Course Spotlight: Cultural Anthropology – Exploring What Makes Us Human

This summer, students in Dr. Stan Herman’s Cultural Anthropology course are exploring the hidden frameworks that shape human life. Dr. Herman brings enthusiasm and depth to the class, encouraging students to challenge their assumptions about culture.

“Culture is my jam,” he says. “It’s not just arts and crafts. It’s belief systems, power structures, daily practices—it’s how people live, how they relate, and how they make sense of the world.”

One particular aspect of culture he finds fascinating is food. “One of my old professors said there is so much more involved in food than simply eating. It’s about families and friendships, hierarchy and distribution. And it reflects systems of power. Even enforces them.”

When helping students engage with unfamiliar practices, Dr. Herman emphasizes the importance of immersion and empathy. “I try to approach cultural practices as internally coherent—they hold meaning and utility for the people who engage with them. The first step is to submerge yourself in the ‘native’s point of view.”

He challenges students to question their assumptions: “Only after understanding that should we compare cultures, including ethical debates.”

Students are often surprised by what they discover in topics like religion and kinship. “As a student, I was struck by the lack of universals in the anthropology of religion. Concepts like the soul, self, or afterlife aren’t shared across all traditions. Anthropology doesn’t even require deities for a belief system to be classified as a religion.”

This leads to fascinating questions. “How do you translate metaphors like ‘the lamb of God’ for a people who’ve never encountered a lamb? Do you say ‘seal of God’ and risk invoking the wrong meanings?”

The course draws on global and local examples, including Alaskan contexts. “When we talk about food, we might compare subsistence hunting in Native communities with catered corporate events in California. Both reflect values, organization, and worldview.”

Dr. Herman’s hope for his students is simple: “I hope they leave with a sense of curiosity. The world becomes more interesting, more complex, and more beautiful when you understand culture.”