Hip Glossary: Anthropology

Anthropology (from the Greek word ἄνθρωπος, "human" or "person") consists of the study of humanity. It is holistic in two senses: it is concerned with all humans at all times and with all dimensions of humanity. In principle, it is concerned with all institutions of all societies. Anthropology is distinguished from other social-science disciplines by its emphasis on cultural relativity, in-depth examination of context, and cross-cultural comparisons. Some anthropologists have utilized anthropological knowledge to frame cultural critiques. This has been particularly prominent in America, from the popular attacks on Victorianism of Margaret Mead and Ruth Benedict through contemporary attacks on post-colonialism under the heading of postmodernism. Anthropology is methodologically diverse using both qualitative methods and quantitative methods.

source:wikipedia