What is Anthropology?
The study of what makes us human (such as physiology, nutritional history,
genetic makeup and evolution) and study of early primates and hominids is
Anthropology.
Anthropologists take a broad discipline approach to understand many different
aspects of the human societies, culture and human language and study biological
and material remains such as our bones, diet, and health and the biology and
behavior of primates. Anthropologists also look at economics, health, education,
law, and policy in their own societies. It’s a broad discipline that growing constantly
and incorporates new technologies and ideas.
Types of anthropology –
Four main branches/fields of Anthropology are Archaeology, Biological Anthropology,
Cultural Anthropology and Linguistic
Anthropology
Archaeology
Archaeologists are interested in human culture by analyzing the objects people have
made. They systematically excavate things such as pottery and tools, the locations
of houses, burials and trash pits, in order to learn about the daily lives of a people.
Archaeologists analyze the human teeth and bones to gain information about people’s
diet and the diseases they suffered from. In order to understand how people used and
changed their natural environments they collect the remains of animals, plants and
soils from places where people have lived. Many archaeologists do not consider
themselves as anthropologists. Archaeology and anthropology relationship is a
matter of debate. physical anthropologists and biological anthropology use the
same methods of work to investigate human remains and excavate and analyze
human skeletal remains found in archaeological sites.
Different types of Archaeologists
are-
Classical archaeologists
Historical archaeologists
Underwater archaeologists
Zoo-archaeologists
The training of these archaeological specialties varies significantly, but the interest in
elucidating the ancient past is same.
Biological Anthropology/ Physical Anthropology
Biological anthropologists carry out systematic studies of
how humans adapt to different environments stresses, human diversity, genetic
inheritance, mechanisms of evolution and what causes disease and early death.
To do this, they study humans (living and dead) and near-humans such as monkeys
and apes, and human ancestors (fossils). They interested in how closely biology
and culture working together to shape our lives. They are interested in understanding
the similarities and differences that are found among humans across the world
and about the capabilities and behavior patterns of primates. They often work
with paleozoologists, geologists and scientists having other specialties which
help them to reconstruct ancient environment. It’s also known as physical
anthropology.
Cultural Anthropology/ Sociocultural anthropology
Sociocultural anthropologists interested in learning, how
people in different places live and understand the world (human societies)
around them. They want to know things such as the social and political
organizations, religious beliefs of different societies, marriage patterns and
kinship systems, subsistence and economic patterns. Their knowledge enriches
human understanding on a broader level. To understand the diversity that is
being lost cultural and linguistic anthropologists have worked diligently.
Linguistic Anthropology
Linguistic anthropologists study the human communication
process. They are interested in the structure and function of languages, physiology
of speech, social and cultural influences on speech and writing, how languages
developed and how it change over time and nonverbal communication .Language and
communication are the keys to make society and culture. Linguists are neither
the professional translators nor they are language teachers. They study the
language from native speakers and understand the sounds, its meaning and rules
for sentence construction. It’s the hardest branch of anthropology.
Applied and Practicing Anthropology
It’s an important part of anthropology. The four main subfields
of anthropology can be applied. By using anthropological methods and ideas applied
anthropologists work to solve real world problems. They work in local
communities to solve problems related to education, health and problems related
to environment. They also work for national or state parks, museums helping to understand
and interpret history. They work for non-profit organizations, local, state or
federal governments and work for businesses, like retail stores, technology
companies etc. to learn and study, how people use different products or
technology in daily lives. Applied anthropologists have many jobs and they will
have more and more opportunities as demand grows.
Forensic anthropology is another important sub-branch which focuses
on helping authorities to solve crimes and identify human remains found at
crime scenes.
Anthropology globally -
Anthropologists always attentive to what human groups share
across time and space as well as they also study how these groups are
different. In many countries the unique approaches to anthropology developed.
To understand more about our lives as humans, anthropologists from across the
globe work together through international organizations. The World Council of
Anthropology Associations aims to promote cooperation and worldwide
communication in anthropology field.
Professional Organizations, Associations, and Societies -
The American Anthropological Association
The Association of Social Anthropologists of the UK
The European
Anthropological Association
The European Association of Social Anthropologists
American Association of Physical Anthropologists
Midwest Primate Interest Group
Society for American Archaeology
Society for Linguistic Anthropology
World Archaeological Congress.
The Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland (RAI)
Misconceptions related to Anthropology -
There is a common thinking that anthropology is about ‘bones
and fossils’ , instead They are the evolutionary and biological anthropologists,
who use the human remains and living sites to reconstruct the bodies, diets and
environments of our ancestors. Cultural anthropology is concerned with social
relations. Some think that social anthropologists study ‘tribal’ peoples in
‘remote’ areas but they also research in urban areas or in industrial
workplace. Another misconception is that archaeology and anthropology are one
and the same but archaeology is the study of people and cultures in the near or
distant past, and social anthropology is concerns about the present-day peoples
and cultures.
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