Students in this Concentration will be exposed to ethnographic studies and anthropological theories devoted to “the Indigenous.” For anthropologists, this term commonly refers to the knowledges and worldviews of the many peoples who are our disciplinary interlocutors around the globe. In American contexts, “Indigenous” usually refers to First Peoples of the Western hemisphere and includes Native American Studies. At the transnational scale, Indigenous peoples’ movements are political realities, converging at sites like the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, and World Conservation Congress. This concentration takes an unbounded approach, engaging with all these perspectives and scales, and many others, without reducing “the Indigenous” to any of them. Students will be given the opportunity to engage with the vast array of possibilities for being human, studying for example both colonial-era encounters, and contemporary Indigenous relationships to issues such as sustainable livelihoods, public health, and environmental care. This concentration offers unique opportunities for interdisciplinary
learning across two areas of distinction at UVA: Indigenous arts and curation, and the environmental humanities.

To begin the process of enrolling in this Concentration, contact the Indigenous Worlds Concentration Advisor.

Requirements:

1. Fulfill all non-elective requirements for the B.A. in Anthropology.
2. When choosing electives toward your Anthropology major, include the following:
a. 3 classes from Indigenous Worlds Concentration Course List A
b. 2 classes from Indigenous Worlds Concentration Course List B