IntroductionptopCulturalpAnthropologyp–pSOC401 VU
Lessonp01
WHATpISpANTHROPOLOGY?
Anthropologypcanpbepbestpdefinedpaspthepstudypofpthepvariouspfacetspofpwhatpitpmeansptopbephuman.pAnthro
pologypispapmultidimensionalpsubjectpinpwhichpvariouspcomponentsparepstudiedpindividuallypandpaspapwholept
opdeveloppapbetterpunderstandingpofphumanpexistence.pInpthisplecturepwepwillpnotponlypbepdevelopingpanpunde
rstandingpofpthepdefinitionpofpanthropology,pwepwillpalsopbeplookingpatpwhatpanpanthropologistpdoes.pInpadditi
onptopthispwepwillpalsopbeplookingpatpthepvariouspbranchespofpanthropologypwithpapfocusponpculturalpanthropo
logy.
DefinitionpofpAnthropology
AnthropologypispderivedpfrompthepGreekpwordspanthropospforphumanpandplogospforpstudy,psopifpweptakepitspl
iteralpmeaningpitpwouldpmeanpthepstudypofphumans.pInponepsensepthispispanpaccuratepdescriptionptopthepextentpt
hatpitpraisespapwidepvarietypofpquestionspaboutpthephumanpexistence.p Howeverpthispliteralpdefinitionpisn’tpaspa
ccuratepaspitpshouldpbepsincepapnumberpofpotherpdisciplinespsuchpaspsociology,phistory,ppsychology,pecono
micspandpmanypotherspalsopstudyphumanpbeings.
Whatpsetspanthropologypapartpfrompallpthesepotherpsubjects?pAnthropologypispthepstudypofppeople,ptheirpori
gins,ptheirpdevelopment,pandpvariations,pwhereverpandpwheneverptheyphavepbeenpfoundponpthepfacepofpthepear
th.pOfpallpthepsubjectspthatpdealpwithpthepstudypofphumans,panthropologypispbypfarpthepbroadestpinpitspscope.
p Inpshortpanthropologypaims ptopdescribe,pinpthepbroadestpsense,pwhatpitpmeansptopbephuman.
ActivitiespofpanpAnthropologist
Aspwepalreadypknow,panthropologypispthepstudypofpwhatpitpmeansptopbephuman.pSopthepstudypofpthepinfluencespt
hatpmakepusphumanpispthepfocuspofpanthropologists.pAnthropologistspstudypthepvariouspcomponentspofpwhatpi
tspmeansptopbephuman.
BranchespofpAnthropology
A PhysicalpAnthropologyp–
Ispthepstudypofphumanspfrompapbiologicalpperspective.pEssentiallypthispinvolvesptwopbroa
p
dpareaspofpinvestigation.
a. Humanppaleontologyp-:pthispsubpbranchpdealspwithpre-
constructingpthepevolutionaryprecordpofpthephumanpexistencepandphowphumanspevolvedpupptopthepp
resentptimes.
b. Humanpvariationp -
:p Thep secondpareapdealspwithphow/pwhypthep physicalptraitsp ofp contemporaryphumanppopulationspv
arypacrosspthepworld.
B Archeologyp–
pstudypofplivespofppeoplepfromptheppastpbypexaminingpthepmaterialpcultureptheyphavepleftpbehind
C AnthropologicalpLinguisticsp–pthepstudypofphumanpspeechpandplanguage
D CulturalpAnthropologyp–pthepstudypofpculturalpdifferencespandpsimilaritiesparoundpthepworld
Nowpthatpwephavepbrieflypdefinedpthepvariouspbranchespofpanthropology,pletspuspnowptakepanpin-
depthpviewpofpculturalpanthropology.
©pCopyrightpVirtualpUniversitypofpPakistan 1
,IntroductionptopCulturalpAnthropologyp–pSOC401 VU
Culturalp Anthropology:
Aspwephavepdiscernedpabove,pculturalpanthropologypconcernspitselfpwithpthepstudypofpculturalpdifferencespasp
wellpaspthepsimilaritiesparoundpthepworld.
Onpapdeeperplevelpthepbranchpofpanthropologypthatpdealspwithpthepstudypofpspecificpcontemporarypculturesp(
ethnography)pandpthepmorepgeneralpunderlyingppatternspofphumanpculturepderivedpthroughpculturalpcompar
isonsp(ethnology)pispcalledpculturalpanthropology.
