Essays on Anthropology

- Anthropology by definition is the study of human beings present and past life with an intent of deducing ways of evading problem and ensure development of the human population.
- In respect to the main objective of anthropology research done in this field ought to ensure that humane methods of conducting the same are well adhered to.
- Conflicting to what ought to be the essence of anthropological research are the presentation of inhuman experiments, one example of this is that of Guatemala that entailed using prisoners as subjects for testing the effectiveness of penicillin in treating syphilis.
Continue reading...

Human beings are social creatures who live in a society with different cultural backgrounds. Culture can be defined as characteristics or attributes of a particular group of people in the society who can be identified by their language, religion, music, art and even the way they dress, the culture is passed to different generation through learning. Culture has been there since of the evolution story and has evolved with human beings. Culture differs depending on the people living in a certain geographical area, age and also gender. Different nations have their own, the youth, and the adults also have Continue reading...

In the article, ‘'The making and unmaking of the third world'', By Arturo Escobar, the aspects of modernity in relation to anthropology and development are well analyzed. The author states that the economic progress is associated with a lot of painful experiences. The issues relating to regional economic imbalances in the U.S are well elaborated by the author in this article. The dangers of food insecurity were given close analysis and consideration. The aspects of production are of the essence in the facilitating smooth flow of the economy of a nation. The use of modern technological and scientific knowledge Continue reading...

Organization

Introduction
The Mardu Aborigines by Bob Tokinson is a book which provides an up-to-date account of the people belonging to the Mardu culture. It an indigenous Australian culture which has its roots in the Dreamtime. This book is amongst the most read and modern contemporary classics of Aboriginal Anthropology in Australia. Tokinson discusses and researches in detail, the various aspects of the life of Mardu people who live in the Western Australian Jigalong area. This paper is a reflective analysis of one chapter, The Spiritual Imperative, from the book.

The most important aspect of the chapter, The Spiritual Imperative, Continue reading...

Psychology

Introduction
Sociology is done mostly from the positivist perspective, where there is a growing practice of interpretive research. In anthropology, most data collection is done by interpretivist approach, in which fieldworkers who go out, listen and watch, take notes, and bring all the data home. We discussed and understood the methods used in sociology, as well as the methods of cultural anthropology, and how they differ in terms of their approach and process. These methods are all utilized by sociologists and anthropologists to further understand the roots of social sciences.

Sociological research methods

Sociological research is based on the practice of empirical Continue reading...

Anthropology is the study of the present and past of humans. It builds and draws knowledge from biological and social sciences along with physical sciences and humanities. The biggest concern of the anthropologists is applying the knowledge of anthropology to solve human problems. We shall look at how anthropology affects the society as a whole and the influences it has on people. It views the social patterns of human beings. It does so by comparing the past social patterns with the present ones. In so doing one, anthropology can bring solutions to the problems that affect human beings. It Continue reading...

Evolution is defined as the process by which living organisms are believed to have developed and diversified from various current forms into their current state. Evolution can be stated as having commenced at the same period of time life began. Since then, the first organisms have undergone significant changes throughout the years in gradual process that has seen their transformation into the forms they exist in today. Anthropology, which is associated with the study of human development since the inception of human life, pays close attention to the evolution of mankind. This is achieved through the branch of anthropology Continue reading...

In a society where we interact with other people on a daily basis, the concepts of cultural anthropology are vital. For instance, I have a better understanding of the political systems and their influence on the society (Turnbull 384). This knowledge is important seeing that we live in a world where politics is an integral part of the social fabric. Through the concepts learnt in class, I am more attune with the very important cultural element that is religion. This concept is very important and relevant to life because it offers answers to existential questions (Spradley & McCurdy 258). Religion Continue reading...

One cannot talk about cultural anthropology without the mention of the man popularly referred to as the “Father of American Anthropology,” Frank Boas. Frank Boas, a German-born anthropologist, was born on 9th July, 1858 and lived till 21st December, 1942 when the cruel hands of death took him away. He is accredited with founding the culture-centered, relativistic school of American anthropology that dominated the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A preview of his work reveals that he came up with arguments against contemporary theories that centered on racial distinctions between humans. His theory of relativism sought to downplay Continue reading...

Anthropological Perspective on Illness and Healing

Illness and disease have challenged the whole world so profoundly and sickness has apparently become a crucial element governing the shells of the poor. Consequently, medical anthropologists became keener upon taking a closer look, or rather a holistic analysis, of the association that exists amidst the health and wellbeing of the mankind and the culture. The basic intention of taking a holistic approach towards anthropology is the premise that human behavior and human health ascends out of a multifaceted interface happening within the cultural structures. This encompasses the health and wellbeing of the human society at large, among others.
Continue reading...

