Want to truly walk a mile in someone else’s shoes? Try an ethnographic field school. It’s an immersive experience where you live within another culture.

Dr. William Meadows, professor of anthropology and Native American studies at Missouri State University, leads a 6-week experience for his students, living with a Kiowa family. He also integrates his students with members of the Plains Apache and Comanche tribes.

For the students, staying in a teepee is a step toward understanding the rich ties to history and tradition that exist in Native American cultures.

And as they stay, the students dive deep into their research focus but end up learning many intangible skills as well.

Getting an up-close look at another culture

Explore the anthropology program

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