ANTHROPOLOGY
Anthropology: The Four Fields Series
©2008 Coast Learning Systems
Sr High, *Post-Secondary
Anthropology: The Four Fields introduces the central concepts, concerns, and research methods of cultural anthropology. It
takes a cross-cultural approach to diverse subject areas, including subsistence patterns, political organization, the family,
social organization, economics, kinship, language, the arts, and religion.
Series code: K52318-001 28 Titles Format: Digital/DVD
$1195.00
Compilation 2-DVD set available: $895.00
Single Institution K-12 Pricing
Episode 1: Essence of Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of human beings, but to phrase the definition in these simple terms is to diminish the
grand scope of this discipline overall. Anthropology delves deeply into every aspect of humankind from its
beginnings millions of years ago to the present day, and its subject matter ranges from the exotic to the ordinary,
from faraway tribes to the structure of the human foot. The video for this lesson explains the four-fields of
anthropology, defines the concept of holism, and describes how anthropologists approach their subject matter from
a holistic and comparative cross-cultural perspective in order to reach the broadest and most inclusive conclusions
possible on their subject of interest. Each field, cultural, physical (biological), linguistic anthropology, and
archaeology, are described and situational material is included to illustrate how each field functions and
interconnects with the others. Subfields to the four major fields, such as forensics and paleoanthropology, are
introduced and discussed, and the concept that humans are biocultural beings because of the simultaneous
adaptations of our biology with culture, is illustrated. The video also introduces the student to the way
anthropologists carry out their analyses through rigorous fieldwork and participant observation in order to create
the ethnographies that describe humans cross-culturally. Applied anthropology, sometimes referred to as the fifth
subfield of anthropology, is introduced.
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Episode 2: Biology & Evolution
Humans are biological organisms that have a place in the natural world. To understand what it means to be human
we need to understand how we became human. The video introduces the topic of biology by looking at an
important evolutionary force, natural selection, and how it has affected a species of fox living on islands off of the
California coast. Next, the ultimate source of variation is examined as the hereditary material, DNA, is examined.
Genes, alleles, and proteins are discussed as part of normal human physiology and with their involvement with
inherited genetic diseases. How the hereditary material is distributed to offspring is the focus of meiosis by which
sex cells are formed. Crucial here is that there are different combinations that lead to variation between each sex
cell. Mutations give rise to new variations on which natural selection can act upon. In the final segment of the
video, population genetics is showcased. A human case of natural selection, sickle-cell trait, is highlighted. NonDarwinian forces of evolution, gene flow and genetic drift, are explored and the video ends with a discussion of
how the evolutionary forces can change a population.
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Episode 3: The Living Primates
This video succinctly presents a portrait of what it is to be a primate with adaptation to an arboreal environment.
The suite of traits that distinguish primates are presented along with a comparison to other types of mammals.
Then the video delves into the adaptations and traits that distinguish the various type of primates from one
another. Prosimians, tarsiers, New World monkeys, Old World monkeys, and hominoids are all adroitly described
and distinguished. The types of locomotor patterns, diets, and habitats used by primates are interwoven
throughout.
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Episode 4: Primate Behavior
This lesson tackles why we study the behavior of nonhuman primates and how their behavior patterns can be
related to human behavior and evolution. Experts discuss their field study experiences and what they learned
about the behavior of their subjects. Social structure and social organization are related to impact on reproductive
success. The central mother-infant bond is explored, along with patterns of affiliative and aggressive behaviors in
social groups. Nonhuman capacities for language and culture are also addressed in interesting ways.
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Episode 5: Methods of Paleoanthropology
Experts at the cutting edge of paleoanthropological research show how it’s done. In this video, students are
introduced to the ways researchers gather data in order to answer the basic human question: Who are we and
where do we come from? The multidisciplinary approach to this research is shown through interviews with
established paleoanthropologists and with researchers in related areas such as archaeology, geology, the
reconstruction of paleoenvironments, geomorphology, paleontology, and paleobotany. There is a strong focus on
Koobi Fora, one of the most important field sites in paleoanthropology. In the last segment, relative and
chronometric dating methods are explained in ways that will demonstrate state-of-the-art methods for discerning
how old a specimen is.
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Episode 6: Macroevolution
Who is related to whom? How do species evolve? What has happened in geological time? This video focuses on
macroevolution and the processes that explain it. It begins on location at a paleontological site in the Big Horn
Basin, Wyoming, where scientists are recording mammalian evolution in the first ten million years after the
Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary extinction. A key question of macroevolution is, “What distinguishes a species?”
This leads to taxonomy and discussion of the two main approaches to classification: evolutionary systematics and
cladistics. Examples are given of homologies and analogies, and ancestral and derived traits, keys to classifying
by these different approaches. Cladistics focuses only on derived traits. In the second segment, two different
species concepts are mentioned - the biological species concept, which is the most commonly used definition, and
the ecological species concept, which places emphasis on niche occupation and natural selection. The difficulty of
recognizing a fossil species is explained by anthropologists Alfred Rosenberg and Jonathan Bloch. In the third
segment, the immense time span involved with macroevolution is examined, continental drift and its effects are
explained, and the characteristics of mammals are illustrated. The video returns to the paleontological site in the
Big Horn Basin, where Bloch is seen excavating.
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Episode 7: The First Bipeds
The key trait that makes a hominoid a hominin is evidence for bipedalism. In this video experts discuss the
physical changes that must occur for the transition to bipedalism including the more forward positioning of the
foramen magnum, the large hole through which the spinal cord passes into the skull, a pelvis that becomes more
bowl-shaped rather than the long blade-like pelvis of a chimpanzee, a longer leg, and a foot with springy arches.
Important discoveries are examined in the time period from four to one million years ago including East African
discoveries such as Australopithecus anamensis and the famous “Lucy” specimen. The history of discovery in
South Africa is reviewed starting with the first Australopithecus, the Taung child, and the more rugged genus
Paranthropus. Finally, you will learn about the first member of our genus, Homo habilis.
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Episode 8: A New Hominin
About 1.8 million years ago, a new species of Homo appears in East Africa, a species that will exist longer than
any other hominin. This lesson focuses on that new species: Homo erectus, the first hominin to leave Africa. In this
lesson, you will follow the migrations of this species. You will explore the history of what paleoanthropologists have
discovered concerning this widespread hominin in Java and in China and learn how the recent discoveries in the
Republic of Georgia have turned much of what we knew about Homo erectus on its head. Finally, you will learn
about a new type of tool industry that lasts for more than a million years.