Book Review: The Man-Eating Myth: Anthropology and Anthropophagy

Cannibalism as a topic of interest in both general and anthropological way has got many people concerned in the last few years. One of the people principally liable for the revival of this topic is William Arens. He wrote the book, “The Man- Eating Myth: Anthropology and Anthropophagy” in 1979. There have been numerous suggestions by researchers indicating that cannibalism has nutritional benefits, for instance, in the case of Aztec cannibalism that had its basis on a prolonged animal proteins shortage (White, 2014, pg.18). Evaluation of this and other hypotheses on cannibalism poses serious problems since its only very Continue reading...

Mid-Term Reflection on Anthropology

The study of human existence is quite intriguing. A number of theories have been used to validate the origin of man, and it’s still fascinating to reflect on how man came into being on this planet. Anthropology is a vast subject, but for me, it gives me a lot of interest to study about skeletons, and other decomposed, human remains to understand the kind of life that person led. A dig into the unknown excites me, and when I come across a skeleton or a decomposed body, the first thing that comes to my mind is to know Continue reading...

Interpreting Forensic Anthropological Evidence

ABSTRACT
This assignment details the inventory of bones on a case study provided on the general skeletal bones listed with an alphabetic code and a key indicated. The first part points out the bones identified without the hands and the feet limbs which are missing in the anatomical examination. The second part focuses on the biological information outlined and the specifics observed, noted and interpreted by the forensic anthropology with application of the principles of forensic anthropology. This report details the fracture or bone damage to the cranium to the skeleton that evidences the projectile trauma very suggestive of Continue reading...

There are certain irreducible standards or minimums the anthropological research aspects ought to take and follow to the later. It is to say that there are ethical issues that ought to be considered when undertaking anthropological concepts and aspects related to research and studies. In a similar line of thought and respect, there are notable scholars and researchers in the field of anthropology who made attempts and efforts to address the issue of ethical concerns in the field or area of anthropology.
At the current state of affairs, the states or the governments are over regulate the research environment Continue reading...

Medical anthropology is a science that tries to study the aspects of a bicultural adaptation, health care systems and human health and disease. It gives humans a perspective of ecological and multidimensional articulation. It is one of the developed sectors of applied anthropology and anthropology itself. It is a subfield of cultural and social anthropology which examines ways in which culture and societies are in the formation around or are under the influence of health, health care and other related issues.
The concept of folk or popular medicine has been a familiar ground to both anthropologists and doctors. Doctors Continue reading...

Native Non-Westerns are groups of people who have not embraced the western way. They have their distinctive way of doing things, and it has been passed to them by their ancestors. Things like cultivating, family matters and taboos are trademarks that identify them to the other people. However, with time, globalization has changed most of the cultures and fewer people still practice their culture. Missionaries and explorers were the first to affect cultures in native areas. Missionaries brought about the bible transforming people from their way of worship and embrace Christianity. Explorers brought about traders from other continents as Continue reading...

1) Humanity is a vastly diverse species, and there is a range of ways of viewing it. The world anthropology is the study of every facet of what it means to be human. As a result, there are a number of perspectives and applications that humanity inhabits, and as a result a number of subdivisions to the academic discipline of anthropology. Depending on who you ask, anthropology is generally broken into five categories, while the majority of anthropologists recognize four areas of anthropology (Kottak, 1).
A quick look at these subdivisions shows how they are all related to understanding Continue reading...

Race is not only skin deep, but it serves as a person’s imprint in society. It is a power full force that dictates much in a person’s way of living. It is both innate and is influence by the environment. It is innate, because people are born in certain races, where they carry with them genetic traits that define their racial identity. Biological characteristics include color and physical appearance that may uniquely identify various races. Race also plays a significant role in the cultural aspect of living because it carries with it many norms and values that Continue reading...

In the world of Science, there are many fields of study that deals with every aspect of the world. In Social Science discipline, the past and the present study of humankind is called Anthropology. This study builds and draws upon the knowledge from the biological sciences and social sciences, and even the natural sciences and humanities. This purpose of this writing is to discuss the primary characteristics of Anthropology as a discipline, which includes comparativism, holism, fieldwork and culture. Each of these characteristics has its own importance as well as its own contributions in the field of Anthropology.
Our Continue reading...

Introduction

Anthropology is the comparative, holistic, and bio-cultural study of humanity. It systematically explores human cultural and biological diversity across space and time. The four subfields of general anthropology are linguistic, socio-cultural, biological, and archaeological anthropology. The subfields consider variation in space and time. Cultural anthropology utilizes the evolutionary view and the comparative method to human culture. In anthropology, culture refers to the entire database of values, knowledge, and traditional worldviews. One generation transfers the social perspectives to the next through concepts, words, and symbols. The present study examines the anthropological topic, “Feeding the Sea,” that focuses on the importance Continue reading...

