Introduction to Anthropology Textbook Chapter 20 Anthropology on the Ground

CHAPTER 20 Anthropology on the Ground Figure The Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver , Canada , showcases anthropological artifacts and culturally diverse histories . credit Museum of Anthropology by Commons , BY ) CHAPTER OUTLINE Our Challenging World Today Why Anthropology Matters What Anthropologists Can Do INTRODUCTION In Waddling In , a provocative essay published in 1985 , interpretive anthropologist Clifford proposed that among the various academic disciplines , anthropology was uniquely capable of leading into the future . He pointed out the fundamental changes anthropology faced as it headed into the in its traditional subject focus , its traditional sites , and its wide , holistic perspective , which referred to as walking barefoot through the Whole of Culture ( 1985 , 623 ) Pulled in opposed directions by technical advances in allied disciplines , divided within itself along accidental lines , besieged from one side by resurgent scientism and from the other by an advanced form of , and progressively deprived of its original subject matter , its research isolation , and its authority , anthropology seems not only to stay reasonably intact but . to extend the sway of the cast of mind that it over wider and wider areas of contemporary thought . We have turned out to be rather good at waddling in . In our confusion is our strength . 624 ) In our confusion is our strength . For , this confusion anthropology as a science and a

humanity and its acknowledgment that we do not yet know everything about who we are as a species . Our ongoing mission is to be open to what comes next , open to the potential of what it means to be human . This is especially important at this moment in history when global challenges remind us of how much remains to be done for every person to have a life of dignity . Instead the end of anthropology , Waddling In challenges anthropologists to discover an relevance and importance for the discipline , in a world of ongoing cultural change . Anthropology is both an academic and an applied discipline . What anthropology reveals about human culture and human biology can be used to improve lives today . Anthropology is deeply relevant to contemporary lives in many ways . Museums are a common way in which anthropological knowledge is presented to the public , interpreting cultural and biological diversity and inspiring new generations of scholars and a broader public . The Museum of Anthropology at the University Columbia , shown in Figure , is an example of one way anthropologists share their knowledge in a public space . But there are many other ways in which anthropologists interact with and our global community . Our Challenging World Today LEARNING OUTCOMES By the end of this section , you will be able to Identify some of the most critical global challenges . Analyze the importance of the today . Critical Global Challenges Today humanity faces a growing number of global problems , most of them linked to one another and to standing historical inequities and injustice . Many of the problems people experience in their daily lives derive from major global issues , which intersect with and affect cultural traditions and contemporary social behaviors . In other words , our global problems are deeply connected to the ways we live locally . Local and global problems connect and reinforce each other . FIGURE The United Nations headquarters in Geneva , Switzerland . In 2021 , the United Nations 22 critical global issues humanity currently faces . credit Palais des Nations , a by Commons , In 2021 , the United Nations ( UN ) 22 critical global issues , several worsened by the pandemic . These are challenges that transcend national boundaries and can not be resolved by any one

country acting alone ( United Nations 2021 ) Many of these challenges , which affect all nations , are particularly harmful to those facing discrimination , environmental and social racism , and economic poverty . As you read through these global issues , notice how many of these challenges are linked together ( Africa , democracy , poverty , global health , Go through this list and note which of these impact you and which might have affected your ancestors . Consider such things as cost of goods and services , possible effects on health and welfare , and even the political instability that might result from these issues , creating global ripple effects . Also , consider how populations suffering various injustices might experience greater impacts than those in otherwise stable communities . Africa promoting democratic institutions , supporting economic and social development , and protecting human rights . Aging . responding to the growth of aging populations ( ages 60 and over ) worldwide . AIDS continuing to reduce infection and death rates in the global against AIDS . Atomic energy . promoting the safe , secure , and peaceful operation of more than 440 nuclear reactors generating electricity worldwide . Big data for sustainable development monitoring inclusiveness and fairness in the application of new data sources , technologies , and analyses . Children protecting the rights of every child to health , education , and protection and expanding opportunities . Climate change responding to the unprecedented challenges of shifting weather patterns that threaten food production and create climate emergencies . continuing to monitor and encourage among former colonies , which the UN refers to as a sacred trust . When the UN was founded in 1945 , approximately 750 million people were living in colonies and today , fewer than two million live under colonial rule . Democracy . strengthening democracy , a universally recognized ideal and a core value of the UN , as a way of strengthening human rights . reducing global poverty rates , which could increase by as much as percent of the world population during the pandemic . Food working toward food security and increasing nutrition for the most vulnerable population groups , especially during . Gender equality . promoting gender equality as both a fundamental human right and a critical factor in achieving peaceful and sustainable societies . Health monitoring , promoting , and protecting health concerns worldwide . Much of the leadership in this area is provided by the World Health Organization ( WHO ) Human rights continuing the ongoing effort to guarantee human rights around the globe . This is a central focus ofthe UN work , as set out in the UN Charter ( and the Universal Declaration ofHuman Rights ( International law continuing to promote international law and justice across the three pillars of international peace and security , socioeconomic development and progress , and respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms . Migration ensuring the orderly and humane management of migration , practical solutions to migration problems , and providing humanitarian assistance to refugees and internally displaced persons . Oceans and the the sea ensuring peaceful , cooperative usage of the oceans and seas to the common for humanity and combating the rising threat of pollution and waste from transport vessels and oil tankers . Peace and security helping restore peace and preventing disputes from escalating into war . Population promoting sexual and reproductive health and individuals ability to manage the size of their families . Refugees providing aid and safe haven to the millions ofpeople forcibly displaced worldwide . In 2019 , an estimated million people were refugees , 26 million of them under the age of 18 . Water managing the competition between individual and commercial needs for access to water , which is critical for all human populations . Youth providing for a more just , equitable , and progressive future for persons between the ages of 15 and 24 , including ensuring access to health , education , and employment and working toward gender equality .

