Name: ___________________________ Date: ________________

Course/Year/Section: _______________ Score: _______________

In this lesson, you should be able to:

 understand the meaning anthropology,
 apprehend the different sub-disciplines and areas of anthropology, and
 recognize the different anthropologist who made a contribution in the field
The following are some reminders in using this module:
 Use the module with care. Do not put unnecessary mark/s on any part
of the module. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the
exercises.
 Don’t forget to answer What I Know before moving on to the other
activities included in the module.
 Read the instruction carefully before doing each task.
 Observe honesty and integrity in doing the tasks and checking your
answers.
 Finish the task at hand before proceeding to the next.
 Return this module to your teacher/facilitator once you are through
with it.
If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this module, do not
hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator.
Always bear in mind that you are not alone.
We hope that through this material, you will experience meaningful learning
and gain deep understanding of the relevant competencies. You can do it!
• Anthropology is a global discipline where humanities, social, and natural
sciences are forced to confront one another.
• Derived from two Greek words, ‘Anthropos’ mean MAN & ’logos’ means
STUDY/SCIENCE.
• According to Webster the science of human beings; especially : the study of
human beings and their ancestors through time and space and in relation to
physical character, environmental and social relations, and culture.
• Anthropology seeks to understand and explain why people do the things they
do and say the things they say.
• It seeks to find the generalities about human life while also explaining the
differences.
• Dealing with what makes us human, anthropology delves into :
• objects and materials we have created,
• our interconnectedness and adaptability with environment,
• our lifestyle,
• our modes of communication, and
• our understanding of the world around us.
• HISTORY OF ANTHROPOLOGY
• Some interest in man and his cultures is found in nearly all human
societies, past or present, regardless of their level of cultural
development.
• Anthropology traces its roots to ancient Greek historical and
philosophical writings about human nature and the organization of
human society.
• Herodotus, a Greek historian (400 BC). He wrote a book named
“HISTORY”, mentioned about different cultures.
• During the Middle Ages (5th to 15th centuries ad) biblical scholars
dominated European thinking on questions of human origins and
cultural development.
• The Arab historian Ibn Khaldun, who lived in the 14th AD, was another
early writer of ideas relevant to anthropology.
• Both Khaldun and Herodotus produced remarkably objective, analytic,
ethnographic descriptions of the diverse cultures in the Mediterranean
world.
• The European Age of Enlightenment of the 17th and 18th centuries
marked the rise of scientific and rational philosophical thought.
• David Hume, John Locke of England, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau of
France, wrote a number of humanistic works on the nature of
humankind.
• They based their work on philosophical reason rather than religious
authority and asked important anthropological questions.
• Rousseau, for instance, wrote on the moral qualities of “primitive”
societies and about human inequality.
• Europeans came into increasing contact with other peoples around the
world, prompting new interest in the study of culture.
• The increasing dominance of global commerce, capitalist (profit-driven)
economies, and industrialization in late-18th-century Europe led to vast
cultural changes and social upheavals throughout the world.
• Europeans suddenly had a flood of new information about the foreign
peoples encountered in colonial frontiers.
• In early 19th century systematic approach towards the study of
anthropology had started.
• In 1836 Danish archaeologist Christian Thomsen proposed that three
long ages of technology had preceded the present era in Europe. He
called these the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age.
• Modern anthropology, in both its physical and cultural aspects, begins
roughly with the 20th century.
 • Anthropology becomes a recognized academic discipline: data on
physical and cultural anthropology are collected by professional field
workers trained to these tasks.
• VISION OF ANTHROPOLOGY
• It is useful to think of theory as containing four basic elements:
questions, assumptions, methods, and evidences.
• HOLISTIC APPROACH
• Through this method study of all possible aspects of man is done.
• Also study the varieties of people.
• Previously the individual anthropologists tried to be holistic and cover
all aspects of the subject, but at present there are different disciplines
in the field of anthropology.
• PARTICIPANT METHOD
• Here the anthropologists live in the societies for a minimum period of
one year or more.
• They are concerned with many types of questions like when, why
where, how etc.
• They are curious about typical characteristics of human population and
how and why such people have varied characteristics through ages.
• DIFFERENT FIELDS/ SUB-DISCIPLINE OF ANTHROPOLOGY
• CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
• Also known as “Social Anthropology”
• Study of human society and culture.
• The main focus of cultural anthropology is culture---- including
the traditions, beliefs, customs acquired by human groups
through socialization.
• Areas of Cultural Anthropology
1. Ethnography- describes in detail people’s culture or an
ethnic group through intensive observation, interview and
participation. It is also known as “Science of Description”
2. Ethnology- builds theories to explain cultural practices
based on comparative studies throughout the world.
 3. Medical Anthropology- studies the biological and cultural
factors in health, disease, and treatment of sickness in
different culture and ethnic groups.
4. Urban Anthropology- deals with the study of city life,
gangs, drug abuse and other characteristics of urban life.

