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While both fields study human behavior, the debate between anthropology vs.
sociology is a matter of perspectives. Anthropology examines culture more at the
micro-level of the individual, which the anthropologist generally takes as an
example of the larger culture. In addition, anthropology hones in on the cultural
specificities of a given group or community. Sociology, on the other hand, tends
to look at the bigger picture, often studying institutions (educational, political,
religious), organizations, political movements, and the power relations of
different groups with each other.
A defining feature of anthropology that makes it unlike many other fields is that
many researchers study cultures that are not "their own." Thus, people pursuing
PhDs in anthropology are required to spend a lengthy period of time (often a
year) in a foreign country, in order to immerse themselves in a culture to become
knowledgeable enough to write about and analyze it.
Early in the field's history (the late 19th/early 20th centuries), anthropologists
were almost all Europeans or Americans who conducted research in what they
considered to be "primitive" societies that they believed were "untouched" by
western influence. Because of this mindset, the field has long been critiqued for
its colonialist, condescending attitude toward non-western people and its
inaccurate representations of their cultures; for example, early anthropologists
often wrote about African cultures as static and unchanging, which suggested that
Africans could never be modern and that their culture did not undergo change, as
western cultures do. In the late 20th century, anthropologists like James Clifford
and George Marcus addressed these misrepresentations, suggesting that
ethnographers be more aware of and upfront about the unequal power relations
between themselves and their research subjects.
Definition of Sociology
Sociology has several principal tenets: individuals belong to groups, which
influence their behavior; groups have characteristics independent of their
members (i.e., the whole is larger than the sum of its parts); and sociology
focuses on patterns of behavior among groups (as defined by gender, race, class,
sexual orientation, etc.). Sociological research falls into several large areas,
including globalization, race and ethnicity, consumption, family, social
inequality, demography, health, work, education, and religion.
• Anthropology ‘“ human beings have been observing and recording the behavior of others
since the dawn of civilization. Some credit Herodotus and Tacitus with being the first
anthropologists. However, it wasn’t until the late eighteenth century that a codified
study of other cultures began. Traditionally, anthropology has been about Westerners
studying the culture of less technologically advanced peoples. In some instances the
study of anthropology led to racist theories about the overall advancement of difference
groups.
• Sociology ‘“ has also been practiced since the Greek period as a study of one’s
surrounding society. However, it wasn’t until the late nineteenth century that sociology
was recognized as an academic discipline and became part of university curriculum.
Both look at the "big picture," are interested in the way society influences people's
lives, and strive to promote understanding. Recognizing these similarities, our major
blends the two areas of study. For those with a strong interest in one discipline or the
other, it is possible to select courses with a primary focus in either, but we encourage
our majors to explore and draw on the insights from both disciplines.
Summary:
1. Anthropology and sociology are both fields of social science that study the
behavior of humans within their societies.
2. Traditionally anthropology dealt with the study of cultures different from
one’s own, especially those less advanced while sociology was used to
understand one’s own society.
3. Today anthropology tends to look at the big picture of human culture
while sociology spends more time analyzing data from a specific study.
4. Anthropology is considered to be a softer science than sociology as it
bases more of its conclusions on case studies than hard data.