IntroductionttotCulturaltAnthropologyt–tSOC401 VU
Lessont01
WHATtIStANTHROPOLOGY?
Anthropologytcantbetbesttdefinedtastthetstudytoftthetvarioustfacetstoftwhattittmeansttotbethuman.tAnthropolo
gytistatmultidimensionaltsubjecttintwhichtvarioustcomponentstaretstudiedtindividuallytandtastatwholettotdevelo
ptatbettertunderstandingtofthumantexistence.tIntthistlecturetwetwilltnottonlytbetdevelopingtantunderstandingtoftt
hetdefinitiontoftanthropology,twetwilltalsotbetlookingtattwhattantanthropologisttdoes.tIntadditionttotthistwetwillta
lsotbetlookingtattthetvarioustbranchestoftanthropologytwithtatfocustontculturaltanthropology.
DefinitiontoftAnthropology
AnthropologytistderivedtfromtthetGreektwordstanthropostforthumantandtlogostfortstudy,tsotiftwettaketitstliteral
tmeaningtittwouldtmeantthetstudytofthumans.tIntonetsensetthististantaccuratetdescriptionttotthetextenttthattittraisest
atwidetvarietytoftquestionstabouttthethumantexistence.t Howevertthistliteraltdefinitiontisn’ttastaccuratetastittsho
uldtbetsincetatnumbertoftothertdisciplinestsuchtastsociology,thistory,tpsychology,teconomicstandtmanytother
stalsotstudythumantbeings.
Whattsetstanthropologytaparttfromtalltthesetothertsubjects?tAnthropologytistthetstudytoftpeople,ttheirtorigins
,ttheirtdevelopment,tandtvariations,twherevertandtwheneverttheythavetbeentfoundtontthetfacetoftthetearth.tOftallt
thetsubjectstthattdealtwithtthetstudytofthumans,tanthropologytistbytfartthetbroadesttintitstscope.t Intshorttanthr
opologytaimsttotdescribe,tintthetbroadesttsense,twhattittmeansttotbethuman.
ActivitiestoftantAnthropologist
Astwetalreadytknow,tanthropologytistthetstudytoftwhattittmeansttotbethuman.tSotthetstudytoftthetinfluencestthattm
aketusthumantistthetfocustoftanthropologists.tAnthropologistststudytthetvarioustcomponentstoftwhattitstmeanstt
otbethuman.
BranchestoftAnthropology
A PhysicaltAnthropologyt–
Istthetstudytofthumanstfromtatbiologicaltperspective.tEssentiallytthistinvolvesttwotbroadtare
t
astoftinvestigation.
a. Humantpaleontologyt-:tthistsubtbranchtdealstwithtre-
constructingtthetevolutionarytrecordtoftthethumantexistencetandthowthumanstevolvedtupttotthetprese
ntttimes.
b. Humantvariationt -
:t Thet secondtareatdealstwiththow/twhytthet physicalttraitst oft contemporarythumantpopulationstvaryt
acrosstthetworld.
B Archeologyt–
tstudytoftlivestoftpeopletfromtthetpasttbytexaminingtthetmaterialtculturettheythavetlefttbehind
C AnthropologicaltLinguisticst–tthetstudytofthumantspeechtandtlanguage
D CulturaltAnthropologyt–tthetstudytoftculturaltdifferencestandtsimilaritiestaroundtthetworld
Nowtthattwethavetbrieflytdefinedtthetvarioustbranchestoftanthropology,tletstustnowttaketantin-
depthtviewtoftculturaltanthropology.
©tCopyrighttVirtualtUniversitytoftPakistan 1
,IntroductionttotCulturaltAnthropologyt–tSOC401 VU
Culturalt Anthropology:
Astwethavetdiscernedtabove,tculturaltanthropologytconcernstitselftwithtthetstudytoftculturaltdifferencestastwellt
astthetsimilaritiestaroundtthetworld.
Ontatdeepertleveltthetbranchtoftanthropologytthattdealstwithtthetstudytoftspecifictcontemporarytculturest(ethn
ography)tandtthetmoretgeneraltunderlyingtpatternstofthumantculturetderivedtthroughtculturaltcomparisonst(e
thnology)tistcalledtculturaltanthropology.
