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Anthropology Research Topics And Writing Ideas For Students

Writing an anthropology research paper is in a lot of ways similar to writing an argumentative essay in other disciplines. Usually, the significant difference between these essays is how you support your idea. While you may use only literature to prove your point in an argumentative essay, you may need to employ textual proofs from artifacts, ethnographies, etc., in an anthropology essay.

Research in anthropology could be thrilling, particularly if you have many anthropology project ideas. Anthropology studies the evolution of human culture and therefore provides a wide range of anthropology essay topics that spill into history, biology, sociology, etc. Many anthropological research projects borrow from other social sciences. It is easy to feel that overwhelming grip on your chest if you’re unable to choose an anthropology research topic.

How to Write an Anthropology Research Paper

Guide how to write an anthropology research paper, the excellent list of 110 anthropology research paper topics, physical anthropology research paper topics, medical anthropology research paper topics, cultural anthropology research paper ideas, best cultural anthropology essay topics, biological anthropology research paper topics.

Forensic Anthropology Research Paper Topics

Are you worried because you don’t know how to write an anthropology paper? Writing an anthropology paper could be so much fun if you can nail the basics. It is not as bad as people paint it to be, especially if you get writing help from our professional writers . With the right anthropology paper format, anthropology research topics, and anthropology research paper examples, you’re set to go!

If you’re a big fan of doing lots of things in a short time and with fewer efforts, then you’re in the right place. This guide is full of the tips and skills you need to arrange your ideas properly. It also contains anthropology paper examples, anthropology paper topics, and other life-saving tips you may need. Ready to know how to start an anthropology research paper? Let’s delve right in!

How do you get started on an anthropology research paper? Below is the most comprehensive list on the internet to get you home and dry in record time!

Review the Assignment Guidelines
Develop a Topic
Outline your Paper
Do some Library Research
Write a Rough Draft
Write the Paper
Edit the Paper

We shall shortly expound on this list to help you better understand them.

Review the Assignment Guidelines: your professor may give you some guidelines to follow. To avoid deviating from the instructor’s expectations, spend some time reviewing your assignment guidelines so that you know the exact things you need to accomplish. For example, confirm if there are any stated anthropology research methods and the likes. It is beneficial to have a writing schedule. If you have a lot of time in your hands before the submission time, spreading out the workload will help to ease some of the stress. If you’re naturally a binge writer, sit at your computer early and bleed!
Develop a Topic: search for some anthropology research paper ideas and choose from the vast array of anthropology research topics available. Select a topic that revolves around a guiding question. This topic should connect on a deeper level to the theme of the course. The length requirement for the paper will help you know if your topic is too big, too small, or just good enough. For a short paper, you may want to focus on a particular culture or event in the context of a broader topic. Ensure that your thesis focuses on anthropology and that it draws from anthropological theories or ideas. Now, do a quick search to confirm if there are scholarly materials available for this topic. It is easier to write a paper with some available references.
Introduction/Abstract
Library Research: now, start the research on your topic, preferably from course materials. A bibliography at the end of a relevant course reading is also a great way to get other related materials. Depending on the requirement of the assignment, feel free to search for other books or articles.
Write a Rough Draft: during your research, endeavor to make proper jottings and references, which will form the rough draft of your essay. A rough draft will help you create dots that you will be able to connect later on.
Title: Usually on a separate page and contains the abstract.
Introduction/Abstract : A short paragraph showing the road map of your thesis.
Body: Leverages your thesis and presenting your research in a detailed and logical structure.
Conclusion: The conclusion is a short paragraph that summarizes your fundamental theme and substantiates your thesis.
References: A citation of the resources you used in your paper. Follow the referencing style which your instructor chooses.
Edit the Paper: you may engage any of your friends to help you go through your essay. Make some final checks such as the length requirement, the format and citation style, spelling and grammatical errors, logical flow of ideas and clarity, substantial support of the claim, etc. Once you edit your paper, turn it in and accept an A+!

Without further ado, here are 110 anthropology research paper topics for free! With 18 topics each from the six main subcategories of anthropology, you can’t get it wrong!

Eugenics — its merits and demerits in the 21st-century world.
Human Origin: Comparing the creationist versus evolutionist views on the origin of man.
Ancient Egypt: The preservation of their dead and underlying beliefs.
Homo habilis: Investigating Contemporary facts supporting their past existence.
Drowning: Clarifying the cause of drowning by examining the physical and anatomical evidence.
Smoking and its effects on the physical appearance of humans over decades of indulgence.
Physical labor: Exploring its long-term impact on the physical appearance of humans.
The relationship of Kyphosis with human senescence.
Aging in Western Culture.
Skin color: Exploring the influence of the environment on human skin color across continents.
Species and language: Focus on ways species evolve across the world and ways language acquisition affects and influences culture.
Abiogenesis: Research about abiogenesis and how it affects human development
Animal stability: How captive animals are different from those that live in the wild.
Henry Walter: The ways Henry Walter contributed to the field of physical anthropology.
Cephalization: The process of cephalization and what it entails.
Genotype: The environment correlation study.
Genetics: What does genetic hijacking mean?
Altruism: Do people learn altruism or it is an acquired state.
Applying the Concepts of Ethnozoology in medicine.
Critically Assessing the fundamental posits of critical medical anthropology (CMA).
The 2014 Ebola virus outbreak in Africa: Evaluating the success of control interventions.
Exploring the applications of Ethnobotany in medicine.
Nuclear disaster: A research into the life of survivors of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986.
HIV/AIDS: The reasons for prevalent societal infamy and the way forward.
HIV/AIDS epidemic in Europe: Exploring the roles of commercial sex workers in the spread of the disease.
Alternative medicine in China: A comparative review of its weaknesses and possible strengths in the light of Orthodox medicine.
HIV/AIDS in Africa: A critical assessment of extensively troubled nations and populations.
Depression in South-East Asia: Sheer social noise or severe threat?
Adult’s onset diabetes: Research on how diabetes is a major health issue in aboriginal populations in The U.S and Canada.
ARV rollout: The role of the ARV rollout and campaigns in Africa.
Sexual diversity in Africa: Research on whether sexual diversity in Africa is being taken into account to help fight against AIDS.
Chemicals and radiation waste: How the radiation waste and chemicals in the air are affecting people.
Mercury poisoning: The effects of Mercury poisoning in Minamata, Japan, and the measures to help put the situation under control.
Health: The health ramifications of adapting to ecology and maladaptation.
Health: Domestic healthcare and health culture practices
Clinic: Clinical interactions in social organizations.
Growth: Difference between growth and development.
Engineering: Genetic engineering and what it entails.
Marriage: Marriage rituals in different cultures.
Magic: Belief in magic and the supernatural.
Mythologies: The effects it has on modern culture.
Anthropology: How to use anthropology as forensic science.
Heroes: Studies of heroes in different societies.
Education: How education differs around the world.

