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Outline of anthropology

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to anthropology:

Anthropology – study of humankind. Anthropology has origins in the natural scienceshumanities – and the social sciences.[1] The term was first used by François Péron when discussing his encounters with Tasmanian Aborigines.[2]

What type of thing is anthropology?

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Anthropology can be described as all of the following:[citation needed]

  • Academic discipline – body of knowledge given to – or received by – a disciple (student); a branch or sphere of knowledge, or field of study, that an individual has chosen to specialise in.
  • Field of science – widely recognized category of specialized expertise within science, and typically embodies its own terminology and nomenclature. Such a field will usually be represented by one or more scientific journals, where peer-reviewed research is published. There are many sociology-related scientific journals.
  • Social science – field of academic scholarship that explores aspects of human society.

History of anthropology

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History of anthropology

Fields of anthropology

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  • Archaeology – study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscapes.
  • Biological anthropology – concerned with the biological and behavioral aspects of human beings
  • Linguistic anthropology – interdisciplinary study of how language influences social life
  • Cultural anthropology – focused on the study of cultural variation
  • Social anthropology – study of patterns of behaviour in human societies and cultures

Archaeological subfields of anthropology

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Archaeology – study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscapes.

  • Biocultural anthropology – scientific exploration of the relationships between human biology and culture.
  • Feminist archaeology – interprets past societies from a feminist perspective.
  • Maritime archaeology – studies human interaction with the sea, lakes and rivers through the study of associated physical remains, be they vessels, shore-side facilities, port-related structures, cargoes, human remains and submerged landscapes.

Biological subfields of anthropology

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Biological anthropology

  • Anthrozoology – subset of ethnobiology that deals with interactions between humans and other animals, such as quantifying the positive effects of human–animal relationships.
  • Evolutionary anthropology – interdisciplinary study of the evolution of human physiology and human behavior, and of the relation between hominids and non-hominid primates.
  • Forensic anthropology – application of the anatomical science of anthropology and its various subfields, including forensic archaeology and forensic taphonomy, in a legal setting.
  • Paleoanthropology – study of the evolutionary development of ancient humans.

Linguistic subfields of anthropology

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Linguistics

Socio-cultural anthropology subfields

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Other subfields

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General anthropology concepts

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Theories

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Methods and frameworks

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Anthropology organizations

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Books, journals, and other literature

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Anthropology scholars

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Anthropology lists

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See also

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Related fields

References

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  1. ^ Wolf, Eric (1994) Perilous Ideas: Race, Culture, People. Current Anthropology 35: 1-7. p.227
  2. ^ Flannery, T.F. (1994) The Future Eaters: An ecological history of the Australasian lands and people Chatswood: New South Wales ISBN 0-8021-3943-4
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