Private philanthropists have been working on some of these same problems as well . In 2020 , the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation , founded in 2000 to work collaboratively with governments to solve critical global health issues , expanded their focus by naming three major action areas for their foundation , in addition to ongoing educational priorities Climate change increasing clean energy , providing energy to countries , and developing innovative approaches to food production . Gender inequality and Violence expanding access to education to improve women lives and increasing women leadership positions in government , and health . Global health sponsoring initiatives to deliver vaccinations and otherwise combat major global diseases , such as AIDS and malaria . Bass and 2020 ) These lists represent only the beginning of the challenges that face us as human beings living on one shared planet . Underpinning these challenges are many others , none more important than the loss of . We face devastating losses in three major areas of diversity biological diversity , as species are increasingly endangered or become extinct cultural diversity , as Indigenous peoples , minorities , and smaller populations in more isolated areas , such as rural areas , face on their lands and their lives , including their right to exist as diverse cultures and linguistic diversity , with thousands of languages already extinct and many more facing imminent extinction . As diversity declines , our species has fewer options and less . When we consider that most innovation builds on preexisting , culture , or loss of anything that once existed is also a loss of potential , of what could have been . But all is not doom and gloom . Hope is offered by disciplines , such as anthropology , that work to value and preserve . Anthropology has taken a lead role in bringing positive change to our global world . Projects in which anthropological knowledge and insight is applied to current challenges include language reclamation and revitalization , primate conservation and habitat enrichment , revitalization of traditional and technologies , and other projects to revive , restore , and encourage cultural , biological , and linguistic diversity . The When considering the many challenges facing us as a global community , we must also acknowledge our tools and conditions we can harness to increase value and effect positive change . We do not enter our future . To some extent , our challenges and assets have evolved together , hand in hand . As we face concerns about another possible global health pandemic , for example , we bring with us a depth of knowledge based on earlier experiences , having learned and retooled our responses to be better prepared for those things we have experienced before . As we begin to combat overwhelming climate crises after decades of abusing our environment , we have knowledge and tools to make positive changes while continuing to educate people about our physical world , pollution , and global warming . We understand the causes of most of our challenges , and we have the ability to harness large groups ofpeople globally to work together to address them , with an impressive array of technology at our . We are not a helpless species . We are not necessarily smarter or wiser than our ancestors were , but we do have one great have what our ancestors left to us . We have the accumulation of all their cultural wisdom , ingenuity , and humanity . In 2001 , Canadian cultural anthropologist Wade Davis coined the term to refer to the sum total of all of human knowledge across time You might think of the as being the sum total of all thoughts and dreams , myths , intuitions and inspirations brought into being by the human imagination since the dawn of consciousness . The is humanity great legacy . It is the product of our dreams , the embodiment of our hopes , the symbol of all that we are and all that we have created as a wildly inquisitive and astonishingly adaptive species . Davis 2003 )

FIGURE Anthropologist Wade Davis coined the term to describe the totality of the human cultural legacy across time and cultures . credit Wade Davis by . Commons , The diverse ways in which humans have solved or managed the challenges ofour lives , many of them challenges that we have on ourselves because of greed and ignorance , is a rich storehouse for our future . Too often , contemporary people feel there is little to learn from those who are different from us or who came before us , but the solutions to our current problems are founded upon this legacy . Humans have faced grave environmental challenges more than once in our species history . Our ancestors also faced global climate challenges . The last glacial period occurred between and years ago . During that time , alternating periods of global cooling and warming displaced human populations and forced them to adapt to new plants and animals as they migrated and ultimately peopled the globe . One of the notable consequences of the last years of the glacial period was the extinction of some 177 species of ( large mammals ) including woolly mammoths , giant deer , and cats . There have been two primary theories about these extinctions , which occurred worldwide ( in Europe , Africa , Asia , and North and South America ) Did the animals go extinct due to climate change and habitat loss or to by human big game hunters ?

