Chapter 1 What is Anthropology?

The Scope of Anthropology The Holistic Approach The Anthropological Curiosity Fields of Anthropology Specialization The Relevance of Anthropology

The Scope of Anthropology Anthropology, a discipline of infinite curiosity about human beings. Broader in scope than other disciplines Every part of the world containing human populations is of interest to anthropological study.

The Holistic Approach Anthropology is a unique discipline because it employs a holistic, or multifaceted, approach to the study of human beings. The Anthropological Curiosity Anthropologists generally focus on typical characteristics of a population, such as traits or customs. How does one explain the differing characteristics of human groups? Fields of Anthropology Biological (Physical) Anthropology Cultural Anthropology Applied or Practicing Anthropology

Figure 1.1 (p. 3) The Subdivisions of Anthropology The four major subdisciplines of anthropology (in bold letters) may be classified according to subject matter (physical or cultural) and according to the period with which each is concerned (distant past versus recent past and present). There are applications of

anthropology in all four subdisciplines. Biological Anthropology Two Primary Focuses of Study: Human Paleontology Human Variation

Cultural Anthropology Culture refers to the customary ways that a particular population or society thinks and behaves. The Three Branches of Cultural Anthropology are: Archaeology Linguistics Ethnology Archaeology Archaeologists try to reconstruct history from the remains of human cultures. Most studies deal with prehistory Some specialize in historical archaeology

Anthropological Linguistics The anthropological study of language. Historical Linguistics Descriptive or Structural Linguistics Sociolinguistics

Ethnology Commonly referred to as cultural anthropology, ethnology is concerned with patterns of thought and behavior. Types of ethnologists: Ethnographers Ethnohistorian Cross-Cultural Researcher Applied Anthropology About half of all professional anthropologists are applied, or practicing,

anthropologists. Applied anthropologists may be trained in one or more of the subfields of anthropology.

Specialization Some anthropologists identify with a variety of specializations: Economic Anthropologists Political Anthropologists Psychological Anthropologists Cultural Ecologists Medical Anthropologists

The Relevance of Anthropology In order to understand humans, it is essential that we study humans in all times and places. Anthropological studies can illustrate why other people are the way they are, both culturally and physically.