Admission requirements
None.
Description
A prevailing assumption suggests that Homo sapiens is the sole surviving human group on Earth today due to superior intelligence. Current work shows that such scenarios are simplistic. In this course, the work of the Leiden Human Origins group will form the scaffold to evaluate among others, current understanding of the development of hominin cognition, social organization and technological systems.
Prehistory is generally periodised and regionally segmented. This leads to (often poorly supported) generalisations across space and time that gloss over the diversity within the archaeological record and hence Pleistocene lifeways. In this course we take a long-term perspective, with input from some of the key regions that are generally studied separately, specifically Northwestern Europe, West Asia, and southern Africa.
The result is comprehensive insight into the true diversity of Pleistocene communities and archaeological signatures, as well as the apparent diversity produced by differing research traditions and terminologies.
Course objectives
Awareness of a range of approaches currently used in the field of the archaeology of human evolution;
Learning to deal with conflicting data and interpretations in the context of scientific debates;
Extract and analyse data from Pleistocene publications and critically assess supporting reasoning underlying some of the models of human behaviour
Ability to assess and evaluate different theories and how these affect archaeological reasoning;
Obtain the background knowledge necessary to reflect on the current consensus in human evolution research;
Identify knowledge lacunae and propose research strategies to address them.
Timetable
Course schedule details can be found in MyTimetable.
Log in with your ULCN account and add this course using the 'Add timetable' button.
Mode of instruction
- Seminar: students prepare by analysing literature and completing assignments that will serve as the basis for work in class discussions focusing on developing new ideas from critical examination of the published record.
Assessment method
Class participation (mandatory; 10% final grade)
Weekly assignments (graded pass/fail; missing 2 or more results in being excluded from the final assignment)
Group Presentation (30% of final grade)
Final assignment (70% of final grade)
Participation in each class is mandatory and included in the calculation of your final grade. Retakes are not possible.
Reading list
To be announced.
Registration
Students are required to register themselves for all components of a course, including lectures, tutorials, practicals, exams, and resits through MyStudymap. This applies to both compulsory elements and elective credits. If you are not enrolled, you may not participate.
General information about registration can be found on the Course and exam enrolment page.
Exchange and Study Abroad students, please contact the exchange coordinator for information on how to apply.
Contact
For more information about this course, please contact Dr. G.L. (Gerrit) Dusseldorp or Dr W. (Wei) Chu.
Remarks
Attendance will be recorded. Students can miss no more than 1 class.