Dr. Joan Stevenson


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350 - The Ecology of Human Variation


Instructor:
Dr. Joan C. Stevenson, AH 316, Phone: 650-4787; E mail: jcstvnsn@cc.wwu.edu
Texts:
Diamond, J. 1997. Guns, Germs and Steel. New York: Norton. (D)
Molnar S and Molnar I. 2000. Environmental Change and Human Survival. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. (MM)
Stearns SC. 1999. Evolution in Health Disease. New York: Cambridge. (S)

Objectives of Class:
The goal here will be to examine contemporary sociopolitical, health and environmental issues starting with a historical and evolutionary perspective that emphasizes changes in human biology, diet, demography, disease, and the cultural milieu since our hunting and gathering past.

Humanity evolved in very different conditions from those existing today, and many of the habits and behaviors that worked beneficially in the Pleistocene are creating challenges that may be better surmounted if one takes an interdisciplinary approach. In particular, one hopes that you will gain an appreciation of the complexity of the very evident disparities in access to resources by different societies or segments of societies.

Always be prepared to discuss the assigned readings for the week and your progress on your paper.
Topics below give specific contexts but emphasis is always on the biosocial impact on health (diet, disease and demography) and human population interactions as well as humanity’s impact on the natural climatic, topographic and biophysical domain.
Week
Topic
Chapters
1
 Basics of Evolutionary Biology;
Immune Function: An overview
MM:1,2;
S:1,2,9
     
2
 Biological Determinants of Host; Resistance Nutrition, Infection and Stress;
R: 6 abstracts* (2 Medline)
D:1-4;
S:3
     
3
 Hunting and gathering lifestyle; Exemplars: Prehistoric and contemporary;
R: 6 abstracts* (2 AnthroLit)
D:5-10;
S:4,5,8
     
4
 Neolithic transition/Domestication; Agricultural Societies;
R: 6 abstracts*
D:11-19;
MM:3,5,6;
S:6
     
5
 Peasant societies;
Exemplar: Medieval Europe;
MM:4;
S:7,10
R: Problem statement and Outline
     
6
 Industrial Revolution;
Exemplar: European community and colonies;
MM:7,8;
S:12,13
R: Introduction and first few pages of paper
     
7
 Eradication of smallpox and other pests; Hygiene revolution; Antibiotics; The Pill
S:11,14,15,16
     
8
 Health/disease implications of world economy; Health dichotomy between haves and have-nots
FILM: Love, Women and Flowers;
S:17,18,19,20
Rough Draft Due
     
9
 Genetic Resources of planet gene banks; Dietary and Disease implications
S:21,22,23,24
     
10
 Resurgence of infectious diseases; Global warming, environmental deterioration,
Sustainable development
 
11

Student presentations (informal); Final Draft due Monday of Finals Week at 5 p.m.

*Provide abstracts (or at least complete citations) of likely sources (book or article…please use both) for your term paper. Primary sources should dominate. In addition, there should be 1-2 sentences describing how each relates to your paper. Use the WEB sparingly because little of the material is refereed or critically reviewed.

Each person is exploring a topic in further detail in a 12-15 page paper (not including citations). The stages of the process are outlined above. The paper is due the first day of finals week no later than 5 p.m. You will receive commentary for every element of the process which results in the term paper, but only the first full draft and final product will be graded. Only the final grade will count in the course grade.
Grade: 90% term paper; 10% attendance
Western Washington University | Vitae | Class Schedules