Applied anthropology
Encyclopedia
Applied anthropology refers to the application of the method and theory of anthropology to the analysis and solution of practical problems. In as much as anthropology traditionally entails four sub-disciplines--Archaeology
, biological/physical
, cultural
/social
, and linguistic
anthropology—the practical application of any of these sub-disciplines may properly be designated "applied anthropology". Indeed, some practical problems may invoke all sub-disciplines. For example, a Native American community development program may involve archaeological research to determine legitimacy of water rights claims, ethnography
to assess the current and historical cultural characteristics of the community, linguistics to restore language competence among inhabitants, medical anthropology
to determine the causality of dietary deficiency diseases, etc.
Applied anthropologists often work for nonacademic clients such as governments, development agencies, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), tribal and ethnic associations, advocacy groups, social-service and educational agencies, and businesses. Ethnography
and participant observation
are the applied anthropologist's primary research tools. They also use textual analysis, survey research
and other empirical
methods to inform policy
or to market
products.
This stands in contrast to the purely academic realm of sociocultural anthropology, which may be more concerned with creating theoretical models which correspond to its units of analysis, e.g. social inequality
, performance
, exchange
, relative ethic value
, and so forth. Sometimes research that falls within the "applied" field is differentiated from such research, which is thereby termed "basic" anthropology. However, more recently the distinction between "applied" and "basic" sociocultural anthropology has been blurred, with many ethnographers incorporating aspects traditionally labeled as "applied" into their research.
Examples of questions that an applied anthropologist would attempt to solve might be:
The premiere journal of applied anthropology in the United States is called Human Organization
, published by the Society for Applied Anthropology
. In the UK, the main journal for applied anthropology is called Anthropology in Action.
Under the directorship of the RAI, Jonathan Benthall, author of The Best of Anthropology Today, created the annual Lucy Mair
Medal of Applied Anthropology. This recognizes excellence in using anthropology "for the relief of poverty or distress, or for the active recognition of human dignity".
The Association of Social Anthropologists (ASA) has a network of Applied Anthropologists known as 'Apply'.
Within the European Association of Anthropologists' Medical Anthropology Network there is an applied anthropology special interest group.
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
, biological/physical
Biological anthropology
Biological anthropology is that branch of anthropology that studies the physical development of the human species. It plays an important part in paleoanthropology and in forensic anthropology...
, cultural
Cultural anthropology
Cultural anthropology is a branch of anthropology focused on the study of cultural variation among humans, collecting data about the impact of global economic and political processes on local cultural realities. Anthropologists use a variety of methods, including participant observation,...
/social
Social anthropology
Social Anthropology is one of the four or five branches of anthropology that studies how contemporary human beings behave in social groups. Practitioners of social anthropology investigate, often through long-term, intensive field studies , the social organization of a particular person: customs,...
, and linguistic
Linguistic anthropology
Linguistic anthropology is the interdisciplinary study of how language influences social life. It is a branch of anthropology that originated from the endeavor to document endangered languages, and has grown over the past 100 years to encompass almost any aspect of language structure and...
anthropology—the practical application of any of these sub-disciplines may properly be designated "applied anthropology". Indeed, some practical problems may invoke all sub-disciplines. For example, a Native American community development program may involve archaeological research to determine legitimacy of water rights claims, ethnography
Ethnography
Ethnography is a qualitative method aimed to learn and understand cultural phenomena which reflect the knowledge and system of meanings guiding the life of a cultural group...
to assess the current and historical cultural characteristics of the community, linguistics to restore language competence among inhabitants, medical anthropology
Medical anthropology
Medical anthropology is an interdisciplinary field which studies "human health and disease, health care systems, and biocultural adaptation". It views humans from multidimensional and ecological perspectives...
to determine the causality of dietary deficiency diseases, etc.
Applied anthropologists often work for nonacademic clients such as governments, development agencies, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), tribal and ethnic associations, advocacy groups, social-service and educational agencies, and businesses. Ethnography
Ethnography
Ethnography is a qualitative method aimed to learn and understand cultural phenomena which reflect the knowledge and system of meanings guiding the life of a cultural group...
and participant observation
Participant observation
Participant observation is a type of research strategy. It is a widely used methodology in many disciplines, particularly, cultural anthropology, but also sociology, communication studies, and social psychology...
are the applied anthropologist's primary research tools. They also use textual analysis, survey research
Survey research
Survey research a research method involving the use of questionnaires and/or statistical surveys to gather data about people and their thoughts and behaviours. This method was pioneered in the 1930s and 1940s by sociologist Paul Lazarsfeld. The initial use of the method was to examine the effects...
and other empirical
Empirical
The word empirical denotes information gained by means of observation or experimentation. Empirical data are data produced by an experiment or observation....
methods to inform policy
Policy
A policy is typically described as a principle or rule to guide decisions and achieve rational outcome. The term is not normally used to denote what is actually done, this is normally referred to as either procedure or protocol...
or to market
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
products.
