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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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

Technological Slavery by Theodore John Kaczynski

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Industrial Society and Its Future by Theodore John Kaczynski

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146 books — 102 voters

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

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162 books — 23 voters

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The Horse, the Wheel, and Language by David W. Anthony

480 books — 173 voters

The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel

The Clan of the Cave Bear & The Valley of Horses by Jean M. Auel

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85 books — 80 voters

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Quotes Tagged “Anthropology”

“ Sometime I'm going to do an essay called 'The Virtues of Amateurism' for all of those people who wish they earned their living in the arts. The market kills more artistic people than anything else. It's a world of safety out there, for most people. They want safety, the magazines and manufacturers give them safety, give them homogeneity, give them the familiar and comfortable, don't challenge them. ...more ”
― Robert James Waller, The Bridges of Madison County

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“ L'anthropologie n'est ni une religion à laquelle on adhère, ni une maladie qu'on contracte. Elle est d'un même mouvement un retour sur Soi et sur l'Autre considérés ensemble, mais l'habitude d'une relation à sens unique depuis cinq siècles n'autorise pas l'inversion de cette relation a produire les mêmes effets. ...more ”
― Jean Copans, Introduction à l'ethnologie et à l'anthropologie

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