What is Sociocultural Anthropology?
Rewind to June 2017 — an acceptance lands in my hands, marking my entrance into the field of anthropology. I’m excited because I got into my second school of choice (I ain’t forget about you, UBC), but I’m also disappointed because I originally applied for economics. “An alternate acceptance”, they say. A part of me yearns for the respectable course of economics. On the first day of school, I rush to the counsellor’s office with detailed plans of switching majors. By the end of it, my schedule is mostly social science-related, but I’m able to add a few econ courses. And so it began. I sit through my first economics class where the discourse centers around calculus for a solid two hours. Contrast this with my first anthropology lecture, where the professor devotes the same amount of time asking students about their personal narratives and their lived experiences. The stark difference was not lost on me. I found myself gradually surrendering to the allure of human stories over the rigid formulas of economics. And like that, I dumped my original plan, saying goodbye to economics, and opening a new chapter as an anthropology major.
“Anthropology? Ah, so you study fossils and cavemen?”
Well, some of us do. “Anthro” means human. “Logy” means study. So, anthropology is the study of humanity. You catching what I’m dropping? Given its expansive definition, anthropology unpacks into four major domains: biological anthropology, archaeology, linguistic anthropology, and cultural anthropology. Biological anthropology is intrigued by population genetics, ethology, and primatology (Shoutout Jane Goodall and the other Jane from Tarzan). Archaeology, on the other hand, is preoccupied with the unravelling of prehistoric social patterns through excavation, and deciphering narratives of our ancestors through their left-behind artifacts (Like the homie Indiana Jones). Then we have linguistic anthropology, a branch dedicated to the study of human communication and how it conveys meaning, identity, and power (Watch “Arrival”, Amy Adams carried that movie). Lastly, we come to (socio-)cultural anthropology, which happens to be my arena. The “socio” prefix is optional because society and culture are interchangeable elements of humanity. Also, anthropologists would rather murk each other than agree on a singular definition of culture, so “socio-culture” allows neutrality. The four fields complement each other in their shared quest to answer the timeless questions — why are we here, why do we behave the way we do, and what comes next?
The History of Sociocultural Anthropology
Sociocultural anthropology carries with it a complicated legacy, originally rooted in colonial expeditions. In the fifteenth century, having clout often meant embarking on voyages to “undiscovered” territories and reporting back to monarchs with crucial intelligence. Among these voyagers, there was usually a dripped-out dude wielding a quill pen and a leather-bound notebook (if you could read and write in the fifteen century, you had money), responsible for observing and documenting the social landscapes of these distant places. It was their task to understand the worldviews of non-Western cultures, including the culture’s definition of relationships, communal values, and perceptions of status and power. Regrettably, the early observers often perceived these societies through a lens of bias and ignorance, branding them as primitive or savage. These misinterpretations contributed to the oppressive domination of the Global South that spanned centuries, providing an ill-conceived justification for colonial power dynamics. In the present day, anthropologists are actively working to distance the discipline from its colonial roots, striving to acknowledge and rectify past missteps while promoting a more inclusive and respectful approach to understanding the diversity of human societies.
How to Study Sociocultural Anthropology
The central role of a sociocultural anthropologist involves the writing of ethnographies, which are detailed accounts of specific cultural groups. To accomplish this, an anthropologist immerses themselves within these groups as a participant observer, allowing them to capture cultural revelations firsthand. From the 15th to the 21st century, the practice of ethnography has undergone an intricate journey, being deconstructed and reconstructed umpteen-thousand times. Different theoretical perspectives sparked ongoing debates, primarily due to the inherent challenge of studying people without personal bias. Does this undermine anthropology’s status as a science? Not necessarily, as it is recognized as a social science, a field where subjectivity is inherent. Understanding this, it becomes an anthropologist’s responsibility to approach their work reflexively. Reflexive writing involves acknowledging and articulating one’s own perspectives, assumptions, and positions in relation to the research subject. This could entail recognizing the anthropologist’s cultural background, personal experiences, or beliefs and analyzing how these factors might influence their data collection, interpretation, and presentation. By providing this context and transparency, reflexive writing enhances the validity and reliability of the research, reinforcing its scientific value.
Conclusion
If you partake in society, you have anthropological potential. Indeed, this field of study is accessible to all. Simply try searching “the anthropology of [any cultural curiosity you might have],” and you’ll uncover extensive analyses brimming with human narratives and their socio-scientific connotations. Anthropology is intrinsically embedded in our lives. It reveals that our everyday activities, whether it’s the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the language we use, or our digital behaviours, extend beyond mere routine. By comprehending this, we can cultivate a more empathetic, inclusive, and sophisticated understanding of ourselves and others, and appreciate our organic contribution to the human story.
