History of Anthropology- Introduction

Franz Boas

 Let’s start at the beginning. Anthropology has been around since the early 19th century, but it is still understudied. Founded by Franz Boas, who is often called the Father of Modern/American Anthropology, it is the study of human culture, beliefs, behavior, and society. There are many types of anthropology, including social, linguistic, biological, medical, and archaeological.

But why is it important to study? Well firstly, studying human cultures and practices can give more insight into different cultures and give a broader view of the diversity in the world. Anthropology can also explain the “human condition”. The human condition defines the characteristics and key events of the human life. Basically, what it means to be human. Last but not least, delving into the past will give us an inkling into future behaviors and causation.

My next post will be “Types of Anthropology”, and I will soon get into more specific diseases/disorders and the evolution of their treatments or lack thereof.