Beforetculturaltanthropologiststcantexaminetculturaltdifferencestandtsimilaritiestthroughouttthetworldttheytmu
sttfirsttdescribetthetfeaturestoftspecifictculturestintastmuchtdetailtastpossible.tThesetdetailedtdescriptionst(ethnogr
aphies)taretthetresulttoftextensivetfieldtstudiestintwhichtthetanthropologiststobserves,ttalksttotandtlivestwithtthetpeopl
etundertstudy.tOntthetotherthandtethnologytistthetcomparativetstudytoftcontemporarytcultures,twherevertthey
taretfound.tThetprimarytobjectivetoftethnologytisttotuncovertgeneraltculturaltprincipals/rulestthattgovernthu
mantbehavior.
AreastoftSpecializationtintCulturaltAnthropology
I UrbantAnthropologyt–
tstudiestimpacttofturbanizationtontruraltsocietiestandtthetdynamicstoftlifetwithintcities
II Medicalt Anthropologyt –t studiest biologicalt andt socio-
culturalt factorst thatt effectt healtht ortprevalencetoftillnesstortdiseasetinthumantsocieties
III EducationaltAnthropologyt–
tstudiestprocessestoftlearningtoftbothtformalteducationtinstitutionstandtinformaltsystemstwhichtcantus
etstoryttellingtortexperientialtlearning
IV Economict Anthropologyt –
t studiest howt goodst andt servicest aret produced,t distributedt andtconsumedtwithintdifferenttcultura
ltcontexts
V Psychologicalt Anthropologyt –
t studiest relationshipt betweent culturest andt thet psychologicaltmakeuptoftindividualstbelongingttot
them
HolistictandtIntegrativetApproach
Culturaltanthropologiststconsidertinfluencestoftnaturetandtnurture,tacrosstalltlocationstandtacrosstdifferenttperi
odstofttime.
Whentvarioustspecialtiestoftthetdisciplinetaretviewedttogether,ttheytprovidetatcomprehensivetviewtoftthethum
antcondition
CommontResponsesttotCulturaltDifference:
A Ethnocentrismt–
tatbelieftthattone’stowntculturetistnottonlytthetmosttdesirabletbuttalsotsuperiorttotthattoftothers.
B Culturalt relativismt –
t lookst att thet inherentt logict behindt differentt culturest andt practicest int thetattemptttotunderstandtthem
RelevancetoftCulturaltAnthropology
Culturaltanthropologytenhancestunderstandingtoftdifferencestandtpreventstoversimplifiedtgeneralizations.tIttincr
easestself-
knowledgetabouttourtowntthinking,tvaluestandtbehaviortandthelpstdeveloptcognitivetcomplexitytthroughtinte
grationt(interconnectedness)tandtdifferentiationt(differenttaspectstoftatsingular
©tCopyrighttVirtualtUniversitytoftPakistan 2
, IntroductionttotCulturaltAnthropologyt–tSOC401 VU
entity).tCulturaltanthropologytistalsotusefultintfacilitatingtmeaningfultinteractiontwithtothertculturestandtsub
-cultures.
©tCopyrighttVirtualtUniversitytoftPakistan 3
, IntroductionttotCulturaltAnthropologyt–tSOC401 VU
UsefultTermstCom
ponents:tparts
Paleontology:tspecializedtbranchtoftphysicaltanthropologytthattanalysestthetemergencetandtsubsequenttevolutio
ntofthumantphysiology
Variation:tdegreetoftdifference
Archeology:tsubtfieldtoftanthropologytthattfocusestontthetstudytoftpre-
historictandthistorictculturestthroughtthetexcavationtoftmaterialtremains.
Contemporary:t current
Urban:tcityt based
Ethnocentrism:tthetpracticetoftviewingtthetcustomstoftothertsocietiestinttermstoftone’stown.
Suggestedt Readings
Studentst aret advisedt tot readt thet followingt chapterst tot developt at bettert understandingt oft thet varioustprinc
ipalsthighlightedtintthisthand-out:
Chaptert 1t int ‘Culturalt Anthropology:t Ant Appliedt Perspective’t byt Ferrarrot and/ort Chaptert 13t int ‘Anthropology’t bytEmbe
rtandtPergrine
InternettResources
Int additiont tot readingt fromt thet textbook,t pleaset visitt thet followingt web-
pagest fort thist lecture,t whichtprovidetusefultandtinterestingtinformation:
HowtdotAnthropologiststWork?thttp://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Param
s=J1SEC782998
BrachestoftAnthropologythttp://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=J1S
EC782999
©tCopyrighttVirtualtUniversitytoftPakistan 4
Lessont01
WHATtIStANTHROPOLOGY?
