LU enriches anthropology course with study of forensic, AI, therapy

Lucknow: Anthropology department of Lucknow University has introduced several papers like forensic anthropology, digital anthropolgy, AI in anthropology and healthcare and anthropotherapy with an aim to help students get jobs in various fields from 2026-27 session.Forensic anthropology has been introduced as a minor paper in BA and BSc. It is a specialised field that applies anthropological knowledge to legal and criminal investigations. Besides, a graduate can be part of disaster-response helping identify people or animals through skeletal remains, said head, anthropology. Prof Udai Pratap Singh.UG students will also be learning digital anthropology that studies how digital technologies influence human behavior, culture, relationships and society.“A digital anthropologist can study group chats on messaging apps, social media interactions, online study groups and virtual communities formed around shared interests to assess impact on new technologies on human beings,” said Prof Singh.At post graduate level, the department introduced artificial intelligence in anthropology as a part of syllabus. AI can help practise forensic and biological anthropology at a large scale in less time. For example, at an excavation site, AI can ascertain origins of skeletal remains, ancestry, age and cause of death among other things.The department has also introduced healthcare and anthropo therapy at PG level, integrative healing system that combines traditional, ethnic and folk medicine with conventional western medicine to provide holistic, patient-focused care, said Prof Singh.