LEARNING THEME1 – THE ANTHROPOLOGICAL STUDY
OF CULTURE IN A MULTICULTURAL CONTEXT (APY1501)
Learning outcomes
Introduce you to anthropology as a discipline
Explaining Anthropology and other disciplines
Defining the anthropological perspective and approach
Outlining the subfields of anthropology
Understanding the reason of why becomes an anthropologist?
INTRODUCTION, ORIENTATION AND WELCOME TO
ANTHROPOLOGY LEARNING THEME 1. WHAT IS ANTHROPOLOGY
OVERVIEW
Definition of Anthropology
The term anthropology comes from the Greek anthropos for “man/human” and logos
for “study”
Anthropology is the study of ourselves and others and appreciating our own and other
people‟s ways of being and doing.
Anthropology is the study of humankind everywhere, both past and present.
Anthropologist study people and their behaviour which require spending extended
periods of time with people in their own environment.
Anthropology produces information (data), knowledge and understanding of what
makes people different from one another and what makes them similar, and looks at
what all human beings have in common.
CRITICAL QUESTIONS
pg. 1
, violence against foreign African nationals and the phenomenon of xenophobia (the fear
or hatred of foreigners)
the ongoing controversy about the changing of place names in South Africa
The coach of the national rugby team labelling supporters “racists” for criticising a
(black) player, but not commenting on the affectionate roar of “Beast!” (the player‟s
nickname) by a mainly white crowd (when the black rugby player played particularly
well)
Looking at the above examples you would ask yourself questions like why?
The above critical questions give a platform as to why anthropologists
are curious about studying people.
They strive to make sense of human behavior
They try to seek answers for the above raised questions related to human condition and
the human experience.
Develop a better understanding of diverse societies in different contexts by spending
time with people in their particular settings ( a process called fieldwork)
Fieldwork”
Form of direct contact with people in their “world” in order to learn more about them
This “field” involves a great diversity of settings
Anthropologists thus take themselves out of the comfort zone of their own familiar
surroundings to experience other people and their activities in an unfamiliar context
You did the same thing when you moved to a new fl at in another building; when you
arrived at your first or a new job;
Some of the questions anthropologists seek to answer
What are our similarities?
What makes us distinctly human?
Despite sharing common human traits, why are we so very different?
Why do people differ in appearance, that is, physically and biologically?
pg. 2
OF CULTURE IN A MULTICULTURAL CONTEXT (APY1501)
Learning outcomes
Introduce you to anthropology as a discipline
Explaining Anthropology and other disciplines
Defining the anthropological perspective and approach
Outlining the subfields of anthropology
Understanding the reason of why becomes an anthropologist?
INTRODUCTION, ORIENTATION AND WELCOME TO
ANTHROPOLOGY LEARNING THEME 1. WHAT IS ANTHROPOLOGY
OVERVIEW
Definition of Anthropology
The term anthropology comes from the Greek anthropos for “man/human” and logos
for “study”
Anthropology is the study of ourselves and others and appreciating our own and other
people‟s ways of being and doing.
Anthropology is the study of humankind everywhere, both past and present.
Anthropologist study people and their behaviour which require spending extended
periods of time with people in their own environment.
Anthropology produces information (data), knowledge and understanding of what
makes people different from one another and what makes them similar, and looks at
what all human beings have in common.
CRITICAL QUESTIONS
pg. 1
, violence against foreign African nationals and the phenomenon of xenophobia (the fear
or hatred of foreigners)
the ongoing controversy about the changing of place names in South Africa
The coach of the national rugby team labelling supporters “racists” for criticising a
(black) player, but not commenting on the affectionate roar of “Beast!” (the player‟s
nickname) by a mainly white crowd (when the black rugby player played particularly
well)
Looking at the above examples you would ask yourself questions like why?
The above critical questions give a platform as to why anthropologists
are curious about studying people.
They strive to make sense of human behavior
They try to seek answers for the above raised questions related to human condition and
the human experience.
Develop a better understanding of diverse societies in different contexts by spending
time with people in their particular settings ( a process called fieldwork)
Fieldwork”
Form of direct contact with people in their “world” in order to learn more about them
This “field” involves a great diversity of settings
Anthropologists thus take themselves out of the comfort zone of their own familiar
surroundings to experience other people and their activities in an unfamiliar context
You did the same thing when you moved to a new fl at in another building; when you
arrived at your first or a new job;
Some of the questions anthropologists seek to answer
What are our similarities?
What makes us distinctly human?
Despite sharing common human traits, why are we so very different?
Why do people differ in appearance, that is, physically and biologically?
pg. 2