Anthropologytcantbetbesttdefinedtastthetstudytoftthetvarioustfacetstoftwhattittmeansttotbethuman.tAnthropolo
gytistatmultidimensionaltsubjecttintwhichtvarioustcomponentstaretstudiedtindividuallytandtastatwholettotdevelo
ptatbettertunderstandingtofthumantexistence.tIntthistlecturetwetwilltnottonlytbetdevelopingtantunderstandingtoftt
hetdefinitiontoftanthropology,twetwilltalsotbetlookingtattwhattantanthropologisttdoes.tIntadditionttotthistwetwillta
lsotbetlookingtattthetvarioustbranchestoftanthropologytwithtatfocustontculturaltanthropology.
DefinitiontoftAnthropology
AnthropologytistderivedtfromtthetGreektwordstanthropostforthumantandtlogostfortstudy,tsotiftwettaketitstliteral
tmeaningtittwouldtmeantthetstudytofthumans.tIntonetsensetthististantaccuratetdescriptionttotthetextenttthattittraisest
atwidetvarietytoftquestionstabouttthethumantexistence.t Howevertthistliteraltdefinitiontisn’ttastaccuratetastittsho
uldtbetsincetatnumbertoftothertdisciplinestsuchtastsociology,thistory,tpsychology,teconomicstandtmanytother
stalsotstudythumantbeings.
Whattsetstanthropologytaparttfromtalltthesetothertsubjects?tAnthropologytistthetstudytoftpeople,ttheirtorigins
,ttheirtdevelopment,tandtvariations,twherevertandtwheneverttheythavetbeentfoundtontthetfacetoftthetearth.tOftallt
thetsubjectstthattdealtwithtthetstudytofthumans,tanthropologytistbytfartthetbroadesttintitstscope.t Intshorttanthr
opologytaimsttotdescribe,tintthetbroadesttsense,twhattittmeansttotbethuman.
ActivitiestoftantAnthropologist
Astwetalreadytknow,tanthropologytistthetstudytoftwhattittmeansttotbethuman.tSotthetstudytoftthetinfluencestthattm
aketusthumantistthetfocustoftanthropologists.tAnthropologistststudytthetvarioustcomponentstoftwhattitstmeanstt
otbethuman.
BranchestoftAnthropology
A PhysicaltAnthropologyt–
Istthetstudytofthumanstfromtatbiologicaltperspective.tEssentiallytthistinvolvesttwotbroadtare
t
astoftinvestigation.
a. Humantpaleontologyt-:tthistsubtbranchtdealstwithtre-
constructingtthetevolutionarytrecordtoftthethumantexistencetandthowthumanstevolvedtupttotthetprese
ntttimes.
b. Humantvariationt -
:t Thet secondtareatdealstwiththow/twhytthet physicalttraitst oft contemporarythumantpopulationstvaryt
acrosstthetworld.
B Archeologyt–
tstudytoftlivestoftpeopletfromtthetpasttbytexaminingtthetmaterialtculturettheythavetlefttbehind
C AnthropologicaltLinguisticst–tthetstudytofthumantspeechtandtlanguage
D CulturaltAnthropologyt–tthetstudytoftculturaltdifferencestandtsimilaritiestaroundtthetworld
Nowtthattwethavetbrieflytdefinedtthetvarioustbranchestoftanthropology,tletstustnowttaketantin-
depthtviewtoftculturaltanthropology.
©tCopyrighttVirtualtUniversitytoftPakistan 1
,IntroductionttotCulturaltAnthropologyt–tSOC401 VU
Culturalt Anthropology:
Astwethavetdiscernedtabove,tculturaltanthropologytconcernstitselftwithtthetstudytoftculturaltdifferencestastwellt
astthetsimilaritiestaroundtthetworld.
Ontatdeepertleveltthetbranchtoftanthropologytthattdealstwithtthetstudytoftspecifictcontemporarytculturest(ethn
ography)tandtthetmoretgeneraltunderlyingtpatternstofthumantculturetderivedtthroughtculturaltcomparisonst(e
thnology)tistcalledtculturaltanthropology.