Beforepculturalpanthropologistspcanpexaminepculturalpdifferencespandpsimilaritiespthroughoutpthepworldptheyp
mustpfirstpdescribepthepfeaturespofpspecificpculturespinpaspmuchpdetailpasppossible.pThesepdetailedpdescriptionsp(
ethnographies)parepthepresultpofpextensivepfieldpstudiespinpwhichpthepanthropologistspobserves,ptalksptopandplivespw
ithptheppeoplepunderpstudy.pOnpthepotherphandpethnologypispthepcomparativepstudypofpcontemporarypculture
s,pwhereverptheyparepfound.pThepprimarypobjectivepofpethnologypisptopuncoverpgeneralpculturalpprincipals/r
ulespthatpgovernphumanpbehavior.
AreaspofpSpecializationpinpCulturalpAnthropology
I UrbanpAnthropologyp–
pstudiespimpactpofpurbanizationponpruralpsocietiespandpthepdynamicspofplifepwithinpcities
II Medicalp Anthropologyp –p studiesp biologicalp andp socio-
culturalp factorsp thatp effectp healthp orpprevalencepofpillnessporpdiseasepinphumanpsocieties
III EducationalpAnthropologyp–
pstudiespprocessespofplearningpofpbothpformalpeducationpinstitutionspandpinformalpsystemspwhichpca
npusepstoryptellingporpexperientialplearning
IV Economicp Anthropologyp –
p studiesp howp goodsp andp servicesp arep produced,p distributedp andpconsumedpwithinpdifferentpcult
uralpcontexts
V Psychologicalp Anthropologyp –
p studiesp relationshipp betweenp culturesp andp thep psychologicalpmakeuppofpindividualspbelonging
ptopthem
HolisticpandpIntegrativepApproach
Culturalpanthropologistspconsiderpinfluencespofpnaturepandpnurture,pacrosspallplocationspandpacrosspdifferentp
periodspofptime.
Whenpvariouspspecialtiespofpthepdisciplineparepviewedptogether,ptheypprovidepapcomprehensivepviewpofpthep
humanpcondition
CommonpResponsesptopCulturalpDifference:
A Ethnocentrismp–
papbeliefpthatpone’spownpculturepispnotponlypthepmostpdesirablepbutpalsopsuperiorptopthatpofpothers.
B Culturalp relativismp –
p looksp atp thep inherentp logicp behindp differentp culturesp andp practicesp inp thepattemptptopunderstandpt
hem
RelevancepofpCulturalpAnthropology
Culturalpanthropologypenhancespunderstandingpofpdifferencespandppreventspoversimplifiedpgeneralizations.pItpi
ncreasespself-
knowledgepaboutpourpownpthinking,pvaluespandpbehaviorpandphelpspdeveloppcognitivepcomplexitypthroughp
integrationp(interconnectedness)pandpdifferentiationp(differentpaspectspofpapsingular
©pCopyrightpVirtualpUniversitypofpPakistan 2
, IntroductionptopCulturalpAnthropologyp–pSOC401 VU
entity).pCulturalpanthropologypispalsopusefulpinpfacilitatingpmeaningfulpinteractionpwithpotherpculturespandp
sub-cultures.
©pCopyrightpVirtualpUniversitypofpPakistan 3
, IntroductionptopCulturalpAnthropologyp–pSOC401 VU
UsefulpTermspCom
ponents:pparts
Paleontology:pspecializedpbranchpofpphysicalpanthropologypthatpanalysespthepemergencepandpsubsequentpevolu
tionpofphumanpphysiology
Variation:pdegreepofpdifference
Archeology:psubpfieldpofpanthropologypthatpfocusesponpthepstudypofppre-
historicpandphistoricpculturespthroughpthepexcavationpofpmaterialpremains.
Contemporary:p current
Urban:pcityp based
Ethnocentrism:ptheppracticepofpviewingpthepcustomspofpotherpsocietiespinptermspofpone’spown.
Suggestedp Readings
Studentsp arep advisedp top readp thep followingp chaptersp top developp ap betterp understandingp ofp thep variouspp
rincipalsphighlightedpinpthisphand-out:
Chapterp 1p inp ‘Culturalp Anthropology:p Anp Appliedp Perspective’p byp Ferrarrop and/orp Chapterp 13p inp ‘Anthropology’p bypE
mberpandpPergrine
InternetpResources
Inp additionp top readingp fromp thep textbook,p pleasep visitp thep followingp web-
pagesp forp thisp lecture,p whichpprovidepusefulpandpinterestingpinformation:
HowpdopAnthropologistspWork?phttp://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Para
ms=J1SEC782998
BrachespofpAnthropologyphttp://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=J1S
EC782999
©pCopyrightpVirtualpUniversitypofpPakistan 4
Lessonp01
WHATpISpANTHROPOLOGY?
