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Definition
The discipline has evolved from a "Science of Man" focused on the "primitive" to a global, reflexive discipline that addresses contemporary issues like Digital Anthropology, Medical Anthropology, and AI technology. As society changes, anthropology continues to adapt, fulfilling its role as a holistic framework for understanding human diversity and survival.
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Thinkers
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. Culture and Personality: Scholars like Ruth Benedict and Margaret Mead explored the relationship between culture and individual psychology, arguing that adult personality is a product of cultural training and socialization.: Mid-20th Century Revivals: Neo-Evolutionism and Materialism.
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Definition
The discipline has evolved from a "Science of Man" focused on the "primitive" to a global, reflexive discipline that addresses contemporary issues like Digital Anthropology, Medical Anthropology, and AI technology. As society changes, anthropology continues to adapt, fulfilling its role as a holistic framework for understanding human diversity and survival.
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Example / case study
Prader-Willi Syndrome occurs if a specific segment of Chromosome 15 is deleted from the paternal side, while Angelman Syndrome results if the same segment is deleted from the maternal side.
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Thinkers
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. Culture and Personality: Scholars like Ruth Benedict and Margaret Mead explored the relationship between culture and individual psychology, arguing that adult personality is a product of cultural training and socialization.: Mid-20th Century Revivals: Neo-Evolutionism and Materialism.
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Definition
Considered cultural truth, not history.
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Thinkers
Bronislaw Malinowski — participant observation; culture exists to satisfy biological and psychological needs. Freud: Repressed desires. RITUAL Formal, repetitive, symbolic acts.
Short notes for this Anthropology syllabus heading.