ATH-320 at Southern New Hampshire University asks a provocative question in its title: who owns culture?
SNHU describes the course as examining an anthropological understanding and knowledge of different models of ethical decision-making in applied and theory-based contexts.
Students learn to identify the concepts of morality and ethical reasoning using the three main traditions of Western philosophy, and ethical decision-making is explored in the context of current issues, taking into account the four fields of anthropology.
The course is part of SNHU's B.A. in Anthropology. Students find it challenging because it combines two disciplines: you need to understand ethical theories well enough to apply them, and you need to understand anthropological situations, such as excavating burial sites, displaying sacred objects or publishing community knowledge, well enough to see what is at stake for everyone involved.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) |
| Course code | ATH-320 |
| Level | Upper-level undergraduate |
| Program | Part of SNHU's B.A. in Anthropology curriculum |
| Subject area | Ethics in anthropology |
| Typical work | Discussions, case analyses, journals and a final ethics project |
What ATH-320 Covers
| Area | Examples of issues |
|---|---|
| Ethical theory | Morality, ethical reasoning and the three main Western traditions |
| Archaeology | Excavating burials, repatriation of remains and artifacts, looting |
| Biological anthropology | Research on human remains and genetic samples, consent |
| Cultural anthropology | Informed consent, confidentiality, representing communities |
| Linguistic anthropology | Recording and publishing endangered languages and sacred knowledge |
| Cultural property | Museums, appropriation and intellectual property |
The Three Ethical Traditions
The SNHU description refers to the three main traditions of Western philosophy. These are generally understood as:
| Tradition | Core question | Typical thinker |
|---|---|---|
| Consequentialism | Which action produces the best outcomes? | Mill (utilitarianism) |
| Deontology | What duties and rights apply, regardless of outcome? | Kant |
| Virtue ethics | What would a person of good character do? | Aristotle |
Example: A museum holds ancestral remains requested by a Native nation. A consequentialist weighs the benefits of research against the harm to the community and its relationship with science. A deontologist asks whether the remains were taken without consent and what duties of respect and restitution follow. A virtue ethicist asks what a respectful, honest and just institution would do. Here all three point toward returning the remains, but the reasons differ, and in other cases they may diverge.
Professional Ethics Codes
Anthropologists also work within professional codes. The American Anthropological Association's statement on ethics stresses principles such as doing no harm, being open and honest about one's work, obtaining informed consent, and weighing competing ethical obligations.
In the United States, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) sets legal requirements for the return of certain Native American remains and objects.
Bringing a code or law into an essay alongside philosophical theory shows that you understand ethics in both theory-based and applied contexts, which is exactly the pairing the course description names.
Codes and laws do not settle every question. They can conflict with each other, with a community's wishes, or with a researcher's other obligations, and they say little about cases such as the commercial use of traditional designs or the publication of sacred stories.
That is where the philosophical traditions earn their place in the course: they help you reason through situations the rules do not cover, and explain why a decision is right rather than merely permitted.
Typical Assignments and How to Approach Them
| Assignment type | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Discussion posts | Applying theory to a case | Name the framework and show how it applies |
| Case analysis | Ethical reasoning | Identify stakeholders, apply each tradition, then reach a justified view |
| Journals | Personal ethical reflection | Examine your own position and how the course has tested it |
| Final project | Integrated ethical analysis | Choose a current issue and address it across fields and frameworks |
Where Students Get Stuck
- Opinion instead of reasoning. Show how a framework leads to a conclusion, step by step.
- Misapplying theories. Deontology is about duties, not about following laws; consequentialism weighs all affected parties.
- Ignoring stakeholders. Name everyone with an interest: communities, researchers, institutions, the public.
- One-sided cases. Present the strongest version of the view you reject.
Study Tips for ATH-320
- Make a one-page summary of each tradition with its key question and a weakness.
- Follow current news on repatriation and cultural property for examples.
- Practice analyzing one case through all three traditions before writing.
- Use SNHU's library databases for scholarly sources on anthropological ethics.
How We Help with ATH-320
Send the prompt, case, rubric and readings. A writer with a background in anthropology or philosophy can prepare a model ethical analysis, explain the frameworks, or edit your draft so the reasoning is clear and balanced.
GradeEssays is independent of Southern New Hampshire University, and our work is a study aid to use under SNHU's academic integrity policy.
Every order is written from scratch, includes free revisions within the scope of your original request, and is refunded in full if it is late.
Reason Through Your ATH-320 Case
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Frequently Asked Questions
SNHU refers to the three main traditions of Western philosophy, generally understood as consequentialism, deontology and virtue ethics.
No, but you need to learn each framework well enough to apply it to anthropological cases.
It refers to debates over who controls cultural knowledge, objects, remains and representations: communities, researchers, museums or the public.
Typical examples include repatriation of remains and artifacts, informed consent, sacred knowledge, cultural appropriation and museum display.
Usually yes, but as a reasoned conclusion that follows from the frameworks and evidence, not as a starting assumption.
Yes. We check how accurately you apply each framework and how well your conclusion is justified.