Anthropology and History

Requirements for Joint Concentration History and Anthropology

The discipline of anthropology has had a long relationship with the discipline of history.  It aims to take advantage of the strengths of both concentrations though students will need to decide at the beginning of their senior year which of the two concentrations will be the lead concentration (the evaluations stemming from that concentration will be weighted more in case of disagreement).  Social anthropology has inspired micro-history and “thick description” for example. And Archeology is crucial component of some kinds of historical research which are especially vibrant among the medievalists in the Harvard History Department. Concentrators in this joint concentration will choose from one of two tracks in anthropology and compose a thesis that integrates history with either social anthropology or archeology.

For more information on the Joint Concentration, students should contact the DUS in Anthropology or the Undergraduate Office in History.