Recently , researchers at University in Denmark studied the extinction of species through global mapping techniques that compared timelines of human occupation and of animal extinction ( et al . 2014 ) In about of the animal extinctions , the correlation of the dates of the earliest arrival of human hunters and the extinction of the animals was clear and consistent . While the majority of cases were not consistent , they did not present contrary evidence to the theory of human overkill and environmental exploitation . It appears that humans were involved in mass extinctions and environmental changes even in these early periods .

FIGURE The skeleton of a woolly mammoth , a large mammal that was most likely hunted to extinction by early humans . credit by Lou Commons , Public Domain ) And yet people have also been involved in animal and species conservation . Today , US . National Parks have reported a variety of species reintroduction success stories . In several national parks across the United States , native animal species have been reintroduced to better manage habitats , conserve endangered species , and support a healthy ecosystem . Among the most successful reintroduced species are California condors , ferrets , gray wolves , bald eagles , desert , bighorn sheep , elk , and , a species of goose native to Hawaii ( 2015 ) Entomologist Edward Wilson has devoted his life to studying and working to protect biodiversity , the astounding variety of plants and animals on our planet that together form a healthy ecosystem . As part of the biological web of life , humans are important actors . Within the lies the wisdom of generations of human interactions with other species for food , medicines , clothing , shelter , protection , companionship , and economic exploitation . Many of the tools related to this valuable knowledge are found within Indigenous cultures , too many of them also endangered or extinct today . By preserving and valuing the and its diversity , we preserve ourselves , our children futures , and the hopes we have for our planet . Anthropology plays a major role in preserving , valuing , and teaching about the . In this critical role , anthropology makes an important difference in how well we encounter the we will adapt and thrive or face threats to our survival . Whether you are a practicing anthropologist , a student of anthropology , or someone who enjoys learning about our diverse world , including its diverse peoples and cultures , you have a role to play in bringing about a more hopeful future . Why Anthropology Matters LEARNING OUTCOMES By the end of this section , you will be able to Explain the characteristics of anthropology that make it uniquely relevant today . Describe and give an example of anthropological values . Analyze the importance of anthropological skills . A Uniquely Relevant Discipline As you learned in What is ?

anthropology is a unique discipline . Not only does it study all aspects ofwhat it means to be human across time , with a focus on evolution and how changes occur in our bodies and cultures , but it also examines the ways in which we adapt to different social and physical environments . This process of adaptation is a primary source of cultural and biological diversity . Anthropology is also holistic ,

examining the context of and between many parts of our lives and weaving together our biology , our traditions , and the diverse social and physical environments in which we live . The anthropological approach views humans as part ofa wider system of meaning , as actors and within a dynamic environment populated by others . Across cultures , those others can include other species ( plant and animal ) and spirits as well as other human beings . It is the human ability to imagine and construct the universe in which we live that most interests anthropologists . In most introductory classes , students are surprised at the breadth of anthropology , but this wide lens is the cornerstone of the discipline . Today , anthropologists increasingly approach the study of humans as a dynamic construct . We see humans as agents in motion , undergoing change as a normal state of being , rather than as objects in a petri dish , preserved and inert . This means that anthropological studies are by necessity messy and in , as our subject matter makes change . Because holism , adaptation , and adjustment are critical to anthropological studies , we bring an especially powerful lens to attempts to understand complex , global problems . Few of our challenges today are simple . Solving the climate crisis requires changes notjust to our use of fossil fuels but also to the ways in which we produce food , bathe , heat and cool our houses , and travel . Each culture and each community must be aware of its power and potential to enact positive change . Both a and a humanistic approach are needed to solve our current global challenges . Anthropological Values The anthropological perspective is grounded by principles and standards considered important to understanding other people and their ways of life . These include the value of all cultures the value of , biological and cultural the importance of change over time and the importance of cultural relativism and acknowledging of the dignity of all human beings . These anthropological values undergird our discipline . The study of culture intersects with each of the four and highlights the importance of diversity . From the beginning , humans have used ingenuity to tackle problems and provide solutions to challenging circumstances . Anthropologists study and value this extraordinary process of human creativity , documenting it in living and past cultures , in our languages and symbol systems , and even in our bones , through cultural procedures such as elongating women necks ( as is practiced by the people of ) or elongating people heads ( practiced by the peoples of North America ) Even our diets , which are cultural artifacts of adaptation , are written on our bones . The consumption of corn , for example , is measurable as carbon isotopes in human bone . Anthropology celebrates this human uniqueness and diversity , understanding that different ways of being are humanity greatest foundation embodied in the concept of the .

