16 Questions
What does the Greek word 'anthropos' mean?
Man
What is the primary focus of anthropology according to various definitions?
The study of human beings in all times and places
What is the technique employed in anthropology to collect qualitative data?
Participant observation
What is the major task of anthropology according to Ahmed (1986)?
To understand ourselves through understanding other cultures
What is the scope of anthropology in terms of the aspects of human beings it studies?
Ranging from biology and evolutionary history to society and culture
What is the origin of anthropology?
From colonial expansion of Europe
What is the potential consequence of anthropology's role in noting differences between cultures?
Acquiring a racist connotation
What is the term used to describe the field of anthropology?
The science of humanity
What is the primary focus of cultural anthropology?
The study of human behavior, thought, and feelings as cultural creatures
What is the name of the cultural movement in 18th century Europe that led to the development of modern anthropology?
The Age of Enlightenment
What is the main objective of Enlightenment scholars?
To study human behavior and society as phenomena that followed defined principles
What is the name of the theory that explains the spread of certain ideas, customs, or practices from one culture to another?
Diffusionism
Who is the prominent scholar of German diffusionism?
Father Wilheim Schmidt
What is the focus of physical anthropology?
The systemic study of humans as biological organisms
What is the primary focus of archaeology?
The study of human culture through archaeological recovery
What is the name of the British diffusionist who proposed that every aspect of civilization originated from Egypt?
G.E. Smith
Study Notes
Definition of Anthropology
- Derived from Greek words "anthropos" (man) and "logos" (word), meaning the study of human beings
- Represents the science of human beings
- The study of other cultures, employing participant observation and collecting qualitative data
Approaches to Anthropology
- Defined by Langness (1974) as the scientific study of human beings in the abstract
- According to Haviland, Prins, Walrath, and McBride (2011), it is the study of humankind in all times and places
- Ahmed (1986) views it as enabling us to understand ourselves through understanding other cultures
Aspects of Anthropology
- Studies human beings from biology and evolutionary history to society and culture
- Examines the features that distinguish humans from other animal species
Origins of Anthropology
- Emerged from the colonial expansion of Europe
- Contributed to the gulf between Western and non-Western cultures
- Developed during the Age of Enlightenment, focusing on the power of reason to advance society and knowledge
Special Fields of Anthropology
- Physical Anthropology: the systemic study of humans as biological organisms
- Cultural Anthropology: the study of customary patterns in human behavior, thought, and feelings
- Linguistic Anthropology: the study of human languages, including their structure, history, and relation to social and cultural context
- Archaeology: the study of human culture through the recovery and analysis of material remains
Theories of Anthropology
- Diffusionism: the spread of certain ideas, customs, or practices from one culture to another
- British diffusionists: proposed that every aspect of civilization originated from Egypt and spread to other parts of the world
- German diffusionists: led by Father Wilheim Schmidt, with similar views to the British diffusionists
Learn about the origins and definition of anthropology, the study of human beings and their cultures. Understand the fundamental principles of anthropology and its methodology.
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