Substantive Focus and Practice
Social anthropology is distinguished from subjects such as economics or political science by its holistic range and the attention it gives to the comparative diversity of societies and cultures across the world, and the capacity this gives the discipline to re-examine Euro-American assumptions. It is differentiated from sociology, both in its main methods (based on long-term participant observation and linguistic competence), and in its commitment to the relevance and illumination provided by micro studies. It extends beyond strictly social phenomena to culture, art, individuality, and cognition . While many social anthropologists use quantitative methods (particularly those whose research touches on topics such as local economies, demography, human ecology, cognition, or health and illness), social anthropologists generally emphasize qualitative analysis of long-term fieldwork over quantitative analysis of surveys, questionnaires and brief field visits used by most economists or sociologists.
Read more about this topic: Social Anthropology
Famous quotes containing the words focus and/or practice:
“I dont have any doubts that there will be a place for progressive white people in this country in the future. I think the paranoia common among white people is very unfounded. I have always organized my life so that I could focus on political work. Thats all I want to do, and thats all that makes me happy.”
—Hettie V., South African white anti-apartheid activist and feminist. As quoted in Lives of Courage, ch. 21, by Diana E. H. Russell (1989)
“Know how to be content and you will never be disgraced; practice self-restraint and you will never be in danger.”
—Chinese proverb.
Laozi.