Peter Biella

Great class!

The lectures got more interesting every week. It takes some talent to make 3 hours of class intensely interesting and educational.

This is one of the best classes I've taken at State.

Hiiiiiighly recomended.

This was my first upper level anthro class at State, it is also an interdisciplinary course, since it counts as a Cinema course also. Peter is an extremely knowledgable anthropologist and filmmaker. The class consists of viewing a wide variety of film material, including "documentaries", foreign social commentary material, Hitchcock films, and Babar slides! Grading is based on class participation and two project papers. I actually looked forward to the class every afternoon; Peter was engaging, informative, articulate, and entertaining. He was also very understanding of a student who had unexpected difficulties during the semester: allowed extra time for paper and took paper by email when student couldn't write or drive due to injury. Without sounding too Southern, he's a realy sweetie pie :)

I took this class spring 2002 at 8 in the morning and I actually was compelled to come to class each day for the lectures.Teacher's knowledge of subject matter is extensive yet he recognizes that his background and experience alone are not complete,thus allowing his students to voice their opinions, thoughts, and ideas about subject matters discussed in class without feeling scrutiny from the teacher and/or other students. He doesn't write much on the board so unless you take great notes or remember everything a teacher ever says then your best bet is a recorder. If you take a couple of minutes reviewing the notes right after the class and understand the concepts and ideas you'll ace the class, for sure. Overall, great class with an exceptional teacher.