About Al's Life

Thanks for wanting to know more about me.

I won't follow the usual format for an academic curriculum vitae. What I hope to do is to give you some insight into my background and qualifications for working here.

I have many interests. Mainly I try to understand how people symbolize their relationships with their environment, especially their "natural" environment. People do this in many ways, of course, and the symbols and patterns of symbols vary from culture to culture. Religion/worship/ritual is one of the ways that all people use to symbolize such relationships; this interests me, so I study those things. I also limit my research effort to North American Indian people, especially those of the northwest, and to Japan.

I try to bring this interest into my activities as a faculty member. Foremost among these activities is teaching; I spend much of my time thinking about the classes I teach by reading about relevant topics, reviewing (and sometimes reorganizing) classes. I have taught a number of different subjects in anthropology and Native American Studies. The list is frighteningly long — frightening because it takes time to do enough research and planning to present a good college course, and I'm not always successful.

Currently, I present the following courses: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (ANTH 102); World Prehistory (ANTH 120); Introduction to Native American Studies (ANTH 170); Culture and Environment (ANTH 280); Culture and Education (ANTH 311); Ethnography of North American Indians (ANTH 320); Contemporary Issues in Native America (SS 499).

My second most important effort lies in community activities related to my "professional" expertise. At present I am consulting with the Nez Perce Tribe's Office of Legal Counsel on the Snake River Basin Adjudication [Idaho water rights] and other legal matters. I have also aided in other legal actions involving individuals. I have consulted for a number of other organizations such as the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. National Park Service, and some private companies. I have also been a board member for the Nez Perce Tribal Foundation.

Thirdly, I try to find the time to publish the results of some of my scholarship. My most important publications include:

 Fourthly, I have a variety of quasi-administrative functions as a member of the faculty. Currently I am a member of the Faculty Senate, chairperson of the General Education Core Committee, and co-chairperson of the General Education Task Force. I also serve as the coordinator for the Social Science Program.

I was involved in beginning a number of Native American/Nez Perce related programs and courses, including Nez Perce History, Nez Perce Language, the Native American Studies Minor, the Native American Club, Native American Awareness Week, and the Native American Advisory Board (for Lewis-Clark State College).

Finally, I try to further my understanding of anthropology and my profession through memberships in professional organizations. I am a member of the American Anthropological Association and the American Association of University Professors. Previously I was a Board member of the Association for the Humanities in Idaho (now the Idaho Humanities Commission), and wrote a number of project reviews for the Council.

Of course, I've dealt with some educational stuff, too. I got a B.A. in Anthropology at the University of Minnesota; a M.A. degree in Anthropology (Quaternary Studies) at Washington State University; and I earned a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology from Washington State University (Pullman, WA) in 1977. My dissertation was "Nez Perce Social Groups: An Ecological Interpretation."

After working at North Dakota State University and Boise State University, I joined the faculty at Lewis-Clark State College (Lewiston, ID) in 1979.

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About Al's Life

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last update: 04iii25