Anthropology

Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity. It is a broad discipline that crosses biology and sociology. This field examines human behavior and human biology. It also looks at cultures, societies, and linguistics. Researchers study people living in the present. They also study people from the past, including archaic humans.

There are several main branches within the field. Social anthropology studies patterns of human behavior. Cultural anthropology focuses on cultural meaning, such as norms and values. Many experts now use the term sociocultural anthropology to cover both. Linguistic anthropology studies how language influences social life.

Biological anthropology, also called physical anthropology, studies human evolution. It also looks at our close primate relatives.

Archaeology is another vital part of this study. It is often called the "anthropology of the past." Archaeologists explore human activity by examining physical remains. In North America and Asia, archaeology is usually a branch of anthropology. In Europe, it is often an independent discipline. It may also be linked to history or palaeontology.

The word anthropology comes from Greek roots. The term uses "anthropos," meaning human, and "logos," meaning study. It appeared in English by the early 18th century. In 1647, scholars at the University of Copenhagen divided it into two parts. They called one part Anatomy to study the body. They called the other part Psychology to study the soul.

The 19th century brought major changes to the field. Many scholars began using comparative methods to study humans. They compared features between animals, languages, and folkways. The publication of Charles Darwin's "On the Origin of Species" was a major turning point. In 1859, Paul Broca formed the Société d'Anthropologie de Paris. He was interested in biological anthropology and the human brain.

He discovered the speech center of the brain, now called Broca's area.

Other important thinkers helped define the discipline. Theodor Waitz published a six-volume work between 1859 and 1864. He defined anthropology as the "science of the nature of man." He believed anthropology should use comparative anatomy and physiology. He also argued that the same laws of thought apply to all men. In 1863, the Anthropological Society of London was formed. Its members included Edward Burnett Tylor, the inventor of cultural anthropology.

By the end of the 1800s, the field was growing fast. In 1898, 48 institutions in 13 countries offered anthropology courses. Most of these were evolutionists. However, Rudolph Virchow founded the Berlin Society in 1869 as an exception. He argued that Darwin's conclusions lacked an empirical foundation. Many societies formed during the last thirty years of the century. They published journals and shared ideas globally.

In the 20th and 21st centuries, anthropology expanded rapidly. Thousands of anthropology departments now exist in universities. The field has become very diverse with many subfields. It has also become practical. Forensic archaeologists use anthropological techniques to solve crimes. They can reconstruct scenes involving buried victims.

The World Council of Anthropological Associations now includes members from about three dozen nations. This helps anthropologists cooperate across the entire globe.