Social Anthropology Flashcards, test questions and answers

Discover flashcards, test exam answers, and assignments to help you learn more about Social Anthropology and other subjects. Don’t miss the chance to use them for more effective college education. Use our database of questions and answers on Social Anthropology and get quick solutions for your test.

What is Social Anthropology?

Social Anthropology is an academic discipline that examines the ways in which human societies are organized and structured. It focuses on understanding the customs and practices of different cultures to gain insight into the basic principles that guide human behavior. Social anthropology studies how culture affects social organization, such as family structure, political systems, economic activities, education, religious beliefs and values. It also looks at how cultural norms vary across regions and change over time. Social anthropologists observe and analyze everyday life to understand how people interact with each other in a variety of contexts. They use participant observation methodologies to study topics such as gender roles, kinship structures, ritual practices and language usage in order to uncover patterns of behavior that can be used to explain larger social trends. By analyzing these patterns within a given culture or region, anthropologists can form hypotheses regarding how certain cultural traits or behaviors came about or evolved over time. Other areas of study embraced by social anthropology include urbanization processes; cross-cultural communication; identity formation; migration; colonialism; development interventions; globalization; international cooperation; transnational institutions; health care systems; poverty alleviation efforts. Social anthropologists may also explore topics related to consumerism or ecologyoften through comparative studies across different societiesin order to identify common factors that can inform solutions for global challenges faced by humanity today.