Cultural anthropology discusses human societies and their cultural origin, vacation, history, and development. Here is a look at cultural Anthropology topics:

Women in Africa: The various challenging roles that women in Modern Africa play and how they handle it.
Homelessness: How homelessness affects and influences the culture and social landscapes.
India: Methods and measures that India is taking to deal with the issue of homelessness and measures they have put in place to deal with social landscapers.
Political science: Highlight and discuss the link between cultural anthropology and political science.
Superstition: Research ways that superstition affects the way of life.
Sexual discrimination: The evolution of sexual discrimination and its effects in modern times.
African cultures: Investigating how different religions and beliefs impact African culture.
Northern Nigeria: How the basic religious beliefs that influence forced nuptials among the children in North Nigeria.
Gay marriage: The background on gay marriage and how it influences the cultural and social backgrounds.
Racism: Explain racism and its existence in modern times.
Religious practices: Ways how religious practices and beliefs affect culture.
Culture shock: What it is and ways that people can work through it.
Ethnocentrism: Ways that you can use to minimize it.
Ancestors: A view of ancestors in African culture.
Religion: Religious practices in a particular society.
Culture: About the Rabari culture in India
Definition of culture
How culture anthropology links to political science
Alcoholism: Looking into the socio-economic and cultural history in Eastern Europe.
Assessing the effects of radioactivity on populations affected by the nuclear disaster of 2011 in Fukushima Daiichi.
Gay marriage: Exploring the biological aspects of same-sex weddings in North America.
Minamata disease: A critical look into the origin, populations affected, and transgenerational impact of this disease on Japan.
Asthma disease in Yokkaichi: A critical look into the cause, people affected, and transgenerational effect on Japan.
Itai-Itai disease: A critical look into the cause, populations affected, and transgenerational effect on Japan.
Nuclear bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki: An investigation of the transgenerational effects on the health of affected victims to this present time.
Cocaine use in America: A critical look into the health impact on American cocaine users.
Making Marijuana use legal in America: Possible woes and beneficial outcomes.
Cystic fibrosis: Justifications for its preponderance in white populations in America.
Biological Anthropology: Research on the meaning and definition of biological Anthropology and how it influences different fields.
Paleoanthropology: Explore ways Paleoanthropology uses fossil records to draw biological anthropology compassion and conclusions regarding human evolution.
Human social structures: Explain the development of human social structures using biological anthropology.
Biological anthropologies: Research on some primary geographical locations where biological anthropologies used to research their work.
Human language: Research how biological anthropology helped in the development of human language and communication.
Body projects: The changes and the valued attributes.
Political ecology: The Vector-borne and infectious disease.
Clinical Interactions: What are clinical interaction and social organization?

Forensic Anthropology Research Paper Ideas

Radioactive Carbon dating: A critical assessment of the accuracy of this dating technique.
Human Origin: Pieces of evidential support for Creationist and Evolutionist views on the origin of man.
Assessing the accuracy of DNA evidence testing and matching on criminology.
Neanderthals: Exploring environmental influences and migratory paths on their survival and appearance.
Dating Techniques: A critical review of current archaeological dating techniques.
Ancient Egypt Mummification: A critical look at the effectiveness of the methods used.
Nuclear disaster: A research into the impact of radioactivity on life forms due to the atomic catastrophe Chernobyl in 1986.
A critical look into recent evidence supporting the existence of Homo habilis in the past.
Crime Scene Forensics: Recent advances in the detection of crime.
Postmortem Changes: Investigating the primary agents responsible for biological changes in humans.
Criminal procedure: Research a case with a confession scenario and highlight unique features of the case.
Criminal procedure: Do your research on the criminal proceedings in a given area and what makes them effective.
Computer forensic: Ways that the computer forensic help in preserving electronic evidence.
Digital forensic: Research about the history and features of digital forensic.
History: Ways that Israel presents itself as a leader in computer forensics.
Oncology: The latest archaeological dating methods.
DNA: How accurate is DNA evidence in the matching and testing criminology?
Crime detention: The recent improvements of crime detection.

So here we are! Fifty juicy topics that are all eager to wear some flesh! Ready to have an A+? Let’s do it!

Are you stuck with writing your thesis? Just enter promo “ mythesis ” – that’s all you need to get a 20% discount for any anthropology writing assignment you might have!

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What Is Anthropology ?

Table of Contents

Anthropology is the study of humans’ origins, societies, cultures, behaviors, and physical variations across time and space. It emphasizes understanding the diversity of human experiences and how societies function. Anthropologists explore various aspects of human life, from biological and evolutionary perspectives to cultural and social dimensions.