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Episode 9: Premodern Humans
Around 780,000 years ago a new species of Homo appears, perhaps descended from the hominins that lived in
Spain and Italy between 900,000 and 800,000 years ago. This time period, called the Middle Pleistocene, is
marked by alternations of glaciations and interglacials. The new species is called Homo heidelbergensis. Around
125,000 Homo heidelbergensis gives rise to the Neandertals. The Neandertals are the main focus of this video
lesson. You will see that the Neandertals were a robust people adapted for a cold, harsh environment. Their
survival depended on more than just biology, however. A major factor to their survival was their stone tool culture,
known as the Mousterian. In addition, the fact that they transported raw materials during their migrations to make
future tools demonstrated forward planning. These people also practiced burial of the dead in which grave goods
were left with the deceased. Finally, the video explores the question of what happened to these ancient humans.
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Episode 10: Homo sapiens & the Upper Paleolithic
This lesson details the technological, artistic, and geographic expansion of the Cro-Magnons, the anatomically
modern humans of Europe during the Upper Paleolithic era. The video details some of the major innovations, such
as blade technique in which long, parallel-sided flakes are struck off the edges of a specially prepared core. It also
details artistic endeavors of the Upper Paleolithic, beyond cave paintings, such as Venus figures. The geographic
expansion during this time is also presented, highlighting the need for and development of a new technology used
for their migration over open water. The video also illustrates the cognitive capacity of the Homo sapiens of the
Upper Paleolithic, and how it allowed them to create technology that eased their daily survival.
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Episode 11: Food Domestication & the Emergence of Cities
This lesson explores how the accelerated rate of cultural change continued to drive human innovation in ways that
transformed daily life for everyone. It illustrates the most radical cultural shift in the history of humankind that
occurred in the Neolithic period (or New Stone Age), detailing the domestication of plants and animals and the shift
to setting up permanent residences. The video concentrates on the Mayan civilization to explain the cultural
changes that mark the differences between village life and urban settlements.
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Episode 12: Patterns of Variation
The video begins with comments on some instances of ethnic genocide that have occurred in the past in the
Sudan, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Nazi Germany during World War II, and relates these occurrences to the concept of
“race,” a concept that is based on physical differences between groups. It defines the everyday usage of the word
“race” and includes its biological definition, which leads to the conclusion that the word and concept of “race”
cannot apply to Homo sapiens because, as is well understood, there are no subspecies of Homo sapiens. The
video then briefly explains the historical context of how the concept of race emerged among European explorers
during the sixteenth century. And, it explains that today anthropologists and scholars look beyond visible physical
differences to explain human variation, that they analyze genetics and DNA, the cornerstone of genetic studies, to
describe and understand human diversity. The video defines polymorphisms and clearly explains how their
presence in human genotypes causes differences in phenotypic variation. Using interviews with a Somali family
who had to flee their country because of race-based violence, the video points out that the easiest visible
difference to note is skin color. The video explains that science now explains skin color shifts as a response to
geographical regions called clines. A montage of images illustrates the phenotypic variation of skin tones in Africa
to illustrate this perspective. The video features Gregory Lanzaro, a medical entomologist who is working to
eradicate malaria, and it describes how the sickle-cell allele began and how it has become adaptive in malarial
regions. The concept that humans are products of biocultural evolution is discussed, as well as the latest
theoretical viewpoints on the “thrifty gene” hypothesis.
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Episode 13: Patterns of Adaptation
How do humans adapt to environmental challenges? In this video, experts explore this question from many angles.
The difference between acclimatization and adaptation is explained. Nina Jablonski explains skin color function
and adaptations related to UV radiation levels, the vitamin D hypothesis, and preventing the loss of folate in the
body. High-altitude adaptations are also discussed, along with responses to heat and cold stressors. In the last
segment, the evolutionary dance between humans and their pathogens is brought to light. The interwoven
interactions between human cultural activities, and the evolution of new pathogens, as well as the evolution of drug
resistance in existing pathogens are discussed.
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Episode 14: Characteristics of Culture
The state of Oaxaca, Mexico, is the backdrop of this film, which explores the nature of culture and how cultures are
studied. The Oaxacan society is used to illustrate the basic characteristics of culture: an integrated, dynamic
system of beliefs, values, and behaviors that are shared by the members of a society; wholly learned and based on
symbolic systems; and constituting humankind’s most important method of adaptation. Jayne Howell’s work in
Oaxaca aims to determine how this society in transition is adapting to the pressures imposed by outside forces,
and illustrates some of the methods of research that ethnographers employ in a biocultural approach to
discovering how the world’s diverse cultures function.
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Episode 15: Communication & Culture
This program focuses on the efforts of the Serrano tribe of Native American to revitalize their dying cultural
traditions and language. The features and structures of human language in general are discussed, showing some
examples from the Serrano language, and the role played by descriptive linguist assisting them is examined. A
discussion of deaf sign languages reveals that they are in every way like all other human languages except that
they are based on gestures instead of sounds. Nonverbal human communication systems are explored, as are
various aspects of the fields of ethnolinguistics and sociolinguistics. African-American Vernacular English is
discussed as an example of a social dialect that marks membership in a group. The film closes with a focus on the
Serrano children, who it is hoped will carry on the tribal language and traditions.
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Episode 16: Social Identity, Personality & Gender
One of the universal questions that people ask is “Who am I?” The answer is complex and begins with
enculturation. Enculturation influences how you think, feel, and behave and it starts at birth. It begins with being
given a name. Naming ceremonies vary from culture to culture, but what you are called is an important device for
self definition and it also allows individuals to take their place within their group’s culture. As children develop
physically, they also develop emotionally and psychologically. One aspect of this maturation is the development of
self-awareness. This is important for the individual and also for the entire community. Not only does everyone have
a name, but individuals have their own personalities. It is now recognized that one’s personality is the product of
both enculturation and one’s own genetic make-up. When studying how personality develops, we cannot ignore
the role that sex and gender may play nor can we overlook the biological factors that may influence and
differentiate male and female behaviors. Determining whether gender roles influence personality and social identity
or vice versa may be difficult, but we know that gender roles vary greatly from culture to culture. It is also
recognized that every culture has individuals who are transgenders - people who do not fall neatly within the
proscribed male and female categories. Western cultures prefer to think exclusively in male and female gender
roles, but many other cultures have created a “third gender” or even a “fourth gender” in which to place these
individuals. As individuals, we not only need to know who we are but also how we fit in and belong to the culture
we were born into. Sometimes it gets complicated.
