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Definition
Use field studies and empirical data.
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Thinkers
Core Philosophy: Thinkers like E.B. Tylor (the "Father of Modern Anthropology"), Lewis Henry Morgan, and James Frazer proposed Unilinear Evolution, suggesting all societies progress through identical stages (e.g., Savagery → Barbarism → Civilization). Historical Particularism: Franz Boas (the "Father of American Anthropology") rejected universal laws, arguing that each culture has a unique history. He introduced the Four-Field Approach (Biological, Archaeological, Linguistic, and Cultural) to gather comprehensive empirical data.: The Golden Age of Fieldwork: Functionalism. Bio-cultural Functionalism: Bronislaw Malinowski pioneered Participant Observation, arguing that culture exists solely to satisfy biological and psychological needs. Structural Functionalism: A.R. Radcliffe-Brown applied an "Organic Analogy," viewing society as a system where institutions function like organs to maintain the stability of the social structure.: Structural and Psychological Turns. Structuralism: Claude Lévi-Strauss argued that human thought is patterned through binary oppositions (e.g., Nature vs. Culture) and that culture, like language, is a mental construct.
Short notes for this Anthropology syllabus heading.