Anthropologypcanpbepbestpdefinedpaspthepstudypofpthepvariouspfacetspofpwhatpitpmeansptopbephuman.pAnthro
pologypispapmultidimensionalpsubjectpinpwhichpvariouspcomponentsparepstudiedpindividuallypandpaspapwholept
opdeveloppapbetterpunderstandingpofphumanpexistence.pInpthisplecturepwepwillpnotponlypbepdevelopingpanpunde
rstandingpofpthepdefinitionpofpanthropology,pwepwillpalsopbeplookingpatpwhatpanpanthropologistpdoes.pInpadditi
onptopthispwepwillpalsopbeplookingpatpthepvariouspbranchespofpanthropologypwithpapfocusponpculturalpanthropo
logy.
DefinitionpofpAnthropology
AnthropologypispderivedpfrompthepGreekpwordspanthropospforphumanpandplogospforpstudy,psopifpweptakepitspl
iteralpmeaningpitpwouldpmeanpthepstudypofphumans.pInponepsensepthispispanpaccuratepdescriptionptopthepextentpt
hatpitpraisespapwidepvarietypofpquestionspaboutpthephumanpexistence.p Howeverpthispliteralpdefinitionpisn’tpaspa
ccuratepaspitpshouldpbepsincepapnumberpofpotherpdisciplinespsuchpaspsociology,phistory,ppsychology,pecono
micspandpmanypotherspalsopstudyphumanpbeings.
Whatpsetspanthropologypapartpfrompallpthesepotherpsubjects?pAnthropologypispthepstudypofppeople,ptheirpori
gins,ptheirpdevelopment,pandpvariations,pwhereverpandpwheneverptheyphavepbeenpfoundponpthepfacepofpthepear
th.pOfpallpthepsubjectspthatpdealpwithpthepstudypofphumans,panthropologypispbypfarpthepbroadestpinpitspscope.
p Inpshortpanthropologypaims ptopdescribe,pinpthepbroadestpsense,pwhatpitpmeansptopbephuman.
ActivitiespofpanpAnthropologist
Aspwepalreadypknow,panthropologypispthepstudypofpwhatpitpmeansptopbephuman.pSopthepstudypofpthepinfluencespt
hatpmakepusphumanpispthepfocuspofpanthropologists.pAnthropologistspstudypthepvariouspcomponentspofpwhatpi
tspmeansptopbephuman.
BranchespofpAnthropology
A PhysicalpAnthropologyp–
Ispthepstudypofphumanspfrompapbiologicalpperspective.pEssentiallypthispinvolvesptwopbroa
p
dpareaspofpinvestigation.
a. Humanppaleontologyp-:pthispsubpbranchpdealspwithpre-
constructingpthepevolutionaryprecordpofpthephumanpexistencepandphowphumanspevolvedpupptopthepp
resentptimes.
b. Humanpvariationp -
:p Thep secondpareapdealspwithphow/pwhypthep physicalptraitsp ofp contemporaryphumanppopulationspv
arypacrosspthepworld.
B Archeologyp–
pstudypofplivespofppeoplepfromptheppastpbypexaminingpthepmaterialpcultureptheyphavepleftpbehind
C AnthropologicalpLinguisticsp–pthepstudypofphumanpspeechpandplanguage
D CulturalpAnthropologyp–pthepstudypofpculturalpdifferencespandpsimilaritiesparoundpthepworld
Nowpthatpwephavepbrieflypdefinedpthepvariouspbranchespofpanthropology,pletspuspnowptakepanpin-
depthpviewpofpculturalpanthropology.
©pCopyrightpVirtualpUniversitypofpPakistan 1
,IntroductionptopCulturalpAnthropologyp–pSOC401 VU
Culturalp Anthropology:
Aspwephavepdiscernedpabove,pculturalpanthropologypconcernspitselfpwithpthepstudypofpculturalpdifferencespasp
wellpaspthepsimilaritiesparoundpthepworld.
Onpapdeeperplevelpthepbranchpofpanthropologypthatpdealspwithpthepstudypofpspecificpcontemporarypculturesp(
ethnography)pandpthepmorepgeneralpunderlyingppatternspofphumanpculturepderivedpthroughpculturalpcompar
isonsp(ethnology)pispcalledpculturalpanthropology.