There are four primary subfields in anthropology:

Cultural Anthropology: Focuses on understanding contemporary societies, cultures, customs, and practices.
Archaeology: Studies past human societies and cultures by examining material remains, artifacts, and structures.
Biological/Physical Anthropology: Investigates human biology, evolution, genetics, and primatology.
Linguistic Anthropology: Explores the role of language in societies, communication, and cultural expression.

Anthropologists use diverse methods, including ethnography (participant observation), interviews, archaeological excavations, biological analyses, and linguistic studies, to uncover insights into human societies, their histories, and how they evolve over time.

Here we have compiled 300 research topics under different categories. From how languages evolve to what ancient artifacts tell us, these topics are like treasure maps guiding us to discover the wonders of human life. Ready to dive into stories of our past, present, and future? Let us start.

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140 Best Anthropology Research Topics to Focus On

Table of Contents

Would you have to submit a research paper on the anthropology concept? Currently, are you searching for the best anthropology research topics for your final assignment? If yes, then you are at the right spot. We know how challenging it would be to search and find anthropology research paper topics. Therefore, for your convenience, here, in this blog we have shared a list of 100+ impressive anthropology research ideas worthy of fetching top grades. Explore the entire list and select any topic that is interesting to you.

What is Anthropology?

Anthropology is the scientific study of humans, their evolutionary history, behavior, and the ways humans communicate and socialize with each other. The study is mainly concerned with both the physiological and biological features along with the social aspects of humans which include language, family, culture, politics, and religion.

List of Anthropology Research Paper Topics

In this section, we have presented a list of 100+ outstanding anthropology research topic ideas in various areas such as cultural, ethnographic, medical, physical, and biological anthropology. Go through the list carefully and choose any persuasive idea that matches your university’s research paper writing guidelines.

Cultural Anthropology Research Topics

Conduct an in-depth analysis of the philosophy of two societies of your choice.
The significance of cultural diversity in the study of human evolution in anthropology
How are burial practices interwoven with religion and myth?
The meaning of cultural baggage and the ways to address the concept of cultural invasion
A forensic overview of the concept of family, fraternity, and gangs
The concept of ancestors in Native American countries and Africa
Music, dance, and parties in the contemporary society
The concept of social status in any African community
The emergence and influence of culture on tourism
Feminism in patriarchal societies
How does migration promote cultural diversity?
The evolving roles of women in Asian countries
Assess the structure of family and marriage in two countries of your choice
A criticism and distinction of anthropology and art
The role of literature in spreading libertarian ideas.
Role of women in Islamic societies
Analyze how the spread of K-pop had influenced Western culture
The impact of terrorism on Islamophobia
Describe the influence of language on culture
Hindu culture versus Islamic culture
How to minimize Ethnocentrism?
What is Culture shock?
Analyze the culture of Australian Aboriginals
Monoculturalism and Ethnocentrism
Describe the culture of Ancient Egypt

Ethnographic Anthropology Research Topics

The role of clinical science in the pharmaceutical science of rural communities
The role of Ethnography and its studies in psychology
The function of Ethnography in software technology
Why abortion is considered the first resort for sexually assaulted and domestically violated victims?
How does music and interpersonal relationship improve cognitive behavior?
How teachers can adopt the findings of Ethnography in classroom learning?
An ethnographic study on the inclusiveness of health care and public access to it
How ethnography and its studies could help people with learning disabilities?
The ethnographic study of a group of domestically violated victims and how they respond to the violation
How has the value of education improved through ethnographic discoveries?
The effects of smart homes and privacy in communal Ethnographic studies
Use ethnographic information to assess intensive public healthcare.
An expository study on the role of psychologists in advancing special education
Examine the state of theories of racism
How do traditional health beliefs and myths affect contemporary society’s development?
Conduct a study on the beliefs of Japanese students while they learn English
An ethnographic overview of patient handover in European health care
Examine the boundaries of citizens’ involvement in intensive healthcare.
Evaluate how journalists cope with stress.
The status of spiritual healing through systems of pilgrimage therapy.
The ethnographic study of why has it been easier to use religion for influencing people to join terrorist groups?
How do stereotypical concepts relate to sexual orientation impact the mental health of children?
How are stereotypical concepts related to mental health affecting doctors?
Conduct a study to understand why women have been called their worst enemy.
Conduct a study to highlight whether “Shariah” is beneficial for Islamic societies or not.

Medical Anthropology Research Ideas

The role of ethnobotany in medical sciences
Assess the residue of why societal infamy is linked to HIV/AIDS.
An assessment of women’s sexuality and how culture affects sexual health
What is transcultural nursing?
How do nursing ethics become pragmatic in the career of professionals?
The complications in the treatment of periodontal disease
Assess the connection of income to health.
A study on the status of cancer after the Chornobyl nuclear disaster in Russia
Explain big pharma and the complications of watchdogs and whistle-blowers.
Examine the environmental health disaster of two countries of your choice.
Analyze how the Bhopal gas incident in India is still impacting societies in the specific state.
Describe how nurses have played a role in helping elder patients cope with stress and other address factors as a result of growing age.
Discuss the impact of AIDS on Central African societies
Consequences of the traumas of war on families in Sri Lanka and Guatemala
Risks associated with In Vitro Fertilisation

Read more: Best Medical Research Topics To Analyze and Write About

Physical Anthropology Research Topics

The advantages and consequences of eugenics in today’s society
Analyze five pieces of literature on the stages of drowning till death.
Aging in Asian countries and what it means for them
Analyze the physical concept of re-adjusting newborn babies by nursing mothers.
What is the underlying Egyptian belief in preserving the dead?
Have Western ideas of superiority affected the acknowledgment of Egypt as the cradle of civilization?
The origin of man in different societies of civilization
What are the contemporary facts that support past research and experiences of Homo habilis?
Examine the influence of the environment on skin color.
What are the consequences of smoking on human physical appearance?