This stands in contrast to the purely academic realm of sociocultural anthropology, which may be more concerned with creating theoretical models which correspond to its units of analysis, e.g. social inequality
Social inequality
Social inequality refers to a situation in which individual groups in a society do not have equal social status. Areas of potential social inequality include voting rights, freedom of speech and assembly, the extent of property rights and access to education, health care, quality housing and other...
, performance
Performative turn
The performative turn is a paradigmatic shift in the humanities and social sciences that has affected such disciplines as anthropology, archaeology, linguistics, ethnography, history and the relatively young discipline of performance studies...
, exchange
Reciprocity (cultural anthropology)
In cultural anthropology and sociology, reciprocity is a way of defining people's informal exchange of goods and labour; that is, people's informal economic systems. It is the basis of most non-market economies. Since virtually all humans live in some kind of society and have at least a few...
, relative ethic value
Value (personal and cultural)
A personal or cultural value is an absolute or relative ethical value, the assumption of which can be the basis for ethical action. A value system is a set of consistent values and measures. A principle value is a foundation upon which other values and measures of integrity are based...
, and so forth. Sometimes research that falls within the "applied" field is differentiated from such research, which is thereby termed "basic" anthropology. However, more recently the distinction between "applied" and "basic" sociocultural anthropology has been blurred, with many ethnographers incorporating aspects traditionally labeled as "applied" into their research.
Examples of questions that an applied anthropologist would attempt to solve might be:
- If an AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
buys diaperDiaperA nappy or a diaper is a kind of pant that allows one to defecate or urinate on oneself discreetly. When diapers become soiled, they require changing; this process is often performed by a second person such as a parent or caregiver...
s at 2 a.m. on a Saturday in a grocery store, what is likely to be their next purchase? - How can public healthPublic healthPublic health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
authorities promote condomCondomA condom is a barrier device most commonly used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy and spreading sexually transmitted diseases . It is put on a man's erect penis and physically blocks ejaculated semen from entering the body of a sexual partner...
use among members of a particular subcultureSubcultureIn sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a group of people with a culture which differentiates them from the larger culture to which they belong.- Definition :...
? - How can anthropologists on Human Terrain Teams help the military identify local traditions of cooperative endeavor that may apply to well maintenance in Afghanistan?
- What measures could be taken to make spongeSea spongeSponges are animals of the phylum Porifera . Their bodies consist of jelly-like mesohyl sandwiched between two thin layers of cells. While all animals have unspecialized cells that can transform into specialized cells, sponges are unique in having some specialized cells, but can also have...
divingDivingDiving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...
safer for GreekGreeksThe Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
sponge divers? - Why do people migrateHuman migrationHuman migration is physical movement by humans from one area to another, sometimes over long distances or in large groups. Historically this movement was nomadic, often causing significant conflict with the indigenous population and their displacement or cultural assimilation. Only a few nomadic...
to XYZ place or from PQR place?
The premiere journal of applied anthropology in the United States is called Human Organization
Human Organization
Human Organization is the journal of the Society for Applied Anthropology. Its primary objective is the scientific investigation of the principles controlling the relations of human beings to one another and the wide application of these principles to practical problems...
, published by the Society for Applied Anthropology
Society for Applied Anthropology
The Society for Applied Anthropology is a U.S.-based professional association for applied anthropology, established "to promote the integration of anthropological perspectives and methods in solving human problems throughout the world; to advocate for fair and just public policy based upon sound...
. In the UK, the main journal for applied anthropology is called Anthropology in Action.
Under the directorship of the RAI, Jonathan Benthall, author of The Best of Anthropology Today, created the annual Lucy Mair
Lucy Mair
Lucy Philip Mair was a British anthropologist. She wrote on the subject of social organization, and contributed to the involvement of anthropological research in governance and politics.-Career:...
Medal of Applied Anthropology. This recognizes excellence in using anthropology "for the relief of poverty or distress, or for the active recognition of human dignity".
The Association of Social Anthropologists (ASA) has a network of Applied Anthropologists known as 'Apply'.
Within the European Association of Anthropologists' Medical Anthropology Network there is an applied anthropology special interest group.
External links
- Society for Applied Anthropology, an American association of applied anthropologists that meets annually and publishes two journals, Human Organization and Practicing Anthropology.
- Expeditions, Research in Applied Anthropology
- Omertaa. Journal for Applied Anthropology - Free online Journal for anthropologists.
- Apply, The ASA Network of Applied Anthropologists.
- Anthropology in Action, The main UK-based journal for applied anthropology.
- Applied Medical Anthropology Special Interest Group of EASA's Medical Anthropology Network, The Applied Medical Anthropology Special Interest Group within The European Association of Anthropologists' Medical Anthropology Network.