ANTH3490

Adolescence represents a formative yet vulnerable period of human life, and a pivotal moment for developing relationships with friends, mentors and others that can sustain us— in continued interaction or in memory—throughout life. It is also a critical risk period for developing lasting mental health and substance abuse problems. Why does such a formative yet vulnerable period exist in human life? How can we learn to socially and emotionally thrive in adolescence? We will investigate these questions through (1) learning how not only humans across cultures and time, but our closest living relatives bonobos and chimpanzees and a handful of other species (e.g. dolphins, elephants), experience learning and vulnerability during adolescence and (2) through building mentoring relationships with young adolescents via partnerships with local middle schools that include required field trips.

Spring

Curriculum Enhancements