Welcome to APOP:
OSU’s Anthropology Public Outreach Program!
Humans play a special role on our planet. We are the species that occupies the widest range of environments on Earth, from the arctic zone to the highland deserts, and everywhere in between. We adjust to different challenges and change the world around us in ways no other species on the planet can. And, most importantly, we are the only species who is able to understand the consequences of our actions and to steer the direction in which we want our world to grow.
Understanding our role on the planet is, therefore, of utmost importance, if we want to exact positive change on everyone and everything around us. And, to understand who we are, as a species, as a society, as a family, and as an individual, we need to understand not only our bodies, but also the context in which we exist, and our origins. We are, as is everything else on our planet, the result of our biology, deeply rooted in the long evolution of our species. We are also the result of our culture, which helps us to perceive, and to give meaning to, our world. Culture is common to all humans, and yet it is expressed differently in each one of us. Ultimately we shape the world because of how, and where, we exist, how we think, and how we create.
APOP was created to share our knowledge of humanity, to explore why we are here, and to examine what makes us who we are. We aim to reach out to as many people as we can to share ideas, knowledge, and experience with the goal of building a broader perspective, in order to help each and everyone of us have access to the story of us, from its beginnings to its vast and rich present.
We hope you enjoy the activities we have been designing! Above all else, please feel welcome to exchange ideas and get in touch with us.
– The APOP team
Have a question for APOP? Contact us today!