Vivian Lu

What is Texas and who are Texans? Texas is the USA’s second largest state by both population and territory; a third of the nation’s largest 15 cities are located in Texas and it is geographically the nexus of the American South, American Southwest, American Great Plains, Gulf of Mexico, and Mexico. This course explores Texas as a crossroads of a variety of social histories to consider anthropological questions of place-making, livelihood, and belonging. Each week will use anthropological theoretical frameworks and concepts to consider how Texas is experienced and imagined by different populations while unpacking social histories of some iconic Texan cultural figures, tropes, and events. The class sources focus on how various Texans have mobilized to transform their social conditions while regenerating meaningful relations to the historical past, and how Texas social movements have had political effects well beyond its borders. Drawing on sources ranging from historical texts and ethnographies to popular culture and media, we will examine narratives, representations, and imaginations both about Texas and by the vast range of people who have called Texas home. Mutually Exclusive: Cannot register for ANTH 336 if student has credit for ANTH 536.

Most of us think of capitalism as primarily an economic phenomenon. Yet, it also has a profoundly cultural dimension. This class will examine how capitalism and related phenomena, such as commodification, markets and marketing, corporate finance and the calculation of risk, both affect and are affected by culture. We will consider the impact of capitalist markets on social relations and gender identities; on ideals of patriotism, responsibility and success; and on popular culture and leisure practices. We will also ask how people resist, appropriate and modify in culturally specific ways the logic and institutions of a global capitalist order. Cross-list: ANTH 572. Mutually Exclusive: Cannot register for ANTH 372 if student has credit for ANTH 572.

Directed reading and preparation of written papers on anthropological subjects not offered in the curriculum and advanced study of subjects on which courses are offered. Repeatable for Credit.

A two-semester sequence of independent research culminating in the preparation and defense of an honors thesis. Open only to candidates formally accepted into the honors program.

Most of us think of capitalism as primarily an economic phenomenon. Yet, it also has a profoundly cultural dimension. This class will examine how capitalism and related phenomena, such as commodification, markets and marketing, corporate finance and the calculation of risk, both affect and are affected by culture. We will consider the impact of capitalist markets on social relations and gender identities; on ideals of patriotism, responsibility and success; and on popular culture and leisure practices. We will also ask how people resist, appropriate and modify in culturally specific ways the logic and institutions of a global capitalist order. Cross-list: ANTH 372. Mutually Exclusive: Cannot register for ANTH 572 if student has credit for ANTH 372.

This course is an independent study course organized between the faculty member and student, on a topic developed by them. Repeatable for Credit.

Repeatable for Credit.