RELATIONSHIP OF ANTHROPOLOGY WITH OTHER DESCIPLINES:- Social Science, Behaviour Science, Life Scienc
Social Sciences: - Anthropology studies social, economic and political
aspects of man, which is why anthropology is related to sociology,
economics and political science.
Anthropology’s relationship with sociology is very close. Both the
disciplines study social aspect of man such as marriage, family, kinship,
group, institution, association, community, band, tribe, caste, peasants etc.
Because of this commonness, social anthropology is regarded as
comparative sociology. However the two disciplines differ in their focus
and approach.
1. Anthropology is more concerned with simple tribal societies, whereas
sociological preference is modern societies.
2. Anthropology studies origin and biological characteristic of man,
whereas sociology ignores the study of biological aspect of man.
Anthropology and Economics: - Both the disciplines look into economic
aspects of man, however differently.
Anthropology studies economic aspect of man in simple tribal societies
from non-economic (socio-cultural) point of view. On the other hand
Economics studies economic activities of modern societies from economic
point of view (demand and supply, profit and loss etc.)
Anthropology and Political Science: - Both the disciplines study political
aspect of man, however in different ways; Anthropology studies political
aspect of man in simple tribal societies from non-political (socio-cultural)
point of view, on the other hand political science studies political activities
of modern societies from political point of view in terms of legislative,
executive, and judiciary.
Anthropology and Behavioural Science: - Anthropology is closely related
to behavioural sciences especially psychology. Anthropology and
psychology, both study behaviour of man, socialization process, culture and
personality etc. However, in the study and analysis of behaviour of man,
both disciplines differ as follows. The focus of anthropological study is
culture and from the study of culture, inference is drawn regarding
behaviour of man. On the other hand psychology studies behaviour and
from the study of behaviour, inference is drawn regarding culture. A man
behaves in a certain way because he might have come from such and such
cultural back ground.
Anthropology and Life Science: - Since anthropology studies origin and
biological characteristics of man, that is why, anthropology is related to life
science such as zoology and botany. Botany studies how existing plants
evolved from pre-existing plants and their present functioning. Zoology
studies how existing organism including man evolved from pre-existing
organism and their present functioning. Anthropology is mainly concerned
with how present human evolved from past human ancestors (Fossil men)
such as Ramapithecus, Australopithecus, Homo erectus and Neanderthal.
Mendel’s Laws developed on Pea plant (in Botany) are very useful in
anthropology for understanding human similarities and differences.
Biological advancement such as DNA finger printing, Recombinant DNA
technologies are useful in anthropology for the study of prevention and
cure of human diseases.
Anthropology and Medical Science: - Both medical anthropology and
medical science are concerned with the study of health and disease,
however differently. Medical anthropology studies health and disease in
primitive societies in socio-cultural dimension. It involves the study of
sorcery, witchcraft, black magic, ritual practices, and herbal medicine in
order to understand health and disease in tribal societies.
On the other hand, medical science studies health and disease of modern
societies in term of biological factors- bacteria, virus, protozoa etc.
Anthropology and Earth Science: - Anthropology is related to earth
science i.e. geography and geology. Both anthropology and geography study
man-environment relationship.
Geography studies environment and its impacts of man’s social, cultural,
economic, political and biological aspect. On the other hand, anthropology
studies man and his behavioural impacts on environment in term of
deforestation, pollution etc. which further damages the quality of human
life, longevity etc. by inflicting man with new diseases.
Anthropology and Humanities: - Science and humanities, although have
exclusive approaches, but both come together in anthropology. The
humanistic side of anthropology is evident in its concern with other
culture’s language, values and achievement in arts and literature (oral
literature, among the people who lack wriiting). In those aspects
anthropology is close to humanistic disciplines such as literature, history,
fine arts etc., however anthropology differs from these disciplines in the
way of studying the aspects in scientific manner. Anthropologists try to
understand the humanistic aspects of other cultures by observing them
from their eyes, living throughout with them, sharing their joys and
suffering their deprivation including sickness.
Anthropology has amassed about human frailty and nobility – the study of
humanities as any other humanistic discipline.