Biology Anthropology Research Paper Topics

The origin spread, and transgenerational impact of any endemic in any society of your choice
Analyze the possibilities of traditional institutions in preserving cultures.
How maladaptation affects migrants in any country of your choice.
Analyze the concept of vulnerability and risk in public health care.
The relationship and comparison between malnutrition, violence, and chronic disease in any society of your choice
How do social relationships affect nutritional choices and human healthy living?
The clinical interactions in any social association of your choice
The challenges of a developing nation in public access to healthcare services
How do pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies shape contemporary medicine?
The commercialization and commodification of medicine and healthcare in contemporary society .
Comparing bones of bipeds and quadrupeds
Harry Harlow and his experiments on monkey bonding
Why do the Stanford Prison Experiment and the Brown-Eyed vs. Blue-Eyed Student Experiments are considered the two most controversial experiments?
Why does Zimbardo’s simulated prison experiment is considered one of the most controversial experiments?
Analyze the results derived from The Robbers Cave Experiment
Discuss the controversy around The Monkey Drug Trial in 1969

Read more: Top 175 Biology Research Topics for Academic Writing

Captivating Anthropology Research Topics

The influence of environmental anthropology on medicine
The role of Folklore in the defense and transgenerational retainment of Cultures
A review of the latest archaeological dating methods
How accurate is DNA evidence in matching and testing criminology?
A critical assessment of radioactive carbon dating accuracy
Recent improvements in crime detection
A detailed analysis of language classification
The factors that promote cultural hatred in a diverse society
The important changes in theories behind linguistic anthropology
Explore the use of fossil records in paleoanthropology.
Protective and risk dimensions of cultural norms, human behavior, and social institutions
The Role of TV reality shows in the Social Life
The influence of cross-cultural experiences in the modern world
How does the internet promote Westernization?
The connection of political science with cultural anthropology
The political ecology of vector-borne and infectious diseases
Physical anthropology essentials
What is language endangerment?
The link between cultural anthropology and political science
Explain the existence of racism in modern times.
Critical analysis of the Evolutionary theory in anthropology
Use case studies related to altered states of consciousness to explain the study of transpersonal anthropology
The Art of Disturbance: Transactions in the Mexico-United States Border Scenario
Discuss the connections between feminism, technology, and postmodernism

Interesting Anthropology Research Topics

The contemporary psychology of traveling between teenagers and their parents
The cultural constructions of human society and how they aid evolution
A criticism of the monarchy in European politics over Western democracy
The influence of the Roman Catholic Church as the center of government, religion, art, and social life
The concepts of the American culture of consumerism and the Scandinavian culture of minimalism
A detailed overview of how the Roman Catholic Church improved the science of sculpting and architecture
The significance of women in ancient Egypt
The evolving ideas about matrimony in Asia
The benefits and consequences of eugenics in today’s world
The process of aging and how it exacerbates fear of old age
The disparity in healthcare accessibility in any developing country
Examine the greeting gestures in American and Chinese societies.
The significance of the Greek culture on Italian languages and culture
The development of rock music and its connection to Native American tribes.

Informative Anthropology Research Paper Topics

Write about the risks of using artificial intelligence in forensics.
How can ethnobotany and its principles be applied in medicine?
Describe the role of language in the development of
Explain the role of DNA databases in searching for criminals.
Analyze the Marriage traditions of different cultures.
Tracking the behavior of twins over time.
Explain the impact of TikTok on European culture
Discuss the effectiveness of alternative medicine in the United States;
Explain the origins and generational impacts of Minamata disease.
How the dead were preserved in ancient Egypt?

Out of the various ideas mentioned in this blog post, pick any ideal anthropology topic suitable for conducting research. Here we have shared only a few impressive research topics. If you want more unique anthropology research project ideas, then immediately reach out to us.

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195 Top Anthropology Topics For Great Thesis

Anthropology is one of the most interesting disciplines that you can pursue at the university level. The whole idea of exploring everything known about human beings, from their origins to evolution, is pretty exciting.

However, the study requires preparing multiple assignments, which can be pretty challenging because you need a deep understanding of biology, history, and culture. The first step, which is even more stressful when preparing an anthropology paper, is selecting the right topic. So, we are here to help.

In this post, we have a list of the best anthropology topics that you can use to get good grades. To help you increase the chances of scoring the best grade in your paper, we have also included a comprehensive guide on how to write your paper like a pro.

What Is Anthropology?

Anthropology is the study of humanity, and it is concerned about human biology, behavior, societies, cultures and linguistics in the past and present. The discipline stretches back to the study of past human species. Because of its broad nature, it is broken down into a number of units, with each focusing on a specific area:

Social anthropology: Focuses on patterns of human behavior. Cultural anthropology: This branch mainly focuses on culture, including values and norms in the society. Linguistic anthropology: Unlike the other two, this branch of anthropology targets determining how language impacts people’s lives. Biological anthropology: This branch focuses on studying the biological development of humans. Archaeological anthropology: This branch of anthropology is concerned with investigating humans in the past. In some jurisdictions, such as Europe, it is considered a full discipline like geography or history.

How To Write Best Quality Anthropology Research Paper

When your professors issue anthropology research paper prompts, one of the questions that you might have is, “how do I write a high level paper?” Here are the main steps that you can use to write a great college paper.