Beforepculturalpanthropologistspcanpexaminepculturalpdifferencespandpsimilaritiespthroughoutpthepworldptheyp
mustpfirstpdescribepthepfeaturespofpspecificpculturespinpaspmuchpdetailpasppossible.pThesepdetailedpdescriptionsp(
ethnographies)parepthepresultpofpextensivepfieldpstudiespinpwhichpthepanthropologistspobserves,ptalksptopandplivespw
ithptheppeoplepunderpstudy.pOnpthepotherphandpethnologypispthepcomparativepstudypofpcontemporarypculture
s,pwhereverptheyparepfound.pThepprimarypobjectivepofpethnologypisptopuncoverpgeneralpculturalpprincipals/r
ulespthatpgovernphumanpbehavior.
AreaspofpSpecializationpinpCulturalpAnthropology
I UrbanpAnthropologyp–
pstudiespimpactpofpurbanizationponpruralpsocietiespandpthepdynamicspofplifepwithinpcities
II Medicalp Anthropologyp –p studiesp biologicalp andp socio-
culturalp factorsp thatp effectp healthp orpprevalencepofpillnessporpdiseasepinphumanpsocieties
III EducationalpAnthropologyp–
pstudiespprocessespofplearningpofpbothpformalpeducationpinstitutionspandpinformalpsystemspwhichpca
npusepstoryptellingporpexperientialplearning
IV Economicp Anthropologyp –
p studiesp howp goodsp andp servicesp arep produced,p distributedp andpconsumedpwithinpdifferentpcult
uralpcontexts
V Psychologicalp Anthropologyp –
p studiesp relationshipp betweenp culturesp andp thep psychologicalpmakeuppofpindividualspbelonging
ptopthem
HolisticpandpIntegrativepApproach
Culturalpanthropologistspconsiderpinfluencespofpnaturepandpnurture,pacrosspallplocationspandpacrosspdifferentp
periodspofptime.
Whenpvariouspspecialtiespofpthepdisciplineparepviewedptogether,ptheypprovidepapcomprehensivepviewpofpthep
humanpcondition
CommonpResponsesptopCulturalpDifference:
A Ethnocentrismp–
papbeliefpthatpone’spownpculturepispnotponlypthepmostpdesirablepbutpalsopsuperiorptopthatpofpothers.
B Culturalp relativismp –
p looksp atp thep inherentp logicp behindp differentp culturesp andp practicesp inp thepattemptptopunderstandpt
hem
RelevancepofpCulturalpAnthropology
Culturalpanthropologypenhancespunderstandingpofpdifferencespandppreventspoversimplifiedpgeneralizations.pItpi
ncreasespself-
knowledgepaboutpourpownpthinking,pvaluespandpbehaviorpandphelpspdeveloppcognitivepcomplexitypthroughp
integrationp(interconnectedness)pandpdifferentiationp(differentpaspectspofpapsingular
©pCopyrightpVirtualpUniversitypofpPakistan 2
, IntroductionptopCulturalpAnthropologyp–pSOC401 VU
entity).pCulturalpanthropologypispalsopusefulpinpfacilitatingpmeaningfulpinteractionpwithpotherpculturespandp
sub-cultures.
©pCopyrightpVirtualpUniversitypofpPakistan 3
, IntroductionptopCulturalpAnthropologyp–pSOC401 VU
UsefulpTermspCom
ponents:pparts
Paleontology:pspecializedpbranchpofpphysicalpanthropologypthatpanalysespthepemergencepandpsubsequentpevolu
tionpofphumanpphysiology
Variation:pdegreepofpdifference
Archeology:psubpfieldpofpanthropologypthatpfocusesponpthepstudypofppre-
historicpandphistoricpculturespthroughpthepexcavationpofpmaterialpremains.
Contemporary:p current
Urban:pcityp based
Ethnocentrism:ptheppracticepofpviewingpthepcustomspofpotherpsocietiespinptermspofpone’spown.
Suggestedp Readings
Studentsp arep advisedp top readp thep followingp chaptersp top developp ap betterp understandingp ofp thep variouspp
rincipalsphighlightedpinpthisphand-out:
Chapterp 1p inp ‘Culturalp Anthropology:p Anp Appliedp Perspective’p byp Ferrarrop and/orp Chapterp 13p inp ‘Anthropology’p bypE
mberpandpPergrine
InternetpResources
Inp additionp top readingp fromp thep textbook,p pleasep visitp thep followingp web-
pagesp forp thisp lecture,p whichpprovidepusefulpandpinterestingpinformation:
HowpdopAnthropologistspWork?phttp://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Para
ms=J1SEC782998
BrachespofpAnthropologyphttp://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=J1S
EC782999
©pCopyrightpVirtualpUniversitypofpPakistan 4
