Department of Anthropology

Research Projects

Research projects of faculty who participate in multiple streams are cross-listed under each stream.

Archaeology stream

Agriculture and the Indus Civilization

Understanding cropping patterns and subsistance change in the Indus Valley
Faculty participants: Steven A. Weber  

Environmental Archaeology

Several archaeology projects related to the past impact of humans on the environment
Faculty participants: Steven A. Weber  

Cultural stream

African Research Group

Faculty and graduate students conducting research in Africa
Faculty participants: Edward H. Hagen  Nicole Hess  Barry Hewlett  Bonnie Hewlett  

Allomaternal nursing

This project explores the cultural and ecological contexts in which women other than mother nurse infants.
Faculty participants: Barry Hewlett  

Cosleeping in infancy, childhood and adolescence

This study examines the intracultural and cross-cultural variability in cosleeping.
Faculty participants: Barry Hewlett  

Cultural menopause

This study examines how cultural practices that may have influenced the evolution of menopause.
Faculty participants: Barry Hewlett  

Making movies: workers in the Bombay Film Industry

Ethnographic study of the culture of production in Bollywood films
Faculty participants: Clare Wilkinson-Weber  

Women's work and skill in the Lucknow Embroidery Industry

Research into a female dominated industry in North India
Faculty participants: Clare Wilkinson-Weber  

Evolutionary stream

African Research Group

Faculty and graduate students conducting research in Africa
Faculty participants: Edward H. Hagen  Nicole Hess  Barry Hewlett  Bonnie Hewlett  

Agriculture and the Indus Civilization

Understanding cropping patterns and subsistance change in the Indus Valley
Faculty participants: Steven A. Weber  

Allomaternal nursing

This project explores the cultural and ecological contexts in which women other than mother nurse infants.
Faculty participants: Barry Hewlett  

Child nutrition and growth: Parental investment and life history theory approaches

In small, kin-based communities, are some children cared for better than others? Further, within families, do parents invest differently in different children, and, if so, why?
Faculty participants: Edward H. Hagen  

Cosleeping in infancy, childhood and adolescence

This study examines the intracultural and cross-cultural variability in cosleeping.
Faculty participants: Barry Hewlett  

Cultural menopause

This study examines how cultural practices that may have influenced the evolution of menopause.
Faculty participants: Barry Hewlett  

Depression and other mental health issues in evolutionary perspective

Potenial evolved functions of depression, suicidality, and deliberate self-harm
Faculty participants: Edward H. Hagen  

Environmental Archaeology

Several archaeology projects related to the past impact of humans on the environment
Faculty participants: Steven A. Weber  

Evolution of music and dance

Music and dance as signals of coalition quality
Faculty participants: Edward H. Hagen  

Informational warfare

Female friendship and aggression
Faculty participants: Edward H. Hagen  Nicole Hess  

Plant neurotoxins and the paradox of drug reward

Many drugs of abuse are plant defensive chemicals. It is paradoxical that compounds which evolved to deter use are often addictive.
Faculty participants: Edward H. Hagen  

Affiliated faculty

Bioaccumulation of environmental contaminants in breastmilk of Aka forager and Ngandu farmer women

Bioaccumulation of environmental contaminants in breastmilk of Aka forager and Ngandu farmer women
Faculty participants: Bonnie Hewlett  

Health of Aka forager and Ngandu farmer adolescents

Health and Adolescents
Faculty participants: Bonnie Hewlett  

Health status, parasite load and physical attractiveness of Aka and Ngandu adolescents

Physical Attraction and Health
Faculty participants: Bonnie Hewlett  

Life Stories of Central African Women

Life histories of Aka forager and Ngandu farmer women
Faculty participants: Bonnie Hewlett