FIGURE women use neck rings from an early age to make their necks appear longer . The rings actually push down the clavicle and compress the rib cage . This is a sign of beauty among the . credit by Brian Jeffery , BY ) Anthropological studies produce documentation of immeasurable worth . Through anthropological research , we collect , preserve , and share the stories of living humans as well as human artifacts , sites , and bodies . Together , these documents form a valuable database . Field notes and artifacts from the earliest anthropologists document diversity that has since disappeared . Franz Boas taught his students how to make life masks of the people they were studying to document the physical diversity of different groups ofpeople ( A . Singer 1986 ) This vast collection of some life masks is now preserved at the Smithsonian Institution as an archival resource for understanding environment , culture , and biological adaptations . Many masks document ethnic groups that are now extinct . Anthropology collections ( are of inestimable value for future research . The Council for the Preservation of Anthropological Records , or , works with anthropologists , librarians , and to obtain and preserve anthropological records and make them available both for the study of human diversity and as a record of the history of the discipline . The organization has two primary goals . The is to educate anthropologists on the value and urgency of saving documents . The second is to help train and information specialists in best practices for handling the sometimes very sensitive information within these documents while also facilitating them in making sure that the information is available to scholars anywhere ( and 1995 ) Diversity is a product of adaptation and change over time . As cultural groups encountered different challenges in their environments , they used ingenuity and innovation to address these challenges , sometimes borrowing other cultures solutions when applicable . In the high Andes of South America , the steep mountainous inclines mean that there is little ground for growing food . In response to this challenge , Inca farmers used terrace farming , building steplike terraces into the hillside to create areas of surfaces for growing crops ( see Figure . Forms of terrace farming are found all over Asia and in parts of Africa , with cultures in each area adapting the use of terraces to meet climatic conditions and crop requirements ( paddy rice cultivation requires small earthwork borders to allow for ) In short , there is no one way to do something every solution is calibrated to particular needs . Today , with increasing urgency to minimize our

carbon footprints , architects are designing homes to meet clients demands for is , houses that produce more energy than they consume through solar power and appliances ( Stamp 2020 ) As we work toward reducing our dependence on fossil fuels , the architectural and construction industries are beginning to adapt to these changing needs and demands . FIGURE Adaptations ( left ) By cutting these steplike terraces into the mountain , farmers created more arable land for farming . right ) In this house in Australia , the solar panels , increased insulation , and appliances all contribute to a net zero energy design . credit ( left ) Peru Terrace Farming by Commons , Public Domain ( right ) The House by , Commons , BY ) Besides culture and diversity , anthropology is also about the human power to change . Through adaption , evolution , and even acclimatization ( adaptation to environmental change ) the human body has evolved alongside human cultures to make us a species uniquely capable of adapting to almost any environmental or social conditions . Humans can survive even in such inhospitable environments as outer space ( thanks to the technology that makes up the International Space Station ) and the polar regions ( where structures and protective gear make habitation possible at Station in Antarctica ) And humans have survived health crises such as the pandemic and historical tragedies such as slavery and warfare . The ability to change , redirect , reassess , reimagine , and innovate has sustained our species across time . Diversity matters more today than ever . Where diversity is valued , there is greater potential for innovation and collaboration . A central value of anthropology , evident in both research and applied work across communities , is anthropologists focus not only on understanding other cultures and different ways of living but also on is , communicating what is learned across cultures in order to share it more broadly . The most important anthropological value , however , is cultural relativism , or suspending judgment about other cultures until one gains a clear understanding of the meaning and ofwhat those cultures do and believe . Cultural relativism requires us to understand the rationale , purpose , and meaning of cultural traditions and knowledge before we decide on their validity . And it provides advantages in better understanding others It allows us to see the worth , dignity , and respect of all persons , allowing for initial exchange and collaboration between us and It reminds us to approach the study of other cultures without them as inferior , thus minimizing ethnocentrism . It helps us keep an open mind about the potentials and possibilities inherent in our species . First formally introduced by Franz Boas , cultural relativism laid the groundwork for the discipline of anthropology , a science that would study what it means to be human in all its diverse forms . Boas and his students worked to apply cultural relativism across racial , ethnic , linguistic , and socioeconomic boundaries , documenting the rich cultural traditions of Indigenous peoples , minority communities , and immigrants . The concept , though , has undergone a great deal of debate since the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations . Is anything okay if a culture decides it is ?

Are there any boundaries to cultural relativism ?

Do we have to accept everything that a group does , or can an anthropologist that a practice is damaging , harmful , and not deserving of being respected and upheld ?

