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Anthropology Department

In seeking answers to the most basic human questions, anthropologists explore the relationships among the physical, biological, social, technological, symbolic, and moral worlds in which we live.

To do this, they employ an interdisciplinary, four-field approach that includes archaeology, sociocultural anthropology, biological/forensic anthropology, and linguistic anthropology, and which draws on many other disciplines in the sciences (social and natural) and the humanities. 

Our program will prepare you to think critically, analyze information, and write effectively about the human experience and history in its broadest sense. Our training provides practical analytical experience on human-based datasets, but is wide enough to include many big issues facing humanity today. It is also an excellent complement to other disciplines, such as economics, history, psychology, biology, public health, sociology, education, sustainability, and linguistics to name just a few.

Faculty

Our faculty are engaged in active research on a wide a variety of topics, including ethnographic studies of international development, policy, and bureaucracy in southern and Lusophone Africa, language learning and identity construction in contemporary China and among Chinese Diaspora in America, historical archaeology in Central New York, Native American studies, forensic and paleoanthropological research in Turkana in Western Kenya, Mesoamerican archaeology focused on market development and migration in Veracruz, Mexico, and Hohokam archaeology in central Arizona.

Beyond The Classroom

Each year, numerous opportunities are available for collaborative research, field work and faculty sponsored independent research for undergraduates. Our faculty have active field research in Africa (Kenya and Zambia), China, Mexico (Veracruz), and the United States (Arizona, central NY) that involve students. We also run an archaeology field school in CNY every other year. A number of grants are available for student research through the department and other campus programs to support both independent work, collaboration with faculty, and international study and travel.

Office

Anthropology Department
313 Mahar Hall

Contact

Phone: 315.312.4190
Email: [email protected]