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Anthropology/cultural anthopology vs. archaeology

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Expert: - 2/21/2009


Question
Hello,

So this really isn't a yes or no answer more of an opinionated one.
Right now im in at a community college for social sciences and plan on transferring to a 4 years college.
However i have to make a dreadful decision between a major in Cultural anthropology or Archaeology.
I love both of these subjects with a passion and so am having a hard time deciding..

which would you recommend...?

Answer
Hello Megan!
As you're knowledgeable in Anthropology, I'm not going in details to explain what these are. I'm just presenting you some facts those may lead you to choose the 'right one' for you:

1. Both Archeology and cultural anthropology focus on studying culture, the difference is these fields study in different ways ... time, space are different.

2. Archeology studies human cultures through the recovery, documentation, analysis, and interpretation of material remains and environmental data, including architecture, artifacts, features, biofacts, and landscapes. Its aim is to understand humankind. You can study Historical archaeology, Ethnoarchaeology, Experimental archaeology or Archaeometry … all of which are interesting and all these tend to generate knowledge and all are thrilling.

3. On the other hand, in cultural anthropology, we can explore cultural facts, their meanings and provide realistic (though partial) solution. We can directly feed helping human kind living a better life in addition to generating knowledge. These are thrilling as well ... doing ethnography, talking to people, what they think, how and why do they think so and the meanings of cultural aspects are very interesting.

Life is yours. So I'm not imposing any decision on you ... I can just suggest as a friend that you can choose a topic that serves your thirst for knowledge, your interest and overall can help humankind.

Best regards,
Gorkey.

Anthropology

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Gorkey Gourab

Expertise

Identity, ethnicity, anthropological theories, medial anthropology (social & behavioral aspects), psychology and anthropology, gender and sexuality, philosophy of social science, research design and analysis procedures, computer assisted qualitative data analysis and data management (using ATLAS.ti)

Experience

More than six years' professional research experience as Medical Anthropologist (in the field of HIV &AIDS, gender & sexuality etc.). Qualitative research, programmatic and M&E experience with MAPRs.

Organizations
International Center for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) as Manager - M&E (Qualitative) at Laboratory Sciences Division

Publications
(1) Khan, S. I., Hussain, M. I., Parveen, S., Bhuiyan, M. I., Gourab, G., & Bhuiya, A. (2009). Living on the extreme margin: Social exclusion of the hijra in Bangladesh. Journal of health, population and nutrition. (2) Khan, S. I., Hussain, M. I., Gourab, G., Parveen, S., Bhuiyan, M. I., & Sikder, J. (2008). Not to stigmatize but to humanize sexual lives of the transgender (Hijra) in Bangladesh: condom chat in the AIDS era. Journal of LGBT Health Research, 4(2-3), 127-141. (3) Khan, S. I., Pasa, K., Gourab, G., Hasan, A. M. R., Kaukab, S. S. T., & Islam, A. (2007a). Living with risks and vulnerabilities to STIs/HIV: a qualitative assessment of indigenous populations at the northwestern belt in Bangladesh. Paper presented at the ASCON: ICDDR,B, Dhaka, Bangladesh. From http://www.icddrb.org/images/11thAscon_Orals_Day2.pdf. (4) Gourab, G., Karim, M. S., & Karim, Z. (2004). Religiosity of the santal community. Paper presented at the International Seminar on Anthropology: Chittagong University, Chittagong, Bangladesh. (5) Khan, S. I., Gourab, G., Sarker, G. F., Ghosh, S., & Khondokar, S. I. (2008a). Mapping geographical and service delivery gaps and estimating size of street, hotel and residence based female sex workers in Bangladesh (draft report). Dhaka: ICDDR,B & Save the Children USA. (6) Khan, S. I., Gourab, G. et al. (2008b). Understanding the operational dynamics and possible HIV interventions for residence-based female sex workers in two divisional cities in Bangladesh (draft report). Dhaka: ICDDR,B & Save the Children USA. (7) Khan, S. I., Gourab, G. et al. (2007b). Understanding the context of risks and vulnerabilities to STI/HIV and sexual health: an anthropological assessment of the indigenous community of northwestern belt of Bangladesh. Dhaka: ICDDR,B. (8) Khan, S. I., Parveen, S., Hussain, M. I., Bhuiyan, M. I., & Gourab, G. (2007c). Socialization and sexuality constructions of hijra: implications for STIs/HIV intervention. Dhaka: ICDDR,B.

Education/Credentials
Post graduate in Anthropology.

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