It's a Jungle Out There!

Anthropology. Sounds boring, so who knew it could be so fascinating?! The term is defined as the study of humanity, including its prehistoric origins and contemporary human diversity. Boring, right? So let’s break it down to something fun.

I bet you didn’t know that there are several types of anthropology and that they all tie in together to form one connected world. The four main categories are biological, cultural, linguistic, and archaeology and some argue that there should be a fifth element called applied anthropology. By far the most intriguing of them all is archaeology. This is where images of Indiana Jones and treasure hunting come to mind.

Through all of these methods, we are ultimately trying to study the culture of previous civilizations. By using the tools we have today, we can make determinations about how people lived, their religions, beliefs, hunting methods, and more. Cultural anthropologists agree that the study of culture is very important, but the means of defining it properly are still debated. The official definition is people’s learned and shared behaviors and beliefs.

Cultures can be defined and separated based on the smallest thing such as eating, drinking and sleeping. Each culture is accustomed to different foods and each food has its own meaning. In China, they turn their noses as cheese, but favor pork. In Islamic countries, pork is sacred and forbidden. In France, cheese is exquisite. Even in each culture, drinks can differ. Most Americans get water with their meal, but in India water is served after the meal. In French culture, wine is an acceptable drink even for children, whereas in America, we have an age limit of 21. Even something as simple as sleep can define a culture.

So what is the best way to research culture? It was determined by anthropologists that research would best be done in the field. Get off that chair and go outside. What a great idea! The best way to gather information to form a meaning of culture is to get out and dig a little.

Since there are very few isolated cultures in the world today, researchers have come up with different techniques. One method is multisided research, which is fieldwork conducted on a topic in more than one location and studying many topics. Fieldwork is exciting, but dangerous as well. It can be quick research or take several years. In the 1980s, Michelle Zimbalist Rosaldo lost her life in the Philippines due to a slippery path on a high-land.

Anthropology had to adopt a code of ethics due to two events in the 1950s and 1960s where researchers were sent out to gather data without understanding of the intended use of that information. The first event was in South America and the second was the Vietnam War. In 1971, the AAA (American Anthropological Association) adopted the code of ethics that states: an anthropologist’s primary responsibility is to ensure the safety of the people participating in the research.

The research techniques vary by using qualitative and quantitative research methods. While most anthropologists take notes in the field, the modern use of technology helps tremendously. Examples of the technology are photography, audio recordings, and video recordings. Using their data, researchers have also begun using collaborative research methods.