APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY
{{Refimprove|date=November 2008}}
'''Applied anthropology''' refers to the application of method and theory in anthropology to the analysis and solution of practical problems. Inasmuch as anthropology proper comprises four sub-disciplines -- biological, cultural, linguistic, physical and archaeological anthropology -- the practical application of any of these sub-disciplines may properly be designated "applied anthropology". Indeed, some practical problems may invoke all sub-disciplines. For example, a Native American community development program may involve archaeological research to determine legitimacy of water rights claims, ethnography may involve assessing the current and recent historical cultural characteristics of the community, linguistics may be applied to restoring language competence, and biological, or more specifically "medical" anthropology may be applied to determine the factors contributing to dietary deficiency diseases, etc.<ref>{{citebook|title=Applied Anthropology: An Introduction|first=John Van |last=Willigen|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|year= 2002|id=ISBN 0897898338}}</ref>
Some regard applied anthropology to be a fifth sub-discipline of [[anthropology]] that applies anthropological data, perspectives, theory, and methods to identify, assess and solve contemporary social problems.
Applied anthropologists often work for nonacademic clients such as governments, development agencies, [[nongovernmental organizations]] (NGOs), tribal and ethnic associations, interest groups, social-service and educational agencies, and businesses. [[Ethnography]] and [[participant observation]] are the applied anthropologist's primary research tools. They also use textual analysis, [[survey research]] and other [[empirical]] methods to inform [[policy]] or to [[Marketing|market]] products. An applied anthropologist is often likely to be employed in a non-academic setting.
This is a [[contrast]] to more [[academic]] sociocultural anthropology, which may be more concerned with creating [[theoretical]] models which correspond to its units of analysis, e.g. [[social inequality]], [[performance]], [[Reciprocity (cultural anthropology)|exchange]], [[Value (personal and cultural)|meaning]], and so forth. Sometimes the research that falls within the applied field is referred to as "applied" in contrast to academic research, which is referred to as "basic." Business anthropology is an example of "applied" anthropology.
Examples of questions that an applied anthropologist would attempt to solve might be:
*If an [[United States|American]] buys [[diaper]]s at 2AM on a Saturday in a grocery store, what is likely to be his/her next purchase?
*How can [[public health]] authorities promote [[condom]] use amongst members of a particular [[subculture]]?
*What measures could be taken to make [[sea sponge|sponge]] [[diving]] safer for [[Greeks|Greek]] sponge divers?
*Why do people [[Human migration|migrate]] to XYZ place or from PQR place?
The premiere journal in the US of applied anthropology is [[Human Organization]] published by the [[Society for Applied Anthropology]].
Under the directorship of the [[Royal Anthropological Institute|RAI]], Jonathan Benthall, author of ''The Best of Anthropology Today'', created the annual [[Lucy Mair]] Medal of Applied Anthropology. This recognizes excellence in using anthropology "for the relief of poverty or distress, or for the active recognition of human dignity."
==See also==
*[[Development anthropology]]
*[[Public Anthropology]]
==References==
{{refs}}
==External links==
*[http://www.xpeditions.eu/ Expeditions, Research in Applied Anthropology]
* [http://www.omertaa.org/ Omertaa. Journal for Applied Anthropology] - Free online Journal for anthropologists.
[[Category:Anthropology]]
[[es:Antropología aplicada]]
[[he:אנתרופולוגיה יישומית]]
[[sk:Aplikovaná antropológia]]
[[ta:பயன்பாட்டு மானிடவியல்]]
[[zh:應用人類學]]
