The Nature of Anthropology
Cultural Anthropology
Chapter 1
Groupings
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1 and 4: Biological and Archaeology (p. 8 -11)
2 and 5: Linguistic and Applied (p.11- 12)
3 and 6: Sociocultural (p. 12 – 24 (-15 - 20))
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Anthropology answers questions of who we are, where
we came from and why we act the way we do
 “The study of humankind in all times and places”
Anthropology incorporates physiology’s interest in
humans as biological organisms, social science’s
interest in human relationships and humanity’s
examination of the achievements of human culture
 Concerned with everything human
The Development of Anthropology
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Anthropology as a
distinct discipline is
relatively new
U of T offered the
first anthropology
course in North
America in 1860
under the guidance
of Sir Daniel Wilson
The Development of Anthropology
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Anthropology is new for various reasons:
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Technology was limited
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Through most of history people were stuck in their respective
geographic locations so observations of different cultures was
difficult
When people began to travel to distant places they began to
become conscious of the radical differences among humans
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Even though people were aware of different of other cultures (e.g.:
the Bible references to many cultures like the Jews, Egyptians,
Babylonians, Ethiopians) the differences between cultures is small
compared to the differences between aboriginals of Australia and
Arctic for example
The Development of Anthropology
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Another reason for the relatively recent
development of anthropology is the
European sense of superiority
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This failed to recognize that despite
differences, all people had a shared
‘humanity’
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Groups that did not share European values
and beliefs were deemed as ‘savages’ and
‘barbarians’
Late18th century is when a significant
number of Europeans considered the
behaviour of these individuals as
important in understanding themselves
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This coincided with efforts to understand
the world in terms of natural laws
A Note on Terminology
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Names assigned to aboriginal peoples by European explores and colonial
governments were not the terms used by the people to refer to themselves
and concerted efforts are being made today to use the names that the
actual people use
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In Canada it is First Nations, Inuit and Metis to indentify the aboriginal peoples
collectively and their chosen name to identify distinctive cultural groups
The text uses every effort to use the people’s preferred name when referring to a
group
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For example, the Ju/’hoansi of the Kalahari used be called the uncomplimentary
‘bushmen’, then the !Kung and now we use their own name meaning, ‘genuine people’
The terms used will not satisfy all people but it is a step ensuring some cultural
sensitivity
The Discipline of Anthropology
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Anthropology is divided into four fields: biological anthropology,
archaeology, linguistic anthropology, and socio-cultural
anthropology
Biological Anthropology
 Concerned with humans as biological organisms
Archaeology
 Cultural behaviour of people in past
Sociocultural anthropology
 Concerned with humans as cultural animals
 Called social anthropology in N.A. and cultural anthropology in
G.B
Linguistic Anthropology
 The study of languages of the past and present as a means for
people to relate to each other and develop and communicate
ideas about each other and the world
Disciplines of Anthropology Jigsaw
Activity
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You will be doing a jigsaw activity that explores the
disciplines of anthropology; biological, archeology,
sociocultural and linguistic (and applied)
You will be assigned one or two areas of
anthropology as described and will, in your home
group, read and take notes on it.
You will then meet with members from other groups
to form an expert group and share your notes.
This will be done in three separate jigsaw groups.
Take notes on all the areas on a separate sheet of
paper. You may use these notes for your chapter
notes.