BLOOMSBURG STATE COLLEGE
Bloomsburg
Pennsylvania
Anthropology Newsletter
Vol. 2, No. 2
October, 1977
Department of Philosophy / Anthropology

Graduate Programs in Anthropology by Marj Witmer. Now is the time for
seniors to be writing to graduate schools for information about their
programs. (Apply in December & January, expecially if you are looking
for financial aid). We thought we could acquaint everyone with the
graduate programs in anthropology offered by universities in Pennsylvania.
SUNY at Binghamton was also included as it does have a worthwhile program
and is close by for those living in northern Pennsylvania.
Penn State offers an MA and the Ph.D. Requirements for the MA are as
follows: written exams on the general field of anthropology, a research
paper and 30 credits of course work. Special programs include field
studies in archaeology, physical anthropology, and cultural anthropology
in Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, French Caribbean, South Asia and Pennsylvania.
For the Ph.D.: oral and written examinations on a specialized area of
interest, thesis, oral thesis defense exam and language requirements adapted
to the student's needs. No specific course credit limit. A core program of
courses is offered for MA & Ph.D. candidates. For information and a
catalog write to the Graduate School, 308 Graduate Building and for further
information write to -Graduate Program in Anthropology, 409 Social Science
Building, Penn State University, University Park, Pa. 16802.
Temple University offers an MA and Ph.D. Requirements for the MA degree
are 24 units of course work & thesis. Ph.D. requirements: 24 credits
beyond MA, 1 language and 1 technical skill (determined by department),
fieldwork, 3 written or oral exams, dissertation & oral defense of
dissertation. Special programs include research training in biocultural
adaptation, communal studies & New World ethnology. For a catalog,
write to the Registrar, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pa. 19122 or
for more information, write to the Chairperson, Department of Anthropology.
Bryn Mawr College offers both an MA and the Ph.D. Their requirements
for an MA are 6 semester units minimum depending on preparation, thesis,
reading knowledge of 2 modern foreign languages, and a 4 hour written
examination. Ph.D.: 12 semester units minimum, reading knowledge of
2 languages, oral preliminary exams, written exams, fieldwork, dissertation
and defense. Bryn Mawr students may take courses at the University of
Pennsylvania at no extra charge. For a catalog and further information
write to the Dean of the Graduate School, Arts & Sciences, Bryn Mawr College,
Bryn Mawr, Pa. 19010.
The University of Pittsburgh offers an MA and a Ph.D. The requirements
for the MA are:
30 course credit hours, reading proficiency in 1
foreign language, written exam in one area of specialization, thesis or
long paper. Ph.D.:
72 course credits, 1 foreign language, 2 courses in
statistics or formal methods, 1 preliminary exam, 2 written exams in
areas of specialization, fieldwork, dissertation. Area programs
include East Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania, Europe & North America with

