ANTHROP 1AB3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Biological Anthropology, Cultural Anthropology, Ethnography
21 Sep 2019
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Document Summary
Anthropology: the study of humankind in all times and places. Anthropology focuses on the interconnections and interdependence of all aspects of the human experience in all places, in the present and deep into the past, well before written history. This is done through taking a holistic perspective, which is a fundamental principle in anthropology. The various parts of human culture and biology must be viewed in the broadest possible context. Maintaining this critical and objective awareness prevents one from the pitfalls of ethnocentrism, a belief that the ways of one"s own culture are the only proper ones. Anthropologists come from many different backgrounds and vary in their personal, political, and religious beliefs. However, each applies a rigorous methodology for researching cultural practices from the perspective of the culture being studies. This methodology requires them to check for the influences of their own biases. In this light, anthropology is concerned with the unbiased evaluation of diverse human systems.
