Essentials of Cultural Anthropology, Sixth Edition

Garrick Bailey

James Peoples

Chapter 1

The Study Of Humanity

Chapter Outline Subfields of Anthropology Cultural Anthropology Today Understanding Human Cultures:

Anthropological Approaches The Value of Anthropology

Subfields of Anthropology Archaeology Biological (Physical) Anthropology Cultural Anthropology Anthropological Linguistics Applied Anthropology

Archeology Investigating the human past by

excavating and analyzing material remains.

Prehistoric archaeology investigates cultures that lived before the development of writing.

Historic archaeology investigates written accounts along with historic sites.

Biological Anthropology Investigates:

Anatomy and behavior of monkeys and apes. Physical variations between different human

populations. Biological evolution of the human species.

Primatology is the study of evolution, anatomy, social behavior and adaptation of primates.

Biological Anthropology Human Variation

How and why populations vary physically. Paleoanthropology

How and why humans species evolved. Forensic Anthropology

Analyze and identify human remains.

Cultural Anthropology The study of contemporary and

historically recent human societies and cultures.

Focus on the customs and beliefs of a human group.

Cultural Anthropology: Objectives Study how groups of humans lived. Compare cultures to determine universal

principles. Understand how dimensions of human life

relate (religion, art, communication, family). Understand cultural change. Make the public aware of cultural differences.

Fieldwork Moving into the community under study,

communicating in the local language and living in close contact with the people.

Ethnography A written account of how a single human

population lives.

Anthropological Linguistics How is language used in social contexts? What styles of speech do people use? What do the labels people attach to the

environment tell us about the the way they perceive the environment?

Anthropological Linguistics Concerned with the complex relations

between language and other aspects of human behavior and thought.

Applied Anthropology

Applies research skills to human problems. Medical anthropology - health, nutrition,

social environment and cultural beliefs. Development anthropology - helps

agencies adapt projects to community needs.

Applied AnthropologyApplies research skills to human problems. Educational anthropology - deals with issues

of learning and teaching. Corporate anthropology - trains employees

within a company what to expect and how to speak and act when they conduct business in other countries.

Cultural Anthropology Today Research is often done in urban,

industrial areas. Extended fieldwork continues to

distinguish cultural anthropology from other disciplines.

Research extends across many disciplines (law, music, religion, etc.).

Globalization The effect on cultures of:

intermixing and migrations of peoples with diverse homelands

multinational reach of communications media movement of production and services to

overseas locales increase in international travel and tourism.

Anthropological Perspectives Holistic -No dimension of culture can be

understood in isolation. Comparative - Generalizations about

humans must consider the range of cultural diversity.

Relativistic -Cultures cannot be evaluated based on the standards of another culture.

Cultural Relativism No culture is inherently superior or inferior

to any other culture.

Ethnocentrism The belief that moral standards, manners

and attitudes of one's own culture are superior to those of other cultures.

Value of Anthropology Allows us to see the development of

human biology and culture over time. Provides knowledge about human

evolution, prehistoric populations, and tribal societies.

Value of Anthropology Encourages understanding and tolerance

among citizens of different nations. Allows us to compare our lives with those

of people living in different times and places.

Quick Quiz

1. Anthropology has how many subfields?

a) just one

b) three

c) five

d) six

Answer: c Anthropology has five subfields:

archeology, biological or physical anthropology, cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, and applied anthropology.

2. Paleoanthropologists study:

a) our closest living relatives, the chimpanzees

b) people such as the Asmat from New Guinea

c) the aged

d) our fossil ancestor

Answer: d Paleoanthropologists study fossils to

determine how our species evolved.

3. Primatologists study:

a) plant pollen

b) monkeys and apes

c) prehistoric people and their sites

d) the social context of language

Answer: b Primatologists study monkeys and apes.