Sociology 144: Social Anthropology
Topic 1: Introduction to Social Anthropology
Based on the following readings:
NANDA & WARMS (CHAPTER 1)
ERIKSON, T.H. SMALL PLACES, LARGE ISSUES (CHAPTER 1)
Introduction to Anthropology
Studying society and culture.
Areas of specialization.
Cultural / Social anthropology as focus.
Anthropological research.
Applied anthropology.
Goals of Anthropology
Comparative: similarities and differences.
Holistic: The discipline attempts to understand the entirety of human experience.
Differences between anthropology and other subjects.
Study human behaviour from many perspectives, not only from a Western
(ethnocentric) view.
Holistic approach combining all elements of human biology, history, cultures and the
environment together.
‘The Exotic’ as research subject
Studies of groups whose goals, values, views of reality, and environmental adaptations are
very different from those of industrial Western societies.
Far away and isolated areas.
Examples include:
Raymond Firth – Tikopia.
Bronislaw Malinowski – Trobriand Islands.
Areas of specialisation in Anthropology
Linguistic Anthropology
Concerned with understanding language in its relation to culture.
Archaeology
The study of past cultures through their material remains.
Physical or biological Anthropology
The study of humankind from a biological perspective.
Cultural / Social Anthropology
The study of society and culture.
Cultural Anthropology
Cultural Anthropology is the study of:
Society: a group of people who depend on one another for survival and well-being.
Culture: major way in which human beings adapt to their environments and give
meaning to their lives. It includes human behaviour, learned ideas, material objects.
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Topic 1: Introduction to Social Anthropology
Based on the following readings:
NANDA & WARMS (CHAPTER 1)
ERIKSON, T.H. SMALL PLACES, LARGE ISSUES (CHAPTER 1)
Introduction to Anthropology
Studying society and culture.
Areas of specialization.
Cultural / Social anthropology as focus.
Anthropological research.
Applied anthropology.
Goals of Anthropology
Comparative: similarities and differences.
Holistic: The discipline attempts to understand the entirety of human experience.
Differences between anthropology and other subjects.
Study human behaviour from many perspectives, not only from a Western
(ethnocentric) view.
Holistic approach combining all elements of human biology, history, cultures and the
environment together.
‘The Exotic’ as research subject
Studies of groups whose goals, values, views of reality, and environmental adaptations are
very different from those of industrial Western societies.
Far away and isolated areas.
Examples include:
Raymond Firth – Tikopia.
Bronislaw Malinowski – Trobriand Islands.
Areas of specialisation in Anthropology
Linguistic Anthropology
Concerned with understanding language in its relation to culture.
Archaeology
The study of past cultures through their material remains.
Physical or biological Anthropology
The study of humankind from a biological perspective.
Cultural / Social Anthropology
The study of society and culture.
Cultural Anthropology
Cultural Anthropology is the study of:
Society: a group of people who depend on one another for survival and well-being.
Culture: major way in which human beings adapt to their environments and give
meaning to their lives. It includes human behaviour, learned ideas, material objects.
1
