ANT 115-Lecture 1

ANT 115: Introduction to Anthropology
Lecture 1: Origin and Definition of Anthropology
Origin
 Anthropology is derived from two Greeks words: Anthropo and Logia.
 While Anthropo means human; logia means study.
 The conjugation of the two terms produces the term Anthropologia, a Greek’s term
meaning study of human.
 Assimilation of this term in English language established the term Anthropology,
meaning the study of human beings.
Definition of Anthropology
 Several definitions have been offered for anthropology.
 According to Beals and Hoijer (1971) anthropology is the systematic analysis and
comparison of all that can be discovered about humanity.
 While Ember and Ember define anthropology as a science of humanity, Havilland
defines anthropology as the study of “humankind everywhere, throughout time,
seeking to produce useful generalizations about people and their behavior and to
arrive at the fullest possible understanding of human diversity” (p5).
 We can define anthropology as a science dealing with identification of human culture,
explanation of how those culture are formed, identification of the elements of those
culture that form the structure of those culture and explaining how those structures
are linked together to generate specific functions for the effective running of the
society.
 Simply put, anthropology deals with holistic analysis of human culture: explaining the
origin of man, how man invented culture, identifying elements of those culture and
explaining the diverse ways those culture have functioned in the running of the
society.
Scope of Anthropology
 Primarily anthropology deals with human culture. That is the studying of every
aspects of human culture. Since culture is broad and diverse, anthropology has
departmentalized its scope into several sub-disciplines.
 Traditionally, anthropology is said to be divided into four main sub-disciplines.
 These are:
o Physical/Biological anthropology;
o Archaeology;
o Cultural Anthropology/Ethnology and
o Linguistic Anthropology.
 Nonetheless advances in anthropology have established more sub-disciplines in
anthropology.
 Biological and physical components of human study of primatology, odontology,
fossil remains, embryology, human body responses to climate and physical adaptation
to environment, genetics study, human variations and racial division, and forensic
analysis of human remains for crime control. The 21st century anthropology seems to
have separated physical anthropology from biological anthropology. According to
Robert Jumain, Physical anthropology deals with fossils evidences of human culture
and how human has adapted to various environment. It also deals with climatic
influence on human body structure and how such might be used to explain changes
in human cultural development. Whereas biological anthropology deals with human
body structures and their influences on culture. Such specific interests include the
study of primatology, embryology, odontology, human variations and human
genetics. While medical anthropology largely evolves from both cultural and
biological anthropology, forensic anthropology evolves from both physical and
cultural anthropology.
 Archaeology is an aspect of anthropology that studies human past records and

remains from the remotest time to explain the course of human cultural development.
Both material and non-material remains are studied. Such includes technological
products, human settlements, folklores, oral traditions and human fossil remains
among others. Archaeology seeks to explain cultural development that have occurred
in prehistoric times and those that occurred in the historic time but lacking proper
documentary evidence. Through critical scientific analysis, archaeology seeks to
reconstruct human cultural history.
 Cultural Anthropology/Ethnology deals with study of people living in modern

(recent) societies. The sub-discipline establishes interests in family, marriage and
kinship, subsistence patterns, social control, society and individuals, religions and
belief systems as well as politics and leadership among others. The interest of cultural
anthropologists and ethnologists is to study humanity in all times and places. Through
the conduct of ethnography cultural anthropologists identify the structures of culture
and functionalize how culture exists to maintain social equilibrium in societies.
 Linguistic Anthropology has to do with study of language in human society. Since

language is a complex system involving symbolic communication in human societies,
in such a way that other disciplines of anthropology such as biological anthropology
and cultural anthropology influence language and culture. Thus, language assumes a
sub-discipline status in anthropology. Linguistic anthropology therefore focuses on
description of language, features and structures of language; culture and language and
the ethnography of communications. Anthropology as Science and Humanity
Anthropology and other Disciplines

 The scope of anthropology provides opportunities for the discipline to be related with
other disciplines. The closest among other disciplines which anthropology is related
with are :
 Archaeology,
 History; and
 Sociology.
Is Anthropology an Art or Science?
 Anthropology as art discipline: deals with culture within the scope of culture contents
such as tradition, norms, history, ethos, values, practices and knowledge. All these are
situated in arts.
 As an art discipline, its methods of research is qualitative using ethnography.
 Majorly explain culture without much use of physical scientific apparatus.
Anthropology as a Science discipline

 The discipline began as a physical science discipline.
 Physical/Biological anthropology require research apparatus to examine the course of
culture.

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ANT 115: Introduction to Anthropology

Lecture 1: Origin and Definition of Anthropology

 Archaeology is an aspect of anthropology that studies human past records and

 Cultural Anthropology/Ethnology deals with study of people living in modern

 Linguistic Anthropology has to do with study of language in human society. Since

Anthropology and other Disciplines

Anthropology as a Science discipline

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