BA, MA
Instructor
bmuckle@capilanou.ca
Education
MA, Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, 1986.
BA, Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, 1980.
Bio
Robert Muckle (MA, Simon Fraser University, 1986) is his official name but he is most often called Bob by those who know him. He has been teaching, practicing and writing about anthropology since the 1980s. Muckle's primary teaching interests include archaeology, biological anthropology and cultural anthropology. His archaeological background includes excavations in Africa and North America, mostly in British Columbia. His publications include textbooks, scholarly and semi-scholarly articles, essays and other short pieces for non-specialists.
Following the completion of his graduate degree at Simon Fraser University, Muckle established his own anthropology consulting firm, specializing in documenting First Nations heritage in British Columbia. He eventually transitioned into teaching positions but has remained active in research.
Muckle's recent foci of research includes the archaeology of early 20th century Japanese-Canadian camps in the forests of British Columbia, archaeology in and of the contemporary world, and archaeology in popular culture. His teaching foci includes making contemporary studies in archaeology, biological anthropology and cultural anthropology relevant to everyday life for students, including the importance of human diversity both cultural and biological.
Anthropology is a framework for understanding how the human world works. I enjoy conveying how this framework can be applied, especially in regards to explaining change both biological and cultural in the past, present and potentially in the future.
I understand that most students in my classes will be pursuing non-anthropology careers. I believe that whatever situation students may find themselves in the future, they will receive value from the courses I teach.
Balance is a key part of my teaching. Besides providing essential course content and introducing students to the way anthropologists think, I strive to help students develop communication and critical thinking skills.
Muckle, Robert and Stacey Camp. Introducing Archaeology 3rd ed. Toronto: U of Toronto Press, 2021.
Muckle, Robert. Archaeology of Early Twentieth Century Japanese Canadian Logging Camps in British Columbia. International Journal of Historical Archaeology. Oct, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10761-020-00578-0
Muckle, Robert and Gonzalez, Laura. Through the Lens of Anthropology: an Introduction to Human Evolution and Culture, 2nd ed., Toronto: U of Toronto P., 2019.
Muckle, Robert. Archaeology of an Early 20th Century Nikkei Camp in Southwest British Columbia. BC Studies 192: 125-148, 2017.
Muckle, Robert. The First Nations of British Columbia, 3rd ed., Vancouver: UBC Press., 2014.
Muckle, Robert. The Indigenous Peoples of North America, Toronto: U of Toronto P., 2014.
Muckle, Robert (ed). Reading Archaeology, Toronto: U of Toronto P., 2008.
Unified Award (peer adjudicated) for Archaeology of COVID-19 in MetroVancouver, Creative Activity, Research and Scholarship (CARS), Capilano University, 2021.