'Race' was once thought capable of explaining a great deal about both human biology and society. That is no longer true, either in anthropology or in human biology; but biological variation between individuals and between populations is real and remains to be explained. This course is about human biological variation, especially variation amongst populations in physical traits, blood genetics and DNA. Through case studies rather than comprehensively, variation amongst peoples of the world will be viewed as an outcome of evolution and biogeography, and as a reflection of ancestry, interrelationships and population histories. Principles of genetic inheritance will be introduced. General human genetics topics selected for discussion may include: genetic disease; heredity-environment interaction; social implications of genetic issues, and forensic genetics. The main emphasis, however, will be on human population diversity and anthropological genetics and genomics, including: the 'race' concept; principles of population genetics; the geography of biological variation; the explanation of biological variation in terms of micro-evolution; and inferences from biological evidence about population origins and affinities, compared with inferences from archaeology and linguistics.

2,500 word essay (45%), examination (40%), tutorial presentation (15%)

Normally offered in odd-numbered years
Up to 2 hours lectures, one hour of tutorial and one hour of film/videos per week

Two first-year courses in the School of Archaeology and Anthropology (ANTH, ARCH or PREH) and/or the School of Botany and Zoology. This course is intended to complement Advances in Human Genetics BIOL2152. Biological Anthropology students are recommended to take both.

Harrison, G A, Tanner, J M, Pilbeam, D R and Baker, P T, Human Biology, Part II, 3rd edn, Oxford UP, 1988
Cavalli-Sforza, L.L. & F., The great human diasporas, Reading, Mass., Addison-Wesley, 1995
Jones, S, In the blood, London, HarperCollins, 1996
Ridley, M, Genome, London, HarperCollins, 2000
Wells, S, Journey of Man, London, Penguin, 2003