ANT2014

This course seeks to understand the relationships between human beings and plants in the quest to seek wellness and harmony. From the herbal and natural remedies of trained practitioners and the highly regulated pharmaceuticals developed from flora and fauna to the pushers of snake oils and drugs, this course will explore the worldviews that dictate who has the right to diagnose, produce, sell, and consume which substances. Students will be challenged to take a critical look at the history of prohibition, the war on drugs, and legalization of controlled substances in the United States and abroad. Students will explore questions such as the following: Why do people self-medicate? What is the difference between drugs and medicines? What is the global impact of drugs? and What economic, environmental, and sociological impacts do drugs and medicines have on communities and individuals? Topics include Indigenous Knowledge Systems, trafficking, the global war on drugs, addiction, self-medication, informal economies, cultural capital, cultural supremacy, commodification, worldview, taboos, scared, profane, and ecological resources.

CR

Lecture

Audit, Special Audit, Standard Letter Grade, Credit/Fail Standard Letter

E, HON, L, S