Core Themes in Anthropology
Chapter 1: The Study of Us
Chapter 2: Sociocultural Universals
Chapter 3: Cultural Variation
Chapter 4: Where Anthropology Comes From
Chapter 5: Contemporary Theory and Method
Chapter 6: Social Organization
, Chapter 1: The Study of Us
Anthropology:
• The scientific study of humankind (including both living and extinct) in the broadest sense
possible
• 4 subfields; cultural anthropology, physical anthropology, archaeology, and linguistic
anthropology
1. Cultural anthropology:
• Focuses on the description and analysis of cultural similarities and differences
• Sometimes called Social anthropology (because society is another basic concept in
its field)
• 3 subfields; ethnography, ethnohistory, ethnology
A. Ethnography / fieldwork:
• Involves living with members of the society you are studying, often for a
year to experience all the seasons, this is known as Participant observation
B. Ethnohistory:
• Study of past cultures using documents
C. Ethnology (or cross-cultural):
• Study and comparison of different cultures
2. Physical anthropology:
• Study of human biology and evolution
• 2 important subfields; paleoanthropology and primatology
3. Archaeology:
• Study of human past through material culture
• Archaeologists study Artifacts: Things made by people
• A subfield, Ethnoarchaeology: Studying of ethnographic data in order to interpret human
behaviors and its consequences
4. Linguistic anthropology:
• Study of human language, how it defines our species, and how language varies in different
social contexts
Holism and the Four Fields:
• The integrated approach to the study of humans, where all factors are taken into account
and are considered to be interdependent
Chapter 1: The Study of Us
Chapter 2: Sociocultural Universals
Chapter 3: Cultural Variation
Chapter 4: Where Anthropology Comes From
Chapter 5: Contemporary Theory and Method
Chapter 6: Social Organization
, Chapter 1: The Study of Us
Anthropology:
• The scientific study of humankind (including both living and extinct) in the broadest sense
possible
• 4 subfields; cultural anthropology, physical anthropology, archaeology, and linguistic
anthropology
1. Cultural anthropology:
• Focuses on the description and analysis of cultural similarities and differences
• Sometimes called Social anthropology (because society is another basic concept in
its field)
• 3 subfields; ethnography, ethnohistory, ethnology
A. Ethnography / fieldwork:
• Involves living with members of the society you are studying, often for a
year to experience all the seasons, this is known as Participant observation
B. Ethnohistory:
• Study of past cultures using documents
C. Ethnology (or cross-cultural):
• Study and comparison of different cultures
2. Physical anthropology:
• Study of human biology and evolution
• 2 important subfields; paleoanthropology and primatology
3. Archaeology:
• Study of human past through material culture
• Archaeologists study Artifacts: Things made by people
• A subfield, Ethnoarchaeology: Studying of ethnographic data in order to interpret human
behaviors and its consequences
4. Linguistic anthropology:
• Study of human language, how it defines our species, and how language varies in different
social contexts
Holism and the Four Fields:
• The integrated approach to the study of humans, where all factors are taken into account
and are considered to be interdependent
