Talk:Anthropology

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Archives /Archive 1

Contents 1 History of Anthropology 2 Introduction 3 Four Fields Approach 4 request for comments 5 Madison Grant 6 Nordic race 7 Link Scrubbing 8 Anthropology during World War II 9 Human Terrain Team (HHT)

[edit] History of Anthropology

Seems like most of this article is taken up by the history of the subject and by it's regional practices. Couldn't something a lil' more general be better for the casual reader? -- some drunk dude.

[edit] Introduction

Directly below the introduction we see a blurb on why Social and Cultural anthropology is different, is this necessary? At the least it seems out of place.

[edit] Four Fields Approach

The inclusion of the "Four Fields Approach" as an American aspect of anthropology is very America-centric. I think it should have it's own section not linked to country.

• Agreed. It was a problem when it was listed at the top of the article as though four-field anthropology was the international consensus, but it was probably too limiting to list it under the US-specific section, given that for a variety of reasons Boasian four-field anthropology has been internationally influential in the structuring of the discipline. Zenauberon 16:45, 25 June 2007 (UTC)

The four-field approach has been scarcely influential in the rest of the world, and is regarded as typically US approach, not a general one. I think that in order to avoid a US bias we should keep it in the US section. Anyway anyplace is fine by me as long as at the beginning of the paragraph is clarified the origin and actual diffusion of the idea.--BMF81 23:27, 25 June 2007 (UTC)

But I think it does that now, no? (If not, I'm certainly not opposed to more edits to make the origins and actual diffusion clearer. But I do think it drives home the point as written.) Zenauberon 23:47, 25 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] request for comments

On race and intelligence, please [1] Slrubenstein | Talk 13:10, 31 January 2007 (UTC)

the anthropology page and the anthropology wiki banner have nice photos. However these photos, isolated as they are from any other visual context, are an exoticization of the "primitive". Imagine a photo of a stockbroker instead. Beyond that the idea that a single emblematic image can serve as a visual summary of "anthropology" is untenable. When there is a fully developed anthropology article there should be lots of images. But for now, lovely as it is, the Yao initiation photo needs to go. 121.128.102.250 09:33, 8 February 2007 (UTC)

I modified the greek etymology in the brakets, which was Anthropo, with the correct Anthropos. Check it out as I guess I added the last 's' with a latin character instead of a greek one. Thanks.87.7.227.143 00:01, 30 April 2007 (UTC)AdP

[edit] Madison Grant

Why is Madison Grant not included in the article about Anthropology in America?

[edit] Nordic race

I would be grateful if contributors here could comment on the page Nordic race and associated Talk page. Paul B 23:05, 28 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Link Scrubbing

While I happen to agree that the list of links had grown too long, the recent scrubbing of all links and replacement with the dmoz template is the most extreme measure suggested under WP:EL, and is supposed to be an intermediate step:

"Long lists of links are not appropriate: Wikipedia is not a mirror or a repository of links. If you find a long list of links in an article, you can tag the 'External links' section with the linkfarm template. Where editors have not reached consensus on an appropriate list of links, a link to a well chosen web directory category could be used until such consensus can be reached. The Open Directory Project is often a neutral candidate, and may be added using the dmoz template."

Any explicit attempt to reach consensus has never taken place, as far as I can see. I haven't reverted the edit - like I mentioned I largely agree with the deletions, and am not particularly a fan of linkspam myself. But I think some discussion is warranted. For my part, I would like to see links restored to a couple of the major international anthropological associations. Zenauberon 15:50, 23 July 2007 (UTC)

Agree to restore them all. A discussion was needed before such removal.--SummerWithMorons 10:46, 25 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Anthropology during World War II

This article has a sub-heading, Anthropology after World War II: Increasing dialogue in Anglophone anthropology, but nothing at all about the US Army's extensive use of anthropology during the war, first in the Pacific Theater, then, due to its successful application there, in Europe. This continued, at least throughout the Vietnam Era, with issue of Army pamphlets to newly arriving troops advising them of socially sensitive issues. While I have no sources at hand, I recall reading that post-war assessment by later generations of anthropologists held that their colleagues during the war had gotten their data all wrong; but still later assessments held that this did not matter: use of the anthropological data by occupying troops at least had the effect of causing the troops to behave towards local populations in a consistent manner, to which the locals could then adjust; and also demonstrated that the US cared.

[edit] Human Terrain Team (HHT)

Now, US Army's strategy in Afghanistan: better anthropology reports that anthropology is once again being used in warfare as "Counterinsurgency efforts focus on better grasping and meeting local needs" in Afghanistan, under the rubric of Human Terrain Team (HHT). See also Anthropologists at war. Editors seriously interested in this article need to seriously address this issue. Pawyilee 04:50, 25 September 2007 (UTC)