Articles
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of people, their language, culture,
and evolution. Early European explorers were curious about
the peoples they met while exploring the world. They began
to study the people they encountered. Along the way, they
developed comparisons–and were surprised by the wide
range of cultures they found.
The study of anthropology came to the United States in the
early 19th century. At that time, there were many civilizations
sprinkled across the continental United States. Native American culture and
traditions differed from tribe to tribe and between regions. Anthropologists
sought to understand these cultural differences.
Most anthropologists studied Native American tribes out
of simple curiosity. However, not everyone's intentions
were benign. As the government sought more control over
the Native American population, the study of anthropology
was used to try and "civilized" the natives. Clearly,
there was a conflict between gaining knowledge and using
that knowledge in ways that were oppressive or coercive.
These conflicts led to many discussions over what was suitable
and what was not.
Over the years, anthropology has changed greatly. In the
United States, anthropology is based on a "four-field"
approach in which several disciplines work together to enhance
our understanding of other cultures. These four fields include
biological, cultural, and linguistic anthropology, as well
as archaeology.
In biological anthropology, people are studied for their physical characteristics. Scientists
seek to understand how we evolved into our current form. They studied
genetics, human evolution, primatology, forensic anthropology, and more.
Cultural anthropology is the field that studies
culture and social organization. Through field studies,
researchers collect data on language, political structure,
legal system, mythology, family structure – all areas
of culture that we often take for granted, at least until
confronted with a completely different cultural viewpoint!
In the field of linguistic anthropology, researchers study language. They don't just study
the words that we use; they also study how that language is used, and how it
relates to culture.
Archaeology is the
study of man-made artifacts. Usually these artifacts are of ancient origin,
though archaeologists also study modern ethnographic populations.
Archaeologists search for these artifacts, carefully noting the precise
location of each found object. Generally speaking, archaeology is often seen as
a separate specialty. In reality, anthropology and archaeology share a lot of
the same information.
Anthropologists have come under fire for "stealing"
from other cultures, and have worked hard to overcome this
bias. There is no doubt that anthropologists have preserved
what little remains of many cultures, including Native American
cultures that otherwise would have been lost. Their contribution
to our understanding of culture, language, and more widens
our understanding of the world and allows us to see through
new eyes.
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