Multispecies Anthropology: Humans and Animals on a Disrupted Planet
About the course
Multispecies Anthropology explores the entangled lives of humans and other beings—animals, plants, microbes, and landscapes—foregrounding their mutual co-shaping of worlds. This course examines how ethnographic inquiry can attend to the agencies, affects, and lifeways of nonhuman species, and how these relationships challenge conventional understandings of personhood, kinship, and social life. Drawing on ecological perspectives, indigenous knowledge systems, and more-than-human ethnography, we will investigate how different cultures live with, think with, and relate to other species, expanding the scope of anthropology beyond the human.
Objectives of the course
Students who complete the course have the following learning outcome:
Knowledge/Skills/Competance
The student is able to:
1. introduce students to theoretical frameworks and methodologies for studying the relationships between humans and non-human entities.
2. explore the diversity of cultural beliefs, practices, and ontologies regarding the more-than-human world.
3. critically analyse the implications of anthropocentrism and speciesism in shaping human attitudes towards non-human beings.
4. examine the intersections between ecology, spirituality, and cosmology in indigenous and traditional societies.
5. investigate contemporary debates and ethical dilemmas surrounding human-animal relations, environmental conservation, and animal rights.
6. foster a deeper appreciation for the complexity and interconnectedness of life forms beyond the human realm.
Teaching methods
Language of instruction and examination
EnglishSchedule
The schedules are normally finalized and published well in advance of the start of the semester, often a few weeks beforehand. This gives students the opportunity to organize their studies and prepare for upcoming activities.
It is recommended to check the schedule regularly, as changes may occur.
Examination
| Multiple choice | Hand in: 15.10.2026 14:00 Hand out: 15.09.2026 09:00 |
Grade: Passed / Not Passed |
| Multiple choice | Hand in: 15.11.2026 14:00 Hand out: 16.10.2026 09:00 |
Grade: Passed / Not Passed |
| Multiple choice | Hand in: 15.12.2026 14:00 Hand out: 16.11.2026 09:00 |
Grade: Passed / Not Passed |
Everything you need to know about before, during, and after the exam; registration, absence, appeals, and diplomas: UiT Exams homepage