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Episode 17: Subsistence Systems
Regardless of the language, the geographic location or the culture the question being asked is the same “What are
we going to eat today?” The difference comes in the answer and the response depends upon the subsistence
system used by those asking the question. This film focuses on three types of subsistence patterns: foraging,
horticultural/ agricultural, and pastoralism. The Ju’/hoansi live in the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa. They are a
prime example of the hunter/gatherer-foraging subsistence system. Their understanding of the ecosystem in which
they live and their ability to adapt have led to their survival both as foragers and now as a more sedentary group.
While foragers have little control over the availability of natural resources, they can ensure the survival yield of the
land by living within the carrying capacity of the environment. In contrast, people in food-producing societies
control the production of either plants or animals. Food-producing societies tend to be sedentary; they live in larger
groups than foragers and have more complex social and political structures. The most common form of horticulture
is slash-and-burn cultivation, which relies on human power and has limited productivity yield. Another subsistence
system is pastoralism, the managing of herds of animals. Many pastoralist societies live at such high altitudes that
little agricultural activity can occur. The Yolmo of Nepal, who are featured in the video, have crossbred cows with
male yaks to produce zomo, a hybrid cattle species that is biologically adapted to live at high altitudes. Since life is
so precarious, the Yolmo must exploit the seasonal environments and supplement their diet and economy by
practicing horticulture at the lower altitudes. Many pastoral groups practice transhumance, the seasonal migration
of herds and people in order to maximize grazing opportunities. What all subsistence systems have in common is
the need for water. Who controls the water is at the heart of human survival. In the postindustrial era, traditional
subsistence activities have been relegated to hobbies, such as hunting, fishing, and berry picking. The next time
you ask “What’s for dinner?” think about what it took to get food to your table.
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Episode 18: Economic Systems
Economic systems are the means by which a society produces, distributes and consumes resources, and are
intimately integrated with the other elements of the culture. In this lesson the economic systems of several
societies are examined as examples of how reciprocity, redistribution, and market exchange play a central role in
the distribution of goods. The Ju/hoansi of southern Africa exemplify foraging cultures in which food is not
produced but rather collected as it is needed and distributed immediately according to the process known as
generalized reciprocity. The Yolmo of Nepal traditionally practiced pastoralism and subsistence farming, using an
exchange system of balanced reciprocity combined with redistribution. A Ghanaian market run by women
illustrates a traditional form of market exchange, and a Japanese fish market exemplifies the wholesale
commercial market with international participants but face-to-face transactions according to Japanese cultural
practices.
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Episode 19: Sex & Marriage
The video opens with a wedding in Long Bow Village, in China, and effectively shows the diverse nature of
weddings from one culture to another emphasizing that weddings are rites of passage, full of ritual and symbols
that convey and emphasize the values of that society. It defines marriage and suggests that this is one way that
societies regulate sexual relations between men and women. It points out that all cultures include rules on who can
marry whom because of the general concern regarding marriage between close family members, or incest. The
incest taboo is discussed, and the narrator and expert anthropologists explain it provides a structuring mechanism
for marriage rules, endogamy and exogamy. Arranged marriages are discussed, how they benefit specific
societies, and the attitudes toward then as opposed to the western ideals of romantic love.
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Episode 20: Marriage & Family
The video for Lesson 20 begins with Helen Mendoza and Pam Privett explaining that families can take many forms
today. They are partners in a same-sex marriage, raising children of their own. Lesson 19 explained why some
cultures find polygamy a preferred marriage arrangement, and the video for Lesson 9 highlights the familial and
household benefits of the polygynous system. However, the video points out that not all such marriages are
cooperative. Under some circumstances, competition among wives can cause serious tensions. The terms
consanguinal family, conjugal family, and fictive kin are defined and varying family forms such as nuclear family,
extended family, and blended family are illustrated. The Yolmo, pastoralists of east-central Nepal, are featured to
illustrate how monogamy within a nuclear family organization functions within this group. Residence patterns and
marriage customs, such as bride-price and bride service, are discussed and the reasons for their practice are
illustrated. The final segment of the video comments on newer adaptations of the family made possible because of
advances in reproductive technology and changes in adoption laws within the United States.
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Episode 21: Kinship & Descent
The video opens with pictures of Chinese immigrants of the 1850s to the 1900s and explains that the immigrants of
that time faced enormous challenges when they moved from their country to the United States. They faced
discrimination and a sense of isolation because they lacked assistance that had been provided through strong
kinship ties in China. The video explains that kinships, or the strong familial networks within which individuals
function on a daily basis, are made up of groups of family members and that they provide the essentials for
survival. The video explains descent groups and lineages and points out that not all lineages trace descent the
same way. Several different kinds of descent groups are illustrated and Chinese patrilineal descent is featured.
Particular attention is given to explaining this complex system; that a lineage in this system goes back only four to
six generations because households become very large over time and conflicts arise, that brothers splinter off and
begin lineages of their own. The concept of clan (tsu) is defined and discussed at length. Different systems of
kinship are illustrated, and that each group establishes varying methods of defining relatives. The video explains
the Eskimo system, the Iroquois System, and the Hawaiian system.
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Episode 22: Grouping by Gender, Age, Common Interest & Class
This program explores concepts related to non-kin based social groupings by focusing on the culture of the Black
Indians of New Orleans. They are a common interest group that celebrates their own art and culture, culminating in
their annual celebration of Mardi Gras separately from the better known White Carnival. Divisions within the group
based on age and gender are discussed, as is its origins and history as an oppressed minority social class
excluded from the white Mardi Gras. Finally the show examines the effects of hurricane Katrina on the culture of
the Mardi Gras Black Indians and on the recovery of the city in general.
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Episode 23: Politics, Power & Violence
This video explores the anthropological concepts of political organization and social control as practiced crossculturally. It opens with anthropologists Victoria Bernal and Laura Nader discussing the concepts of political
organization, in terms of power, authority, functions, and its four main forms: bands, tribes, chiefdoms, and states.
Nader and William Ury then explore the various methods of maintaining social order across cultures, including
interior and externalized controls, sanctions and laws. Methods of dispute resolution are described by Nader and
Ury, and the two then debate the merits of the use of alternative dispute resolution methods (ADR) in the United
States. China’s control over citizen use of the internet is used as an example of the interrelationships between
social control, ideology, legitimacy, and the potential for the use of force by ruling powers. Nader and human rights
activist Xiao Qiang then describe, in parallel fashion for comparison and contrast, their personal experiences with
peaceful student protests at the University of California in Berkeley in the mid-1960s and in Tiananmen Square in
China in 1989, both of which brought violent reactions from their respective governments.
