Chapter 1: Anthropology Discussion PDF

ANTHROPOLOGY ANTHROPOLOGY ANTHROPOLOGY ANTHROPOLOGY ANTHROPOLOGY  ANTHROPOLOGY Anthropology – derived from the Greek words Anthropos for “human” and logos for ”study” – is, if we take it literally, the study of humans. ANTHROPOLOGY What is it that distinguishes anthropology from all...

ANTHROPOLOGY ANTHROPOLOGY ANTHROPOLOGY ANTHROPOLOGY ANTHROPOLOGY  ANTHROPOLOGY Anthropology – derived from the Greek words Anthropos for “human” and logos for ”study” – is, if we take it literally, the study of humans. ANTHROPOLOGY What is it that distinguishes anthropology from all other disciplines?  ANTHROPOLOGY Four Distinct Branches of Anthropology 1. Biological Anthropology - deals with humans as biological organisms. 2. Archaeology - attempts to reconstruct the cultures of the past. 3. Anthropological Linguistics - focuses on the study of language in historical, structural, and social context. 4. Cultural Anthropology - examines similarities and differences among contemporary cultures of the world.  ANTHROPOLOGY All subfields engage in: 1. Theoretical Research - describing and comparing cultural features among and between cultures. 2. More practical forms of research designed to solve specific societal problems. a. Applied Anthropology - involves conducting applied research projects designed to facilitate change or generate policy recommendations for addressing societal problems.  ANTHROPOLOGY All subfields engage in: b. Applying Anthropology - involves using already existing anthropological data, methods, theories, and insights to inform government programs and nongovernment organizations ( NGO's) that promote, manage, and assess social programs and social policies.  ANTHROPOLOGY BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY The study of human from the biological perspectives is called biological anthropology. Essentially, biological anthropologists are concerned with three broad areas of investigations. 1. Paleoanthropology 2. Primatology 3. Human Variations  ANTHROPOLOGY THREE BROAD AREAS OF INVESTIGATIONS 1. Paleoanthropology - focuses on reconstructing the evolutionary record of the human species; that is they ask questions about the emergence of humans and how humans evolved up to the present time. 2. Primatology - focuses on our nearest living relatives, namely apes, monkeys, and prosimians. 3. Human Variations - focuses on how and why the  ANTHROPOLOGY THREE BROAD AREAS OF INVESTIGATIONS physical traits of contemporary human population vary throughout the world. * Unlike comparative biologists, biological anthropologists study how culture and environment have influenced these two areas of biological evolution and contemporary variations.  ANTHROPOLOGY PALEOANTHROPOLOGY Evolutionary Record of Humans In their attempts to reconstruct human evolution, paleoanthropologists have drawn heavily on fossil remains (hardened organic matter such as bones and teeth) of humans, protohumans, and other primates. Comparative anatomy - comparing physical features of cranial capacity, teeth, hands, position of the pelvis, and shape of the head of the fossil remains with those of humans or other nonhuman primates.  ANTHROPOLOGY PALEOANTHROPOLOGY In addition to comparing physical features, paleoanthropologists look for signs of culture ( such as tools or tool use). To fill in the human revolutionary record, biological anthropologists need to draw on the work of a number other specialists: a. Paleontologists - who specializes in prehistoric plant and animal life.  ANTHROPOLOGY PALEOANTHROPOLOGY b. Archaeologists - who study prehistoric material culture. c. Geologists - who provide data on local physical and climatic.  ANTHROPOLOGY PRIMATOLOGY Primatology study the anatomy and social behavior of such nonhuman primate species as gorillas, baboons, and chimpanzees in an effort to gain clues about our own evolution as a species. Because biological anthropologists do not have the luxury of observing the behavior oh human ancestors several million years ago, they can learn how early humans could have responded to certain environmental conditions and  ANTHROPOLOGY PRIMATOLOGY changes in their developmental past by studying contemporary human primates (such as baboons and chimps) in similar environments.  ANTHROPOLOGY PHYSICAL VARIATION AMONG PRIMATES (HUMAN VARIATIONS) Although all humans are members of the same species and therefore capable of interbreeding, considerable physical variation exists among human populations some of these differences are based on visible physical traits, such as shape of the nose, body stature, and color of the skin. Other variations are based on less visible biochemical factors, such as blood type or susceptibility to diseases.  ANTHROPOLOGY ARCHAEOLOGY The purpose of anthropology is not to fill museums by collecting exotic relics from prehistoric societies. Rather, it is to understand cultural adaptations of people by at least partially reconstructing their cultures. Archaeologists works with three types of material remains: a. Artifacts b. Features c. Ecofacts  ANTHROPOLOGY ARCHAEOLOGY a. Artifacts - objects that have been made or modified by humans and that can be removed from the site and taken to the laboratory for further analysis. (examples: tools, arrowheads, and, fragments of pottery) b. Features - like artifacts, are made or modified by people, but they cannot be readily carried away from dig site. (examples: house foundations, fireplaces, and postholes)  ANTHROPOLOGY ARCHAEOLOGY c. Ecofacts - are objects found in natural environment that were not made or altered by humans but were used by them. (examples: bones, seeds, and woods)  ANTHROPOLOGY ANTHROPOLOGICAL LINGUISTICS The branch that studies human speech and language. Although humans are not the only species that has systems of symbolic communication, ours is by far the most complex form. Four Distinct Branches: 1. Historical Linguistics 2. Descriptive Linguistics 3. Cultural Linguistics or Ethnolinguistics 4. Sociolinguistics  ANTHROPOLOGY ANTHROPOLOGICAL LINGUISTICS 1. Historical Linguistics - deals with the emergence of language in general and how specific languages have diverged overtime. 