Social and cultural anthropology: what does this branch of the social sciences entail? What exactly does an anthropologist do and what sets him apart from other social scientists? In this article you will find information about, among other things, the different disciplines within anthropology and the possibilities and perspectives on the labor market.
Social and cultural anthropology: a science
Social and cultural anthropology, cultural anthropology, social anthropology, ethnology or ethnology: all names for more or less the same science. For those who are by no means familiar with these terms, let me begin to explain what anthropology actually is.
Anthropology
The term anthropology stands for the study of man. This science falls under the social sciences and can be divided into various disciplines:
- Sociocultural anthropology: the study of how people live together.
- Biological anthropology: the study of man as a biological organism.
- Medical anthropology: the study of diseases and cures in different cultures.
- Religious anthropology: the study of differences in religious experience among people.
- Linguistic anthropology: the study of language and its social use.
- Archaeology: the study of material remains of human societies.
Please note: when I refer to anthropology in the future, I will always mean socio-cultural anthropology, unless stated otherwise. When other forms of anthropology are discussed, such as medical anthropology, this will always be indicated as such.
It is clear that within anthropology people are central. However, within each field, the perspective is different. So within each field, a different aspect of humans and human societies is used as a starting point. For example, religious anthropology focuses on the role religion plays, and linguistic anthropologists look at the function and use of language.
Social and cultural anthropology is the most general form of anthropology. When you study how people live together, you look at all kinds of aspects of a society. Culture, politics, religion, economics, philosophy, rituals, ethnicity and gender are of equal importance. Below is a list of examples of issues that often require the help of a socio-cultural anthropologist.
Anthropological issues
- How do the presidential elections in the United States influence the American sense of ‘us’?
- How do Dutch Muslim youth experience the fasting month of Ramadan these days?
- To what extent is there an organizational culture at company ‘A’?
- What influence does increasing globalization have on residents of the continent of Africa?
- How can the use of contraceptives be encouraged among Dutch young people?
- Is female circumcision a part of culture that should be respected?
- What place do Brazilian farmers occupy in the Brazilian economy?
Anthropology vs. sociology
As a reader, you may have already noticed that the content of this science is very similar to that of sociology. You saw this correctly. Yet there are a number of points in which anthropologists distinguish themselves from sociologists. The biggest difference is that sociology is in principle only concerned with Western society. Social and cultural anthropology, on the other hand, is equally concerned with non-Western societies. Even just in the past. Anthropology started as a science in which research was conducted among non-Western societies. Nowadays it is just as likely that an anthropologist is researching different youth cultures such as ‘punks’ in Amsterdam, as he is researching the religious rituals of the Aboriginal tribe in Australia.
Participating observation
Furthermore, anthropology is always primarily about culture and meaning. Sociology pays more attention to the structure of society. This is reflected in the final difference between the two disciplines, namely the fact that anthropologists prefer to use participant observation. This means that an anthropologist actually enters the research field during his or her research. Anthropologists often spend long periods of time, or at least very regularly, among the people among whom they conduct research. As an anthropologist who conducts research within a certain organization, it is quite self-evident to participate 100% in the organization. Only in this way – according to the anthropologist – is it possible to collect and understand the experiences of the people themselves in the most accurate way possible. Sociologists do not use a view from within, but observe from outside.
Opportunities and perspectives on the labor market
Graduated as an anthropologist, what now? Firstly, you could choose to continue studying to become a scientific researcher. Once you have completed this, it is possible to do research for the government or a university, for example. Furthermore, it is of course always an option to become a teacher at a university.
However, many anthropologists also work for (local or national) government as policy officers or advisors, for example. Others fulfill a similar function within large or small organizations. Anthropologists are increasingly finding work as consultants in business services. For example, you are concerned with multicultural personnel policy. There is increasing demand for this.
Depending on the major you have chosen as a student, it is also an option to become a development worker or project worker at, for example, a refugee organization.
But who says you wouldn’t love going into journalism or politics? These are also industries in which many anthropologists work, because of the broad general knowledge and analytical insight you have gained during your studies. Moreover, writing is a basic skill for every anthropologist, because writing it down is the way to organize your information and research findings and publish them to the general public.
All in all, there is something for everyone. Because you have acquired so much general knowledge during your studies and basic skills such as writing pieces and reading difficult texts have been so well trained, there are many professional groups in which anthropologists can find their niche.