This course will provide students with an overview of primatology, with a focus on comparative morphological, behavioral, and ecological aspects of Anthropoid primates. Students will consider the evolutionary relationship among humans and non-human primates and how comparative studies can elucidate shared aspects of social, energetic, and reproductive behaviors, while also pointing to uniquely derived features among these organisms. Readings for the course will focus on primary research derived from a diverse range of primates in addition to theoretical pieces that connect the study of non-human primates to evolutionary understandings of what it means to be human. Students will also be exposed in their assignments to the methods used to understand the behavioral ecology of humans and non-human primates. Finally, the course will introduce students to the complex history of primatology as a field of study situated across anthropology, psychology, and biology, and one in the midst of a shift towards questions of conversation and decolonization.

Units: 1

Max Enrollment: 25

Prerequisites: ANTH 102 or BISC 111, or permission of the instructor.

Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences

Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Spring