While these debates remain , anthropologists still value cultural relativism ( and the worthiness of other peoples and cultures ) although perhaps in a form that anthropologist Michael Brown calls cultural relativism . As Brown states , cultural relativism is a call to pause before judging , to listen before speaking , and to widen one views before narrowing them ( 2008 , 380 ) In other words , people a chance . Anthropology is important today , perhaps even more than when it formally began some 150 years ago . As French anthropologist Maurice says with one of the social science disciplines best able to help us understand the complexity of our now globalized world and the nature of the and crisis we are experiencing . In such a world , it would be irresponsible and indecent for anthropologists to stop trying to understand others . 2016 , What Anthropologists Can Do LEARNING OUTCOMES By the end of this section , you will be able to Describe the primary areas where the anthropological approach is relevant . Identify the ways that anthropologists are trained for today challenges . Explain how anthropological skills can help address contemporary problems . What Anthropologists Do Today Anthropologists are at work now to make a difference in our lives . There are various ways in which anthropologists and those utilizing an anthropological lens or framework contribute critically needed skills and resources in the century . Research . Sometimes referred to as pure or theoretical research , is conducted in all kinds of settings in order to answer practical and theoretical questions that form the basis of anthropology . How do cultures change ?

How do artifacts and technology evolve within a culture ?

How do trade and exchange affect the development of cultures ?

Many of the chapters in this text feature stories about anthropological research and its importance in understanding what it means to be human . Each of the engages in distinct types of research as ways to test theories and advance our knowledge of human beings . Theoretical research is the backbone of academic anthropology . Research and development . Research and development are associated with practical applications , such as creating or redesigning products or services for governments or corporations . Anthropologists who work in research and development contribute what they know about human behavior and the world around us to projects that serve the interests of human organizations and the human community . Cultural anthropologist Genevieve Bell worked for 18 years in research and development for Intel Corporation , the worlds largest semiconductor chip manufacturer . Her focus at Intel was on user experience , researching how people use technology and apply it in their lives with the goal of designing more relevant and products . Intel valued the way Bell deep knowledge of human behavior and human culture helped the company better anticipate their clients needs . Bell insights helped make Intel a more competitive corporation . She has described herjob as mak ing sense ofwhat makes people tick , what delights and frustrates them , and . us ing those insights to help shape next generation technology innovations . I sit happily at the intersection of cultural practices and technology adoption ( City Eye 2017 )

FIGURE Anthropologist Genevieve Bell works with tech and engineering industries , applying anthropological concepts to make technology more and better adapted to our everyday lives . credit Genevieve Bell by Kevin , BY ) In a TED Salon talk titled Bic Ethical Questions about the Future of AI ( genevieve bell Bell explains that the technological revolution of intelligence is already in progress , affecting many aspects of our lives . She says that the challenge now is to use intelligence safely , sustainably , and Bell advocates for technology . Using skills and knowledge gained through her training as an anthropologist , she looks at the ways in which technology , culture , and environment interact . In her work today , she continues to use an anthropological approach It about thinking differently , asking different kinds of questions , looking holistically at the world and the systems ( Bell 2020 ) Bell left Intel in 2017 to serve as a distinguished professor at the Australian National University College of Engineering and Computer Science , where she serves as the director of the School of Cybernetics and continues to research the interface between culture and technology . Public policy . Anthropologists are involved in public policy making all over the world . Anthropological skills and are increasingly valuable to the development of principles and regulatory measures that increase public safety and resolve problems . Applying a holistic approach to these issues allows government and organizations to avoid some problems and better anticipate future challenges . The American Anthropological Association ( has public policy areas that would greatly from an anthropological approach . In each of these areas , the hopes to involve more anthropologists in public policy in the century and to work collectively to message international , national , and local agencies about the importance of anthropological knowledge and involvement Social and cultural aspects identifying ways in which categories of race , ethnicity , gender , socioeconomic status , and age hinder medical delivery . Culture and diversity in education understanding the that affect educational delivery and

the gaps that exist in current educational policies due to such things as changing demographics and new information technologies . An approach to the environment focusing on the ways in which anthropological knowledge contributes to understanding the human dimensions of the environment and interfacing with federal agencies actively seeking to support this type research . Economic , social , and cultural aspects ofthe information revolution examining the human dimensions of the information revolution and the impact that it is having on our work and personal lives . Globalization and its impact on public policy , focusing on issues of and war and the effects of globalization on transnational communities . One of the challenges that anthropologists face is better educating governments and corporations about the skills they can bring to understanding and addressing contemporary problems . Working collaboratively within and beyond the discipline is important for advancing an awareness of the possibilities that anthropologists offer as public policy advocates . PROFILES IN ANTHROPOLOGY Gillian FIGURE British cultural anthropologist Gillian is a journalist and the managing editor of the Financial Times . credit Gillian Autumn Party 2014 Crop by Financial Commons , BY ) Personal History Gillian is a British author and journalist who trained in anthropology . She studied at Clare College , Cambridge University , where she earned her in social anthropology after conducting doctoral research in , in what was then the Soviet Union . intentionally chose to turn her anthropological gaze outside of the university setting , where she believed her training would have greater impact . Area and Importance of Her Work Though is trained as a social anthropologist , Gillian works for the Financial Times , a global daily newspaper , as chair of the editorial board and editor at large in