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subject interests in cultural & social anthropology, ethnography,
cross-cultural studies, urban studies, behavioral anthropology,
physical anthropology, archaeology, psychological & medical anthropology.
For catalog & further information contact: Secretary for Student Affairs
in Anthropology, Department of Anthropology, 234 Atwood Street, University
of Pittsburgh, Pittsburg, Pa. 15260.
The University of Pennsylvania offers MA & MS degrees as well as the
Ph.D.
Requirements for the MA are 10 semester courses, thesis, 1 foreign
language, and a written exam. The MS degree requires: 10 semester
courses, a specific course of study arranged according to student
interest and a written exam. Ph.D.: 20 semester courses, 1 language,
oral exams, written exams, fieldwork, dissertation. Special programs
include the student ability to take part in museum excavations & ethnographic
expeditions. Archaeological research is being conducted in Alaska,
Guatemala, Ireland, Iran, Afghanistan and Oceania. Ethnographic research
centers on Oceania, Latin America, Africa, Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
Physical Anthropology research in South Africa, East Africa, Guatemala.
And a primate behavior field station in Kenya! For a catalog write to
the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, Bennett Hall or for further
information write to chairperson, Department of Anthropology, University
Museum, 33rd & Spruce Sts., Philadelphia, Pa •. 19174.
SUNY at Binghamton offers MA and Ph.D. degre~s. The requirements for the
MA degree are: 30 course hours exclusive of thesis or two acceptable
seminar papers, 1 foreign language and a written exam. Ph.D.: 56 hours
of course work, 1 foreign language, 1 demonstrable research skill, oral
and written exams, fieldiJork-dissertation on special programs include summer
archaeology field schools in Arizona and New York State. Also programs in
mathematical culture theory, cultural ecology, complex societies, &
studies in prehistoric technology. Also an international studies program
in Malta, Morocco, and Southwest Asia. For a catalog and application
write to the Direator, Graduate Studies, Department of Anthropology,
SUNY, Binghamton, NY 13901.
If you are interested in graduate programs at other universities, you
should consult the Guide to Departments of Anthropology published by the
AAA. The faculty has copies. For a personal view, you should know that
Mr. Solenberger attended Penn, Mr. Reeder went to PSU and Dr. Minderhout
taught at Temple. (NOTE: Don't be put off by the appearance of the
graduate requirements; once you're in a program they become simply goals
to achieve. You're capable of handling these programs! - DJM).
We get letters ••• Dean Drake sent the anthropologists the following note;
'Congratulations to each of you and to the Student Editors for another
fine edition of the Anthropology Newsletter. Keep up the good work!"
Thank you, Dean Drake - we will do our best.
Mr. Solenberger has informed the editorship that we have m~ssed some of
his areas of interest. We quote: ·•During the past year my academic activity has included library research in Washington, Philadelphia and New
York on an annotated bibliography of ethnic groups in Pennsylvania, in

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cooperation with Dr. David Washburn of the BSC Multicultural Studies
Center. This is in line with a long-time avocational interest in ethnic
organizations, restaurants, churches, newspaper, etc, especially of
Arabic-speaking groups and American Indians."
Book Review Carl Sagan is perhaps best known for his controversial
views on extraterrestrial life. However, in his most recent book,
The Dragons of Etlen: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence,
(1977), he strikes out into a new field: human evolution. Using
current research on such diverse topics as brain physiology and
linguistics, evolution and psychology, dreaming and DNA, he describes
the evolution of the brain, noting in particular the relationship between
the "old'' brain, the limbic regions and other deeper structures shared
by humans and other vertebrates, and the "new" brain, the cortex, the
complexity of which is as recent in earth history as hominids. Human
emotions, he suggests, are rooted in experiences of 5 million years ago.
He also suggests that we can "get in touch" with earlier modes of life
through our old brains - perhaps through dreams. As Sagan notes, his
~ccount is speculative and decidedly controversial, but even his critics
call it a real contribution to the study of evolution, which so often
centers on morphology to the exclusion of human intelligence, emotions,
and creativity. Students interested in sociobiology will find this
book especially interesting. The library has a copy.
Magazine Review OK, so you don't want to shell out $20 for the AAA.
How about $10 for Natural History? This magazine is published 10 times
a year by the American Museum of Natural History. Membership also brings
2 free gifts, usually a book and a handsome calendar (this year's has
pictures of Eastern Woodland Indian culture) as well as discpunts on
items in the museum shop. While the magazine caters to all aspects of
natural history, e~ch issue has several articles dealing with anthropology
(and Margaret Mead \s an editor). October's issue has an article in~
Ecuadorian Indians, especially their weaving. Steven Jay Gould has a
monthly column on modern evolutionary theory. Raymond Sokolov has
another column on foods - and cultural attitudes toward them - with a
non-Western recipe included (this month-dates). Another article deals
with some of the unexpected benefits of parasites for human health. Regular
articles appear on topics in archaeology, sociobiology, art and ethnography
as well as ethology and other biological sciences, astronomy, geology
and history. There are also book reviews and an annual photography contest.
If you would like to see a copy, Minderhout & Styers subscribe to it as
does the library.
Get to Know Your Fellow Majors: How about some kind of regular informal
gatherings among anthro majors? The faculty has noted how much many of
you have in common - including talent, of course - you'd like to each
other. An important part of the college experience is the camaraderie
that develops among your peers. Here's a list of the people who have

