Scope of Applied Anthropology

A constant evolution in the field of social anthropology has been witnessed after the Second World War and anthropologists have given important assistance in solving many problems of human relations.

The American anthropologists greatly helped in winning the war, as has been elaborately described by Clide Kluckhohn. Anthropologists did a creditable work in training soldiers belonging to primitive tribes, in the department of administration, in economic war boards, in military governments and in the unification of the military services as well as in war information departments, etc.

They gave important suggestions for solving the problems of raising moral standard of the citizens and of obtaining their cooperation. Even in the Korean War in the 20th century, the American government got great help from anthropologists.

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Uses of Applied Anthropology

Besides the war period, anthropologists have given important help in the peace period also and it signifies the usefulness of anthropology.

Anthropologists have studied human problems resulting from the technological changes in backward areas. They have studied the evolution of ethnography and comparative aspect which has helped in the solution of social problems.

Anthropological studies have made it definite that no mental characteristics are either joined to any special tribe or depend only on the racial applications. Anthropologists have also carried on experiments about Serology which are found useful in the field of medical science. They have studied the relation between employee and employer in order to reduce the different group tensions.

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Anthropologists have studied the management of values and inclinations to control the population trends, food habits and social changes. In this way anthropologists have helped in the control and cure of many diseases of social relations.

Study of National Character

The application of anthropology in different fields of human life has constantly been on the increase in the 20th century. It is clear from a survey of the evolution of anthropology. About fifty years ago, Franz Boas published a book Anthropology and Modem Life, to describe the contribution of Anthropology in modern life.

In this book, the writer has conveyed important information as furnished by anthropology regarding hereditary factor in crimes, racial importance and contribution of education in human society.

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The point of view of Boas has created a practical viewpoint towards anthropology in America. Similarly, Malinowski and other functionalists in Britain created through their attempts a practical viewpoint towards anthropology. Malinowski gave a functional definition to culture, according to which culture helps man in his social and biological existence.

According to Radcliffe Brown, culture helps in maintaining the existence of the whole human society. Its importance lies in its usefulness. It is thus clear that the science of anthropology, which studies culture, is not only a pure science but also a practical one. Anthropology is a branch of humanity.

Raymond Firth has gone so far as to call anthropology a science of social engineering. He has attached great importance to the safety of primitive society from destruction likely to result from its association with civilized society.

According to him, anthropology fills the gap between primitive and modern society. In this way, social anthropologist plays the part of a doctor with social medicine as his field of operation. He defines the social diseases and gives methods of their cure. Although it is true that due to an importance attached to cultural variety these days, an arrangement of common culture for all people is not possible yet the help of the anthropologist in policy framing cannot be over-estimated.

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View of S. F. Nadel

S. F. Nadel, a social anthropologist, has laid great stress on the practical aspect of anthropology. He says that anthropology does not only help us in understanding primitive as well as prehistoric societies, but also helps us in solving the problems of our own period. As has already been said, anthropology has been proved useful in the rule over the colonies.

On the other hand, it has helped in forming a liberal outlook towards different cultures, because, in fact, the different cultures present different solutions of the total problems of man and we can accept any one of the solutions by discussing advantages and disadvantages of these different solutions. The life of anyone generation is not so long as to enable it to reach the correct alternative by trying all kinds of alternatives about family, marriage, education and other institutions of the same kind.

The best way for this is to study the different forms of advantages and disadvantages and their results found in different cultures of these institutions through anthropological study. From this, it will be easy to know the form which should be given to any social institution in order to build a particular society. For example, of all the alternatives about the relation between man and woman, each alternative is sure to be found in one or the other culture.

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We can know the result of alternation of a particular kind between man and woman from the study of the results of that alternative. In this way, by studying relations betweeft man and woman in different cultures, we can know, for the desired end, how to control relations between man and woman in the kind of society we want.

It will definitely save much of our time and labour as well as protect us from the danger involved in making experiments. Therefore, the social structure of societies, possessing an ancient cultural inheritance, is stronger than that of other societies lacking in such inheritance. It is specially true in India.

We cannot solve our problems by blindly following any one culture, ancient or modern, eastern or western. For that we will have to discuss the various alternatives through an impartial study of anthropology and action can be taken only in the light of such a study.

Misuses of Applied Anthropology

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It does not follow from the aforesaid discussion that social anthropology has not been misused. Many a time, things are done with a scientific outlook as a mere show. For example, the white people in South Africa have long been practising a racial prejudice based on colour in the name of anthropology.

Here it should be the duty of anthropologists to expose such false claims. Anthropology faces a double danger, one from the side of politicians and the other from the side of scholars who treat anthropology purely as a theoretical science. As a matter of fact, no science lies on its usefulness and anthropology is no exception to this rule. On the one hand, anthropology studies different cultures and social institutions, and on the other hand it evaluates and gives decisions. It can help in framing policies.

The future of applied anthropology is bright. Its use in reforming the primitive societies is quite clear. On the other hand, its importance in economic and political fields has been proved. Anthropologists have been of constant help in solving tribal problems in India after independence.

Anthropologists can render important help in evaluating different national plans. For example, anthropological studies can be helpful in evaluating the success of family planning, cooperative movements and community planning, etc., and also in suggesting various ways for their success. Besides this, anthropology can also help in solving problems like those of increasing population, industry and rural life.

In brief, anthropological researches provide the viewpoint which is helpful in the investigation of relations, unity and progress in every aspect of human relations. Thus the usefulness of anthropology is proved everywhere.