Cultural analysis in anthropology is used to collect data on cultural phenomena as help in the interpretation of this cultural representation and practices. The aim of cultural analysis is to help in gaining the new knowledge and understanding through the analysis of the collected data and collected processes. Cultural analysis helps in the understanding and mapping trends, influences, affects and effects within cultural. There are four themes for sociological, educational analysis on how culture is used to survive, as an adaptation and change. Expressions and holism, as well as, specify.
Cultural anthropology has been apprehended with divergent rationalities with Continue reading...

2014-03-29

Introduction
Upon the anthropological evolution, gender was a key concept within the actual restraint of anthropology. This research of evolution of gender roles is significant simply due to the post-colonial impact in history. Hence, sex and gender outlines differently within anthropology, the previous as grounded in professed natural changes in that the latter as the cultural productions perceived, performed, and assumed inside the general public, that of which is often based on those perceived genetic dissimilarities . During the 20th century, the rise of sociocultural anthropology, the connotation and impact of gender to the discipline has shifted in some of Continue reading...

The study of Anthropology is the study of humanity along with its societies, social structures and cultures. By analyzing the differences and similarities in traditions, origins and behaviors we gain an insight into how humans evolved and developed into today’s social and national structures.
Anthropology goes deeper into just the surface laws and mores and into the emotional reactions and religious beliefs that govern how we, as humans interact with each other and our environment. It addresses the holistic concepts of how the key ideas of the biological, cultural, linguistic and social development of the human race interact Continue reading...

Linguistic anthropology is the interdisciplinary study of languages and the impact it has on the social life. Linguist’s anthropologists have always tried to study and document the languages of indigenous cultures. In pursuit of this goal, linguistic anthropologists have entered into the study of daily encounters, political events and rites, literacy events and the media. Most of the wok in linguistic anthropology states that language structures imitate experiential-conceptual structures that in turn echo social structures. Through the treaties of 1725 wrote by Giambattissa Vico a philosopher, who stated that individuals understand the world through the imaginative use of Continue reading...

Nacirema typically refers to the act of distancing oneself from anthropology in American culture. Nacirema is “American” spelled backwards. The term was originally used in satirical writings about anthropology.
The nacirema is described as a “little know group located between the Canadian Cree, the Yaqui and Tarahumare of Mexico, and the Carib and Arawak of the Antilles.” In other words the area we know as the United States of America. In the writings, the civilization of nacirema has fallen due to environmental concerns. The satire is meant as a social commentary on America’s fallacies from an anthropological perspective.
Continue reading...

Introduction

Public anthropology has advanced tremendously over the decades. It has become one of the world’s leading professions in assessing the quality of life in the world and the whole of humanity in general. Human life has tremendously changed over the decades. The quality of life and the pattern of living in the 21st century have evolved tremendously. Public anthropology has been the only discipline that has tried to explain the problems beyond the disciplines and the larger community current issues such as globalization.
In the presentation of this Op- Ed, the essay will focus or introduce the same Continue reading...

The Neanderthals were one of the brightest and the most alluring of earlier hominids. Throughout time and in the future, there will always be a strong debate regarding how Neanderthals are related to modern Homo sapiens. There are different debates about their origins, yet the two strongest are ones that stir the pot.
The Neanderthals were found in Europe. They were countless questions on how they arrived there. The general location of previous hominids was Africa. The works of Richard Leakey have brought light to this information and discoveries. Some anthropologist argues that it was due to ice age Continue reading...

Bipedalism means a creature moves using its two rear limbs or legs. Human bipedalism is unique due to its striding gait. Bipedalism relates to graphic designs. This is because in graphic design it involves the walking cycle technique. The computer software is used to draw the animations which are made in sequences in order to create a character that is walking. This is just the same as how the human body works that enables people to have different careers.
The two phases of the walking cycles are the stance and the swing. The stance takes about 60 percent of Continue reading...

Anthropologists first used the word "tribes" to describe people groups they have studied through the years, all over the world. The term however proved to be insufficient, even politically incorrect as more knowledge of the discipline has been obtained, and accounting for the historical, political, cultural, and even inter-relational aspects of these people groups has become more and more complicated.
According to Béteille, tribes pertain more to people groups that are secluded, more or less self-sufficient, and homogenous socially. This definition was challenged when South Asian homogenous people groups were observed to be interactive with one another, transforming Continue reading...

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to closely scrutinize and understand the anthropology of the Kwakwaka'wakw people. The Kwakwaka'wakw are the native people who inhabit the British Columbia located in the northern island of Vancouver. Approximately 5, 500 left in number, they are a smaller community that has succeeded to endure and hand down their traditions from generations’ in spite of outside elements influencing them.
This article discusses the culture of the Kwakwaka'wakw people with focus on definite issues of concern. This article is an introduction to the Kwakwaka'wakw’s tradition and treasures, and unraveling how these are shared Continue reading...