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Episode 24: Religion & Spirituality
The program opens with a general discussion of the anthropological definition of religion contrasted with
spirituality. This is followed by a close up view of some of the history, beliefs, and practices of Islam and Tibetan
Buddhism, through the eyes of several experts and practitioners. Discussions of anthropological concepts of
religion cross-culturally are offered with examples of the basic forms of religion, its specialists, and its rituals, as
well as magic and witchcraft. The exploration of some of the social and psychological functions of religious
practices and belief systems, especially focusing on Islam, conclude the show.
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Episode 25: The Arts
This video lesson focuses on visual, verbal and musical art forms. Since art is created in response to social.
religious, political, economic, and aesthetic stimuli, anthropologists use it as a guide to understanding the values
and ideals of culture. Being able to put art within a cultural context enables anthropologists to observe cultural
dynamics. That is why tattoos, hip hop and hula provide insight into past and present cultures. You will also be
reintroduced to the Pacific Northwest Potlatch ceremony. This once again will highlight the integrated nature of all
aspects of culture.
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Episode 26: Processes of Change
At the beginning of the video for Lesson 15, anthropologist Leo Chavez comments that culture “is always
transforming itself, always changing. It is always in the process of becoming something else.” Throughout history,
cultures have changed because of environmental conditions, internal pressures, or external forces. Change comes
quickly, or it may occur slowly. In any event, anthropologists chronicle cultural change and offer explanations as to
why it happens. Anthropologist Eugene Cooper has tracked cultural change as it is reflected in the craft of Chinese
furniture-making during the 1970s and 1980s, and emphasizes that societies change with the use of new
technologies. The key term, diffusion, is introduced and discussed within the context of the spread of the English
language from the anthropologist to the group she or he studies. The video illuminates some of the benefits and
problems that immigration poses for a culture. It focuses on the current migration of Mexicans and Central
Americans to the United States. It illustrates why the Minutemen Civil Defense Corps was founded, and how their
goals were formed in response to the perception that too many Mexican citizens were coming across the border
into the United States illegally. In contrast, the human rights organization El Rescate was formed in 1981 in Los
Angeles to assist individuals who had escaped the chaos in Central America and who sought refuge here. Both
groups offer their own perspective on the impact of immigrants on American culture. The video also offers
contextual information on and post-colonialism, and explains the differences between rebellion and revolution.
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Episode 27: Global Challenges & Anthropology
This program explores the phenomenon of globalization, its complex forms, and its impact on the cultures of the
world, as well as the contributions that anthropology can make toward a better understanding of it. Wal-Mart’s
operations in China are shown as an example of how giant global corporations use structural power to expand
business and profit in developing countries. The collaboration of the Bolivian government with another U.S.-based
global corporation, Bechtel, and the World Bank illustrates how such partnerships can act against the best
interests of the people. Finally, a Bangladeshi immigrant to the United States is interviewed, giving a personal
perspective on the record high levels of external and internal migration occurring worldwide.
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Episode 28: Applied Anthropology
The video begins with the anthropological definition of applied anthropology; that this field of study refers to the
application of method and theory to the analysis and solution of practical problems and that it can be used, or
“applied,” within the four subdisciplines of anthropology - physical (or biological), cultural, linguistic and
archaeological. The video shows how a cultural anthropologist, Professor Mikel Hogan, practices applied
anthropology within a hospital setting to help resolve some of the on-the-job problems that nurses face at this time
of crises within the health-care system in the United States. As the video progresses, viewers also see how
linguistic anthropologist Breesha Maddrell works on the Isle of Man to help the culture there preserve and maintain
the Celtic language of Manx Gaelic. Finally, the third segment of the video shows how physical anthropologists
Amy Mundorff and Diane Cockle work in the area of forensics. Mundorff explains the educational qualifications
required for a career in forensics, explaining that a strong background in biology or chemistry, plus a strong
background in anthropology, particularly archaeology, is ideal. In general, this video gives very clear and varied
examples of where applied anthropology is used in the workforce, how flexible the field is, and how it fits within the
subfields of anthropology.
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Cultural Anthropology: Our Diverse World Series
©2008 Coast Learning Systems
Sr High, Post-Secondary
Cultural Anthropology: Our Diverse World is now available to replace Faces of Culture - Revised. This new course takes a
cross-cultural approach to diverse subject areas, including subsistence patterns, political organization, the family, social
organization, economics, kinship, language, the arts, and religion. Cultural Anthropology: Our Diverse World explores the
various ways in which the human species has responded to the fundamental challenges of survival, and students will gain a
greater appreciation for the ways in which anthropologists’ works to study the cultural and biological aspects of humankind
within the widest possible context--a mix of theoretical perspectives and methodologies.
Series code: K52319-001 17 Digital/DVD
$1195.00
Compilation 2-DVD set available: $895.00
Episode 1: The Essence of Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of human beings, but to phrase the definition in these simple terms is to diminish the
grand scope of this discipline overall. Anthropology delves deeply into every aspect of humankind from its
beginnings millions of years ago to the present day, and its subject matter ranges from the exotic to the ordinary,
from faraway tribes to the structure of the human foot. The video for this lesson explains the four-fields of
anthropology, defines the concept of holism, and describes how anthropologists approach their subject matter from
a holistic and comparative cross-cultural perspective in order to reach the broadest and most inclusive conclusions
possible on their subject of interest. Each field, cultural, physical (biological), linguistic anthropology, and
archaeology, are described and situational material is included to illustrate how each field functions and
interconnects with the others. Subfields to the four major fields, such as forensics and paleoanthropology, are
introduced and discussed, and the concept that humans are biocultural beings because of the simultaneous
adaptations of our biology with culture, is illustrated. The video also introduces the student to the way
anthropologists carry out their analyses through rigorous fieldwork and participant observation in order to create
the ethnographies that describe humans cross-culturally. Applied anthropology, sometimes referred to as the fifth
subfield of anthropology, is introduced.
P52319-001
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Episode 2: Characteristics of Culture
The state of Oaxaca, Mexico, is the backdrop of this film, which explores the nature of culture and how cultures are
studied. The Oaxacan society is used to illustrate the basic characteristics of culture: an integrated, dynamic
system of beliefs, values, and behaviors that are shared by the members of a society; wholly learned and based on
symbolic systems; and constituting humankind’s most important method of adaptation. Jayne Howell’s work in
Oaxaca aims to determine how this society in transition is adapting to the pressures imposed by outside forces,
and illustrates some of the methods of research that ethnographers employ in a biocultural approach to
discovering how the world’s diverse cultures function.