Step One: Understand the Assignment The biggest mistake that you can make is starting an assignment without understanding what it entails. So, read the prompt carefully and grasp what is needed. For example, does your teacher want a qualitative or quantitative research paper? For masters and graduate students, it might be a quantitative anthropology dissertation. Step Two: Select the Preferred Research Paper Topic The topic that you select is very important, and it is advisable to go for the title that is interesting to you. Furthermore, the topic should have ample resources to help you complete the paper smoothly. If there are no books, journals, and other important resources to prepare the paper, there is a risk of getting stuck midway. Once you select the topic, carry preliminary research to gather key points that you will use to prepare the paper. However, these points are not final and will need to get updated along the way. Step Three: Develop Your Research Paper Outline An outline defines the structure of the paper. It makes further research and preparing the paper pretty straightforward. Also, it eliminates the risk of forgetting important bits of the research paper. To make the paper more informative, make sure to add supportive information progressively. Step Four: Write the Thesis Statement of Your Paper The thesis statement of a paper is your stand about the topic that you are writing about. The statement comes in the introduction but will further be restated in conclusion. The information you present on the research paper will approve or disapprove your thesis statement. Step Five: Write the Draft Paper After gathering the information about the topic, it is time to get down and prepare the first draft. So, strictly follow the prepared outline to craft a good paper, starting with the introduction to the conclusion. If you are writing a dissertation, it might be good to tell your supervisor about the progress. Remember that a dissertation is more comprehensive than a research paper. To write a dissertation, you should start with the introduction, followed by the literature review, research methods, results, discussion, and finally, conclusion. Step Six: Write the Final Paper After finishing the draft, it is time to refine it further and make the work exceptional. Therefore, you might want to go through more resources to establish if there is anything more helpful to add. Finally, edit your paper and proofread the paper. You might also want to ask a friend to help with proofreading to identify mistakes that might have skipped your eye.

Next, we will highlight the leading anthropology topics that you should consider. So, pick the preferred one or tweak it a little to suit your needs.

Interesting Anthropology Topics

Investigating how religious beliefs impact the Hispanic cultures.
A review of the evolution of sexual discrimination.
The impact of culture on same sex marriages: A case study of LGBT community in France.
A closer look at racism in modern societies.
Causes of homelessness among the Hispanic communities.
Causes and effects of homelessness among the Indian people in Asia.
Comparing the strategies adopted to deal with homelessness in the US and India.
Cultural anthropology and political science: How are they related?
Identify and review two most important organizations when it comes to advancing anthropology.
Peru’s Quechua people.
Contemporary policy and environmental anthropology.
What influences human social patterns?
A review of the impact of western culture on indigenous people in North America.
Analyzing the caste systems and ranking in societies.
A review of ancient Roman culture.
The evolution of the human ear.
Comparing the evolution of man to the evolution of birds.
What is the origin of modern humans?
A closer look at the main issues in female circumcision.

Biological Anthropology Research Paper Topics

Exploring the meaning of biological anthropology and its application in different fields.
Analyzing how primatologists use primates to understand human evolution.
How paleontologists use fossil records for anthropological comparisons.
Biological anthropology: How does it explain human behavior development?
Identify and review top geographical locations where anthropologists do their work: Why are these locations so important?
Define the connection between social sciences and biological anthropology.
The evolution of the primate diet.
Analyzing the evolution of tapetum lucidum.
A closer look at the extinction of giant lemurs in Madagascar.
Human resistance to drugs: Human pathogen coevolution.
How to determine the age of an animal using its bones.
How does syphilis impact bones?
Poaching and habitat destruction.
The application of natural selection in the animal kingdom.

Good Cultural Anthropology Research Paper Topics

Religious beliefs in the Asian cultures.
Comparing religious beliefs in African and Aboriginal cultures.
A review of the key cultural concepts in a culture of choice in Europe.
Comparing the idea of worldview from the perspectives of two societies.
Marriage in a traditional society of your choice.
A review of early development of economic organizations.
The role of women in Indian society.
A closer look at the process of language acquisition in African culture.
Missionary and anthropology: What is the relationship?
What strategies would you propose to minimize ethnocentrism?
How can society minimize the notion of cultural baggage?
Culture shock: Insights on how to address it.
Belief in magic in different societies.
A review of the impacts of globalization on nutritional anthropology.

Anthropological Research Questions

Should anthropology be merged fully with biology?
Is DNA evidence accurate in criminology applications?
How does the practice of anthropology application in China compare to that of the US?
Use of radiological tools in anthropology: What is their level of effectiveness?
What are the main hazards and risks of forensic anthropology?
What effect do mythologies have in modern society?
How does language acquisition impact the culture of a society?
Body project change projects: What are the valued attributes?
Halloween celebrations: How have they evolved over the years?
What are the impacts of adaptive mutation?
How did WWI and WWII impact human societies?
What are the impacts of climate change on animal evolution?
Location of crime: What can you learn about it?
What are the impacts of long-term alcohol addiction on the human body?
Magic and science: Are they related?

Easy Anthropological Ideas

Development of anthropology in the 21st century.
Important lessons about humans that can be drawn from anthropological studies.
Anthropological issues in pre-capitalist societies.
A closer look at folk roles and primitive society.
Urban centers and modern man.
How is automation impacting human behavior?
How does biology impact human culture?
Reviewing racial identity and stereotypes in society.
Comparing ancient Aztec to Maya civilizations.
Analyzing religious diversity in the United States.
Comparing religious diversity in the UK and Italy.
Why is studying anthropology important?
Comparing different death rituals in different cultures on the globe.
What is the relationship between literature and human development?
Analyzing the influence of anthropology on modern art.
How has social media impacted different cultures on the globe?

Linguistic Anthropology Research Topics

What led to the emergence of linguistics anthropology?
A review of the main theories in linguistic anthropology.
Linguistics used by different communities in the same nation.
Comparing sign and verbal communication.
How did Dell Hymes contribute to linguistic anthropology?
Language is the most important component among Bengal immigrants.
Language endangerment: What is it?
Comparing different categories of arts from an anthropological context for an Asian and Western country.
The impact of colonization on the language of a specific society of your choice.
Explore three different indigenous languages in America.

