Anthropology

Anthropology (/ænθrɵˈpɒlədʒi/) is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos (ἄνθρωπος), "human being", and -logia (-λογία), "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German philosopher Magnus Hundt.

Anthropology's basic concerns are "What defines Homo sapiens?", "Who are the ancestors of modern Homo sapiens?", "What are humans' physical traits?", "How do humans behave?", "Why are there variations and differences among different groups of humans?", "How has the evolutiona Anthropology (/ænθrɵˈpɒlədʒi/) is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos (ἄνθρωπος), "human being", and -logia (-λογία), "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German philosopher Magnus Hundt.

Anthropology's basic concerns are "What defines Homo sapiens?", "Who are the ancestors of modern Homo sapiens?", "What are humans' physical traits?", "How do humans behave?", "Why are there variations and differences among different groups of humans?", "How has the evolutionary past of Homo sapiens influenced its social organization and culture?" and so forth.

In the United States, contemporary anthropology is typically divided into four sub-fields: cultural anthropology also known as social anthropology, archaeology, linguistic anthropology, and physical (or biological) anthropology. The four-field approach to anthropology is reflected in many undergraduate textbooks as well as anthropology programs (e.g. Michigan, Berkeley, Penn). At universities in the United Kingdom, and much of Europe, these "sub-fields" are frequently housed in separate departments and are seen as distinct disciplines.

The social and cultural sub-field has been heavily influenced by structuralist and post-modern theories, as well as a shift toward the analysis of modern societies (an arena more typically in the remit of sociologists). During the 1970s and 1990s there was an epistemological shift away from the positivist traditions that had largely informed the discipline.During this shift, enduring questions about the nature and production of knowledge came to occupy a central place in cultural and social anthropology. In contrast, archaeology, biological anthropology, and linguistic anthropology remained largely positivist. Due to this difference in epistemology, anthropology as a discipline has lacked cohesion over the last several decades. This has even led to departments diverging, for example in the 1998–9 academic year at Stanford University, where the "scientists" and "non-scientists" divided into two departments: anthropological sciences and cultural & social anthropology; these departments later reunified in the 2008–9 academic year. ...more

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Anthropology Books

Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies

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The Gift: The Form and Reason for Exchange in Archaic Societies

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Coming of Age in Samoa: A Psychological Study of Primitive Youth for Western Civilisation

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Lists

Tears in the Graeco-Roman World by Thorsten F. Gen

ANSGAR AND THE TROLLS by Patricia Stinson

The Elongated Skulls of Stonehenge by Maria Wheatley

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101 books — 2 voters

The True Story of Moses by Linda George Christy

The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James

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A History of Religious Ideas, Volume 2 by Mircea Eliade

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163 books — 59 voters

Never My Father's Daughter by Bamini Selladurai

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1,089 books — 1,829 voters

In Search of Respect by Philippe Bourgois

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman

Death Without Weeping by Nancy Scheper-Hughes

Argonauts of the Western Pacific by Bronisław Malinowski

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141 books — 103 voters

Bukareszt. Kurz i krew by Małgorzata Rejmer

Błoto słodsze niż miód. Głosy komunistycznej Albanii by Małgorzata Rejmer

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97 books — 25 voters

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The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X

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1,448 books — 1,813 voters

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Quotes Tagged “Anthropology”

“ One of history’s fews iron laws is that luxuries tend to become necessities and to spawn new obligations. Once people get used to a certain luxury, they take it for granted. Then they begin to count on it. Finally they reach a point where they can’t live without it. Over the few decades, we have invented countless time saving machines that are supposed to make like more relaxed - washing machines, vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, telephones, mobile phones, computers, email. We thought we were savin ...more ”
― Yuval Noah Harari, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

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“ I wanted movement and not a calm course of existence. I wanted excitement and the chance to sacrifice myself for my love. I felt it in myself a superabundance of energy which found no outlet in our quiet life. ”
― Leo Tolstoy, Семейное счастие

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