological, social and cultural contingencies.
In the autumn semester, humanness is presented primarily as a biological entity (human biological variability, comparison to other biological species, especially our closest relatives - the primates).
At the end of this course the student will be able to understand and explain the role humans play in nature, i.e. common characteristics humans share with other primates as well as the unique human characteristics which distinguish us biologically from other animals. The student will be able to describe the main events and the circumstances which led to human evolution and explain specific adaptational characteristics. The student will also be able to assess the current adaptability of such characteristics in the context of postmodern society/civilization.
Syllabus
  • 1. Biological Anthropology: Past, Present, Future.
  • 2. Subject and research methods of biological anthropology.
  • 3. Position of humans in the Animal Kingdom systematics.
  • 4. Ancestors of early hominids (taxonomy, primatology).
  • 5. Human evolution: early hominids (genus Ardipithecus, Australopithecus), Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Homo neanderthalensis, Homo sapiens.
  • 6. Adaptive radiation, first and second dispersal, theories and models.
  • 7. Subsistence strategies, population explosion and its impact on the biosphere.
  • 8. Human anatomy, bipedalism as a key to hominization, changes in the skeleton, causes and consequences.
  • 9. Sexual dimorphism, genetic background, body types, male and female strategies.
  • 10. Morphological signatures of specific human behaviors.
  • 11. Evolutionary adaptations: heredity and mutations, selection.
  • 12. Physiological adaptations, general chracteristics, altitude, cold climates, dry and wet heat, nutrition.
Literature
  • Malina J. a kolektiv (2009): Antropologický slovník. Brno: Masarykova univerzita. Dostupné na: http://is.muni.cz/elportal/?id=858696
  • Malina J. (ed.) a kolektiv (2010): Panoráma biologické a sociokulturní antropologie. Brno: Masarykova univerzita. Dostupné na: http://is.muni.cz/elportal/?id=883579
Teaching methods
lectures
Assessment methods
oral exam
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2011, Autumn 2011 - acreditation, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019, Autumn 2020, autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2012, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/autumn2012/Bi7878