Cultural Anthropology

anthropology

study of humans and their ancestors, around the world and through time

holism

the study of the whole of human condition

• encompassing past, present, and future; biology, society, language, and culture

culture

• traditions and customs that shape our beliefs and behavior

• transmitted through learning

• consistent without a group

• open to change

comparison

• culture, society, biology, language

• a cross space and time

similatries and differences

human universals and particulars

three cultural words

• tribal (tributes)

• imperial (chiefdoms/states)

• commerical (global systems)

anthropology’s four fields

• biological

• lingusitic

• cultural

• archeological

biological anthropology

• study of human biological variation through time and as it exists today

• paleoanthropology

• human genetics

• human growth and development

• human biological plasticity- ablilty to change

anthropological archaeology

• study of human behavior through material remains

• also includes paleoecology

linguistic anthropology

study of language and linguistic diversity in time, space, and society

(Socio)cultural anthropology

comaprative, cross-cultural study of human society and culture