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formally declared the major:
Damian Butz
Bi 11 Creveling
Cathy Davis
Jan Dunleavy
David Hess
Steve James

Brent Lees
Sue Lilly
Jeff Long
Stu Marvin
Bruce McQuiston
Dave Pacchioli

Mary Ann Rubbo
George Santos
Linda Shively
Debbie Steadle
Steve Styers
Jim Thompson

Cliff Tillman
Tom Trocki
Mike Williams
Marj Witmer
Walt Yuslum
Teresa Zoba

Many of these students have double majors, a practice the faculty is
happy to encourage. Many other students are following the major but
have not declared their intentions to the registrar. We'd be happy
to list their names on their request. You don't have to be an anthro
major to enter in the fellowship--or to receive the newsletter.
Ethnographic Facts Why did American movies dealing with love have to
be censored before being shown in Japan? Wrong! It is because of the
scenes of men and women kissing. Kissing is an extremely private act
among the Japanese and for it to be displayed so publicly is the ultimate
in cultural bad taste. In fact it seems that prior to Western contact,
most of the world's cultures did not kiss at all, often viewing the
Westerner's practice as deplorable, unnatural, unhygienic, bordering on
the nasty and even definitely repulsive. For many cultures kissing
suggested cannibalism. Witness the account of the young English explorer
who in 1863 chose to kiss a pretty African girl. What happened? We
quote: "She gave a shriek and bounded from the house like a frightened
fawn . . . Ananga knew that the serpent moistens its victims with its
lips before it begins its repast. All the tales of white cannibals
which she had heard from infancy had returned to her. The poor child
had thought that I was going to dine off her, and she had run for her
life." You'll be relieved to know that like Westernization in general,
kissing is spreading among the world's peoples (often under the influence
of American movies.) But there is nothing "natural" about kissing as
a display of affection; kissing is learned and culturally defined.
New Course A new course, Independent Study in Anthropology, (46.466)
has just been approved by the college. This course fills an obvious
gap in the anthropology program. The course will be available for
scheduling this summer. There will be restrictions placed on the use
of the course by the college, so see ore of the faculty or Dr. Carlough
if you think you'd like to use independent study credit.
Would you be interested in a course on SubSaharan Africa? Dr. Minderhout
is considering making a course proposal. Would you take such a course?
Would you be interested in the South American Indians course (46.450)?
The 0cea~ia course (46.430) will be offered next fall.
Read & Discuss Group Tom Trocki has suggested that interested majors
and others get together informally for 1 a discussion of books or topics
of interest to anthropologists. He suggests as a starting point : the
Carlos CastaAeda books (Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge; A Separate

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Reality, etc.) which are about an anthropologist who apprentices himself
to a Yaqui shaman. If interested see Tom or any of the faculty.
Miscellany You might be interested in the review article in September's
AA on introductory texts for cultural anthropology. Also reviewed are
texts like Frantz's The Student Anthropologist's Handbood: A Guide to
Research, Training & Career.
Interview of the Month by Steve Styers Linda Shively is a 27 year old
senior with a double major in Psychology and Anthropology. She has been
married for 8 years and has a 4 year old daughter. Originally from
Catawissa, she is now temporarily residing somewhere in the wilderness
beyond her hometown.
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Which was your first major?
Sociology was actually the first, but then I switched to Psychology.
Later I discovered that most of my Sociology courses were in
Anthropology, so that became my second major . . . live always been
interested in Anthropology.
Why?
I read those sorts of books--mostly primatology . . . Robert Ardrey,
Jane Goodall. It was a curiosity. The reason for my majors is
that I am curious about why people behave as they do. Anthropology
gives the viewpoint from the past, with cross-cultural study, and
Psychology gives the contemporary American view. The problem is
that each field looks at the facts from different viewpoints,
but, taken all together, I can make up my own mind about what I
think . . . studying the different fiel rounded outlook.
Any other favorite books?
I've compiled a fantastically long booklist for after I graduate
in December, since I've done little outside reading in college.
Some memorable books have been a biography of Freud, and Mary,
Queen of Scots. I rarely read bestsellers, but usually the classics.
You graduate in December?
Oh God, yes! . .
What will you do after that?
Grad school, for sure. I'm looking into many fields; realistically,
I want to get into clinical psychology; idealistically, I'd love
to get into a good anthro grad school that concentrated in primatology.
Aren't you going to ask me what my outside interests are?
What are your outside interests?
We raise and exhibit show dogs, West Highland Whie Terriers. We
have a kennel. This takes up all our weekends, and occasionally
time ·in the middle of the night, too, since they whelp in the bedroom.
But we love raising them; it would be nuts otherwise. We also
collect antiques.
And what are your long-term goals, for the year 2000?
We'll probably still be raising white terriers . . . I hope by then
to have either contributed something in the mental health field,
or in research. And I hope to have grandchildren by that time!