2. Descriptive Linguistics - deals with the study of sound systems, grammatical systems, and the meanings attached to words in specific languages. 3. Cultural Linguistics or Ethnolinguistics - is the branch of anthropological linguistics that examines the relationship  ANTHROPOLOGY ANTHROPOLOGICAL LINGUISTICS between language and culture. 4. Sociolinguistics - examines the relationship between language and social relations.  ANTHROPOLOGY CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY The branch of anthropology that deals with the study of specific contemporary cultures (ethnography) and the more general underlying patterns of human culture derived through cultural comparisons (ethnology) is called cultural anthropology. Ethnology is the comparative study of contemporary cultures, wherever they may be found. Ethnologists seek to understand both why people today and in the recent past differ in terms of ideas and behavior patterns, and what all  ANTHROPOLOGY CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY cultures in the world have in common with one another. The primary objective of ethnology is to uncover general cultural principles, that is, the "rules" that govern human behavior. Because all humans live in groups called societies, there are no populations in the world today that are not viable subjects for the ethnologist.  ANTHROPOLOGY AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION 1. Urban Anthropology 2. Medical Anthropology 3. Development Anthropology 4. Ecological Anthropology 5. Psychological Anthropology  ANTHROPOLOGY AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION 1. Urban Anthropology - concentrated on rural societies. Focused on the more complex urban social systems. 2. Medical Anthropology - studies the relationship of biological and sociocultural factors to health, diseases, and illness(paleopathology - analysis of disease in ancient populations). 3. Development Anthropology - People-focused rather than economy-focused. Development anthropologists no  ANTHROPOLOGY AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION longer start by asking, "How can I make this large development project successful?" Rather, they are asking, "Will this project benefit the target population?“ 4. Ecological Anthropology - examines how human populations interact with the environment and, by doing so, develop solutions to current and future environmental problems. 5. Psychological Anthropology - oldest subspecialty areas  ANTHROPOLOGY AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION of cultural anthropology. It looks at the relationship between culture and the psychological makeup of individuals and groups. It also examines how culture may affect personality, cognition, attitudes, and emotions.  ANTHROPOLOGY HOLISM A distinguishing feature of the discipline of anthropology is its holistic approach to the study of human groups. It is evidenced in a number of important ways. 1. First, the anthropological approach involves both biological and sociocultural aspects of humanity-that is, people's genetic endowment as well as what they acquire from their environment after birth. 2. Second, anthropology has the longest possible time frame, from earliest beginnings of humans several  ANTHROPOLOGY HOLISM million years ago right up to the present. 3. Third, anthropology is holistic to the extent that it studies all varieties of people wherever they may be found.  ANTHROPOLOGY ETHNOCENTRISM Ethnocentrism is the belief in the inherent superiority of one's own ethnic group or culture. It involves judging other cultures based on the standards and values of one's own culture. This can lead to misunderstandings, prejudice, and discrimination, as individuals or groups view their own cultural norms as the only correct or "normal" way of living and dismiss or devalue other cultures. Ethnocentrism often manifests in assumptions that one's own cultural practices are universal or should be adopted by others.  ANTHROPOLOGY CULTURAL RELATIVISM Anthropologists can achieve that level of detachment by practicing cultural relativism. Cultural relativism is the principle that an individual's beliefs, values, and practices should be understood and evaluated based on their own culture, rather than being judged against the criteria of another culture. It emphasizes the idea that no culture is superior to another and that each culture has its own intrinsic worth and context. Cultural relativism promotes an understanding  ANTHROPOLOGY CULTURAL RELATIVISM and appreciation of cultural differences, encouraging openness and reducing ethnocentric bias. This approach helps in fostering respect and tolerance for diverse cultural practices and viewpoints.  ANTHROPOLOGY EMIC vs ETIC APPROACHES Emic - derived from the word phonemic, refers to the insider view which seeks to describe another culture in terms of the categories, concepts, and perceptions of the people being studies. Etic - derived from the word phonetic, refers to the outsider view in which anthropologists use their own categories and concepts to describe the culture under analysis.