Controversial Anthropology Topics

Social anthropology is not worth studying because it is very general.
Human societies are cultural constructs.
The past should be considered a foreign nation.
What are your views of petro behavior in chimps?
Man is natural killer
Infant killing is an important evolutionary strategy.
The war on infanticides: Which side do you support?
Evaluating the concept of human morality.
Should all the political leaders be required to undertake training in cultural anthropology?
Human cleansing: Evaluating the driving factors in different societies.
Analyzing the concept of political correctness in the 21st century.
What are the earliest life forms to exist on the planet?

Medical Anthropology Research Topics List

Comparing and contrasting physical and medical anthropology studies.
Do we have evidence of evolution over the last 2000 years?
Exploring the importance of anthropology in modern medicine.
The health implications of adapting to ecology.
Domestic health culture practices in two societies of choice.
A review of clinical anthropology applications.
Political ecology of infectious diseases.
What is the relationship between violence, diseases and malnutrition?
The economic aspect of political health in a country of choice.
Perception of risk, vulnerability and illnesses: A case study of the United States.
What are the main factors that drive good nutrition and health transition?
The adoption of preventive health practices in society.
Important cultural conditions that help shape medical practices.
Comparing the medical practices during the colonial and post-colonial eras in a county of choice.
Use of mitochondria in forensic and anthropology.
Commercialization of health and medicine: What are the implications in society?
Analyzing health disparity in a society of your choice.

Current Topics In Anthropology

Using anthropology studies to determine the impact of political systems on different societies.
Human rights of people who are convicted of crimes.
What are the most important organizations when studying anthropology?
A closer look at the dialect of a modern feminist.
A study of current queer life in Germany.
Implications of Barack Obama as the African American President.
Reviewing the Pagan rituals and their impacts.
Comparing aging in the west and growing old in the African setting.
Cultural implications of deviant behavior in society.
The new concept of childhood in the emerging economies.

Physical Anthropology Research Topics

What does genetic hitchhiking mean?
Analyzing the cephalization process.
What is adaptive mutation?
Altruism: Is it learnt or a natural trait?
What is abiogenesis in human development?
A study of Australian marsupial’s convergent evolution.
Comparing stability of animals in stability and those in the wild.
Evolution of different animals in different parts of the globe. What drives the differences?
A review of physical anthropology trends.
The future evolution of human beings.
Physical anthropology: The human and digital culture.
What really makes people human?

Special Anthropology Topics to Write About

Enlightenment and Victorian Anthropological Theory.
Race and ethnicity: The anthropologist’s viewpoint.
A closer look at reciprocity in the native aboriginal communities in Australia.
What is the relationship between Neanderthal and modern humans?
Cultural anthropology versus sociology.
Anthropology of Mormonism.
What is the biggest change since WWI?
What is reflexive anthropology?
What is the main purpose of rituals in society?
Comparing rituals around childbirth in Asia.
Evaluating the connection between religion and myths in different societies.
Comparing the 20th and 21st century’s method of collecting anthropological data.
Why is medical anthropology so important today?
The importance of Benin artifacts in the history of the world.
The sociology theory: A review of its structure and shortcomings.
Christian believes in anthropology.
Comparing Anthropology of Europe to Anthropology of Africa.
Evaluate the effectiveness of reflexivity use in ethnographic studies.

Forensic Anthropology Paper Topics

What are the primary agents that cause biological changes in the human body?
Are the biological change agents in a human being similar to those of other animals?
Assessing the accuracy of carbon dating technology.
Analyzing the latest improvements in crime detection technology.
Analyzing evidence that supports evolution views of human beings.
How does radioactivity impact different animals?
The main signs of asphyxiation.
A review of the latest archaeological dating methods: Are they effective?
Mummification: How effective was the process as applied in Egypt?
Importance of crime scenes in forensic anthropology.
Analyzing the effectiveness of Buccal Swabs when profiling insides of cheeks.
Criminal profiling: How effective is it in deterring a criminal’s traits?
Footprint in the crime scene: What can they tell you?
Soil comparison in forensic anthropology.
Insect as important agents of body decomposition.
How do you identify blunt force trauma?
Comparing and contrasting penetrating and perforating trauma.
Analyzing the Rigor Mortis method of establishing a person’s death.

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259 Most Popular Anthropology Research Topics For Students

Anthropology is the concept that explores the culture of human societies and how these cultures have spurred development. It is the study of physiological and biological features which encompasses the evolution of humans.

The study extends to ethnography, participant observation, ethnocentrism, even cultural relativism. As a student, you may need anthropology topics for your research or forthcoming college essay. You may even need anthropology project ideas to create your idea for a paper.

These persuasive anthropology essay topics are across different fields of the course and you can choose any of these topics for your use.

Medical Anthropology Research Topics

As a part of anthropology that deals with human health, diseases, and the performance of public health institutions, you may need anthropological topics viewing humanity from the ecological lens. Consider the following:

