Contact Information

431 Social Sciences & Humanities
Stillwater, OK 74078-4062
(405) 744-6105 (Main Office)
  (405) 744-5780
  bbethke@ou.edu

Curriculum Vitae

Spring 2021 Class Schedule

ANTH 2353 - Introduction to Biological Anthropology: Online

Education

• Ph.D. University of Arizona, 2016

• M.A. University of Exeter, 2011

• B.A. Augustana University, 2010

Bio

Dr. Bethke is currently the Laboratory Director for the Oklahoma Archeological Survey located at the University of Oklahoma. She oversees the processing of collections for analysis and curation, student internship opportunities, and public outreach initiatives.
Her current research focuses on understanding interactions between humans, animals, and the landscape in the North American Plains from the late precontact period to the present day through the integration of zooarchaeology, ethnohistory, computer modeling, and Indigenous knowledge. I'm especially interested in the responses of Native American communities to various forms of colonialism and the long-term consequences of these processes. My most recent work has involved collaborative projects centered on bison hunting and processing activities, the impact of the horse on the Native peoples in the US and Canada, and the survivance of cultural practices during the Reservation Period. I have conducted field, laboratory, and ethnographic research on projects in Oklahoma, Montana, Alberta, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Portugal, Italy, and the UK.
Dr. Bethke also teaches for Oklahoma State University in the Anthropology field, specializing the the Pre-History of Oklahoma.