Types of Applied Anthropology
The study of applied anthropology involves moving beyond anthropological theory to asses ways in which anthropology can be used in a practical manner. Anthropology itself is the study of human beings, but more specifically, the study of human civilization at all times in history and in the present. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the number of jobs for anthropologists and archeologists will increase by 28 percent by 2018.
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Education Anthropology
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Educational anthropology, as the name implies, involves the application of anthropology to the field of education. In particular, educational anthropology involves the study of the way in which various cultures have transmitted knowledge from generation to generation. History shows that some civilizations have been more successful in this transmission and the subsequent preservation of this knowledge than others. Learning to understand why this is has practical implications. Applying anthropology to education can result in the improvement of the education system as a whole by forcing educators to closely examine the methods they use in teaching. The ways in which students receive and preserve information can be culturally determined. Students from one ethnic community may learn differently from other students because they spent their formative years in a different cultural environment. Understanding this can result in new methods for teaching and learning.
Business Anthropology
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Business anthropology also takes the implications of anthropological theory and applies them to the business and corporate world. Business anthropologists can use the methods of anthropologists such as observations and interviews to assess ways in which business can be improved. Business anthropologists may study various aspects of business from an anthropological perspective. Business fields such as finance, marketing, human resources, consumer buying habits, organizational structure and leadership and even international, or intercultural business habits, may be studied from an anthropological perspective. Understanding that human beings tend to act in consistent ways despite the difference of cultural norms that have changed throughout time, business anthropologists can help predict patterns of behavior that can help businesses establish goods and products that consumers will want to purchase.
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Architectural Anthropology
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Architectural anthropology is a third field of applied anthropology. Architectural anthropologists seek to understand how human architecture has changed throughout history and how this architecture has influenced cultural development in various areas like business and education. In a paper published in "'International Semiotic Spectrum," in September of 1990, Nold Egenter noted four major types of architecture that have been studied from a very broad anthropological perspective: subhuman architecture (primates), settlement architecture, semantic and domestic architecture. One of the primary applications of architectural anthropology is in the development of new architectural structures. Two primary concerns that have emerged as a result of anthropological architecture are how to build newer and more energy-efficient structures while maintaining a long-lasting and sustainable design.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit new civilization image by Bogdan Modzelewski from Fotolia.com