P52319-002
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$99.00
Episode 3: Beginnings of Human Culture
Humans are first a biological species, Homo sapiens, but they are unique among all species in their capacity for
cultural adaptations. This lesson first compares humans to modern primates, especially the great apes, in terms of
biology, genetics, and behaviors. Next, it surveys the evolution of the line of pre-human ancestors from the first
bipedal species that emerged about six million years ago up to anatomically modern humans and their increasingly
sophisticated cultural innovations. Finally, the concept of race is discussed as a social construct that has no
biological validity.
P52319-003
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Episode 4: Communication & Culture
This program focuses on the efforts of the Serrano tribe of Native American to revitalize their dying cultural
traditions and language. The features and structures of human language in general are discussed, showing some
examples from the Serrano language, and the role played by descriptive linguist assisting them is examined. A
discussion of deaf sign languages reveals that they are in every way like all other human languages except that
they are based on gestures instead of sounds. Nonverbal human communication systems are explored, as are
various aspects of the fields of ethnolinguistics and sociolinguistics. African-American Vernacular English is
discussed as an example of a social dialect that marks membership in a group. The film closes with a focus on the
Serrano children, who it is hoped will carry on the tribal language and traditions.
P52319-004
30:00
$99.00
Episode 5: Social Identity, Personality & Gender
One of the universal questions that people ask is “Who am I?” The answer is complex and begins with
enculturation. Enculturation influences how you think, feel, and behave and it starts at birth. It begins with being
given a name. Naming ceremonies vary from culture to culture, but what you are called is an important device for
self definition and it also allows individuals to take their place within their group’s culture. As children develop
physically, they also develop emotionally and psychologically. One aspect of this maturation is the development of
self-awareness. This is important for the individual and also for the entire community. Not only does everyone have
a name, but individuals have their own personalities. It is now recognized that one’s personality is the product of
both enculturation and one’s own genetic make-up. When studying how personality develops, we cannot ignore
the role that sex and gender may play nor can we overlook the biological factors that may influence and
differentiate male and female behaviors. Determining whether gender roles influence personality and social identity
or vice versa may be difficult, but we know that gender roles vary greatly from culture to culture. It is also
recognized that every culture has individuals who are transgenders - people who do not fall neatly within the
proscribed male and female categories. Western cultures prefer to think exclusively in male and female gender
roles, but many other cultures have created a “third gender” or even a “fourth gender” in which to place these
individuals. As individuals, we not only need to know who we are but also how we fit in and belong to the culture
we were born into. Sometimes it gets complicated.
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Episode 6: Subsistence Systems
Regardless of the language, the geographic location or the culture the question being asked is the same “What are
we going to eat today?” The difference comes in the answer and the response depends upon the subsistence
system used by those asking the question. This film focuses on three types of subsistence patterns: foraging,
horticultural/ agricultural, and pastoralism. The Ju’/hoansi live in the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa. They are a
prime example of the hunter/gatherer-foraging subsistence system. Their understanding of the ecosystem in which
they live and their ability to adapt have led to their survival both as foragers and now as a more sedentary group.
While foragers have little control over the availability of natural resources, they can ensure the survival yield of the
land by living within the carrying capacity of the environment. In contrast, people in food-producing societies
control the production of either plants or animals. Food-producing societies tend to be sedentary; they live in larger
groups than foragers and have more complex social and political structures. The most common form of horticulture
is slash-and-burn cultivation, which relies on human power and has limited productivity yield. Another subsistence
system is pastoralism, the managing of herds of animals. Many pastoralist societies live at such high altitudes that
little agricultural activity can occur. The Yolmo of Nepal, who are featured in the video, have crossbred cows with
male yaks to produce zomo, a hybrid cattle species that is biologically adapted to live at high altitudes. Since life is
so precarious, the Yolmo must exploit the seasonal environments and supplement their diet and economy by
practicing horticulture at the lower altitudes. Many pastoral groups practice transhumance, the seasonal migration
of herds and people in order to maximize grazing opportunities. What all subsistence systems have in common is
the need for water. Who controls the water is at the heart of human survival. In the postindustrial era, traditional
subsistence activities have been relegated to hobbies, such as hunting, fishing, and berry picking.
P52319-006
30:00
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Episode 7: Economic Systems
Economic systems are the means by which a society produces, distributes and consumes resources, and are
intimately integrated with the other elements of the culture. In this lesson the economic systems of several
societies are examined as examples of how reciprocity, redistribution, and market exchange play a central role in
the distribution of goods. The Ju/ hoansi of southern Africa exemplify foraging cultures in which food is not
produced but rather collected as it is needed and distributed immediately according to the process known as
generalized reciprocity. The Yolmo of Nepal traditionally practiced pastoralism and subsistence farming, using an
exchange system of balanced reciprocity combined with redistribution. A Ghanian market run by women illustrates
a traditional form of market exchange, and a Japanese fish market exemplifies the wholesale commercial market
with international participants but face-to-face transactions according to Japanese cultural practices.
P52319-007
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Episode 8: Sex & Marriage
The video opens with a wedding in Long Bow Village, in China, and effectively shows the diverse nature of
weddings from one culture to another emphasizing that weddings are rites of passage, full of ritual and symbols
that convey and emphasize the values of that society. It defines marriage and suggests that this is one way that
societies regulate sexual relations between men and women. It points out that all cultures include rules on who can
marry whom because of the general concern regarding marriage between close family members, or incest. The
incest taboo is discussed, and the narrator and expert anthropologists explain it provides a structuring mechanism
for marriage rules, endogamy and exogamy. Arranged marriages are discussed, how they benefit specific
societies, and the attitudes toward then as opposed to the western ideals of romantic love.
P52319-008
30:00
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Episode 9: Marriage & Family
The video for Lesson 9 begins with Helen Mendoza and Pam Privett explaining that families can take many forms
today. They are partners in a same-sex marriage, raising children of their own. Lesson 8 explained why some
cultures find polygamy a preferred marriage arrangement, and the video for Lesson 9 highlights the familial and
household benefits of the polygynous system. However, the video points out that not all such marriages are
cooperative. Under some circumstances, competition among wives can cause serious tensions. The terms
consanguinal family, conjugal family, and fictive kin are defined and varying family forms such as nuclear family,
extended family, and blended family are illustrated. The Yolmo, pastoralists of east-central Nepal, are featured to
illustrate how monogamy within a nuclear family organization functions within this group. Residence patterns and
marriage customs, such as bride-price and bride service, are discussed and the reasons for their practice are
illustrated. The final segment of the video comments on newer adaptations of the family made possible because of
advances in reproductive technology and changes in adoption laws within the United States.
