Anthropology

The exploration of human diversity

In time

from our earliest ancestors to today

In space

all around the world

Anthropology is holistic

It is a study of the whole of the human condition

Biology, society, language and culture

Past and present

Anthropology is comparative and cross-cultural

Studies similarities as well as differences

"Them" and "us"

Cultures divide the world into "us" and "others"

"We" can be anything "we" identify with

"They" are people who don’t belong to "our" group

Anthropologists study the "others" and try to understand and describe their insider’s view

Anthropology

4 subfields in US

cultural anthropology

archaeological anthropology

biological (physical) anthropology

linguistic anthropology

In Europe separate fields

Goals of anthropology

Diachronic research

using information from contemporary groups to model changes in the past

using knowledge from past groups to understand what may happen in the future

Synchronic research

comparing information from human societies living at the same time but in different areas

Cultural anthropology

Study of contemporary human societies and cultures

Description, analysis, interpretation and explanation of similarities and differences

Combination of ethnography and ethnology

Ethnography

Field work to study one culture or subculture

Long term- 6 months to several years

Emphasizes local behavior

Cultures in other countries

Cultures in the US

Ethnology

Cross cultural comparisons to identify and explain differences and similarities

Library research

Model building and creation of theories

Interaction

Cultures never isolated

Anthropologists need to consider interactions with other groups and with the larger world

Linguistic anthropology

Construction of language

Language changes over time

Relationships between languages

Universal features of language

Language influence on patterns of thought (Sociolinguistics)

Biological (physical) anthropology

Human biological diversity in time and space

Human evolution

Growth and development

Diseases

Adaptations

Primates

Archaeology

Reconstruction, description and interpretation of past human behavior through material remains

tools, potsherds, buildings, trash pits

Objects and raw materials used to determine interactions

Animal and plant remains for subsistence

Settlement patterns for political organization

Ritual objects for symbolic interpretations

Historical Archaeology

ship wrecks, houses, settlements

Garbology (Rathje, Arizona)

what do people throw away

how does it differ from what people say they throw away

how does it decay

Ethnoarchaeology

Most ethnographies scant information on material culture

how do people build houses and what can be expected to survive time

where do they throw away garbage

life cycle of pottery

tool making

sources of raw materials

Some specializations

Osteology

the study of human and primate bones to understand locomotion, diseases, human evolution

Zooarchaeology

the study of animal bones

Linguistic archaeology

deciphering hieroglyphs, reconstruction of ancient languages

Applied anthropology

Use of anthropology to identify and solve problems

medical anthropology

environmental anthropology

forensic anthropology

development

Often employed by international development agencies or by the state

Gives advice on what changes would be acceptable for different cultures

Helps with conflict resolution

Helps set up programs for health care

Identifies victims

Identifies influences of dialects on class room learning

Cultural Resource Management for identification, preservation and education about cultural heritage