Undergraduate program in anthropology at Tufts University. Our questions and topics are diverse.
Anthropologists study global human experience, combining social, cultural, biological, archaeological, and linguistic approaches within a single discipline. In our courses, students examine (for example) the relationship between culture and human rights, the globalization of childhood, concepts of animal life in industrial farming, place making in global cities, the political shaping of gender, ho
w human bodies relate to their environments, questions of cultural ownership in art, new uses of social media, indigenous rights in contexts of environmental destruction, nationalist uses of archaeology, and the intersection of transnational diasporas with US notions of “race.” While in the past anthropology was typically the study of non-Western societies, today anthropologists also work “at home”—wherever in the world that “home” is. Our embrace of both qualitative and scientific research gives our methods flexibility, depth, and analytical rigor. Ethnography, cultural anthropology’s signature set of research methods, is in demand in design, consulting, technology, marketing, human services, and other industries, where it drives innovation through the field of “user experience.” Ethnographic techniques such as participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and participant photojournaling help researchers view cultural practices and social interactions with new eyes, find implicit patterns and meanings, and see the actual workings of technologies and institutions in practice. For anthropologists, however, ethnography is more than a tool: it is a practice that generates critical thinking and ethical awareness. Anthropology at Tufts gives students opportunities for ethnographic research though our Fieldwork Lab (Anth 161), several upper-level seminars (Anth 160 and over), internships (Anth 99), and independent research projects (Anth 197 and 199). Our students can present their research and engage with others through Tufts’ student Anthropology Collective and Spring Student Anthropology Symposium (SSAS). This combination of hands-on research, disciplinary breadth, global and local understanding, and intellectual community makes Anthropology a strong major and an excellent preparation for a wide range of careers.
04/25/2022
🎧 🎧 🎧 Tune in to hear our Department Chair, Amahl Bishara, along with other outstanding anthropologists, discuss the concept of solidarity.
What is solidarity, and who can practice it? Is solidarity something we do within communities, or beside allies? What are some of the shortcomings and challenges of solidarity?
Share your thoughts below!
What Solidarity Does
This is the second episode in AnthroPod’s newest series, What Concepts Do. The aim of the series is to examine, from an anthropological perspecti...
02/14/2022
Exciting opportunity for anthropology enthusiasts inside and outside of Tufts! Some of our most popular courses - The Anthropology of Capitalism and Medical Anthropology - are offered this coming Summer semester [05/26-06/30] in a VIRTUAL mode.
🟡 See the detailed information on the Tufts University College website:
Do not miss! Next Wednesday, October 27th, Anthropology Majors Event. All are welcome! 🏠
09/21/2021
Congratulations to Alex Blanchette, this year's winner of the Diana Forsythe Prize for his book “Porkopolis: American Animality, Standardized Life, and the Factory Farm"! The prize celebrates the best book or series of published articles in the spirit of Diana Forsythe’s feminist anthropological research on work, science, and/or technology, including biomedicine.
Diana Forsythe Prize | CASTAC
Diana Forsythe Prize The Diana Forsythe Prize was created in 1998 to celebrate the best book or series of published articles in the spirit of Diana Forsythe’s feminist anthropological research on work, science, or technology, including biomedicine. The prize is awarded annually at the AAA meeting ...
09/08/2021
Alex Blanchette's co-edited volume "How Nature Works" has been awarded the 2021 Society for the Anthropology of Work Book Prize. 👏👏👏
We're Hiring! Tufts Anthropology seeks a tenure-track hire in historical archaeology with a focus on the critical study of race and indigeneity. Preferred geographic concerns are North America, Global American Studies, and transregional studies that figure North American sites. Time period open with a preference for modern or contemporary societies and/or research that critically expands upon the written record. Preference will be given to candidates who are actively engaged in a program of field research, which may include the use of digital methods. Apply at the attached Interfolio link below and join us!
Congratulations to Associate Professor Alex Blanchette, who has been awarded second prize of the Victor Turner Prize in Ethnographic Writing for his book "Porkopolis: American Animality, Standardized Life, and the Factory Farm" (Duke University Press, 2020)!
04/25/2022
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