Assess the intervention of government and NGOs following Ebola virus break in Europe
Evaluate the success of governmental and NGO intervention after the Ebola virus outbreak in Africa
Assess the role of ethnobotany in medical sciences
Nuclear disaster: evaluate how it affects people using an event of natural disaster as a case study
Assess the residue why societal infamy is linked to HIV/AIDS
Attempt an evaluation of how the spread of HIV/AIDS is improved by sex workers in Central Europe
HIV/AIDS: an Analysis of the safety measures for commercial sex workers if it exists
Assess the strength and weaknesses of orthodox and unorthodox medicine in Native Americans
Evaluate the medical threats of depression in South Asia communities
Engage in an assessment of women’s sexuality and how culture affects sexual health
Attempt a medical moral perspective of the ethics behind euthanasia and how it could be synonymous with suicide
Express in detail what transcultural nursing means
Assess the complications in the treatment of periodontal disease
Examine how nursing ethics become pragmatic in the career of professionals
Examine how South Africa gas managed to reduce the HIV infection rate
How do contraceptives address HIV/AIDS and its spread
What does positive living mean as a means of avoiding AIDS stigma?
Express what sexual diversity means in America as a way to combat AIDS
Give an account if his Environmental and political health can help the advancement of medical anthropology
Give a study on the status of cancer after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Russia
Examine the environmental health disaster of two countries of your choice
Assess the connection of income to health and analyze three pioneering literature on the study
An attempt to explain big pharma and the complications of watchdogs and whistleblowers
Give a comparative overview of the Ebola virus and HIV/AIDS in Africa
How has the outbreak of HIV/AIDS affected the gay community since its first discovery?

Ethnographic Research Topics

You already know ethnography as the study of the everyday life of a particular society. These are anthropological essay topics that you can consider for your research or forthcoming undergraduate essay. They are:

Undergo a qualitative ethnographic representation of contemporary feminism in America
Examine the role of clinical science in the pharmaceutical science of rural communities
Choose a minority group of your choice and conduct research on their mental wellbeing based on their challenges
Research why abortion is considered the first resort for sexually assaulted and domestically violated victims
Evaluate the role of Ethnography and Its studies in psychology
Elucidate how teachers can adopt the findings of Ethnography in classroom learning
Examine the function of Ethnography in software technology
Assess how Ethnography and its studies could help people with learning disabilities
Assess how music and interpersonal relationship improve cognitive behaviors
Attempt an ethnographic study of healthcare management and American nurses’ intensive care
Attempt an Ethnographic study of resource management and how it affects American doctors
Attempt an Ethnographic study on the inclusiveness of health care and the public access to it
Evaluate how journalists cope with stress and how it affects their profession
Examine the boundaries of citizens involvement in intensive healthcare
Examine the Ethnographic study of a group of domestically violated victims and how they respond to the violation
Evaluate the effects of smart homes and privacy in communal Ethnographic studies
Evaluate the status of spiritual healing through systems of pilgrimage therapy
Examine the culture existent in poor educational leadership and how it fails the society
Attempt an expository study on the role of psychologists in advancing special education
How ICT improved collaborative work routines: a study of its consequences on human relationships
Embark on a qualitative research study on diabetes studies in Southeast Asia
Use ethnographic information to assess intensive public healthcare
Attempt an ethnographic overview of patient handover in European health care
Account for the challenges in interprofessional teamwork practice amongst European nurses
Conduct an overview of how cultures affect professionalism in healthcare: a case study of an African and European country
Study traditional health beliefs and myths and how they affect contemporary society development
Express how the value of education has been improved through ethnographic discoveries
Examine the factors that facilitate cultural developments in the face of Western civilization: a case study of India or China
Conduct a study on the beliefs of Japanese students while they learn English
Examine the state of theories of racism and how the black community of America has tried to change the narrative

Anthropology Research Paper Topics

You may need topics in anthropology for your next research paper. As you already know that anthropology is generally about cultures and history, you may need ideas of topics in anthropology to direct what your research is centered on. You can consider the following topics for informative and compelling research:

Examine the greeting gestures in American and Chinese societies
Examine the greeting gestures in native African societies
Attempt a comparative analysis of greeting gestures amongst the Yoruba people in Nigeria and the Brazilians with Yoruba ancestry
Navigate the process of aging and how it exacerbates fear of old age
Examine the benefits and consequences of eugenics in today’s world
Examine how human color affects his social relationship with his environment: a case study of the UK
Examine how the physical outlook of a smoker is affected
Investigate the view that human civilization emerged from Africa
Investigate the view that homo habilis is not an evolutionary fiction
Assess how ancient Egyptians kept dead
Attempt an overview of kissing myths in the western world and how it affects the cultural meaning of a kiss
Attempt an overview of the evolving ideas to matrimony in Asia
Account for the effects of the internet and western civilization on the traditions of Japan
Account for the significance of the Greek culture on Italian languages and culture
Account for the similarity and contrast in the philosophy of ancient Greece and Italy
Assess Latin language and account for the development of other languages since their inception
Assess the Slavic groups and explore the development of the aborigines and the modern Slavophiles
Account for the significance of women in ancient Egypt
Attempt a bird’s eye documentation of women’s role in modern Egypt
Study the concepts of American culture of consumerism and the Scandinavian culture of minimalism
Account for animal and floral prints in the life and art of native American cultures
Account for the connection of animals and plants in the art of beautification amongst native American tribes
Attempt a detailed overview of how the Roman Catholic Church improved the science of sculpting and architecture
Account for the influence of the Roman Catholic Church as the center of government, religion, art, and social life
Attempt a reconstruction of migrants and immigration means in America’s 17th to 21st centuries
Defend the notion that the English political culture is a mix of the old and contemporary cultures
Attempt a criticism of the monarchy in European politics over western democracy
Attempt a critical overview of the Bollywood and Hollywood movie industry as well as the historical context explored in the products
Assess the cultural constructions of human society and how they aid evolutions
Consider the discourse that language doesn’t exist without culture and vice versa drawing opinions from at least five Literature
Account for the development of rock music and its connection to any native American tribes
Attempt an overview of how social media engages the electorate before and during elections
Explore the concept of piercing in western countries and Asia’s India
Study the contemporary psychology of traveling between teenagers and their parents
Drug: attempt a critic of it as an entertainment or a coping mechanism.

