Week 1 Flashcards
What is anthropology?
It is the study of what it means to be human
What does Anthropology encompass?
It encompasses the:
Evolutionary history of humanity
Physical, social, cultural variation among humans
The study of past societies, and the comparative study of current-day human societies and cultures
What are the 4 sub-areas of Anthropology?
Biological anthropology
Archaeology
Linguistic anthropology
Socio-cultural anthropology
What is Biological anthropology the study of?
It is the study of human biology
A focus on human beings as living organisms and what makes us different from or similar to other living things
What is Archaeology the study of?
Study of the human past through the analysis of material remains
What is Linguistic anthropology the study of?
Connection between language and culture, the way language differences frequently correlate with differences in gender, race, class, or ethnic identity and how we shape our learned behaviour, practices, interactions, and formations of societal connection
What is Socio-cultural anthropology the study of?
It includes what is commonly referred to as the study of contemporary or recent cultures and societies
Focuses on the sets of learned behaviours and ideas that human beings acquire as members of a society
What do biological anthropologists investigate?
They investigate the evolution of humans, their variability, and adaptations to the environment
How did biological anthropology start out?
Its colonial use and origins demonstrates that it was first used as a way to facilitate the categorization of human peoples based on arbitrary biological attributes. The research done under this discipline was essentially moving towards a criteria for racial classification - or scientific racism.
Critiques and further research demonstrated the cultural and political bias rather than scientific truths about the meanings behind physical differences. These classifications were developed by European anthropologists and specifically for non-European people under political and economic dominance
What are the sub-disciplines of biological anthropology?
Primatology
Palaeontology
Genetic variation
Human behaviour, genetics
Plant and animal life worlds binaries in plant and animal life
Historical significance of the hominins
What method is used to perform the study of Archaeology?
Excavation - careful digging and removing of dirt and stones to uncover material remains while recording their context
Aquatic excavation is also conducted
What are the subsets of archaeology?
Prehistoric archaeology
Historical archaeology
Museum and heritage studies
Colonial encounters with archcaeology
Contemporary waste studies
What does archaeology require?
It requires strong partnerships with First Nations, Inuit, and Metis communities
What does linguistic anthropology study?
It studies language, identity, power, and gender
What are some of the domains that cultural anthropology focuses on?
Music, dance, art, religion, food, nature, relationships
