Quote: "Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species."
An introduction to the field itself and its evolution over time, including key concepts and debates.
What is Anthropology?: The study of humans and human behavior in cultures across the world, including social structures, language, beliefs, and customs.
The Four Subfields of Anthropology: Physical or Biological Anthropology, Cultural Anthropology, Archaeology, and Linguistics.
The History of Anthropology: The development of Anthropology as a field of study from its origins in the 19th century, including early anthropological theories and the impact of colonialism.
Cultural Relativism: The idea that a person's beliefs, values, and behaviors should be understood in the context of their own culture, rather than being judged by the standards of another culture.
Ethnography: The method of studying and experiencing a particular culture, typically involving long-term fieldwork and immersion.
The Boasian Tradition: The anthropological perspective developed by Franz Boas, emphasizing the importance of cultural relativism and the study of small, distinct cultures.
Structuralism: The anthropological theory developed by Claude Lévi-Strauss, which focuses on analyzing the underlying structures of culture and society.
Physical Anthropology: Also known as biological anthropology, physical anthropology is the study of human evolution, biology, and physical variation across populations.
Cultural Anthropology: Cultural anthropology focuses on the study of human societies, cultures, and social practices, especially with regard to contemporary and historical contexts.
Linguistic Anthropology: Linguistic anthropology studies how language and communication shape cultural practices and society. It examines language in relation to social practices, political ideologies, and cultural change.
Archaeology: Archaeology is the study of human past through material culture. Archaeologists excavate and analyze artifacts, structures, and other physical remains to reconstruct cultures and societies of the past.
Applied Anthropology: Applied anthropology is the use of anthropological methods, theories, and data to solve real world issues and problems such as healthcare, education, politics, and social justice.
Historical Anthropology: Historical anthropology studies human societies and cultures using anthropological methods and theory over time, including the use of historical documents and archival research.
Visual Anthropology: Visual anthropology uses film, photography, and other visual media to study human societies and cultures.
Environmental Anthropology: Environmental anthropology studies the interaction between humans and their environment, including the ways in which cultural practices shape environmental practices and how environmental conditions affect human societies.
Quote: "Social anthropology studies patterns of behavior, while cultural anthropology studies cultural meaning, including norms and values. Linguistic anthropology studies how language influences social life. Biological or physical anthropology studies the biological development of humans. Archaeological anthropology... studies human activity through investigation of physical evidence."
Quote: "A portmanteau term sociocultural anthropology is commonly used today."
Quote: "Linguistic anthropology studies how language influences social life."
Quote: "Biological or physical anthropology studies the biological development of humans."
Quote: "Archaeological anthropology... studies human activity through investigation of physical evidence."
Quote: "In Europe, archaeology is viewed as a discipline in its own right or grouped under other related disciplines, such as history and palaeontology."
Quote: "Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species."
Quote: "Social anthropology studies patterns of behavior."
Quote: "Cultural anthropology studies cultural meaning, including norms and values."
Quote: "Linguistic anthropology studies how language influences social life."
Quote: "Archaeological anthropology... studies human activity through investigation of physical evidence."
Quote: "It is considered a branch of anthropology in North America and Asia."
Quote: "Archaeology is viewed as a discipline in its own right or grouped under other related disciplines, such as history and palaeontology."
Quote: "Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species."
Quote: "A portmanteau term sociocultural anthropology is commonly used today."
Quote: "Linguistic anthropology studies how language influences social life."
Quote: "Biological or physical anthropology studies the biological development of humans."
Quote: "Archaeological anthropology... studies human activity through investigation of physical evidence."
Quote: "In Europe, archaeology is viewed as a discipline in its own right or grouped under other related disciplines, such as history and palaeontology."