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While anthropology is defined as the comprehensive study of
the human species it especially focuses on the subject matter
of culture and how it affects human institutions and
behaviour.
As a scientific endeavour, anthropology is interested in data collection
and theoreitcal analysis, which leads to two major activities:
- Ethnography - the collection and description of
information on
individual cultures and cultural practices
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Ethnology - the comparision of different cultures and explanation
of why
similarities and differences occur among them.
Questions to be considered in this unit.
- What is culture?
- How do anthropologist record and
describe cultures and cultural institutions?
- How do anthropologists
explain cultural variations?
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