(no subject)

[itsillmatic]

What Is Anthropology?

1. 
   Anthropology seeks a holistic view of the human race through biology, social sciences, and humanities.
   
   1. 
      Anthropologists thus specialize to contribute to this overall understanding
      
2. 
   Biology and culture are “inextricably intertwined.”
   
3. 
   Anthropologists must be constantly aware of their own cultural biases.
   
4. 
   Anthropology is a relatively recent discipline.
   
   1. 
      Technology allows us to more easily observe and study other cultures
      
   2. 
      European imperialist attitudes often viewed other cultures as “savages.”
      
      1. 
         Now, we recognize basic humanity in all people
         
5. 
   Anthropologists must synthesize many disciplines.
   
6. 
   Anthropologists must also incorporate a cross cultural and long term historical perspective.
   
7. 
   Four Primary Subfields
   
   1. 
      Physical Anthropology
      
      1. 
         Also known as biological anthropology.
         
      2. 
         Focuses on humans as biological organisms
         
         1. 
            human evolution
            
         2. 
            primatology
            
         3. 
            growth and development
            
         4. 
            human adaptation
            
      3. 
         Molecular anthropology studies genes and genetics
         
   2. 
      Archaeology
      
      1. 
         studies material remains
         
      2. 
         focused on prehistoric past
         
         1. 
            before written records
            
      3. 
         can reach back millions of years, as opposed to 5,000 of written records
         
      4. 
         contemporary archaeologists can also gather information on modern human behavior
         
   3. 
      Linguistic Anthropology
      
      1. 
         studies human language
         
         1. 
            history of languages
            
         2. 
            descriptions of syntax and technical aspects
            
         3. 
            relationship between language and culture
            
      2. 
         language is one of the primary distinguishing factors between humans and other animals
         
      3. 
         helps understand how people perceive themselves and the world around them
         
      4. 
         can also help understand people who spoke certain languages in the past and contribute to knowledge about where certain civilizations lived or how they influenced others
         
         
   4. 
      Cultural Anthropology
      
      1. 
         studies patterns in behavior, thought, and feelings.
         
      2. 
         Focuses on humans as cultural entities
         
         1. 
            often unconscious, socially learned patterns of humans.
            
      3. 
         Ethnography - detailed description of a particular culture
         
      4. 
         Ethnology - cross-cultural perspective that allows anthropologists to make generalizations across time and space
         
   5. 
      Medical Anthropology
      
      1. 
         Studies medicine from a cross-cultural, anthropological perspective.
         
      2. 
         New, emerging discipline
         
      3. 
         use anthropological discipline to understand and improve human health