CULTURAL A ND POLITICAL SCIENCES

TOPICS
TEAM • ANTHROPOLOGY
B SAI NIHARIKA 015
E SAI KUMAR 029 • POPULAR CULTURAL
G VISHAL CHANDAN 038 ANTHROPOLOGY
GREESHMA 039
HUMERA 040 • THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS AND
APPROACHES
Anthropology

• The word anthropology  itself tells the basic story.

• From the Greek word anthropos (“human”) and
logia (“study”), it is the study of human kind, from its
beginnings, millions of years ago to the present day.
• Anthropology seeks to uncover principles of behavior
that apply to all human communities. To an
anthropologist, diversity itself—seen in body shapes
and sizes, customs, clothing, speech, religion, and
world view—provides a frame of reference for
understanding any single aspect of life in any given
community.
Anthropology

• Anthropology is the study of humans, including

humans of the past, present, and future. The biology
and culture of humans have changed to varying
degrees since the appearance of the first human
ancestors.
• Anthropologists seek to examine the evolution of
biology and culture through a variety of methods and
through the analysis of various types of materials.
Anthropology

• Anthropologists examine contemporary and past

societies through observing living human groups as
well as the physical remains left behind by past
groups. They investigate the origins of humans through
analysis of fossilized hominid remains, and they
observe and study our closest living relatives, non-
human primates. Anthropologists are also interested in
and study the uniquely human trait of spoken
language
• Together, anthropology is a field focused on all aspects
of what it means to be human, where humans
originated, and how we got to be, where we are today.
Popular Cultural Anthropology

• What is Cultural Anthropology?

The study of mankind, humanity, evolution and

adaptation Study of human behavior, culture,
interaction, and relationship between humans and the
environment What is Cultural Anthropology? The study
of culture, customs, beliefs, and traditions Study of
differences in culture
Popular Cultural Anthropology

• Cultural anthropology studies human cultures in the

present and recent past and is generally seen as the
widest and most practiced branch in the field and is
focused on studying human culture and its effect on
both the individual and the society as a whole.
• Most cultural anthropologists focus on one specific
aspect of culture, such as religion or politics.
Popular Cultural Anthropology

• Cultural anthropology is concerned with how and why

cultures vary or are similar in the past and present. The
Three Branches of Cultural Anthropology are:
Archaeology Linguistics Ethnology Anthropology is
concerned with understanding the other. Power
dynamics.
Theoretical foundations and approaches

• MARGARET MEAD BORN: DECEMBER 16, 1901 ,

BIRTHPLACE: PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, DIED:
NOVEMBER 15, 1978 Proposed that culture and gender
roles play just as strong a role as biology in influencing
adolescent behavior—Much of her research was
completed via participation/observation in Samoa and
New Guinea published Coming of Age in Samoa 
presented the idea that the individual experience of
developmental stages could be shaped by cultural
demands and expectations
Theoretical foundations and approaches

• Functionalism Emile Durkheim One of the fathers of

sociology, utilized scientific methods to approach the
study of society and social groups. His work influenced
the school of anthropology known as functionalism.
Durkheim believed that individuals should be considered
within the context of the society in which they live.