addition to her role as a journalist . Her articles on , business , and political economy appear in the Financial Times and in various leading newspapers and media outlets . She forecast early warnings about the 2008 economic downturn , applying her anthropological knowledge and skills to understand emerging global economic patterns , and she participates frequently in conferences on and global economics . also contributes to new directions in anthropology at thejoint 2019 American Anthropological Association and Canadian Anthropology Annual Meeting , she served as a discussant in a presidential session on the topic down silos in anthropology , Accomplishments in the Field has earned various commendations and awards in and outside of the of anthropology , including the British Press Award for Business and Finance Journalist of the Year in both 2008 and 2009 . She was awarded the President Medal of the British Academy in 2011 , given in recognition of service activity beyond the academy . Her book Fool Gold How Unrestrained Greed Corrupted a Dream , Shattered Global Markets , and Unleashed a Catastrophe ( 2009 ) which takes a cultural anthropological approach to analyzing the global economy and system , was a New York Times best seller and was chosen as the 2009 Financial Book of the Year by Spears magazine . In 2014 , received the Royal Anthropological Institute Marsh Award for Anthropology in the World , which recognises an outstanding individual based outside academia , one who has shown how to apply anthropology or anthropological ideas to the better understanding of the world problems ( Royal Anthropological Institute 2021 ) Her latest book is A New Way to See in Business and Life ( 2021 ) published by Simon . Applied anthropology . Anthropologists are engaged in work on the ground in situations , helping address numerous current and emerging needs in communities around the world . Many work within nongovernmental agencies . Some anthropologists are already engaged in efforts pertaining to the pandemic , gathering preliminary data and working to streamline access to treatment and preventative measures . In 2014 , the WHO reached out to sociocultural anthropologists to help address an outbreak of the Ebola virus in Mali . They sought the help of these anthropologists as liaisons to connect with the local people and lessen their anxieties about the disease , help those recovering cope with the stigma of having had Ebola , and build a bridge between the community and the health system . They also sought anthropological direction on how best to interact with local people while respecting their culture and traditions . The WHO described some of the roles of the anthropologists who aided in this project The social anthropologists have also helped train teams searching for Ebola patients and monitoring Ebola contacts , teaching them to make allowances for local culture and the rules of hospitality and politeness when visiting families . These factors are key to getting the message across and being heard by members of the community . World Health Organization 2015 ) The global emergency of mobilized a number of anthropologists , especially those in the applied of medical anthropology . Medical anthropologist Mark ( 2020 ) who has studied emerging diseases and global health for much of his career , was returning from in India and Indonesia when cases started being diagnosed in the United States . He traveled from Asian countries , where people were wearing masks and showing a high level of concern for the disease , into Europe and then the United States , where there seemed to be little concern . These different attitudes prompted him to think about other pandemics he had experienced as a medical anthropologist and about how complex these global events can be . Deeply aware of issues of social inequality , he worried about the poor infrastructure conditions in so many countries and the dense populations in refugee camps . What would happen in areas where accessing any kind of water , especially clean water for , was ?

He how bad this was going to be as a global event . During lockdown in the United States , used his training as a medical anthropologist to create positive change within his community . He developed a primer , explaining health concepts about and methods of slowing and preventing transmission in everyday terms to help professors and teachers educate themselves and their students . The primer quickly began circulating on campuses in the

United States and around the world . also worked with fellow anthropologists in a special working group supported by the American Anthropological Association to identify research areas of critical need . Many of these research areas concerned structural threats and areas where mortality data were revealing disparities , indicating that certain populations were more vulnerable than others . Third , began advocating and working for testing resources , the development of contact tracing , and symptom monitoring to better contain outbreaks within communities . Lastly , he helped develop a health care worker support network with both online and grassroots resources , knowing that frontline workers would be those most taxed by the pandemic . advocates for what he calls . In the context of medical anthropology , anticipatory anthropology acts to shore up the fault lines that have emerged in the global health system , working toward creating stronger resistance to the next health care emergency . provides an opportunity to build alliances and momentum for health care reform ( 2020 ) Anthropological skills are increasingly vital to developing and communicating culturally relevant messages . While global health initiatives are very prominent within the of applied and practicing anthropology , the range of interventions is wide . Applied anthropology projects might involve improved farming techniques and heirloom seed banks , better educational services , and even work on the front lines with persons displaced by war , migration , or climate emergencies . Anthropological Skills and Resources Anthropologists are trained to look at the larger context and understand how smaller , local environments into overarching forces . They aim to hold a multicultural perspective that represents various constituencies and to interact with people around them with the goal of better understanding where they are coming from and what things mean to them . Anthropologists gather and analyze data that real life on the ground and in the streets . The central anthropological specialty is an unfettered interest in human beings . In 2020 , career research and employment website interviewed a group of teaching and practicing anthropologists about the anthropological skills they believe are most valuable in today job market . The two quotes below illustrate the breadth of career preparation that anthropology provides Organizations are looking for people who can articulate the value of their experiences . Anthropology provides a broad array of skills . Some are more general , such as critical thinking and written and oral communication and teamwork . Some skills are more , such as survey and excavation for archaeology positions , research design , data analysis skills ( qualitative and quantitative ) and familiarity with research ethics . Young graduates need to think quickly and with skepticism , read situations from multiple angles , and have openness to variable solutions . This means that they need skills in understanding pluralistic vantage points , judging where information comes from and who it and who it hurts , and being gifted at recognizing and acknowledging their own biases . Anthropology teaches these skills as it prepares graduates for work in a wide array of . Stark et al . 2020 ) Anthropologists and anthropology students , undergraduate and graduate , into a wide array of careers and contribute valuable skills and resources to their communities everywhere . As people specialists , anthropologists understand how to approach diverse peoples , elicit information about and from them , and work with that information to understand broader situations . Some of the broadly applicable skills that different anthropologists have include interviewing excavating mapping analyzing data using various types of , including mixed methods ( combining qualitative and quantitative methods ) applying ethics in , emerging situations and engaging with new technologies in the sciences . All of these are century skills and resources . However , the most advantageous of an anthropologist skills is an attitude of respect and dignity toward diverse peoples everywhere . In our global world , this may be the most important asset of all . As anthropologist Tim says , anthropologists study with people and learn from them , notjust ( 2018 , 32 ) How Anthropology Can Lead in the Future Career and employment trends today align with what anthropologists do , whether or not one is a

