Discover the World of Anthropology

An Overview of Anthropology

• Anthropology is the study of what makes us human, taking a broad approach to understanding different aspects of the human experience.
• Anthropologists consider the past through archaeology, biology and genetics, and compare humans with other animals to see what makes us unique.
• Anthropologists look at how different groups of people get food, prepare it, and share it, and try to understand how people interact in social relationships.
• Anthropologists work in their own societies looking at economics, health, education, law, and policy, keeping in mind what they know about biology, culture, types of communication, and how humans lived in the past.
• American anthropology is generally divided into four subfields: archaeology, biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, and linguistic anthropology.
• Archaeologists study human culture by analyzing objects people have made, human bones and teeth, and the remains of plants, animals, and soils to understand how people used and changed their natural environments.
• Biological anthropologists study how humans adapt to different environments, what causes disease and early death, and how humans evolved from other animals.
• Sociocultural anthropologists explore how people in different places live and understand the world around them, listening to all voices and viewpoints to understand how societies vary and what they have in common.
• Linguistic anthropologists study the many ways people communicate across the globe, looking at how language is linked to how we see the world and how we relate to each other.
• Applied anthropologists work to solve real-world problems by using anthropological methods and ideas, working for local communities, museums, national or state parks, governments, non-profit organizations, or businesses.
• Anthropologists from across the globe work together through international organizations to try and understand more about our lives as humans, such as the World Council of Anthropology Associations.
• Anthropologists are employed in a number of different sectors, from colleges and universities to government agencies, NGOs, businesses, and health and human services, contributing significantly to interdisciplinary fields and socially relevant activities.
• Anthropologists engage in significant issues and questions, their areas of employment, the locations around the world where they do research, and their commitment to using research results to improve lives.