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The Anthropology of Star Wars by Steve Styers. First, my bias: I've
been reading science fiction since about the age of nine and maintained
a special love for it until I lost my '' sense of wonder" about nine years
later. Now my love of Science Fiction is no longer special in the sense
of being a calm ecstasy of adolescense, but I tend to thing it has
ascended to another level where I can be objective, critical, even
damning, yet still have a particular passion for this kind of literature.
And, I am new to anthropology in the sense that only this year did I
decide to learn what it has to tell me, and yet I have long held
''anthropological'' ideas though I didn't know such concepts were· incoporated
into a science called anthropology. So my foundations are informal but
ingrained into my present viewpoint. This discussion will lack preciseness
in any of the formal aspects of anthropological science, but, after all,
this is just a commentary on a movie, and now that a few of my ~ajar
biases are out of the way, one can take this artice seriously (I do) or
as the manifestation of a particular passion (I do, too).
Anthropology is the study of man. Star Wars also studies man, because,
despite the op~ning preface, it is not a film about "long, long ago in
a galaxy far away." If it was such an undertaking, I'm afraid such a
film would necessarily be totally :incomprehensible. Luke Skywalker is
a human creature, not an estraterrestrial. And most of the extraterrestrials
we do see in the movie are not at all far removed from the basic human
form of a head with 2 eyes, 2 arms, 2 legs. But we must still pretend
Star Wars does occur in the past and in a distant galaxy. It's the
framework of the film, and it gave George Lucas the opportunity to
extrapolate and recreate an alternate "human"-oriented universe. Of
course, the film is ethnocentr le; even worse, depend i_,1g on what one
feels, it is bound up in some typically American attitudes--except for
one certain aspect with which I will end this review.
Star Wars focuses on a particular area of study in its anthropology-the crisis of social revolution. The galactic culture is in upheaval
between the realms of good and evil (a common concept to the human race
if there ever was one.) The Good is never defined explicitly and only
contained in personalities (Luke, Princess Leia, Obi-wan, R2D2, and C3PO)
or vague concepts of the "Rebellion." The Evil, too, is indicated by
a casual reference to the "Empire" and its power and is embodied in
the black form of Darth Vader. Here I feel some racism creeps in,
unintentional though I am sure it is. American culture (Western culture?)
has long identified the good with the color white and the anti-good with
black. An example of extremism if you ask me. So Darth is a blackenshrouded thing when he could have been in deep red, and our heroes are
white. The Imperial storm troopers have white armor, but all humanity
is removed from them since we never see their faces. This may all seem
trivial, but to me it indicates quite ~learly the kinds of psychomyths
that run through earth cultures. Usually unexamined, these fears and
inclinations are threads of continuity in the social psychology which
may have had a basis in fact (e.g. fear of the night since predators
were out there hungry for Homo sapiens), but which now have no survival
value. (Well, we need not fear our old predators; our new ones are
fellow humans.)
To be continued . . .