practicing anthropologist . Students heading into any that address the human condition , past or present , will from studies in anthropology . Within colleges and universities across the world , there is a of approaches that utilize methods and perspectives from multiple disciplines to study and propose solutions to complex problems . This educational model , sometimes called the matrix model ( National Academy of Sciences , National Academy of Engineers , and Institute of Medicine 2005 ) has resulted in the development of new degree programs such as the biomedical program at Stanford University the Indigenous food , energy , and water systems program at the University of Arizona and the science , medicine , and technology in culture program at Union College . Training in anthropological holism is the ideal foundation for working in teams with multiple interests and a shared focus on the larger context . the approach in anthropology prepares researchers to apply a keen perception of the ways in which biology and culture interact and each other . With the increasing prominence of social media and grassroots communication across cultures , it is important that emerging leaders have the ability to interview people , elicit relevant information from them , and analyze what they think , do , and desire . Anthropologists are trained to interact with others , seek connections and patterns in what they observe , and analyze the symbolic of what they . Anthropologists are also trained to work in the , wherever and whatever the may be , taking their and research labs into the communities in which they work and live . Accustomed to being and adaptable to the needs of the situation and letting the dictate how best to accomplish their work , anthropologists have the skills , technology , and experience to work well in a global community . In the century , academia sought to become ever more specialized , constructing departments , specialties , and to home in on very particular subjects such as a disease , a genre of literature , or a type of religion . This approach was an advance over the more generalist approach that was common in the century , in which academics were trained in very broad such as medicine , ancient history , or culture . Now , in the century , the shift is toward a more complex and multifaceted understanding of how we live and the challenges we face . Many anthropology programs today provide vocational skills and workplace training . There is a growing awareness that we need to develop the ability to think both generally and systematically ( such as in an approach ) while also seeking to understand the of challenges . Anthropology , with its holistic approach , mixed methodology analyses , and deep , abiding appreciation of diversity and the dignity of all people , is situated at the crossroads of what comes next . This is how anthropology can guide us as we move into the future . As said , We have turned out to be rather good at waddling in ( 1985 , 624 ) Anthropological skills are based on and adaptation to a changing world , and openness to new ideas , and a willingness to engage with complex issues in order to solutions to problems facing our world today . The anthropological is critical in the century . You can read more about the important work of anthropologists today in the features in each chapter . Through research and work such as the examples featured there , anthropologists are changing the world . ACTIVITY Global Challenges Choose three global challenges , and research more about them . Consider how these three global challenges are linked to one another and to historical inequities . Collect information on the current state of each problem in the United States and worldwide , what measures are being taken to mitigate the problem , and whether there are any local initiatives in your own community . Consider both campus and community organizations . Using what you have learned about anthropology , propose three anthropological skills that you could employ to help address each of these challenges .