P52319-009
30:00
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Episode 10: Kinship & Descent
The video opens with pictures of Chinese immigrants of the 1850s to the 1900s and explains that the immigrants of
that time faced enormous challenges when they moved from their country to the United States. They faced
discrimination and a sense of isolation because they lacked assistance that had been provided through strong
kinship ties in China. The video explains that kinships, or the strong familial networks within which individuals
function on a daily basis, are made up of groups of family members and that they provide the essentials for
survival. The video explains descent groups and lineages and points out that not all lineages trace descent the
same way. Several different kinds of descent groups are illustrated and Chinese patrilineal descent is featured.
Particular attention is given to explaining this complex system; that a lineage in this system goes back only four to
six generations because households become very large over time and conflicts arise, that brothers splinter off and
begin lineages of their own. The concept of clan (tsu) is defined and discussed at length. Different systems of
kinship are illustrated, and that each group establishes varying methods of defining relatives. The video explains
the Eskimo system, the Iroquois System, and the Hawaiian system.
P52319-010
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Episode 11: Grouping by Gender, Age, Common Interest & Class
This program explores concepts related to non-kin based social groupings by focusing on the culture of the Black
Indians of New Orleans. They are a common interest group that celebrates their own art and culture, culminating in
their annual celebration of Mardi Gras separately from the better known White Carnival. Divisions within the group
based on age and gender are discussed, as is its origins and history as an oppressed minority social class
excluded from the white Mardi Gras. Finally the show examines the effects of hurricane Katrina on the culture of
the Mardi Gras Black Indians and on the recovery of the city in general.
P52319-011
30:00
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Episode 12: Politics, Power & Violence
This video explores the anthropological concepts of political organization and social control as practiced crossculturally. It opens with anthropologists Victoria Bernal and Laura Nader discussing the concepts of political
organization, in terms of power, authority, functions, and its four main forms: bands, tribes, chiefdoms, and states.
Nader and William Ury then explore the various methods of maintaining social order across cultures, including
interior and externalized controls, sanctions and laws. Methods of dispute resolution are described by Nader and
Ury, and the two then debate the merits of the use of alternative dispute resolution methods (ADR) in the United
States. China’s control over citizen use of the internet is used as an example of the interrelationships between
social control, ideology, legitimacy, and the potential for the use of force by ruling powers. Nader and human rights
activist Xiao Qiang then describe, in parallel fashion for comparison and contrast, their personal experiences with
peaceful student protests at the University of California in Berkeley in the mid-1960s and in Tiananmen Square in
China in 1989, both of which brought violent reactions from their respective governments.
P52319-012
30:00
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Episode 13: Religion & Spirituality
The program opens with a general discussion of the anthropological definition of religion contrasted with
spirituality. This is followed by a close up view of some of the history, beliefs, and practices of Islam and Tibetan
Buddhism, through the eyes of several experts and practitioners. Discussions of anthropological concepts of
religion cross-culturally are offered with examples of the basic forms of religion, its specialists, and its rituals, as
well as magic and witchcraft. The exploration of some of the social and psychological functions of religious
practices and belief systems, especially focusing on Islam, conclude the show.
P52319-013
30:00
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Episode 14: The Arts
This Episode focuses on visual, verbal and musical art forms. Since art is created in response to social, religious,
political, economic, and aesthetic stimuli, anthropologists use it as a guide to understanding the values and ideals
of culture. Being able to put art within a cultural context enables anthropologists to observe cultural dynamics. That
is why tattoos, hip hop and hula provide insight into past and present cultures. You will also be reintroduced to the
Pacific Northwest Potlatch ceremony. This once again will highlight the integrated nature of all aspects of culture.
P52319-014
30:00
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Episode 15: Processes of Change
At the beginning of the video for Lesson 15, anthropologist Leo Chavez comments that culture “is always
transforming itself, always changing. It is always in the process of becoming something else.” Throughout history,
cultures have changed because of environmental conditions, internal pressures, or external forces. Change comes
quickly, or it may occur slowly. In any event, anthropologists chronicle cultural change and offer explanations as to
why it happens. Anthropologist Eugene Cooper has tracked cultural change as it is reflected in the craft of Chinese
furniture-making during the 1970s and 1980s, and he emphasizes that societies change with the use of new
technologies. The key term, diffusion, is introduced and discussed within the context of the spread of the English
language from the anthropologist to the group she/he studies. The video illuminates some of the benefits and
problems that immigration poses for a culture. It focuses on the current migration of Mexicans and Central
Americans to the United States. It illustrates why the Minutemen Civil Defense Corps was founded, and how their
goals were formed in response to the perception that too many Mexican citizens were coming across the border
into the United States illegally. In contrast, the human rights organization El Rescate was formed in 1981 in Los
Angeles to assist individuals who had escaped the chaos in Central America and who sought refuge here. Both
groups offer their own perspective on the impact of immigrants on American culture. The video also offers
contextual information on and post-colonialism, and explains the differences between rebellion and revolution.
P52319-015
30:00
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Episode 16: Global Challenges & Anthropology
This program explores the phenomenon of globalization, its complex forms, and its impact on the cultures of the
world, as well as the contributions that anthropology can make toward a better understanding of it. Wal-Mart’s
operations in China are shown as an example of how giant global corporations use structural power to expand
business and profit in developing countries. The collaboration of the Bolivian government with another U.S.-based
global corporation, Bechtel, and the World Bank illustrates how such partnerships can act against the best
interests of the people. Finally, a Bangladeshi immigrant to the United States is interviewed, giving a personal
perspective on the record high levels of external and internal migration occurring worldwide.
P52319-016
30:00
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Episode 17: Applied Anthropology
The video begins with the anthropological definition of applied anthropology; that this field of study refers to the
application of method and theory to the analysis and solution of practical problems and that it can be used, or
“applied” within the four subdisciplines of anthropology - physical (or biological), cultural, linguistic and
archaeological. The video shows how a cultural anthropologist, Professor Mikel Hogan, practices applied
anthropology within a hospital setting to help resolve some of the on-the-job problems that nurses face at this time
of crises within the health-care system in the United States. As the video progresses, viewers also see how
linguistic anthropologist Breesha Maddrell works on the Isle of Man to help the culture there preserve and maintain
the Celtic language of Manx Gaelic. Finally, the third segment of the video shows how physical anthropologists
Amy Mundorff and Diane Cockle work in the area of forensics. Mundorff explains the educational qualifications
required for a career in forensics, explaining that a strong background in biology or chemistry, plus a strong
background in anthropology, particularly archaeology, is ideal. In general, this video gives very clear and varied
examples of where applied anthropology is used in the workforce, how flexible the field is, and how it fits within the
subfields of anthropology.