5. Development Anthropology- focuses on the causes of

underdevelopment and development of the less
developed nations.

• PHYSICAL ANTHOPOLOGY

• Also known as “ Biological Anthropology”

• Study of human biological foundations, race evolution and

classifications, and differentiation over time and across spaces.

• Areas of Physical Anthropology

1. Racial History- deals with the study of the nature of the

races.

2. Human Paleontology- This focuses on the study of fossil

records and early human species and their ancestors.

3. Human genetics- deals with the investigation of

inheritance that takes place in man.

4. Primatology- study of fossil and living apes, monkeys and

other human primates with regard to their behavior and
social life.

5. Forensic Anthropology- analyzes human remains in the

service of criminal ‘s justice and victims’ families.

• ACHEOLOGY

• It is concerned with the study of prehistoric and historic human

behavior and cultural patterns and processes through the
culture’s material remains.
 • Artifacts- main evidences used in evaluating prehistoric
societies.

• Areas of Acheology

1. Historical Archeology- study of past human culture by

using both written and archeological excavations.

2. Industrial Anthropology- focuses on the study of

industrial factories and facilities.

3. Contract Archeology - application of archeology that

assesses the potential impacts of construction in
archeological sites.

• LINGUISTIC ANTHROPOLOGY

• Studies all the social and cultural aspects of language over time
and across spaces.

• Concerned with the complex relations between language and

other aspects of human behavior and thought.

• Areas of Linguistic Anthropology

1. Historical Linguistics- focuses on the reconstruction of the

origins of specific languages and also the family of
languages.

2. Descriptive Linguistics- this deals with the study of

grammar and syntax of languages over time and across
spaces.

3. Sociolinguistics- investigates the everyday use of

language in communication, as well as , the relationship
between social and linguistic variation.
• Pioneers on Anthropology and Their Contribution

• LEWIS HENRY MORGAN-

• Father of Kinship Studies

• EDWARD B. TAYLOR

• Father of Anthropology in Great Britain

• In his book “Primitive Culture”, provided the first generally

accepted definition of culture

 “Is a complex whole which includes knowledge, belief,

art, morals, laws, custom and any other capabilities and
habits acquired by man as a member of the society.

• BRONISLAW MALINOWSKI-

• Father of Ethnography

• Filipino Anthropologist and their Contributions

• Alfredo E. Evangelista-

• he discovered the oldest primary burial site, known as the

“Duyong Cave” in Palawan.

• Melba P. Maggay-

• she is a prolific author on numerous books on Filipino religious

culture.

• Michael L. Tan-

• best known in his column “Pinoy Kasi” in the Philippine Daily

Inquirer tackling Filipino history, culture and traditions.
Answer the following questions.
1. What do anthropologists usually study? Explain
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2. What is interesting in studying anthopology?
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3. Based on the four fields or sub-disciplines of anthropology, which of the
following seems so easy understand? Which field seems so hard to
understand? Explain?
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4. On your own understanding, what are the following key concepts that
describes the characteristics of anthropology?
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5. What is the main focus of the study of the following field/ sub-discipline of
anthropology?
• Cultural Anthropology
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• Physical Anthropology
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• Archeology
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• Linguistic Anthropology
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 How would anthropology contribute in better
understanding yourself and the society? Why anthropology matters?

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What I have learned? _____________________________
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How do your learnings important?
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