Exam questions

Anthropology refers to the study of human society, human nature, and human past. Therefore, it is essentially a scholarly discipline, which aims to give a description of what it means to be a human. This discipline is holistic meaning that its primary goal is to study the human kind as a whole, comparative meaning that comparative methods are employed in the study of the human behavior structure and development, field based, as well as evolutionary.
Anthropology is traditionally divided into 4 fields that include cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, archaeology, and biological anthropology. It is worth noting that all these Continue reading...

Anthropology, also referred to as the science of humanity is the study of humankind from a comparative approach that is focused on the diversity of behavior of humans, as well as, the significance of culture in describing the diversity (Barrett 1). Just like other disciplines related to anthropology such as sociology, the study of anthropology uses theoretical perspectives to explain past and present events related to human cultures of different regions across the world. Anthropologists across regions are interested in studying anthropological topics including population migrations, origins of domestication, linguistics, morality in society, religion, rites of passage, cultural kinship Continue reading...

There is a lot of disagreement within the subject of anthropology, this disagreements come up due to the differing concept of time. In addition, ethnographical fieldwork, a field that relates closely with anthropology is in deep discrepancy dialogue on this issue as well. A number of critiques have been made on the foundation of how the anthropologists “make their object” in the book by Johannes Fabian, majority of the ideas in the book can be traced back to the 80’s and 90’s. This book analyses how time is maneuvered in a way that it creates a boundary Continue reading...

Introduction

At some point in history there emerge people who contribute immensely in the advancement of a particular field. Claude Levi Strauss and Clifford Geertz are two such men whose contributions in to the field of anthropology cannot be understated. Claude Levi Strauss (1908-2009) was a French ethnologist and anthropologist. He is commonly referred to as the “father of anthropology”. He famously argued that both the “civilized” and the “savage” human minds have the same structures and that human characteristics are the same through and through. He is a structural theorist who has contributed several theories in the fields of Continue reading...

Anthropology

Medical Anthropology: Critical, Interpretive and Biocultural Approaches

The study of biomedicine and the study of anthropology have some obvious similarities but they also have some interesting and not so obvious differences. According to Wiley and Allen (2009) the similarities include one very basic reality; each human being, wherever they live and whoever they look to for help during ill health are very much the same.
Anthropology is a discipline that investigates the nature and causes of human variation and those aspects of life that are common to all of humanity. Anthropologists seek to understand similarities and differences in behavior Continue reading...

The PAC panels involved discussions related to the various aspects of human nature and their relations. These issues were as diverse as they were centralized. The aspects of religion in relation to morality and government as well as issues related to sexuality, gender and language were the major topics of discussion.
In discussing about religion, the conference focused on how adherents of religion condemn various forms of entertainment like erotic dances common in entertainment clubs. The religious adherents go beyond condemning and take measures to lobby government to pass legislations that restrict the extent to which the entertainment clubs Continue reading...

The workshop attended was basically about the importance of breastfeeding in the society. It involved meeting up to discuss about the various ways in which breastfeeding families would be supported in the community within and around George Washington community. It also involved discussing various strategies to be taken that can help breastfeeding families identify the importance of breastfeeding their infants rather than feeding them with artificial milk products. The workshop also was meant to sensitize the community of the importance of breastfeeding and remove cultural prejudices that women should not breastfeed in public places. The main goal of this Continue reading...

Physical Anthropology is described as one of the branches of anthropology that specifically deals with the aspect of evolutionary biology, genetics,  physical variation, classification and human development .

1. PALEOANTHROPOLOGY - is one of the subjects under physical anthropology that focuses on the study of fossil records to unlock the secrets of the puzzle that is human evolution.

2. NEUROANTHROPOLOGY - is a subject in physical anthropology that talks about the evolutionary process and transformation of the brain and how it influences human evolutionary behavior. It’s also known as the link between anthropology and neuroscience that tackles the subject Continue reading...

In the past few months, Syria has been under a state of turmoil and it is like it has been under siege from the inside out during the past months up to now (MacFarquhar, 2011). The reason behind this is because of the several uprisings that are most likely triggered by unrest. It seems that there has been a lot of questions raised by the citizens as well as the different parties involved and it also seems that they are trying to get some answers using chaos and even violence.
One question that is of significant importance here is Continue reading...

Introduction

Social sciences, just like the rest of the sciences have developed its own techniques and mode of conducting research and investigation. Common of these social sciences field is sociology and cultural anthropology. The techniques developed for these sciences seem to exhibit so much similarity in the manner in which they are carried out but it has been found out that they differ as per the intent for which they are used . These differences in intent have always been associated with the philosophical reasons behind any such an investigation depends on the degree or depth to which such a research Continue reading...