Introduction

Welcome to Anthropology 1000!

This textbook is part of an experiment to incorporate Open Educational Resource (OERs) into the Anthropology department at the University of Lethbridge. OERs are educational resources that are openly licensed, meaning that anyone can access and distribute them free of cost. This textbook began out of a desire to keep textbook costs low for students during the COVID-19 pandemic and has transformed into a way to reflect the fluidity of the discipline of Anthropology both globally and as it is understood and taught locally at the university. It contains a combination of openly licensed material, original work, and classic pieces that exist within the public domain, put together by the Anthropology department Chair (Jan Newberry), professors within the department (Jodie Asselin & Steve Ferzacca), and TA (Alyssa White).

Throughout this textbook, you may see Key Takeaways or Anthropologist Spotlights integrated into the textbook. These short pieces were written by previous Anthropology 1000 students, and are part of an effort to incorporate students into the ongoing co-creation of this resource. An especially heartfelt thank you to both previous students who have contributed to the creation and shaping of this text, and to students like yourself who are part of the testing of the use of this resource in-class.

This textbook is undergoing development every semester (you are the third class to have access to it!), and so there may be growing pains as it continues to grow over time. Your patience and understanding with this new project are greatly appreciated! Any questions or feedback can be directed to Alyssa, who can be reached by email (a.white@uleth.ca).