Outline of anthropology explained
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to anthropology:
Anthropology - study of humankind. Anthropology has origins in the natural sciences - humanities - and the social sciences.[1] The term was first used by François Péron when discussing his encounters with Tasmanian Aborigines.[2]
What type of thing is anthropology?
Anthropology can be described as all of the following:
- Academic discipline - body of knowledge given to – or received by – a disciple (student); a branch or sphere of knowledge, or field of study, that an individual has chosen to specialise in.
- Field of science - widely recognized category of specialized expertise within science, and typically embodies its own terminology and nomenclature. Such a field will usually be represented by one or more scientific journals, where peer-reviewed research is published. There are many sociology-related scientific journals.
- Social science - field of academic scholarship that explores aspects of human society.
History of anthropology
History of anthropology
Fields of anthropology
- Archaeology - study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscapes.
- Biological anthropology - concerned with the biological and behavioral aspects of human beings
- Linguistic anthropology - interdisciplinary study of how language influences social life
- Cultural anthropology - focused on the study of cultural variation
- Social anthropology - study of patterns of behaviour in human societies and cultures
Archaeological subfields of anthropology
Archaeology - study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscapes.
- Biocultural anthropology - scientific exploration of the relationships between human biology and culture.
- Feminist archaeology - interprets past societies from a feminist perspective.
- Maritime archaeology - studies human interaction with the sea, lakes and rivers through the study of associated physical remains, be they vessels, shore-side facilities, port-related structures, cargoes, human remains and submerged landscapes.
Biological subfields of anthropology
Biological anthropology -
- Anthrozoology - subset of ethnobiology that deals with interactions between humans and other animals, such as quantifying the positive effects of human–animal relationships.
- Evolutionary anthropology - interdisciplinary study of the evolution of human physiology and human behavior, and of the relation between hominids and non-hominid primates.
- Forensic anthropology - application of the anatomical science of anthropology and its various subfields, including forensic archaeology and forensic taphonomy, in a legal setting.
- Paleoanthropology - study of the evolutionary development of ancient humans.
Linguistic subfields of anthropology
Linguistics -
Socio-cultural anthropology subfields
Other subfields
General anthropology concepts
Theories
Methods and frameworks
Anthropology organizations
Books, journals, and other literature
Anthropology scholars
Anthropology lists
See also
Related fields
External links
Notes and References
- Wolf, Eric (1994) Perilous Ideas: Race, Culture, People. Current Anthropology 35: 1-7. p.227
- [Tim Flannery|Flannery, T.F.]
