A04 • Describe (2) key differentiators and provide (2) examples about anthropolo

Question

A04

•   Describe (2) key differentiators and provide (2) examples about anthropology compared with disciplines that you have studied such as history, economics, psychology or sociology.

•   Describe two (2) reasons with (2) examples why it is important to have a strict code of ethics in anthropology and other social sciences compared to more purely scientific disciplines such as chemistry or physics.

   •   Describe the role that anthropologists play in migration and include (3) relevant examples.

NOTE >> Please answer the question as you read and see it. DO NOT PROVIDE references of how to solve it. Simply answer the question as you read and see it. It's one WHOLE complete essay problem. Good Luck! p.s. Your reply should be four (4) doublespaced pages.

Explanation / Answer

1.

Anthropology is a social science and therefore has things in common with the other social sciences such as those you mention. However, it is a separate discipline and is different in many ways from the other disciplines. Let us look at two things that are key in making anthropology what it is.

First, anthropology has traditionally engaged in the study of what we might call “primitive” societies. In other words, anthropology has historically been about studying small tribes of people who are not part of modern societies. This differentiates it from sociology, which has typically been interested in studying large, modern, industrialized societies. You could say that sociology has been the study of “us” while anthropology has been the study of “them.” This difference is becoming blurred to some degree today, but it still holds in general.

Second, anthropology is different in its methodological focus. Anthropological studies typically involve a researcher immersing him or herself in a culture. The anthropologist personally observes the culture, trying to understand it in its entirety. He or she uses observational methods to try to understand the subject of the research. By contrast, researchers in such areas as economics and sociology typically use more quantitative methods. People in those disciplines are more likely to look at statistics than to go out and watch people to try to understand them.

2.

The underlying reason why anthropology needs to have a strict code of ethics more than physics does is because anthropology involves dealing with human beings. Physics and chemistry tend to involve research on inanimate objects while anthropology involves doing research on human beings.

One thing about anthropology is that anthropological researchers are almost always in a position of greater power than their subjects. Western, modern anthropologists have a great deal of power in the world when compared to members of Amazon tribes, for example. This means that anthropologists are in a position where they can harm their research subjects or, at the very least, have a great impact on them. This is not the case in chemistry or physics, which means that a code of ethics is more necessary in anthropology.

Second, the fact that the subjects of anthropological research are human means that they have human dignity that must be preserved. This is not true of research subjects in chemistry and physics. Let us imagine that an anthropologist is studying homeless people. The anthropologist has to behave in ways that recognize the inherent dignity of the homeless people. In order to ensure that this happens, a strict code of ethics is needed. This is not necessary when dealing with chemicals or with subatomic particles.

Thus, because anthropology deals with people and chemistry and physics do not, anthropologists need a strict code of ethics.

3.

The largest role that Anthropologists would play in migration would have to be in what is termed "Forced Migration". Some examples are:

Removal of 8000 Israeli citizens from the Gaza Strip in 2005. Because of conflict over the land, that dates back thousands of years and recent escalation of violence, the Israeli government decided to relocate the 8000 or so Israeli citizens living in the area. Homes, businesses and factories were all demolished and the people were relocated (most to Negev).

Relocation of 1.25 million Chinese residents for the building of the Three Rivers Dam in the Yangtze River. Another estimated 2 to 4 million people relocated towards urban areas after the dam was built. Hundreds of archaeological sites were destroyed.

Varosha, Cyprus, in 2005 when the entire population of approximately 35,000 people fled because of the history of the invading Turkish Army.

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