cultural anthropology
- Noun:
- The branch of anthropology that deals with human culture and society: Cultural anthropology is the scientific study of human societies, their cultures, and their development. It focuses on understanding cultural variation among humans, examining social structures, beliefs, languages, practices, and the ways people make meaning in their lives.
Cultural anthropology is used as a singular, uncountable noun to refer to the academic discipline. It is typically used in formal, educational, or scientific contexts. - She decided to major in cultural anthropology to better understand diverse human societies. - The professor's research in cultural anthropology focuses on kinship systems in Southeast Asia.
Academic Context:
- The conference featured several papers on contemporary issues in cultural anthropology.
- Fieldwork is a fundamental research method in cultural anthropology.
General Context:
- His interest in tribal rituals led him to study cultural anthropology.
- Cultural anthropology helps us see the world from perspectives different from our own.
"the findings of cultural anthropology": refers to the results or conclusions drawn from research in this field.
- Public policy can be informed by the findings of cultural anthropology.
"a cultural anthropology approach/perspective": using the theories or methods characteristic of this discipline to analyze a situation.
- The documentary analyzed the urban community through a cultural anthropology perspective.
Cultural anthropologist (n): A scholar or researcher who practices cultural anthropology.
- The cultural anthropologist lived with the community for two years to conduct her study.
Sociocultural anthropology (n): A term often used synonymously with cultural anthropology, sometimes emphasizing the interconnection of social and cultural systems.
- His work falls under the subfield of sociocultural anthropology.
- Social anthropology: (Primarily used in British academic tradition) Very similar to cultural anthropology, often focusing more on social structure and organization.
- Ethnology: A subfield or closely related discipline focusing on the comparative analysis of different cultures.
Ethnographic research (n): A primary methodological approach in cultural anthropology involving detailed, long-term observation of and participation in a community.
- Her thesis is based on ethnographic research conducted in a fishing village.
Cross-cultural comparison (n): A key analytical technique in cultural anthropology that examines phenomena across different societies.
- The study is a cross-cultural comparison of child-rearing practices.
- the branch of anthropology that deals with human culture and society