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Welcome to the Department of Anthropology at Idaho State University!

At Idaho State University, the Department of Anthropology resides in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Division within the College of Arts and Letters; which is the largest and most academically comprehensive college on the campus. Our department emphasizes broad training in the traditional four subfields: archaeology, biological, linguistic, and socio-cultural anthropology. We offer a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts degree in anthropology.

                            

The department coordinates a minor degree programs in American Indian Studies, Anthropology, Latino Studies, and Linguistics. The American Indian Studies Program is a multi-disciplinary effort directed by the department that offers a wide variety of classes by and about American Indian people of both continents. The Department of Anthropology also hosts the Shoshoni Language Program and the Hispanic Health Projects.

Indigenous Peoples' Day

Graveley Hall

The Department of Anthropology is located in Graveley Hall, one of the oldest buildings on campus, at the southeast corner of the quadrangle on lower campus (click for interactive campus map, mobile device friendly).

 

If you are interested in applying to our undergraduate program please click on the "How to Apply" button above. A description of our undergraduate program can be found here. The requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology degree can be found here. Undergraduate students are encouraged to register for the major by clicking on the "Declare Major" button above. New majors will then meet with a departmental advisor to plan their program of study. Applications to enroll in graduate studies are made through the ISU Graduate School. Graduate student requirements can be found here. After acceptance into the program, graduate students should meet with their thesis advisor and fill out the . If you are interested in becoming a graduate teaching assistant please fill out the Graduate Teaching Assistantship Application. Please contact Dr. Charles A. Speer, Director of the Anthropology Graduate Program, if you have questions regarding the graduate program, e-mail: charlesspeer@isu.edu.

 

Shoshone-Bannock Land Acknowledgement

Idaho State University is located on the traditional territory of the Shoshone and Bannock Peoples. It is important to recognize that most of us are guests in this territory and to counter the narrative that the land was uninhabited at the time of settler-colonization. The Shoshone and Bannock Peoples originally inhabited the lands in areas now known as California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming.  Through U.S. policies of forced relocation and assimilation, the Shoshone and Bannock peoples' lands were reduced to reservations in Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, and Utah. The reservation along the Snake River in Idaho, established under the Fort Bridger Treaty of 1868 originally contained 1.8 million acres but was later reduced to 546,338 acres through allotment and legislation. Today, this region is still home to many Shoshone and Bannock Peoples who contribute to the local economy and culture.

To learn more about the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, please visit:

http://www2.sbtribes.com/about

To learn more about ISU and the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes cooperation, please visit:

https://www.isu.edu/president/land-acknowledgment/

Statement on Inclusivity

The Department of Anthropology at Idaho State University supports and encourages the inclusion of LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff. Our department is committed to the discovery and transmission of knowledge. These goals cannot be constrained by any single community view but instead must embrace all worldviews. Only by seeking out varied cultures, genders, ethnicities, political and religious beliefs, sexual orientations, and identities can we reach understanding of complex social problems, make new discoveries in anthropology, and advance knowledge of the human condition.

As anthropologists we have all experienced and understand the importance of growth in our understanding of culture and intellectual breadth. We have gained this through exposure and study of diverse peoples, both past and present, around the world. We live in a 21st Century globally interconnected world. Where success in education and employment requires fully engaged community members that embrace diversity and contest complacency and exclusionary practices. We aim to provide a safe space for learning for all.

BIPOC Lives Matter