Department of Anthropology | University of Waterloo

Social-cultural anthropology at the University of Waterloo focuses on the dynamic nature of socio-cultural systems in both developed and developing societies. Areas of special interest are Canadian Indians, Africa, and Inuit and Eskimo cultures, while topical focus is on cultural ecology, ethnohistory, religious systems, gender and sex roles, social organization, social and cultural change, public policy and indigenous peoples, and human aging and dying. Students also receive training in early and contemporary anthropological theory and in research design and ethnographic field methods.

Courses offered in this area of anthropology include:

ANTH 102 Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology
ANTH 202 Principles of Social and Cultural Anthropology

ANTH 229 Peoples of Africa
ANTH 230 Native Peoples of Canada
ANTH 233 Inuit and Eskimo Cultures
ANTH 290 Audio-Visual Images and Ethnography
ANTH 300 Design of Anthropological Inquiry and Practice

ANTH 311 Anthropology of Religion
ANTH 330 Cultural Ecology
ANTH 348 Anthropology of Tourism
ANTH 351 Comparative Policies on Native Minorities
ANTH 352 History of Anthropological Thought (also available at WLU as AN 371)
ANTH 370 Issues in Contemporary Native Communities in Canada
ANTH 380 Matrilineal Societies in Aboriginal North America
ANTH 400 Special Topics in Anthropological Theory
ANTH 404 Human Development in a Cross-Cultural Perspective
ANTH 411 Symbolic Anthropology
ANTH 420 Social and Cultural Change

Complementary courses are also offered at Wilfrid Laurier University. A list of Anthropology courses that can be taken at WLU can be consulted via the following site:

Wilfrid Laurier Department of Anthropology

Students with an honours degree in anthropology at the University of Waterloo who wish to do graduate work with a focus on social-cultural anthropology will find graduate programs at many Canadian universities.

Information about the faculty members who research and teach Socio-Cultural Anthropology

A few internet resources dealing with Socio-Cultural Anthropology