Key Terms asset a tool or condition that can be harnessed to increase value and effect positive change . biodiversity the variety of plants and animals that exist on Earth and form a living ecosystem . Summary As a discipline , anthropology includes academic and applied aspects that focus on , respectively , developing new theories and solving practical problems . Today , we face a growing number of global problems , most of them linked to one another and to historical inequities and injustice . Many of the problems we experience in our local lives derive from these major issues , and every one of them intersects with and affects cultural traditions and contemporary social behaviors . In 2021 , the United Nations 22 critical global issues that transcend national boundaries and affect people everywhere , with those who suffer various forms of injustice typically experiencing greater effects from these challenges than those living in more stable communities . Three of the challenges are major actions areas for philanthropic organizations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation climate change , gender inequality and violence , and global health . Intersecting with these global issues are the devastating losses we face in terms of biological , cultural , and linguistic diversity . The term , first coined by Canadian cultural anthropologist Wade Davis , refers to the sum total of all human knowledge across human cultural legacy . The diverse ways in which we humans have solved or managed the challenges of our lives are a rich storehouse for our future . Too often , contemporary people feel we have little to learn from those who are different from us or who came before us , but the solutions to our current problems are founded upon this legacy . As globalization proceeds , our lives in myriad ways , it is important to remember that diversity is a storehouse of critical knowledge from the generations before us and the cultures around Critical Thinking Questions . What do you consider to be the three most critical global issues ?

Why ?

In what ways is the valuable to our lives today ?

Do you have any traditional forms of knowledge ?

the sum total of all of human knowledge across time . values principles and standards of behavior that are considered important . us , many ofwhich are today to survive . By preserving and valuing the diversity , we preserve ourselves , our children futures , and the hopes we have for our planet . The anthropological approach views humans as part ofa wider system of meaning , as actors and change makers within a dynamic environment populated by others . Across cultures , those others can include other species , plant and animal , and spirits as well as other human beings . It is the human ability to imagine and construct the universe in which we live that most interests anthropologists . The anthropological perspective is grounded by principles and standards of behavior considered important to understanding other people and their ways of life . These include the value of all cultures the value of , biological and cultural the importance of change over time the importance of cultural relativism and an acknowledgment of the dignity of all human beings . These anthropological values undergird our discipline . Anthropological studies produce documentation of immeasurable worth . Through anthropological research , we collect , preserve , and share the stories of living humans as well as human artifacts , sites , and bodies . Today , anthropologists and those using an anthropological lens contribute to the century in various ways , including through research , research and development , public policy , and applied or practicing anthropology . Career and employment trends today align with what anthropologists do , whether or not one is a practicing anthropologist . Students heading into any that addresses the human condition , past or present , will from studies in anthropology . If so , how do you use them ?

Think about practices such as cooking . What anthropological skills can best address the problems our global community faces today ?

What are the most valuable anthropological skills in today professions ?

goals . How can anthropological skills be applied . Why does anthropology matter ?

to your professional aspirations ?

Consider your own academic major or career . How can anthropology lead in the future ?

Bibliography Bass , Dina , and . 2020 . Bill and Melinda Gates Add Climate Change and Gender Equality to Their Foundation Fortune , February 10 , Bell , Genevieve . 2020 . Big Ethical Questions about the Future . Filmed October 2020 . TED video , Boss , 2001 . Anthropologists on the Christian Science Monitor , January , Brown , Michael 2008 . Cultural Relativism ( 2017 . Genevieve Bell A Cultural Anthropologist Studying Technological . September 22 , Davis , Wade . 2001 . Light at the Edge of the World A Journey through the Realm of Vanishing Cultures . Vancouver , Douglas . Davis , Wade . 2003 . An Interview with Anthropologist Wade By Alex . May 27 , Jennifer . 2015 . Wildlife Success Park Advocate , National Parks Conservation Association . November , Clifford . 1985 . Waddling Times , June , 1985 , Maurice . 2016 . In Today World , Anthropology Is More Important Than Ever . de 11 ( and . 1992 . Anthropology and the Study of Anthropology ( David . 2020 . Anthropology Has a Village 32 ( Tim . 2018 . Why Anthropology British Academy Review , no . 32 , National Academy of Sciences , National Academy of Engineers , and Institute of Medicine . 2005 . Facilitating . Washington , The National Academies Press . Mark . 2020 . Engaging the Anthropology News , June 19 , Redding , Terry , and Elizabeth . 2020 . Breaking Down Silos in , September 16 , Christopher , Brody , and . 2014 . Global Late Quaternary Extinctions Linked to Humans , Not Climate Proceedings ofthe Royal 281 ( 1787 ) and Nancy . 1995 . Preserving the Anthropological Record . ed . Foundation for Anthropological Research , Singer , Andre , dir . 1986 . The Shackles of Tradition Franz Boas ( 942 ) Video . London Royal Anthropological Institute .

20 Bibliography Singer , Natasha . 2014 . Intel Social Scientist . New York Times , February 15 , Stamp , Elizabeth . 2020 . How the Architecture Industry Is Reacting to Climate Change . Architectural Digest , March , Paul . 2007 . Anthropologists Only Need Apply Challenges of Applied Anthropology . Journal Royal Anthropological Institute 13 ( Stark , Miriam , Brian Bates , John , Suzanne , Amber , Jeremy Spoon , Douglas Wilson , et al . 2020 . Experts Weigh In on Current Job Market . December 13 , United Nations . 2021 . Global Issues . World Health Organization . 2015 . Anthropologists Work with Communities in January . Access for free at