P52319-017
30:00
$99.00
Physical Anthropology: The Evolving Human Series
©2008 Coast Learning Systems
Sr High, Post-Secondary
Physical Anthropology: The Evolving Human provides students with an understanding of human evolution and diversity from
a biological perspective. While new techniques and discoveries are continuing to alter our understanding of the human
species and its place in the biological world, this course provides the student with essential tools to appreciate the key
theoretical and methodological issues involved in this subdiscipline of anthropology.
Series code: K52320-001 16 Digital/DVD
$1195.00
Compilation 2-DVD set available: $895.00
Episode 1: The Anthropological Perspective
Anthropology is the study of human culture and of human evolutionary biology. It is a very broad discipline and
there are many different types of anthropologists. Cultural anthropology considers many aspects of human society
and focuses on how it affects human behavior. Linguistic anthropologists study the interaction between culture and
language, as well as the origins of human language. Archaeologists focus on the material remains of past peoples.
The fourth subfield of anthropology is the topic of this course: physical anthropology. Physical anthropology itself
has different areas. These include paleoanthropology, human variation, genetics, primatology, osteology, and
forensic anthropology. Physical anthropologists are scientists, and they use the methods of science to conduct
their research. They collect data and develop hypotheses, which are then tested. The video ends with the process
that the Forensic Archaeology Recovery team used to identify victims from a 2003 nightclub fire in Rhode Island.
P52320-001
30:00
$99.00
Episode 2: Development of Evolutionary Theory
Evolutionary theory provides a foundation for the study of physical anthropology. In this video, experts guide
students through the development of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection. It also brings some
of the main contributors to evolutionary theory to life. The theory of evolution by natural selection is illustrated using
examples from the Galapagos Islands, monarch butterflies, peppered moths, and a special segment on the
Channel Islands fox.
P52320-002
30:00
$99.00
Episode 3: Biological Basis for Life
The secrets of the cell are revealed to students. They will learn basic structure of the cell and the structure and
function of DNA. DNA composition, genes, chromosome structure, mitosis, and meiosis are explained by experts
in ways that will be easy for students to process. These principles are also illustrated in a modern context using
analyses of ancient DNA from Neandertals, interviews with DNA crime lab experts, and an in-depth view of one
woman’s experience living with a challenging genetic mutation.
P52320-003
30:00
$99.00
Episode 4: Heredity & Evolution
We are all aware that we have inherited certain traits from our parents. How are these inherited characteristics
expressed? How do evolutionary processes influence patterns of change in these characteristics? In this video, the
mechanisms and patterns of inheritance are introduced. We begin with an overview of Mendel’s principles of
inheritance. Modern plant breeders discuss how they still use these principles in the breeding of sweet peas and
other plant. The video then introduces polygenic inheritance, mutation, genetic drift, and gene flow. The discovery
and the distribution of the CCR5 mutation are discussed as well as gene flow and genetic drift in Chumash Indian
populations.
P52320-004
30:00
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Episode 5: Macroevolution
Who is related to whom? How do species evolve? What has happened in geological time? This video focuses on
macroevolution and the processes that explain it. It begins on location at a paleontological site in the Big Horn
Basin, Wyoming, where scientists are recording mammalian evolution in the first ten million years after the
Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary extinction. A key question of macroevolution is, ‘What distinguishes a species?” This
leads to taxonomy and discussion of the two main approaches to classification: evolutionary systematics and
cladistics. Examples are given of homologies and analogies, and ancestral and derived traits, keys to classifying
by these different approaches. Cladistics focuses only on derived traits. In the second segment, two different
species concepts are mentioned - the biological species concept, which is the most commonly used definition, and
the ecological species concept, which places emphasis on niche occupation and natural selection. The difficulty of
recognizing a fossil species is explained by anthropologists Alfred Rosenberg and Jonathan Bloch. In the third
segment, the immense time span involved with macroevolution is examined, continental drift and its effects are
explained, and the characteristics of mammals are illustrated. The video returns to the paleontological site in the
Big Horn Basin, where Bloch is seen excavating.
P52320-005
30:00
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Episode 6: The Living Primates
This video succinctly presents a portrait of what it is to be a primate with adaptation to an arboreal environment.
The suite of traits that distinguish primates are presented along with a comparison to other types of mammals.
Then the video delves into the adaptations and traits that distinguish the various type of primates from one
another. Prosimians, tarsiers, New World monkeys, Old World monkeys, and hominoids are all adroitly described
and distinguished. The types of locomotor patterns, diets, and habitats used by primates are interwoven
throughout.
P52320-006
30:00
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Episode 7: Primate Behavior
This lesson tackles why we study the behavior of nonhuman primates and how their behavior patterns can be
related to human behavior and evolution. Experts discuss their field study experiences and what they learned
about the behavior of their subjects. Social structure and social organization are related to impact on reproductive
success. The central mother-infant bond is explored, along with patterns of affiliative and aggressive behaviors in
social groups. Nonhuman capacities for language and culture are also addressed in interesting ways.
P52320-007
30:00
$99.00
Episode 8: Methods of Paleoanthropology
Experts at the cutting edge of paleoanthropological research show how it’s done. In this video, students are
introduced to the ways researchers gather data in order to answer the basic human question: Who are we and
where do we come from? The multidisciplinary approach to this research is shown through interviews with
established paleoanthropologists and with researchers in related areas such as archaeology, geology, the
reconstruction of paleoenvironments, geomorphology, paleontology, and paleobotany. There is a strong focus on
Koobi Fora, one of the most important field sites in paleoanthropology. In the last segment, relative and
chronometric dating methods are explained in ways that will demonstrate state-of-the-art methods for discerning
how old a specimen is.
P52320-008
30:00
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Episode 9: The First Bipeds
The key trait that makes a hominoid a hominin is evidence for bipedalism. In this video experts discuss the
physical changes that must occur for the transition to bipedalism including the more forward positioning of the
foramen magnum, the large hole through which the spinal cord passes into the skull, a pelvis that becomes more
bowl-shaped rather than the long blade-like pelvis of a chimpanzee, a longer leg, and a foot with springy arches.
