Final Essay

Humanity is rather new in the scheme of things compared to the history of the earth, over a span of a few hundred thousand years they have grown by leaps and bounds to effectively be the dominant species. Biologically humans are not the strongest, or most dexterous, but their ability to learn and build has created vast spanning empires that encircle the entire globe. Anthropology is the study of humanity as a whole, their biology, their past, their cultures, everything that humanities have shaped and effected over their time on earth. Humanity has had such an impact on the planet earth, everything we do has some effect upon the world be it pollution, construction, farming, simply existing shapes the earth over time. Humans have created a complex

People of a culture that are being studied by an anthropologist are still humans and should be treated as such, they should respect their need for anonymity if they desire or whatever concessions the culture requires to allow an outsider to study their ways. The anthropologist should also be honest and accurate with their observations, anthropology isn’t about sensationalism its about the facts of cultures. Several things have to be considered when one goes to study another culture, such as preconceptions about another culture that a researcher is bound to have going into the situation. They cant let the bias of ethnocentrism sway their research. Or when a researcher attempts to apply something from another culture to a different culture, culture bound theories don’t always work when compared to a different culture. Certain considerations also have to be made while in the field studying, the participants of the study should be informed as to why a researcher is questioning them, and for what reason. Whenever an anthropologist studies a culture they should find a key consultant, someone to provide information upon the culture that lives among those being studied. Smaller tightly knit communities are harder to study, anthropologist have to travel to each respective village and study each action that the group makes. Fundamentally its easier to live among the people so that a researcher can experience every part of their daily life for a year or two.

They can gather information from other anthropologist records, though this is only useful it the records were moderately recent because cultures are constantly in flux and change as new elements are introduced. Or if the culture in question has written records that are preserved the anthropologist can study anything that was left behind. Texts are a useful insight into the past because it can give a good look on day to day life that the particular culture had to deal with in that era. Anthropologist don’t always have to leave a particular culture to test their theories. “ Ethnographers could test a theory within one society if they decide to compare individuals, families, households, communities, or districts. The natural variability that exists can be used to create a comparison.” (Ember 29) . Archeologist can study artifacts left by long gone civilizations, researching their past based by what they left behind. Fossils are another option for archeologist to study if they can find the actual hardened remains of ancient humans or their ancestors. While researching the anthropologists will eventually have to decide if their work will be more quantitative or qualitative. Qualitative is used when an anthropologist wants to understand a culture, their opinions and their way of life.