ANT 252 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Franz Boas, Applied Anthropology
Chapter 1.5 – Applied Anthropology
Applied and Practicing Anthropology
● Applied anthropology - anthropological research commissioned to
serve an organization’s needs
● Practicing anthropology - the broadest category of anthropological
work that involves research as well as involvement in the design,
implementation, and management of some organization, process,
or product
Is Anthropology a Science?
● E.E. Evans-Pritchard argued it should be grouped with the
humanities
○ Said that describing other people requires an understanding
of their inner lives and beliefs that no scientific methodology
can grasp
● Franz Boas argued it was - but it mediates between the two
branches
What Ethical Obligations do Anthropologists have?
● Anthropologists learn about how and why people in other cultures
think and act as they do by researching their moral standards
Document Summary
Applied anthropology - anthropological research commissioned to serve an organization"s needs. Practicing anthropology - the broadest category of anthropological work that involves research as well as involvement in the design, implementation, and management of some organization, process, or product. Evans-pritchard argued it should be grouped with the humanities. Said that describing other people requires an understanding of their inner lives and beliefs that no scientific methodology can grasp. Franz boas argued it was - but it mediates between the two branches. Anthropologists learn about how and why people in other cultures think and act as they do by researching their moral standards. Doing anthropology itself involved ethical relationships between researchers and others, raising many important and complex issues about the ethical conduct of anthropological research and practice. Some anthropologists say that do no harm isn"t enough, that anthropologists have a moral imperative to go further by doing good. Action anthropology: directly addresses issues of social injustice.