UNISA
APY1501 - The
Anthropological Study of
Culture in a Multicultural
Context
SUMMARY
IMPORTANT:
- This is a summary of UNISA’s semester 1 & 2 APY1501 syllabus
- READ THROUGH YOUR UNISA STUDY GUIDE FIRST!
- Get an overview of the module and then study each topic individually
- use this guide in conjunction with the UNISA guide – it is not a substitute
- Ensure you understand the content of this module in order to pass.
,Learning Theme 1 – What is Anthropology
1.1 Intro
Anthropology
Definition -: is the study of humankind world-wide, through time.
Origins -: Anthropos -: Greek for “man/ human”
Logos -: Greek for “Study”
End result -: 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.
Examples of where an anthropologist works;
City, Town, Rural tribes, other countries etc.
1.2 Anthropology & Other Disciplines
Psychology
- Studies the mental life of humans.
- Anthropologists believe individual psychology is shaped by particular human environment or
sociocultural context that the person grew up in and lives.
- Specialists fields: psychological anthropology, culture and personality, ethno-psychology
Sociology
- Studies the social life of people, relations, organizations and human behaviour of human societies.
- Anthropologists share these interests
- Study areas
Sociologists Anthropologists
Initially Societies & different groupings within Non-industrialised people –
them in the industrial “West” (modern/ traditional/ preliterate
developed)
Smaller populations of non-literate
groups in rural settings
- Using different study methods/ data collection methods;
o Sociologists – questionnaires/ sampling/ statistical methods
o Anthropologists – lived with the people for extended periods, participating in their
activities and observing first hand.
History
- Focuses on past events & individuals, studying why events occurred in sequences and the role of
the people in them.
- Anthropologist’s emphasis the contemporary situation & events but work with the awareness of
the past and the sequence which led to contemporary human dynamics.
Geography
- Particularly human geographers – study people and how they relate to the land.
APY1501
, 1.3 The Anthropological perspective & Approach
Holistic
Definition -:multi-faceted approach, taking the whole context of a particular group into account, looking
at the “whole picture”
Example -: anthropologists may refer to the people, history of the area, physical environment, culture,
family life etc.
Also referred to as-: Contextualisation
Comparison/ Comparative Method
- Not a comparison of “besting”
- Indicates differences AND similarities between the sociocultural systems of people
Culture/ Sociocultural System
- Methodology of doing research, fieldwork
1.4 The Subfields of Anthropology
“Four Fields” of Anthropology
- Many linkages between the fields
- Filed refers to every place/ context where there are humans (institutional or other)
1. Biological/ Physical Anthropology
- Deals with the biological or physical aspects of humans and human populations.
- Focus on the fossil remains of prehistoric human-like beings to obtain information about the
development of human beings from early times.
2. Archaeology
- From the Greek “Arkhaios” ancient & “Logos” study
- Studies the past living conditions and changes that occurred in human populations during prehistoric
times.
- Obtain data from the material remains of human settlements collected during excavations of sites
where people once lived.
3. Linguistic Anthropology
- Focuses on the relationship between language and other aspects of people’s lives.
- Specialities:
o Historical linguistics: studying how languages change over time & how they are related
o Descriptive/ Structural Linguistics: study of differences in language most notably in
construction
o Sociolinguistics: the study of how languages are used in different social contexts.
4. Sociocultural Anthropology
- The anthropological study of culture in a multicultural context
APY1501
APY1501 - The
Anthropological Study of
Culture in a Multicultural
Context
SUMMARY
IMPORTANT:
- This is a summary of UNISA’s semester 1 & 2 APY1501 syllabus
- READ THROUGH YOUR UNISA STUDY GUIDE FIRST!
- Get an overview of the module and then study each topic individually
- use this guide in conjunction with the UNISA guide – it is not a substitute
- Ensure you understand the content of this module in order to pass.
,Learning Theme 1 – What is Anthropology
1.1 Intro
Anthropology
Definition -: is the study of humankind world-wide, through time.
Origins -: Anthropos -: Greek for “man/ human”
Logos -: Greek for “Study”
End result -: 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.
Examples of where an anthropologist works;
City, Town, Rural tribes, other countries etc.
1.2 Anthropology & Other Disciplines
Psychology
- Studies the mental life of humans.
- Anthropologists believe individual psychology is shaped by particular human environment or
sociocultural context that the person grew up in and lives.
- Specialists fields: psychological anthropology, culture and personality, ethno-psychology
Sociology
- Studies the social life of people, relations, organizations and human behaviour of human societies.
- Anthropologists share these interests
- Study areas
Sociologists Anthropologists
Initially Societies & different groupings within Non-industrialised people –
them in the industrial “West” (modern/ traditional/ preliterate
developed)
Smaller populations of non-literate
groups in rural settings
- Using different study methods/ data collection methods;
o Sociologists – questionnaires/ sampling/ statistical methods
o Anthropologists – lived with the people for extended periods, participating in their
activities and observing first hand.
History
- Focuses on past events & individuals, studying why events occurred in sequences and the role of
the people in them.
- Anthropologist’s emphasis the contemporary situation & events but work with the awareness of
the past and the sequence which led to contemporary human dynamics.
Geography
- Particularly human geographers – study people and how they relate to the land.
APY1501
, 1.3 The Anthropological perspective & Approach
Holistic
Definition -:multi-faceted approach, taking the whole context of a particular group into account, looking
at the “whole picture”
Example -: anthropologists may refer to the people, history of the area, physical environment, culture,
family life etc.
Also referred to as-: Contextualisation
Comparison/ Comparative Method
- Not a comparison of “besting”
- Indicates differences AND similarities between the sociocultural systems of people
Culture/ Sociocultural System
- Methodology of doing research, fieldwork
1.4 The Subfields of Anthropology
“Four Fields” of Anthropology
- Many linkages between the fields
- Filed refers to every place/ context where there are humans (institutional or other)
1. Biological/ Physical Anthropology
- Deals with the biological or physical aspects of humans and human populations.
- Focus on the fossil remains of prehistoric human-like beings to obtain information about the
development of human beings from early times.
2. Archaeology
- From the Greek “Arkhaios” ancient & “Logos” study
- Studies the past living conditions and changes that occurred in human populations during prehistoric
times.
- Obtain data from the material remains of human settlements collected during excavations of sites
where people once lived.
3. Linguistic Anthropology
- Focuses on the relationship between language and other aspects of people’s lives.
- Specialities:
o Historical linguistics: studying how languages change over time & how they are related
o Descriptive/ Structural Linguistics: study of differences in language most notably in
construction
o Sociolinguistics: the study of how languages are used in different social contexts.
4. Sociocultural Anthropology
- The anthropological study of culture in a multicultural context
APY1501
