Anthropology Overview and Subfields

Study Notes

Anthropology is the study of humankind, encompassing the totality of what it means to be human.
It examines physical/biological characteristics, social relationships, and the influence of culture from the dawn of civilization to the present.

Archeology: Studies human history and prehistory through excavating sites and analyzing artifacts and physical remains.
Biological Anthropology: Examines human and non-human primate biological evolution and variation by studying biology, evolutionary theory, inheritance, the fossil record, and living primates.
Linguistics: Focuses on the role of language in the social lives of individuals and communities. It investigates how language shapes communication and its influence on social identity, group membership, and cultural beliefs.
Cultural Anthropology: Studies how people who share a common cultural system organize and shape the physical and social world around them.

Archeologists unearth pottery, tools, jewelry, and bones to understand how people lived in the past.
Archeological data suggests humans adapted to environmental changes for survival.
The species Homo sapiens survived due to their ability to think, use tools, and learn from experience.

Unlike linguists, linguistic anthropologists view language as interconnected with culture and social structures.
They use language to understand social interaction, meaning-making, idea formation, and how language promotes social cohesion.

Studies how people who share a culture organize and shape their world.
Culture is defined as a group's way of life, including behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols transmitted through communication and imitation.
The theory of cultural determinism proposes that a person's identity is shaped by the culture they are born into.

Symbols: Words, gestures, pictures, or objects with recognized meaning in a culture. Examples include rings representing commitment and colors having symbolic meanings.
Heroes: Persons from the past or present who embody important values and characteristics of a culture.
Rituals: Socially essential activities performed by a group for desired outcomes. Examples include baptism, weddings, birthdays, and graduation.
Values: Human tendencies or preferences toward good or bad, right or wrong. Examples include respect for elders, hospitality, and nationalism.

Anthropology offers a lens through which to understand oneself.
It helps individuals recognize how their past, present condition, biological characteristics, communication style, language use, and lifestyle contribute to their identity.