Anthropology

Disease and Culture

ANT4532

This course delves into the cultural dimensions of illness, shedding light on how diverse societies perceive, interpret, and respond to diseases. Understanding the cultural frameworks surrounding health is essential for effective healthcare delivery, as it influences patterns of disease transmission, healthcare-seeking behaviors, and treatment adherence.

Moreover, this class facilitates a nuanced comprehension of the social determinants of health, addressing disparities and highlighting the significance of cultural competence in healthcare practices. Ultimately, exploring disease within cultural contexts enriches my perspectives, fostering empathy and critical thinking in navigating the complex intersections of health and culture.

Biological Anthropology

ANT2511

The biological anthropology class holds paramount significance in providing a profound understanding of the biological aspects of human evolution, variation, and adaptation. This course delves into the intricate mechanisms that have shaped the human species over time, exploring topics such as genetics, skeletal biology, and primatology.

This class sheds light on the concept of biological diversity among human populations, offering a nuanced perspective on issues related to race, ethnicity, and health. Ultimately, this class is instrumental in fostering a comprehensive understanding of humanity's biological foundations, promoting critical thinking, and equipping students with the tools to navigate complex questions about human origins and diversity.

Capstone

ANT4945

This course is designed to bring together an interplay of ideas gained through the courses required for the anthropology major. Students will debate, discuss, and critically assess the different perspectives and approaches within the discipline to current issues and problems related to the chosen topic. This course should be taken near the end of students' program

This class allowed me to combine my knowledge from multiple areas in thinking critically about the course topic. The course assignments are all designed around summative learning outcomes for Anthropology major.

Forensic Anthropology

ANT3520

This class provided a broad overview of an applied field of biological anthropology.
Forensic anthropologists use knowledge of skeletal anatomy to answer questions of medico-legal
significance. This typically involves the identification of human skeletal remains and the
interpretation of the circumstances surrounding their death.

While this course did not teach laboratory or field proficiency in the techniques of forensic anthropology, it outlines the concepts underlying the recovery and analysis of human remains, the determination of the biological profile (including age, sex, ancestry, and stature), and the interpretation of skeletal trauma and pathological conditions.

Human Origins

ANT4586

This class delved into various methods and theories used to reconstruct hominin behavior from skeletal and archaeological data. This exploration has deepened my understanding of the biocultural nature of human evolution and enabled me to synthesize genetic, fossil, and archaeological data. I have learned to explain the principles underlying hominin taxonomy and nomenclature, and to critically review issues surrounding hominin classification.

Additionally, I can describe the major skeletal adaptations for bipedalism and list the morphological traits that characterize various hominin taxa. My skills include identifying casts and skeletal remains to the species level based on these traits. Furthermore, I have constructed a framework for hominin evolution that considers geography, chronology, morphology, DNA, and material culture.

Papers and Projects

Living with Leprosy: Analysis of the Psychological and Social Consequences of Leprosy Stigma in India

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of leprosy stigma, integrating both historical and contemporary perspectives. It delves into the social and psychological dimensions of stigma, elucidating how persistent stereotypes and misconceptions adversely affect individuals with leprosy. The study further explores the legislative dimension, revealing how outdated laws perpetuate discrimination against those with the disease. Through a detailed examination of these factors, the paper highlights the urgent need for a transformation in public perceptions. It emphasizes the critical role of education and awareness in dismantling myths and fostering a more inclusive and compassionate societal approach. This research advocates for systemic change to reduce leprosy stigma and improve the lives of affected individuals.

ANT4525: Disease and Culture

The Development and Use of Whistle Speech and Whistle Languages for Long Distance Communication

This paper was written during the Spring 2023 Semester. This was my final research paper in the class Language and Culture. In this paper, I address the advantages of long-distance communication, specifically addressing the whistle languages Silbo Gomero and Kuş Dili. These languages were developed due to the communities living in regions where long-distance communication was a necessity. I chose to highlight this paper because I feel that this paper is a good representation of my studies in cultural and linguistic anthropology. I learned about adaptations to language for long-distance communication. This paper was able to teach me about human adaptations to their environments.

ANT3610: Language and Culture

UWF 3 Forensic Case Report

This forensic report presents the findings of an osteological examination into UWF 3, and individual part of the University of West Florida's skeletal collection. The report outline the methodologies and analysis of skeletal remains. The report also discusses the implications of these findings in relation to the ongoing investigation or legal proceedings, offering insights into how the evidence supports or refutes various aspects of the case. This comprehensive analysis aims to contribute valuable information to the judicial process and assist in the resolution of the case.

ANT4525: Human Osteology

Stories and Myths: Their Effects on Local Culture and Behavior

This artifact is a PowerPoint I completed while I was studying abroad with the Kugelman Honors Program. I traveled to Greece, Italy, France, Spain, and Montenegro. This PowerPoint holds the ethnographic research I conducted in various countries to determine how local stories and myths influence culture and behavior. I wanted to highlight this artifact because it was my first research project that I conducted in person out of the country. It is an example of cultural anthropology and taught me the importance of stories in everyday life. This research allowed me to understand ethnographic research, and I hope to be able to conduct similar projects and strengthen my skills.

Research

Social and Structural Determinants of Oral Health in New Mexico

The research poster visually explores social and structural determinants of Oral Health in New Mexico. Our research group has collected CT imagery of 350 anonymized forensic case decedents from the New Mexico Decedent Imagery Database (NMDID). Each decedent's next of kin provided contextual information about their gender, race, and socioeconomic status during childhood and adulthood. This research studied the correlations between these social variables and dental outcomes, hypothesizing that individuals who experienced social marginalization will show more signs of dental disease than those with more social privilege.

Living With Leprosy: Psychological and Social Consequences of Stigma in India

The research poster on leprosy stigma visually explores the historical and contemporary issues of stigmatization surrounding leprosy. It presents findings on the social and psychological impacts of stereotypes and misconceptions, and highlights outdated laws that perpetuate discrimination. Overall, the poster advocates for reducing leprosy stigma and promoting a more inclusive and compassionate societal approach.

Siena R. Ward