January 3rd, 2023
I wanted to write this down really quick. I am becoming increasingly interested in anthropology and am thinking about taking a course in anthropology at Wake Tech Community College. This may start in February. In the meantime, I am wacthing a series of lectures on Wondrium about anthropology and something the lecturer said stuck out to me. He had mentioned how he was had learned about a research method in anthropology called participant observation through cultural immersion. This is basically my goal when I went to Italy last April and it is what I would want to do if and when I go to Germany. I am already learning the German language so I can better immerse myself in the culture.
Anthropology is the study of humankind over time and space. In Anthropology there is Biological anthropology, Archaeology, Linguistics, and Cultural Anthropology. Bilogical Anthropology includes Primatology, Paleontology, Evolution, Biology, Genetics, Health, and Forensic Science. Who are we and where do we come from?.Archeology uncovers and interprests artifacts to reveal the histories of people who are no longer here to share their stories. Linguistic Anthropology dissects the structure of language, Preserves and investigates dead languages, tells language histories, and provides a record of human migration and cultural interaction, and explore the “chicken and egg” relationship between language and culture. Linguistics helps us answer the second big question about how we are the sole surviving upright walking apes. Cultural Anthropology is a multidisciplinary subfield that explores kinship, economics, gender, development, religion, and art and just about anything else we humans do. Cultural anthropology seeks to answer the question of how, despite cultural and linguistic differences, we are one human race. The lines between these are blurry.
There might also be what’s known as a fifth subfield of Anthropology known as Applied Anthropology which may involve writing reports for charities or research institutes, help draft legislation, and bring stakeholders together to improve patient outcomes at hospitals and clinics. Some of the interdisciplinary areas of expertise within this field might include medical anthropology, legal anthropology, education, and international development.
One of the main functions of Anthropologists is that of bridge builders, whose cross cultural knowledge draws on the experience and understanding of diverse groups who often have little common cultural ground. It counteracts the problem of cultural bias and blindspots in order to create benefits for a wider swath of humanity.