6 answers
Samuel
Student
Silver Spring, Maryland
1
Question
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Why is anthropology important for us, and why should be apply it to society?
I am asking this question because there are many individuals who might misunderstand the term of anthropology. #anthropology #culture
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6 answers
Joelle Young
1
Answer
Boston, Massachusetts
Updated
Joelle’s Answer
Anthropology is an exciting discipline because it teaches us about what it means to be human, helps us to understand the intricacies of different cultures, and highlights the importance of taking a human-centered research approach that is holistic and interdisciplinary. Simply put, anthropology is the study of the human experience! This can be explored, depending on one’s interest, through specializing in cultural anthropology, social anthropology, applied anthropology, medical anthropology, biological anthropology, and environmental anthropology. Whether we are looking at human society and culture, the evolution of human biological and physiological characteristics, the growing influence of technology, the significance of language, knowledge production, and transmission, or the relationship between people and land, anthropology provides us with the tools to examine any curiosity we may have. This is beneficial to society because it can help us problem-solve in an ever-growing and globalizing world.
For example, as an environmental anthropologist, I am most passionate about understanding human-environment interactions in all its myriad forms (ecological, economic, sociocultural, and evolutionary) and using this insight to help solve environmental challenges such as conservation and climate change. Particularly in the era of the Anthropocene – our current geological period where human activity is a dominating force on climate and environment – environmental anthropology can help us explore, understand, and problem-solve for questions including; What is the relationship between nature and culture? How is the concept of wilderness used and for what purpose? How can we use political ecology to understand forms of environmental degradation like deforestation? What are the characteristics, motivations, and actions, of different forms of environmentalism? How is group X being impacted by climate change? How do locals in area X practice sustainability? What are the dynamics of environmental governance in area X and what is the relationship between local knowledge, social institutions, and conservationists? What is the importance of preserving traditional ecological knowledge? How can anthropology help us to rethink the human-environment nexus? How is fishery X being co-managed?
Another reason why anthropology should be applied to society is that anthropologists largely take a qualitative approach to data collection, including interviewing and participant observation. Anthropological methodologies value individual perspectives, search for the fine details, provide holistic understandings, and allow us to learn and be guided by what participants/informants think, say, and do. This complements the quantitative data collection other disciplines rely on for problem-solving (think algorithms and big data sets analyzed by data scientists).
Finally, anthropology just has a way of giving you "a-ha" moments all the time!
Curious what anthropologists are looking at: http://www.anthropology-news.org/
Read Ethnography (for example): 1) Do Glaciers Listen? Local Knowledge Knowledge, Colonial Encounters, and Social Imagination by Julie Cruikshank. 2) The Mushroom at the End of the World by Anna Tsing
Practice observing...what do you notice?
For example, as an environmental anthropologist, I am most passionate about understanding human-environment interactions in all its myriad forms (ecological, economic, sociocultural, and evolutionary) and using this insight to help solve environmental challenges such as conservation and climate change. Particularly in the era of the Anthropocene – our current geological period where human activity is a dominating force on climate and environment – environmental anthropology can help us explore, understand, and problem-solve for questions including; What is the relationship between nature and culture? How is the concept of wilderness used and for what purpose? How can we use political ecology to understand forms of environmental degradation like deforestation? What are the characteristics, motivations, and actions, of different forms of environmentalism? How is group X being impacted by climate change? How do locals in area X practice sustainability? What are the dynamics of environmental governance in area X and what is the relationship between local knowledge, social institutions, and conservationists? What is the importance of preserving traditional ecological knowledge? How can anthropology help us to rethink the human-environment nexus? How is fishery X being co-managed?
Another reason why anthropology should be applied to society is that anthropologists largely take a qualitative approach to data collection, including interviewing and participant observation. Anthropological methodologies value individual perspectives, search for the fine details, provide holistic understandings, and allow us to learn and be guided by what participants/informants think, say, and do. This complements the quantitative data collection other disciplines rely on for problem-solving (think algorithms and big data sets analyzed by data scientists).
Finally, anthropology just has a way of giving you "a-ha" moments all the time!
Joelle recommends the following next steps:
Keith Borgholthaus
Anthropologist, Historian
2
Answers
Cheney, Washington
Updated
Keith’s Answer
I'm a cultural Anthropologist who studies how cultures interact with each other.
Anthropology is the study of culture. The entire point of the study is to explain that culture to someone who doesn't understand it.
We break the study into four parts. It is entirely based on how we study things.
Cultural anthropologists go into a culture and try to live with the people as closely as possible. They make sure to ask questions when confused or needing help.
Archaeologists study culture by looking at the remains of that culture. Things like buildings, pots, eating utensils, and art are things they look for. The culture can often still be around, just not using the ruins anymore. I have studied buildings like malls, and looked at them as an archaeologist would.
Linguists look at the culture of language and how words are used. They can see the history of people by how the word the is spelled differently depending on where you are. This includes things like non verbal communication. I did a study based on how several cultures pointed with their face or lips instead of their hand.
