Assignment #3

What is Anthropology?
Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human
biology, cultures and societies, in both the present and past, including past human species.
Social anthropology studies patterns of behaviour, while cultural anthropology studies cultural
meaning, including norms and values.

Anthropology is the study of what makes us human. Anthropologists take a broad approach to
understanding the many different aspects of the human experience, which we call holism. They
consider the past, through archaeology, to see how human groups lived hundreds or thousands
of years ago and what was important to them. 

Anthropology is the systematic study of humanity, with the goal of understanding our evolutionary
origins, our distinctiveness as a species, and the great diversity in our forms of social existence
across the world and through time. The focus of Anthropology is on understanding both our shared
humanity and diversity, and engaging with diverse ways of being in the world.

Why do people differ in their beliefs and behaviors?

People have free will, to a degree, so can choose how they believe, and how they behave. I say
to a degree, about the freedom to choose, because restraints upon that freedom are imposed by
ourselves, and by conditioning we receive as we grow and learn. Most people take on their
beliefs, and how to behave, from their parents and those around them from their birth onward.

What is an Anthropologist do?

Anthropologists work in practically every environment and setting imaginable. They can be
found working in large corporations such as Intel and GM or studying primates in Africa.
Anthropologists work in deserts, cities, schools, even in underwater archaeological sites.

From the Greek anthropos (human) and logia (study), the word anthropology itself tells us it is

the field that seeks to understand humankind, from the beginnings millions of years ago up to
the present day. Anthropology considers how people's behaviors changes over time, and how
people and seemingly dissimilar cultures are different and the same.

There are many areas of anthropological study....

Sociocultural Anthropology - Seeks to understand the internal logic of societies through

ethnography
Archaeology - Retrieves artifacts from the past and places them in context to understand our
history and its relevance for today

Biological Anthropology - Studies human and non-human primates past and present from
ecological and evolutionary perspectives, addressing the intersection of behavior, culture and
biology and how these systems impact health and well-being

Linguistic Anthropology - Seeks to explain the very nature of language and its use by humans

Medical Anthropology - Seeks to better understand factors that influence peoples' health and
well being

Forensic Anthropology - Seeks to identify skeletal, or otherwise decomposed, human remains

Business Anthropology - Helps businesses gain a better understanding of their activities and
customers

Visual Anthropology - Documents everyday life through filmmaking

Environmental Anthropology - Believes that the well-being of the environment goes hand in
hand with the well-being of people

Museum Anthropology - Interprets ethnographic and archaeological collections to the general

public

What is Political Science?

Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing
with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities,
political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and laws.

Political science is a branch of social science that is concerned with theory,

description, analysis and prediction of political behavior, political systems and
politics.

Political science, the systematic study of governance by the application

of empirical and generally scientific methods of analysis. As traditionally defined
and studied, political science examines the state and its organs and institutions.
The contemporary discipline, however, is considerably broader than
this, encompassing studies of all the societal, cultural, and psychological factors
that mutually influence the operation of government and the body politic.
 How does Political Science influence our society?
Put most simply, political science is the study of politics, government, and public policy, both in the U.S. and around the
world. Political scientists seek to both describe and explain political phenomena. This includes study of the processes of
government (the classic example is "how a bill becomes a law"), study of the institutions of government (e.g., the
presidency, Congress, etc.), as well as study of the behavior of the people in government (both elected officials and
government workers) and the study of how citizens interact with their government (e.g., why don't more people vote?).
Political scientists seek to understand the underlying ways in which power, authority, rules, constitutions, and laws affect
our lives. Like other social sciences, political science focuses on human behavior, both individually and collectively.

Although the study of politics and power is ancient, the discipline of political science is relatively new. Like other social
sciences, political science uses a "scientific" approach, meaning that political scientists approach their study in an
objective, rational, and systematic manner. Some political scientists focus on abstract and theoretical questions, while
others study particular government policies and their effects.

Political scientists focus upon political systems, including the effect of environment on the system, inputs, the decision-
making agencies which render binding public policies, and system outputs. Approaches to the study of government and
politics include the normative approach, in which philosophical attention centers on values by asking the question "What
ought to be?" and the behavioral approach, in which an attempt is made to develop verifiable theories through scientific
methods by asking the questions "How?" and "Why?"

Why study political science?

Political science has gotten a bad rap. Many people wrongly assume that political science is boring and has nothing to do
with them. On the contrary, government and politics affect everyone's lives on a daily basis, and, once you're familiar with
a few basics and a few key characters, the study of politics is as interesting and addictive as a soap opera, and watching
the process unfold is not unlike watching a football game.

Most colleges and universities include political science courses in their liberal studies requirements precisely because an
understanding of government and politics is so important. Political science courses are not only excellent preparation for
employment, but they better enable people to be informed and active citizens in their community.