Anthropology is the study of humanity. It is a unique academic discipline in that it considers humans from a holistic perspective. This means that it considers all aspects of human life, including physical, cultural, and social dimensions. It is also multi-disciplinary, meaning that it draws on knowledge from a variety of different fields, including archaeology, linguistics, and sociology.
In this series of essays, we will explore some of the most fundamental concepts in anthropology. We will discuss topics such as culture, evolution, language, and religion. These essays are aimed at anyone who wants to learn more about this fascinating field!
The use of rituals is a key part of how mafia organizations maintain power and control. By instilling loyalty and obedience in members, and by reinforcing the boss’s position of authority, these rituals help to ensure that the organisation runs smoothly and efficiently.
In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, industrialisation in the Western world led to a shift from an agrarian to a “job” based economy, creating employment opportunities that resulted in a tectonic shift in the mechanics of influence within kinship systems in these societies and the associated family formation processes.
In the early days of anthropology, magic & witchcraft were seen as evidence of the primitive nature of the societies in which they were found
Appadurai (1990) describes the “global cultural economy” as consisting of “complex” and “overlapping” dimensions that co-exist and intermingle but are often disconnected from each other.
Representations of the divine have proven to be a lightning rod for people of different ideologies and has thus been linked to much destruction and violence over the millennia, including the twenty-first century.
One of the most important functions of “bordering” is the creation of a narrative of unity and homogeneity within the territory, while at the same time portraying the people beyond the border as different, a concept known as “othering.”
Borders can be said to be violent because of the way they are drawn, the way they are enforced, and the psychological and economic effects they have on people.
The rise of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs) have caused a seismic shift in the study of kinship in anthropology.
The raison d’etre for the existence of the marriage payments, and the underlying assumptions about the value of women differ considerably in societies where bridewealth payments are made upon marriage, as opposed to those where a dowry payment is the custom.
Many Muslim women are putting up a spirited resistance against those who attempt to impose upon them. The hijab thus becomes a strong political statement of resistance, by which Muslim women assert their existence and their identity.