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Human Evolution and PREHISTORY

Explore the nature of anthropology, the development of anthropological studies in Canada, the subfields of anthropology, and the application of anthropology in various fields such as archaeology and medical anthropology.

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Human Evolution and PREHISTORY

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  1. Human Evolution andPREHISTORY PART 1: THE STUDY OF HUMANKIND

  2. Human Evolution andPREHISTORY Chapter One: THE NATURE OF ANTHROPOLOGY

  3. Chapter Preview What is Anthropology? What Do Anthropologists Do? How Do Anthropologists Do What They Do?

  4. THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY • Anthropologyis the study of humankind in all places and in all times • Anthropologists are interested in all aspects of humanity and human nature

  5. CANADIAN ANTHROPOLOGY • Canadian archaeology and biological anthropology began in the 19th century with Daniel Wilson at the Canadian Institute in Toronto • Museums, academic departments and applied research were major influences, e.g. The National Museum of Canada (now Museum of Civilization) • Early research focused on aboriginal cultures and anthropologists were advocates for aboriginal rights, an important component of anthropology today

  6. CANADIAN ANTHROPOLOGY • Formal biological anthropology began with skeletal analyses, e.g. Daniel Wilson’s work on Inuit crania. • In the 20th century biological anthropology grew to encompass such research as the evolution of the brain.

  7. THE SUBFIELDS OF ANTHROPOLOGY

  8. Biological Anthropology The branch of anthropology that focuses on humans as biological organisms

  9. Palaeoanthropology The study of fossil remains with the goal of reconstructing human biological evolution

  10. Primatology The study of the biological and social nature of our closest relatives: prosimians, monkeys, apes

  11. Skeletal Biology The analysis and interpretation of bones

  12. Forensic anthropology The application of human osteology and archaeology to the legal investigation of human remains

  13. Archaeology The study of material remains and cultural features in order to describe and explain human behaviour ...this... Not this...

  14. Archaeology Pre-contact (prehistoric) The study of human behaviour in the distant past using evidence such as fire hearths, tools, pottery Historic The study of cultures with historic documents available in order to supplement material remains left behind, e.g. fur trade sites

  15. Canadian Archaeology • Canadian archaeologists are typically found in Anthropology departments in universities • Archaeology is broadening its foundation outside of Anthropology and the university e.g. “rescue” archaeology being conducted by the private sector in the face of development projects

  16. Sociocultural Anthropology • Understood through the concept of “culture” – the often unconscious standards, socially learned, by which societies operate • Focus on human behaviour • Avoidance of culture-bound theories • Cross-cultural and long-term historical perspective

  17. Linguistic Anthropology The study of human languages and the way language is used to practice, develop and transmit culture Historical linguistics the study of language origins and change, and the relationships between languages

  18. Applied Anthropology Applying the knowledge and methods of anthropology to solve practical problems

  19. Applied Anthropology Sociocultural, e.g. First Nations Land claim negotiations Archaeology, e.g. cultural resource management (CRM) Linguistics, e.g. language retention among First Nations Medical anthropology, e.g. work with traditional healers to reconcile practices with modern medicine Forensic anthropology, e.g. work with law enforcement agencies and medical examiners to recover, identify and contextualize skeletal remains

  20. Medical Anthropology • The use of theoretical and applied approaches from cultural and biological anthropology to the study of human health and disease • Demonstrating connections between human health and political and economic forces, globally and locally

  21. Ethnography Systematic description of a particular culture based on firsthand observation using: participant observation informants holistic perspective

  22. ANTHROPOLOGY AND SCIENCE • Science seeks to provide testable explanations for observed phenomena, by using imagination and skepticism • We search for facts, observations verified by several skilled observers • The explanations are called hypotheses • The strongest hypothesis that cannot be disproven becomes a theory

  23. ORIGINAL STUDY The Strange Case of “Piltdown Man” • Was this the “missing link” or simply an ape jaw found close to a human skull? • The “missing link” hypothesis was valid theory until the discovery of more fossils in the mid-20th century • The second hypothesis has been confirmed, with the additional evidence of deliberate alteration of the bones

  24. Risks of Culture-Bound Science • The motivation to verify one’s hypothesis by overlooking negative evidence • The problem of being culture-bound • The question of the validity of one’s ethnographic account

  25. THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES Informed explanations are made within a set of assumptions that form a theoretical perspective Biological anthropology–evolution model Archaeology – settlement archaeology processual archaeology agency theory engendered archaeology

  26. COMPARISON IN ANTHROPOLOGY Hypothetical explanations of cultural phenomena can be tested by comparing ethnographic, archaeological and/or ethnohistorical data Ethnohistory • the study of cultures of the recent past through oral histories, through accounts left by explorers, missionaries, and traders; and through analysis of such records as land titles, birth and death records, and other archival materials • Concern with reliability and objectivity of sources

  27. ANTHROPOLOGY AND THE HUMANITIES • Canadian anthropological research is mainly funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, National Science and Engineering Research Council • Emphasis in anthropology is on qualitative more than quantitative research • Most importantly, anthropologists are intensely involved withpeople

  28. QUESTIONS OF ETHICS Canadian researchers are guided by the Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS) on ethical conduct for research involving human subjects, with specific regard to aboriginal peoples There needs to be careful consideration of notions of privacy and public life, property and language differences

  29. QUESTIONS OF ETHICS Anthropologists recognize obligations to three sets of people: • Those whom they study • Those who fund the research • Those in the profession who expect us to publish our findings to further knowledge in the discipline

  30. “Do No Harm” • Canadian TCPS – free and informed consent is essential • The Canadian Archaeological Association has principles of ethical conduct in regard to the archaeological heritage of Canada and to aboriginal peoples • There is a Task Force on Museums and First Peoples for proper handling of museum collections and portrayal of First Peoples in museums

  31. IMPACT ON CONTEMPORARY LIFE Globalandholisticperspectives of anthropology provide the best means of understanding modern problems e.g. discrimination based on notions of race e.g. same-sex marriage

  32. NEXT TIME: Methods Of Studying The Human Past

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