Found 58 Articles for Anthropology

Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes

Praveen Varghese Thomas
Updated on 04-Apr-2023 17:17:09

76 Views

Introduction Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Castes are political legal categories of Indian population. Historically, these groups have been deprived of their rights and social recognition which encouraged the founders of the Indian Constitution to provide Constitutional recognition to these groups to ensure their safety. In this article, we will study these groups through an anthropological lens. Scheduled Castes The Scheduled Caste has its roots in the fourfold varna system. The term Scheduled caste, initially coined by Simon Commission and later used in Government of India Act 1935, is a legal political term. The phrase "scheduled castes" refers ... Read More

Types of Family

Praveen Varghese Thomas
Updated on 04-Apr-2023 16:51:04

956 Views

Introduction The structure of families varies widely across cultures, and this variation can be categorised into different types based on marriage practices, rule of residence, descent, nature of blood relations, and size/structure. On the Basis of Marriage Practices Marriage practices vary across cultures, and the family structure is often based on these practices. The two primary forms of marital relationships are monogamy and polygamy. In contrast to polygamy, which involves having multiple spouses, monogamy involves having just one spouse. One man marries multiple wives in a practice known as polygyny. This is common in some African, Middle Eastern, ... Read More

The tribal situation in India - (Bio-genetic variability, linguistic and socio-economic characteristics)

Praveen Varghese Thomas
Updated on 04-Apr-2023 16:40:40

944 Views

Introduction Tribes in India can be categorised into many on the basis of their socio-economic, geographical and distinctive features. Some of these features include their dialect, religion, food habits, clothing, lifestyle, livelihood, racial features, geographical locations and politics. They can be studied from many fields of social science but this kind of extensive study is only possible through anthropology which will be our mode of discussing the tribes in this article. Tribal Situation in India According to anthropological study there are 693 Scheduled Tribes in India, 1500 Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, 150 Denotified Tribes and 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal ... Read More

Post-modernism in anthropology

Praveen Varghese Thomas
Updated on 04-Apr-2023 16:08:34

575 Views

Introduction Post-modernism is a philosophical and theoretical movement that emerged in the late 20th century, and its influence on social sciences, including anthropology, cannot be overlooked. Post-modernism has led to a critical examination of traditional anthropological practices and the development of new approaches. It has also challenged the role of the anthropologist as an objective observer and highlighted the importance of reflexivity and positionality. Principal Concepts The principal concepts of post-modernism in anthropology include deconstruction, reflexivity, and discourse analysis. Deconstruction is the process of analyzing the underlying assumptions and binary oppositions of dominant discourses, such as the dichotomy of the ... Read More

Indian Village as a social unit

Praveen Varghese Thomas
Updated on 04-Apr-2023 15:59:21

1K+ Views

IntroductionThe concept of the village has played a significant role in the historical study of India. The village has frequently been considered the pinnacle of ‘genuine native life, ’ a location where people might witness the "true" India and witness how locals structure their social networks and worldviews. The study of the Indian village is one of the important academic traditions for social anthropologists. Significance of village Study in IndiaThe "village" has remained to be seen as the fundamental building block of Indian society even in the post-Independence era. The majority of social anthropological studies were released in ... Read More

Demographic Profile of India

Praveen Varghese Thomas
Updated on 16-Mar-2023 16:33:05

160 Views

IntroductionIndia is the second most populated country in the world after China having 17% of the world’s population. It is diverse in terms of its population structure and culture having both tribal and non-tribal populations. Its population follows various religions like Hinduism, Sikhism, Islam, etc.India is diverse in terms of language also because of its because of its diverse racial element and geographical isolation for long time. Ethnic element in the Indian Population and their distribution Indian population is divided into various ethnic types by different anthropologists based on anthropometric measurements and geographical presence. Classification Type Distribution ... Read More

Symbolism

Praveen Varghese Thomas
Updated on 17-Mar-2023 10:16:00

58 Views

Introduction Symbols serve as a medium of verbal communication as well as a means of ritual expression, cultural interpretation, and artistic and religious expression. Symbolism investigates how society works based on the meanings of its symbols, how they are perceived, etc. The interrelationships between individuals, language, and culture are studied through symbolism. Different symbols serve as the building blocks for culture. Symbols can have several distinct meanings. The same symbol may have many interpretations depending on the situation. Symbols follow cultural conventions. What is symbolism? Symbols are signs that are used to denote things, whether they be fictitious or actual. ... Read More

Ethno-archeology in india

Praveen Varghese Thomas
Updated on 16-Mar-2023 17:16:27

1K+ Views

Introduction Ethnoarcheology is a subdiscipline of anthropology formed by the blend of two disciplines- ethnography and archeology. It is a research technique to form an analogy between the traditional living societies and the archeological records. It originated in the end of the nineteenth century with increasing interest of ethnographers and archeologists to interpret archeological phenomena with the help of ethnographic data. Jesse Walter Fewkes is designated as the first ethnoarcheologist who was investigating the organization of Native American societies of the early twentieth century. Concept of ethnoarchaeology The concept of ethnoarchaeology plays a crucial role for India for its vast ... Read More

Epidemiological Anthropology

Praveen Varghese Thomas
Updated on 16-Mar-2023 16:59:57

469 Views

Introduction Epidemiology is commonly referred to as the study of the incidence and causes of disease and injury in the common population. Epidemiological anthropology focuses on population diversity in prevalence and distribution, and it clarifies the aetiological elements involved in a disease’s incidence. Human development follows a medically predetermined path, however, environmental variables profoundly affect continuance and medical condition. Therefore, diseases display the full range of causes, from inherited to elements that play a major role in the atmosphere. Health and disease In the earlier, health was viewed as simply the absence of illness. It is more commonly associated with ... Read More

Directional Selection

Praveen Varghese Thomas
Updated on 16-Mar-2023 16:46:05

214 Views

Introduction "Directional selection" is a process of natural selection where individuals with a certain trait or set of traits are favored over others, leading to a shift in the average trait value in a population. This type of selection occurs when environmental conditions change or selective pressures for a particular trait increase, causing the favored trait to become more common and eventually dominant. Directional selection can result in evolutionary changes in a species over time, but it may also lead to the loss of genetic diversity within a population. There are three main types of directional selection: stabilizing, disruptive, ... Read More

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