THE NATURE, GOALS,

PERSPECTIVES OF
ANTHROPOLOGY,
SOCIOLOGY AND
POLITICAL SCIENCE
 ANTHROPOLOGY
- Anthropos “human beings” and logos “study. It is "The
study of humankind“

- is the study of what makes us human. “the study of

people, past and present, with a focus on understanding
the human condition both culturally and biologically”
 WHEN DID IT START?
Anthropology started as a science during
the time of exploration when European
countries started to colonize what they
considered as primitive societies where
people were believed to be savages and
barbaric
 FRANZ BOAS

Franz Boas is regarded as both

the “father of modern
anthropology” and the “father
of American anthropology.”
 SUB-FIELDS OF
ANTHROPOLOGY
 ARCHAELOGY
Archaeology is the study of what humans left
behind, through excavation (digging things
up).

This includes prehistoric

archaeology(studying the past of people who
don’t have writing), and historic
archaeology(studying the past of people
who dohave writing.)

There is even such as thing as underwater

archaeology, where archaeologists excavate
things under water, like shipwrecks!
2.6 million years
Type of Artifact: Handmade stone tools
CUNIEFORM TABLETS
Dating back to 196 BC, the Rosetta Stone was inscribed with a decree from the Ptolemaic
King Ptolemy V, inscribed in three languages: Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, Demotic script
and Ancient Greek.
 CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
Cultural Anthropology is the study of human cultures all
around the world.

Culture includes behavior and ideas, and includes topics like

clothing, food, housing, marriage & families, political
structure, economics, religion, art, and much more.

There are many sub-fields in Cultural Anthropology, and here’s

just a few examples:
1.Legal Anthropology (the study of law in other cultures)
2.Business Anthropology (applying Anthropology to business)
3.Environmental Anthropology (the study of humans and the
environment).
4.Medical Anthropology (the study of health and illness)
 PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
Physical Anthropology is the study of the human
body. It includes:

1.Paleoanthropology (studying human biological

evolution)
2.Human Variation & Adaptation(studying physical
differences among humans, and how humans have
adapted to their environment)
3.Forensic Anthropology (studying human remains
[human bones])
4.Primatology (studying the category of primates,
since we as humans are primates. Other primates
include chimpanzees and gorillas.)
 Level of
Taxonomic
Classification
System
 LINGUISTIC ANTHROPOLOGY
Anthropological Linguistics is the study of
human language. This includes verbal and
non-verbal communication. Here’s some
examples of things Linguistics involves:

1.semantics (the meanings of words, phrases,

and sentences)
2.syntax (the structure of phrases and
sentences)
3.morphology (word formation)
4.phonology (the sounds of language)
5.language acquisition (learning a language)
6.language variation (varieties of a language)
 GOALS OF ANTHROPOLOGY

 To understand the origin of man and the diverse

forms of his existence throughout the time
 Observe the common things among people
(traditions, language and others)
 Discover what make people different from each
other
 PERSPECTIVE OF ANTHROPOLOGY
Holism
- is the perspective on the human condition that assumes that
mind, body, individuals, society, and the environment
interpenetrate, and even define one another

Cultural Relativism
the idea that we should seek to understand another person’s beliefs
and behaviors from the perspective of their culture rather than our
own.
Comparison
In cultural anthropology, we compare ideas, morals,
practices, and systems within or between cultures.

Fieldwork
Fieldwork is the process of immersing oneself in as many
aspects of the daily cultural lives of people as possible in
order to study their behaviors and interactions.
 SOCIOLOGY
- from the French word “sociologie” means
“companion”
- Sociology is the study of human social
relationships and institutions.
- is the study of social life, social change, and
the social causes and consequences of human
behavior.
AUGUSTE COMTE
● Auguste Comte, a French
social scholar, is generally
known as the "Father of
Sociology" as he
instituted the term
'Humanism' in 1839.
WHEN DID IT START?
● Sociology emerged as an academic field right at the height
of Industrial Revolution in Europe which mobilized the
entire population in a way that had never been before in
human history. These era had brought great changes in the
way people live in a society
 GOALS OF SOCIETY
• ” to improve man’s adjustment to life by developing objective knowledge concerning
social phenomena which can be used to deal effectively with social problems”. -
Samuel Koenig
• Study the nature of humanity
 to understand how membership in one’s social group affects individual behavior.
 To understand how human actions and consciousness, both shaped us
 Understand the causes and consequences of population composition and pressures and
how population affects the environment and development of societies.
 The sociological imagination permits us to stand separated intellectually from our
restricted insight and see the connection between private concerns and social issues.
 PERSPECTIVE OF SOCIETY
1. FUNCTIONALISM
Argues that social stability is a prerequisite for a healthy and strong society.
Social institutions contribute towards social stability. Abrupt social change
imperils social order.
2. CONFLICT THEORY
Argues that society is built upon enduring inequality on the basis of social
class, gender, race etc. Structural social change is required to create an
egalitarian society.
3. SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM
Argues that we construct society through a range of symbols (e.g., words,
gestures) and social interactions. People make up their roles as they
interact.
 POLITICAL SCIENCE
- is the study of the nature, causes, and consequences of
collective decisions and actions taken by groups of people
embedded in cultures and institutions that structure power
and authority.

- is a social science discipline that deals with systems of

governance, and the analysis of political activities, political
thoughts, associated constitutions and political behavior.
 WHEN DID IT START?
The study of political science was started by the
ancient Greeks.

Political Science, traditionally, begins and ends

with the state. So considered, it is the study of the
state and government.
ARISTOTLE
● Aristotle is known
as the Father of
Political Science.
He is well known
for his assertion
"Man is a political
animal"
 GOALS OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
● Make people a better citizens.
● Protect the rights of an individual.
● Avoid conflict and promote cooperation.
● is to describe how various political systems function, and
to find more effective political systems
● is to measure the success of governance and specific
policies by examining many factors, including stability,
justice, material wealth
 FIELDS OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
1. Domestic Politics- the most common field of study, include public
opinion, elections, national government, and state, local or regional
government.
2. Comparative Politics- focuses on politics within countries (often
grouped into world regions) and analyzes similarities and differences
between countries
3. International Relations- considers the political relationships and
interactions between countries including the causes of war, the
formation of foreign policy, international political economy and the
structures that increase or decrease the policy options available to
governments
4. Public Administration- studies the role of the
bureaucracy, focuses more on civil service.
5. Public Law- studies constitutions, legal systems, civil
rights and criminal justice.
6. Public Policy- examines the passage and
implementation of all types of government policies,
particularly those related civil rights, defense, health,
education, economic growth, urban renewal, regional
development, and environmental protection.