BA in Anthropology - Social and Cultural Anthropology in Madison United States | Drew University

Anthropologists, similar to other researchers, examine human behavior. Yet their focus differs from medical professionals who study our physical biology, psychologists who analyze mental processes, sociologists investigating population changes in social systems, or political scientists exploring government operations. So what sets anthropology apart, particularly social and cultural anthropology?

A key distinction is that social and cultural anthropology stands out in the social sciences by employing comparative methods to understand societies and cultures via ethnography - the systematic examination of communities in their natural settings through extended engagement (participant-observation). This approach involves using the subjects' native language while consistently prioritizing local perspectives and interpretations.