Important discoveries are examined in the time period from four to one million years ago including East African
discoveries such as Australopithecus anamensis and the famous “Lucy” specimen. The history of discovery in
South Africa is reviewed starting with the first Australopithecus, the Taung child, and the more rugged genus
Paranthropus. Finally, you will learn about the first member of our genus, Homo habilis.
P52320-009
30:00
$99.00
Episode 10: A New Hominin
About 1.8 million years ago, a new species of Homo appears in East Africa, a species that will exist longer than
any other hominin. This lesson focuses on that new species: Homo erectus, the first hominin to leave Africa. In this
lesson, you will follow the migrations of this species. You will explore the history of what paleoanthropologists have
discovered concerning this widespread hominin in Java and in China and learn how the recent discoveries in the
Republic of Georgia have turned much of what we knew about Homo erectus on its head. Finally, you will learn
about a new type of tool industry that lasts for more than a million years.
P52320-010
30:00
$99.00
Episode 11: Premodern Humans
Around 780,000 years ago a new species of Homo appears, perhaps descended from the hominins that lived in
Spain and Italy between 900,000 and 800,000 years ago. This is time period, called the Middle Pleistocene, is
marked by alternations of glaciations and interglacials. The new species is called Homo heidelbergensis. Around
125,000 Homo heidelbergensis gives rise to the Neandertals. The Neandertals are the main focus of this Episode.
You will see that the Neandertals were a robust people adapted for a cold, harsh environment. Their survival
depended on more than just biology, however. A major factor to their survival was their stone tool culture, known
as the Mousterian. In addition, the fact that they transported raw materials during their migrations to make future
tools demonstrated forward planning. These people also practiced burial of the dead in which grave goods were
left with the deceased. Finally, the video explores the question of what happened to these ancient humans.
P52320-011
30:00
$99.00
Episode 12: Origin & Dispersal of Modern Humans
The main question of physical anthropology since its origins in the 1770s was the origin of modern humans. At that
time this was in reference to the different populations of humans. Today it refers to our origins as a species in
evolutionary time. This video begins by introducing you to the three current models for human origins. Then a
physical comparison is made between modern humans and Neandertals and you will see that it is in the brain case
that we differ the most. You will journey to southern Ethiopia to see one of the earliest modern humans, discovered
in 1967, but forgotten until recently. Associated with modern humans is a great advancement in technology that
marks the Upper Paleolithic. The video ends with researchers discussing the advent of art and personal adornment
and what this might have meant to the people of the Upper Paleolithic.
P52320-012
30:00
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Episode 13: Patterns of Variation
The video begins with comments on some instances of ethnic genocide that have occurred in the past in the
Sudan, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Nazi Germany during World War II, and relates these occurrences to the concept of
“race,” a concept that is based on physical differences between groups. It defines the everyday usage of the word
“race” and includes its biological definition, which leads to the conclusion that the word and concept of “race”
cannot apply to Homo sapiens because, as is well understood, there are no subspecies of Homo sapiens. The
video then briefly explains the historical context of how the concept of race emerged among European explorers
during the sixteenth century. And, it explains that today anthropologists and scholars look beyond visible physical
differences to explain human variation, that they analyze genetics and DNA, the cornerstone of genetic studies, to
describe and understand human diversity. The video defines polymorphisms and clearly explains how their
presence in human genotypes causes differences in phenotypic variation. Using interviews with a Somali family
who had to flee their country because of race-based violence, the video points out that the easiest visible
difference to note is skin color. The video explains that science now explains skin color shifts as a response to
geographical regions called clines. A montage of images illustrates the phenotypic variation of skin tones in Africa
to illustrate this perspective. The video features Gregory Lanzaro, a medical entomologist who is working to
eradicate malaria, and it describes how the sickle-cell allele began and how it has become adaptive in malarial
regions. The concept that humans are products of biocultural evolution is discussed, as well as the latest
theoretical viewpoints on the “thrifty gene” hypothesis.
P52320-013
30:00
$99.00
Episode 14: Patterns of Adaptation
How do humans adapt to environmental challenges? In this video, experts explore this question from many angles.
The difference between acclimatization and adaptation is explained. Nina Jablonski explains skin color function
and adaptations related to UV radiation levels, the vitamin D hypothesis, and preventing the loss of folate in the
body. High-altitude adaptations are also discussed, along with responses to heat and cold stressors. In the last
segment, the evolutionary dance between humans and their pathogens is brought to light. The interwoven
interactions between human cultural activities, and the evolution of new pathogens, as well as the evolution of drug
resistance in existing pathogens are discussed.
P52320-014
30:00
$99.00
Episode 15: Legacies of Human Evolutionary History
The interaction between human biology and culture, and human impact on the environment are discussed is this
eye-opening video. It begins with a discussion of human life history from birth to senescence. The biocultural
evolution of dietary patterns is demonstrated with an emphasis on the ancestral diet and the influence of
agricultural practices on modern diets. The impact of these changes on human health is also discussed. Finally,
Melvin J. Konner takes a look at human interaction with other organisms and the environment. He touches on
antibiotic resistance, pollution, habitat destruction and the loss of biodiversity, mass extinctions, and global
warming, and how we can take steps to reduce human impact on the earth.
P52320-015
30:00
$99.00
Episode 16: Applied Anthropology
The video opens by defining applied anthropology as a field of study in which anthropological knowledge and
methods are used to analyze and solve practical problems. In its three segments, the video gives clear and varied
examples of where applied anthropology is used in the workforce and demonstrates how applied anthropology fits
within all four subfields of anthropology - physical (or biological) anthropology, cultural anthropology, linguistic
anthropology, and archaeology. The video shows how a cultural anthropologist, Professor Mikel Hogan, practices
applied anthropology within a hospital setting to help resolve some of the on-the-job problems that nurses face at
this time of crises within the health-care system in the United States. As the video progresses, viewers also see
how linguistic anthropologist Breesha Maddrell works on the Isle of Man to help the culture there preserve and
maintain the Celtic language of Manx Gaelic. Finally, the third segment of the video shows how physical
anthropologists Amy Mundorff and Diane Cockle work in the area of forensic anthropology and how they assist law
enforcement agencies with identifying human remains and analyzing evidence from crime scenes. Mundorff
explains the educational qualifications required for a career in forensics, explaining that a strong background in
biology or chemistry, plus a strong background in anthropology, particularly archaeology, is ideal. Cockle
discusses the high standard of proof that is required of forensic anthropologists in criminal cases and explains the
contributions that applied anthropologists have made assisting the United Nations in its efforts to investigate and
stem the incidence of genocide brought about by war.
P52320-016
30:00
$99.00
*Please contact us for Post Secondary or District pricing
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