Beforetculturaltanthropologiststcantexaminetculturaltdifferencestandtsimilaritiestthroughouttthetworldttheytmu
sttfirsttdescribetthetfeaturestoftspecifictculturestintastmuchtdetailtastpossible.tThesetdetailedtdescriptionst(ethnogr
aphies)taretthetresulttoftextensivetfieldtstudiestintwhichtthetanthropologiststobserves,ttalksttotandtlivestwithtthetpeopl
etundertstudy.tOntthetotherthandtethnologytistthetcomparativetstudytoftcontemporarytcultures,twherevertthey
taretfound.tThetprimarytobjectivetoftethnologytisttotuncovertgeneraltculturaltprincipals/rulestthattgovernthu
mantbehavior.
AreastoftSpecializationtintCulturaltAnthropology
I UrbantAnthropologyt–
tstudiestimpacttofturbanizationtontruraltsocietiestandtthetdynamicstoftlifetwithintcities
II Medicalt Anthropologyt –t studiest biologicalt andt socio-
culturalt factorst thatt effectt healtht ortprevalencetoftillnesstortdiseasetinthumantsocieties
III EducationaltAnthropologyt–
tstudiestprocessestoftlearningtoftbothtformalteducationtinstitutionstandtinformaltsystemstwhichtcantus
etstoryttellingtortexperientialtlearning
IV Economict Anthropologyt –
t studiest howt goodst andt servicest aret produced,t distributedt andtconsumedtwithintdifferenttcultura
ltcontexts
V Psychologicalt Anthropologyt –
t studiest relationshipt betweent culturest andt thet psychologicaltmakeuptoftindividualstbelongingttot
them
HolistictandtIntegrativetApproach
Culturaltanthropologiststconsidertinfluencestoftnaturetandtnurture,tacrosstalltlocationstandtacrosstdifferenttperi
odstofttime.
Whentvarioustspecialtiestoftthetdisciplinetaretviewedttogether,ttheytprovidetatcomprehensivetviewtoftthethum
antcondition
CommontResponsesttotCulturaltDifference:
A Ethnocentrismt–
tatbelieftthattone’stowntculturetistnottonlytthetmosttdesirabletbuttalsotsuperiorttotthattoftothers.
B Culturalt relativismt –
t lookst att thet inherentt logict behindt differentt culturest andt practicest int thetattemptttotunderstandtthem
RelevancetoftCulturaltAnthropology
Culturaltanthropologytenhancestunderstandingtoftdifferencestandtpreventstoversimplifiedtgeneralizations.tIttincr
easestself-
knowledgetabouttourtowntthinking,tvaluestandtbehaviortandthelpstdeveloptcognitivetcomplexitytthroughtinte
grationt(interconnectedness)tandtdifferentiationt(differenttaspectstoftatsingular
©tCopyrighttVirtualtUniversitytoftPakistan 2
, IntroductionttotCulturaltAnthropologyt–tSOC401 VU
entity).tCulturaltanthropologytistalsotusefultintfacilitatingtmeaningfultinteractiontwithtothertculturestandtsub
-cultures.
©tCopyrighttVirtualtUniversitytoftPakistan 3
, IntroductionttotCulturaltAnthropologyt–tSOC401 VU
UsefultTermstCom
ponents:tparts
Paleontology:tspecializedtbranchtoftphysicaltanthropologytthattanalysestthetemergencetandtsubsequenttevolutio
ntofthumantphysiology
Variation:tdegreetoftdifference
Archeology:tsubtfieldtoftanthropologytthattfocusestontthetstudytoftpre-
historictandthistorictculturestthroughtthetexcavationtoftmaterialtremains.
Contemporary:t current
Urban:tcityt based
Ethnocentrism:tthetpracticetoftviewingtthetcustomstoftothertsocietiestinttermstoftone’stown.
Suggestedt Readings
Studentst aret advisedt tot readt thet followingt chapterst tot developt at bettert understandingt oft thet varioustprinc
ipalsthighlightedtintthisthand-out:
Chaptert 1t int ‘Culturalt Anthropology:t Ant Appliedt Perspective’t byt Ferrarrot and/ort Chaptert 13t int ‘Anthropology’t bytEmbe
rtandtPergrine
InternettResources
Int additiont tot readingt fromt thet textbook,t pleaset visitt thet followingt web-
pagest fort thist lecture,t whichtprovidetusefultandtinterestingtinformation:
HowtdotAnthropologiststWork?thttp://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Param
s=J1SEC782998
BrachestoftAnthropologythttp://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=J1S
EC782999
©tCopyrighttVirtualtUniversitytoftPakistan 4
