PřF:Bi7878 General Anthropology I - Course Information

Bi7878 General Anthropology I: Biological Anthropology

Extent and Intensity

2/0/0. 2 credit(s) (plus 2 credits for an exam). Type of Completion: zk (examination).

Teacher(s)

Mgr. Martin Čuta, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Mikoláš Jurda, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. RNDr. Miroslav Králík, Ph.D. (lecturer)
prof. PhDr. Jaroslav Malina, DrSc. (lecturer)
prof. PhDr. Jiří Svoboda, DrSc. (lecturer)
doc. RNDr. Petra Urbanová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. RNDr. Václav Vančata, CSc. (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

Mon 18. 9. to Fri 15. 12. Wed 18:00–19:50 Bp1,01007

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).

Learning outcomes

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. (ed.) a kolektiv (2010): Panoráma biologické a sociokulturní antropologie. Brno: Masarykova univerzita. Dostupné na: http://is.muni.cz/elportal/?id=883579
• Malina J. a kolektiv (2009): Antropologický slovník. Brno: Masarykova univerzita. Dostupné na: http://is.muni.cz/elportal/?id=858696

Teaching methods

lectures

Assessment methods

The course is concluded with an oral exam. To pass the exam successfully the student must prove good knowledge of the issues discussed during lectures and in the required reading.

Language of instruction

Czech

Further Comments

Study Materials
The course is taught annually.

• Enrolment Statistics (autumn 2017, recent)
  
• Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/autumn2017/Bi7878