240023 VO BM6 Anthropology of North America: History, Present and Future (2025S)

The aim of this course is to provide an overview of the anthropology of North America. Selected aspects of the history, present and future of North American sociocultural anthropology will be discussed as well as selected ethnographic case studies from the region.

The anthropology of North America is closely linked to the Indigenous population in the USA and Canada. Early ethnological and anthropological studies, which contributed to the establishment of modern sociocultural anthropology, examined the culture, language and social organization of Indigenous people in the region. Due to the influence of other social and cultural sciences and changes in the scientific focus within the discipline, sociocultural anthropology today no longer only deals with the Indigenous peoples of North America, but with all population groups. It addresses a wide range of social issues and problems, from changes in the environment, the world of work, education or healthcare, to infrastructure development, technology production and media use, to the creation of new social and spatial structures through migration movements.

Using selected ethnographic case studies, students learn about historical, theoretical and methodological aspects and elements of an anthropology of North America. The learning platform of the University of Vienna is used to provide learning materials and to promote the exchange of content and communication between students. In addition, the course provides for active student participation through discussion rounds.