ANTH 214(F) The Rise and Fall of Civilizations (Same as Environmental Studies 224)
Over the centuries, philosophers and historians have asked how societies evolved from simple hunter-gatherer bands to complex urban civilizations. Human prehistory and history have shown the repeated cycles of the rise, expansion and collapse of early civilizations in both the Old and New World. What do the similarities and differences in the development of these first civilizations tell us about the nature of societal change, civilization and the state, and human society itself? The course will examine these issues through an introductory survey of the earliest civilizations in Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, Mesoamerica and South America. Classical and modern theories on the nature, origin, and development of the state will be reviewed in light of the archaeological evidence.
Format: lecture/class discussion. Requirements: midterm, final exam, paper, two quizzes.
No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 40 (expected: 35).
Hour: FOIAS