There is a consensus today that ethnography must be situated in its historical contexts, and a growing appreciation of anthropological histories of past societies. Historical archaeologists have expanded the purview of archaeology to include the study of historical sources as well as material culture.

Sociocultural anthropologists now conduct archival research and explore oral traditions in addition to conducting fieldwork, while historians now apply the insights of ethnography and archaeology to their studies of the past.

Understanding how social memory mediates history making is a vital part of these endeavors.

The Anthropology, History, and Memory concentration fosters cross-fertilization among anthropological subfields and other disciplines that take historical perspectives on social life, allowing flexibility in curriculum development while training students in essential method and theory.