APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY: WHAT IT STUDIES AND FIELDS OF APPLICATION - SCIENCE - 2024

The applied anthropology is, in simple words, the fact put into practice the knowledge and anthropological methods to complete a research activity. It is any type of anthropological research that is carried out in order to solve one or more practical problems.

Pure anthropology is the social science that studies the behavior of human beings, both in the past and today. By "applying" it, it seeks to solve problems that may be related to any area that involves human behavior, such as health, business, human rights, environmental problems and education, among others.

It is the praxis of anthropology, the fact of including research together with activism within the community or group of people that you want to study.

What do you study?

Anthropology is the study of humans in the past and present. Anthropologists take a broad approach to understanding all aspects of the human experience. They start from a holistic idea; that is to say, that all the attributes that make the human being are interconnected with each other.

Anthropology takes into account the past of human beings - through the study of archeology - to determine how people lived thousands of years ago and the things that mattered to humans. They also take into account what makes the human being biologically, be it the body, bones, genetics and the food that is consumed.

Similarly, studies that determine the similarities between people and animals are also encompassed by anthropology.

Anthropological studies are divided into four main branches, which are the areas of study in which this science specializes. All these areas of study can be applied, which means that they have practical uses that usually have specific purposes, such as studies or research.

What does applied anthropology do?

Applied anthropology is one of the fundamental parts of anthropology, since the four subdivisions of anthropology can be used in studies.

Basically, applied anthropology consists of putting anthropological principles into practice to solve problems that arise in the real world.

For example, applied anthropology can be used in local communities to solve problems present in them, which can be health, education or even the environment.

Anthropologists can also be found working in history museums to help determine the origin of certain historical aspects of humanity.

Applied anthropology is not limited to a single work; It encompasses a large number of aspects that can be related to each other to determine the results of the studies.

The common characteristic that everyone who practices applied anthropology must have is to see the world in a holistic way.

Everything that affects humanity correlates with each other. That is, in order to explain a problem in its entirety, all its parts must be studied, related and then developed an answer based on this.

Fields of application

Anthropology can be applied in almost any field that involves the development of human beings, but it is mainly divided into four main branches. These are biology, archeology, culture, and linguistics.

Biological anthropology

Biological anthropology, also known as physical anthropology, is that branch of applied anthropology that encompasses all studies of the human being and its evolution.

Studies in this branch of anthropology seek to understand why human beings are the way they are, but mainly focus on the wide diversity of the species.

It is quite broad in scope and includes various practices, such as human paleontology, evolutionary biology, and human genetics, among others. These studies are not limited to the past: they can also explain current human biological attitudes, based on evolutionary facts.

Cultural anthropology

Cultural anthropology is a division of anthropology that is responsible for studying culture in all its aspects, using the methods and tools of ethnography, ethnology and folklore to accurately determine the studies. It complies with analyzing and studying the culture in the different societies of the world.

This branch of anthropology is closely related to archaeological anthropology. In many cases, experts from both areas collaborate with each other to obtain better study results. Similarly, the cultural branch of this science is related to other social sciences, such as sociology.

Linguistic anthropology

Linguistic anthropology specifically focuses on the use of language as a social tool for humans.

The applied studies of this branch of science seek to study the functioning of languages ​​and other forms of communication worldwide. In addition, it explains the cultural understandings of the language and its variations in each society.

In applied studies, language is considered a fundamental tool in the creation of culture in social life. This relates linguistic anthropology to cultural anthropology, again creating a holistic relationship between anthropological branches.

Studies seek to understand how each language can influence the way people perceive the world.

For example, the availability of particular words and their use in each language may mean that people understand objects or directions more easily or require further explanation.

Archeology

Archaeologists study the culture of humans based on the objects they created in the past.

It is without doubt the most practical and applicable branch of anthropology; Researchers carefully search for buried objects of all kinds to identify their origin and characteristics. In addition, they create maps of villages and homes to identify the way they lived.

The study of archeology is not limited to humans, because animals are also studied to determine the environment in which humans themselves developed. This brings out the importance of the holistic belief of applied anthropology again.

This branch of anthropology covers the entire human existence that is recorded, from the first steps taken by the ancestors to the present day.

References

1. What is anthropology ?, American Anthropology Association, (nd). Taken from americananthro.org
2. What is Applied Anthropology ?, University of North Texas, (nd). Taken from unt.edu
3. Biological Anthropology, Leslie Aiello, (nd). Taken from discoveranthropology.org.uk
4. Cultural Anthropology, The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, (nd). Taken from Britannica.com
5. Anthropology, The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, (nd). Taken from Britannica.com
6. What is Applied Anthropology ?, Missouri State University, (nd). Taken from missouristate.edu