Anthropology Buff?
Anthropology is the science of humanity with origins in the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences and the name stems from the Greek word for humanity. There are four sub-fields to Anthropology – cultural anthropology, archaeology, linguistic anthropology and biological anthropology. Anthropologists study the origins and evolutions of humankind looking at cultural relations, human physical traits and human behaviour. Anthropology has recently been at the centre of developments in cognitive science, global studies and ethnic studies. Biological Anthropology studies evolution and human remains, cultural Anthropology looks at cultures, Archaeology studies human-made artefacts and ecological remains whilst linguistic Anthropology studies language. The subject is a fascinating one with so much information now being available than in previous years. More people are becoming interested in the topic and many universities throughout the world have reported a sharp increase in students wishing to study the subject. The list below is some of the best places on the Internet to find information on Anthropology. Some of the sites are universities and associations who specialise in the subject and other sites have been written by enthusiasts who have gained knowledge through years of experience and dedication.
1. Anthropology.net – http://anthropology.net/
This site has very good information for anthropologists. Articles are given with links, diagrams and photographs with the most recent postings at the top of the page. Top posts and recent comments are highlighted and the archives can be searched in date order going back to 2005. The information on the site has been provided by societies, professionals, students and enthusiasts of the subject wishing to share their knowledge with the general public.
2. American Anthropological Society – http://www.aaanet.org/index.cfm
The society was founded in 1902 and is the world’s largest organisation in Anthropology. Membership to the AAS has steadily increased and now there are over 12,000 members worldwide. Full information on the company is given on the site along with details of the awards that have been won. There is a special section for resources and further sections give details on professional development, meetings, sections and groups, membership and donations as well as a section on issues and news. A list of available publications is given and a complete list of benefits for members is advertised.
3. Texas University – http://anthropology.tamu.edu/html/in-the-news.html
This is the Anthropology Department at Texas University which was established in 1971. The site has 6252 stories in the database which are shown in chronological order along with credit being given to the source of the information. Details for teaching and travelling can be found in faculty resources whilst research and careers can be found in graduate resources. Sections on films and useful links are given and full courses details are stated along with news for students, teachers and alumni.
4. University of Alabama – http://anthropology.ua.edu/cultures/cultures.php
The Anthropology department at the University of Alabama is a good source for finding information on Anthropology with a database of theories and authors. The guides and approaches have all been prepared by graduates of the university under guidance of a tutor. Full details about the courses, the university and the campus are stated on the site and further resources for the subject can be found under ‘anthro theories’, kinship glossary as well as behavioural ecology and development ecology.
5. Quinebaug Valley College – http://www.qvctc.commnet.edu/brian/antgnrl.html
This site is produced by the Quinebaug Valley College in Connecticut and is dedicated to Anthropology. A wide range of topics can be selected from resources to reveal in-depth articles with links. The five main fields can be chosen to reveal further sources for data and facts; the five fields being cultural, applied and physical anthropology as well as linguistics and archaeology. A note on Anthropology and ethics is stated and any questions can be directed to the owner of the site.
6. Becoming Human – http://becominghuman.org/
The site was created by the Institute of Human Origins at Berkeley University in California and has been on the Internet since 2000. It features presentations and interactive documentaries with an interactive timeline exploring human lineage through the ages. Activities, games and classroom exercises are offered with useful tools to help students gain knowledge about the subject and a section specialising in news gives all the latest developments in Anthropology. The resource centre contains book reviews and glossaries with an option for searching individual topics.
7. MIT Open Course Ware – http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/anthropology/
This is the anthropological site for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Details of all available courses are stated along with the level and title of each course which specialises in Latin American, Middle Eastern and United States’ cultures. Knowledge can be obtained from videos along with news and events and the MIT Open Course Ware library is available for research. Useful links are provided for further information and support is encouraged by donating to the Anthropology Research and Pedagogy Fund.
8. Crystal Links – http://www.crystalinks.com/anthropology.html
Crystal Links gives information on Cultural Anthropology, Philosophical Anthropology with the concept of human nature and historical background of the Philosophy of man to name only a few topics. Information on individual Philosophers can be found along with idealisms such as Existentialism. Topics can be chosen from an index with links providing further information and all donations to the site are gratefully accepted.
9. University of Cambridge – http://www.archanth.cam.ac.uk/
The University of Cambridge has a department for Archaeology and Anthropology and offers a prospectus for students along with a list of current studies. Information can be obtained from several divisions such as Biological Anthropology, Social Anthropology, Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, the Haddon Library and the Leverhume Centre for Human Evolutionary studies to name a few. Further details regarding the courses and the University itself are available on the site.
SAC is a section in the American Anthropological Association and the name stands for Society for the Anthropology of Consciousness. Resources can be obtained from the bibliography of consciousness studies and accredited institutes teaching Anthropology of Consciousness with the information given in articles, videos, books and audio files which can be downloaded. Details of publications and meetings are given along with full information on the society and how to join.