Biological or Skeletal Anthropology is done by looking at the bones and environment of the culture to see what they needed to do to survive. My ancestors can see better in the dark than others, and gave us an amazing skill with staying warm in cold weather. I was told about this when I lived in Phoenix Arizona.
Being able to explain a culture to others can often help people know how to deal with each other. For example, I was chatting with friends all over the world today, and helped them understand each other because I knew about their cultures and ideas. They all spoke English, but the cultural differences had to be explained.
We often look at our lives and don't see how different and weird our own habits can be. Having someone explain helps us understand our own culture and how others use theirs.
Look at your daily habits. Look up what others do as their habits.
Ask a friend from out of your area about the differences between where they live and you live.
Write down your family history. Even if it seems boring, it can be huge in a hundred years.
Walk around your area. Do you notice that some neighborhoods donthings differently from your own?
Science is writing down notes, so make sure to take pictures and write about what you saw or heard.
Anthropology is the study of culture. The entire point of the study is to explain that culture to someone who doesn't understand it.
We break the study into four parts. It is entirely based on how we study things.
Cultural anthropologists go into a culture and try to live with the people as closely as possible. They make sure to ask questions when confused or needing help.
Archaeologists study culture by looking at the remains of that culture. Things like buildings, pots, eating utensils, and art are things they look for. The culture can often still be around, just not using the ruins anymore. I have studied buildings like malls, and looked at them as an archaeologist would.
Linguists look at the culture of language and how words are used. They can see the history of people by how the word the is spelled differently depending on where you are. This includes things like non verbal communication. I did a study based on how several cultures pointed with their face or lips instead of their hand.
Biological or Skeletal Anthropology is done by looking at the bones and environment of the culture to see what they needed to do to survive. My ancestors can see better in the dark than others, and gave us an amazing skill with staying warm in cold weather. I was told about this when I lived in Phoenix Arizona.
Being able to explain a culture to others can often help people know how to deal with each other. For example, I was chatting with friends all over the world today, and helped them understand each other because I knew about their cultures and ideas. They all spoke English, but the cultural differences had to be explained.
We often look at our lives and don't see how different and weird our own habits can be. Having someone explain helps us understand our own culture and how others use theirs.
Keith recommends the following next steps:
Nancy O'Connor
Archaeologist
1
Answer
Las Vegas, Nevada
Updated
Nancy’s Answer
Hello! I am a biological anthropologist and archaeologist. Anthropology is the study of human behavior in terms of cultural and evolutionary changes. This field is important to study because it provides and explanation to the past such as explanations such as: the fossil record or timeline, how humans have evolved over time (skeletal changes), what were their living conditions, trading goods, how they buried their dead and why, and what types of religion they were practicing, as well as grave goods, significance of a particular place or building and even what kind of food they were growing and consuming.
Anthropology can be utilized to explain the present, such as pop-culture anthropology, where experts study how humans relate to each other. For example, anthropologists study how teens use social media and what data can be extrapolated to study how teens behave toward one another using that specific framework. Forensic anthropology seeks to answer questions about the dead within the current population. This discipline seeks to answer questions that pertain to human interaction and how humans interpret the world around them. Anthropology is consistently applied to all things past and present. This field is important to understand because if we know what we were doing in the past, it can help shape our future.
Anthropology can be utilized to explain the present, such as pop-culture anthropology, where experts study how humans relate to each other. For example, anthropologists study how teens use social media and what data can be extrapolated to study how teens behave toward one another using that specific framework. Forensic anthropology seeks to answer questions about the dead within the current population. This discipline seeks to answer questions that pertain to human interaction and how humans interpret the world around them. Anthropology is consistently applied to all things past and present. This field is important to understand because if we know what we were doing in the past, it can help shape our future.
Nathaniel Wander
anthropology/psychotherapy/writing
35
Answers
Portland, Oregon
Updated
Nathaniel’s Answer
Anthropology looks at human behavior through unique lenses. (1) To begin with, anthropologists are trained to see the world through the split consciousness of their own social experience and that of their immersion in at least one other society. (2) Anthropology holds a comparative view of behavior in many different social, historical and economic settings. (3) Traditionally, American anthropology was compositely rooted in human biology and comparative primatology, linguistics and archaeology as well as human culture--I don't know how true this is at present. All this is to say, the anthropologist is 'tuned' as an instrument of comparative consciousness and anthropology, unlike any other social science, views social activities in both a comparative social and a comparative human context.
Shayleen Gandy
Barista
1
Answer
Gainesville, Texas
Updated
Shayleen’s Answer
For an anthropologist you are able to understand and view cultures and people from all aspects and perspectives. In this time and culture everything is fast paced and some concepts of the culture/society is either lost, misunderstood or unappreciated. An anthropologist is trained to get to the root to all situations and figure out how to solve problems that are affected or help others understand.
Erik Solá
Consulting
10
Answers
Chula Vista, California
Updated
Erik’s Answer
Understanding porpuse, understanding how to become, a meaning to our existance.