Difference and Diversity: Humans and Beyond (L6001)

15 credits, Level 4

Autumn teaching

On this module, you’ll explore how anthropologists understand human behaviour and cultural diversity.

You’ll examine questions such as:

• why, despite similar cognitive capacities, do we see such vast cultural variation?
• how is this diversity created?
• is it nature or culture that shapes human behaviour? 

Using key writings, case studies and audiovisual material, you’ll examine central concepts, fieldwork methods and anthropology’s unique genre of writing (ethnography) to show how anthropology can answer these questions.

By the end of the module, you’ll understand anthropological theory, methodology and key issues from ethnographies.

You’ll also develop:

• analytical skills
• the ability to generalise from case studies
• the use of ethnographic evidence to support theoretical arguments.

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 150 hours of work. This breaks down into about 22 hours of contact time and about 128 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2026/27. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.

Courses

This module is offered on the following courses:

• Anthropology BA
• Anthropology and International Development BA
• Anthropology with a Language BA
• Geography and Anthropology BA
• History and Anthropology BA
• International Relations and Anthropology BA