Anthropology in the World Today - Research Paper Example

Anthropology in the world today. INSTITUTE ANTHROPOLOGY IN THE WORLD TODAY With the advancement of time, human mind has matured and many major aspects of human life that were left untouched have been researched upon and understood. Man has evolved from Stone Age to a period of progress and development. This has led to the emergence of studies that focus upon the evolution and existence of human beings. Anthropology is one such subject that focuses upon the existence of human beings. An important and interesting aspect of anthropology is cultural anthropology which works towards determining the cultural aspects of human beings which include the cultural diversities that exist in different societies and the different ways of living of human beings.

This subject is not only restricted to understand these aspects but it also assists in major aspects of human life which include politics, business as well as social lives(Cultural Anthropology and Sociology). The use of cultural anthropology as a measure of assistance for governments dates from the period of the Second World War when Ruth Benedict, who was a renowned anthropology professor was employed by the government of the United States to enlighten them with the cultural perspectives of their main opponents that is Japan and Germany.

This was meant to be of help not only for winning the war but also as a measure of help for rehabilitation of these states after their fall. This focus was mainly towards Japan and the cultural studies helped in the understanding of the beliefs and working of the Japanese society (Ferraro 2006). The role that cultural anthropology in today’s world can be understood clearly in the words of Elizabeth Tunstall when she states, “Contemporary anthropology is no longer primarily concerned with exotic peoples and dinosaurs.

Anthropology is engaged with issues of the global flows of people and goods, human rights and social justice, global feminism, [design], technology adoption, the social effects of the environmental degradation, and local sustainability practices.” Anthropology in today’s world works towards connecting people. It assists the companies to satisfy their customers via understanding their needs which are known to them through anthropology. It also works towards explaining the stand of the society on issues like the rights of human beings and the role of women in society.

This assists in molding decisions according to the particular society. Anthropology is also beneficial for the politicians and the government. It provides a clear picture of the beliefs and the working of the society and hence it improves decision making as the interests of the people are understood properly. Though cultural anthropology holds a central position in many essential aspects of human life which would never have been understood without it, but this understanding has been considered to pose certain negative effects in the world today.

Anthropology works towards the study of different cultures and this is believed to lead to a cultural harmony and assist in globalization. It is considered that it serves an attempt to understand the other cultures and reduce differences. But if seen from a closer perspective it is found that anthropology works towards clearly identifying the differences that exist in different cultures which were not understood before. This study hence leads to creating drifts and it can be counted as a reason that leads to the breaking of large states and countries in the world today (Haviland, W. A. 2008).

Thus cultural anthropology plays a wide role in the functioning of important organizations in today’s world. It works as a factor in providing a proper understanding of the society and its functioning. It proves to be helpful to governments, aid associations and other companies as it provides them with a better view of the requirements of their particular societies. But it needs to be understood at the same time that anthropology can also act as a separating measure for certain states on the basis of the differences that are understood and known due to anthropology.

ReferencesCultural Anthropology and Sociology. Career Development and EmploymentVictoria University of Wellington. Retrieved from http://www.victoria.ac.nz/sacs/study/publications/cultural-anthropology-sociology-careerview.pdfTop of FormFerraro. (2006). Cultural anthropology: an applied perspective. Belmont, CA, Thomson Higher Education. Retrieved fromhttp://books.google.com.pk/books?

id=DwgwGs__4c4C&pg=PA314&lpg=PA314&dq=cultural+anthropology+in+the+world+today&source=bl&ots=O3hqi3zEyS&sig=pwL6lHpRjls_mjulFiZlDd_pt3I&hl=en&ei=999ZTK6nF4qmvQPZ0PSFDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CDIQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=cultural%20anthropology%20in%20the%20world%20today&f=falseBottom of FormTop of FormHaviland, W. A., & Haviland, W. A. (2008). Cultural anthropology: The human challenge. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning. Retrieved fromhttp://books.google.com.pk/books?id=jxzZl460258C&pg=PA371&lpg=PA371&dq=cultural+anthropology+in+the+world+today&source=bl&ots=sUz3pNgThb&sig=6dKkOhB8HAUe37dEv1nOKgLMKxE&hl=en&ei=MeBZTI6pGZCmvQPwvsiGDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CBkQ6AEwATgK#v=onepage&q=cultural%20anthropology%20in%20the%20world%20tod&f=falseBottom of Form