Cultural Anthropology Topics

Cultural anthropology research topics give answers to human behavior by studying patterns and distinguishing elements from other societies. If you need awesome anthropology paper topics, you may consider the following to impress your professor as your graduate thesis topic:

Explore the social and cultural revolution leading to homosexuality in Africa
Attempt the social and cultural revolution that led to contemporary sexual attitudes in any region
Assess the social and cultural revolution that has propelled feminism in the Middle East
Attempt an overview of the different nature of feminism in the west and the Middle East
Criticize the critics who believe western feminism attempts to dominate the cultural lives of women in Arab countries
Consider an in-depth analysis of the Philosophies of two societies of your choice
Attempt an in-depth analysis of the religious beliefs of two traditional groups in Europe
Assess the structure of family and marriage in two countries of your choice in Africa and Asia
Account for the concept of ancestors in native American countries and Africa
Document the significance of cultural diversity in the study of human evolution in anthropology
Account for the meaning of cultural baggage and how to address the concept of culture invasion
Explore the background, development, and public reaction to the concept of gay and lesbian narratives in Africa
Give a critical assessment of how burial practices are interwoven with religion and myth
Explore the influence of religious and cultural superstition in the development of African worldview
Account for the evolving roles of women in Asian countries
Account for the distinctions in the cultures of death rituals in any two Asian countries
Account for the fundamental influence of culture and religion in the forced marriage narratives of Northern Nigeria
Assess the function of storytelling in the promotion of native American cultures
Account for the significance of social media in the culture of the first and third world
Attempt a forensic overview of the concept of family, fraternity, and gangs
Assess the significance of gangs and fraternities in the development of modern England
Give a forensic overview of the significance of political organizations in many Middle Eastern countries
Attempt a criticism of western intervention and modernization agenda in developing countries as an attempt to encroach cultures
Explore the distinction between the level of education in an Islamic state in the Middle East and a liberal state in Asia
Study music, dance, and parties in the contemporary society
Study the cultures of rituals and festivals and how they have led to cultural identity, community development, and intercultural relationship
Assess the concept of social status in any African community
Explore the cultures of any native American tribe and how it has changed over time
Assess the role of literature in the evolution of humans ideas
Study the understanding of health and wellness in three societies across from Europe, Africa, and Asia
Study the process of migration, factors mitigating against it, and how migration promotes cultural diversity
Examine the role of literature in spreading libertarian ideas
Argue for feminism in patriarchal societies
Attempt a criticism and distinction of anthropology and art
Explore the emergence and influence of culture on tourism.

Biological Anthropology Research Topics

This discipline examines the origins and evolution of humans, notably hominins. It studies fossil behavior, genetics, and other significant concepts that makeup morphology. If you need persuasive anthropology essay topics for your college or university degree, you can wow your professor with any of these:

Explore the socio-economic and cultural history of Americans and alcohol drinkers
Account for the effects of the disaster of Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings
Examine the transgenerational impact of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear explosions
Account for the results of radioactivity in the affected population of Fukushima Daiichi in 2011
Assess the biology in same-sex matrimony in North America
Account for the origin, spread, and transgenerational impact of any endemic in any society of your choice
A critical overview of COVID-19 and the battle for survival in two or more Indian cities
Cocaine use in America: health impact on addicts and the psychology for starters
Marijuana in North America: benefits, disadvantages, and woes
Maladaptation: how it affects migrants in any country of your choice
Examine how domestic health care challenges cultural health practices in any Middle Eastern country
Analyze the concept of vulnerability and risk in public health care
Analyze the possibilities of traditional institutions in preserving cultures
Explore the relationship and comparison between malnutrition, violence, and chronic disease in any society of your choice
Study the factors that drive health care transition, nutrition, and improvement of health in any European country of your choice
How do social relationships affect nutritional choices and human healthy living?
Account for the historical practices that have influenced medicinal practices and policies in the contemporary society
Examine clinical interactions in any social association of your choice
Attempt a pluralistic overview of health practices in any society of your choice
Assess the cultural revolution of medicine in any African country of your choice
Give an overview of how pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies shape contemporary medicine
Explore medical cultures in pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial India and how it functions as a part of modernity
Examine the commercialization and commodification of medicine and healthcare in the contemporary society
Account for the disparity in healthcare accessibility in any developing country
Account for the challenges of a developing nation in public access to healthcare services

Interesting Anthropology Topics

If you’d like to explore current anthropology research questions, there are compelling topics for your undergraduate research. You can attempt and rephrase any topics in anthropology below to use for your school essay or research:

Women in Afghanistan and the culture of silence
Women in Egypt and the culture of silence
The influence of western feminism and the culture of silence in the Arabic Muslim world
Examine the influence of environmental anthropology on medicine
Attempt a critical study of the global outlook of HIV/AIDS and how it concerns the LGBTQ community
Explore the impact of contemporary ideologies on native American societies
Account for the role of folklore in the defense and transgenerational retainment of cultures
Tribal, savage, barbaric: explore the culture of labeling in the contemporary world
Assess the growth of modern man and the evolution of civilization
Account for different race theories and the systems of cultural assimilations across the world
Give an account of the overview of colonialism as expressed by the Literature of Franz Fanon
Assess the connection of political science with cultural anthropology
Explain the psychology behind genocide and its effects on human relationship
Attempt an anthropological analysis of human behavior in Lord of the Flies
Account for the nature of matrimony in Islamic societies
Express the racial identities particular to native American tribes and any Asian country of your choice
Compare and contrast American and Asian music
Express the psychological implications of Barack Obama’s emergence as a colored president
Explore the origin, factor for development, and spread of biological aggression during warfare
Give a critical account of the hunter-gatherer society in South Africa
Give an overview of fishermen and their knowledge of the society in any country of your choice
Explore how the internet promoted westernization
Examine the influence of cross-cultural experiences in the modern world
Evaluate the history and significance of the festivities of Halloween
Evaluate the factors that promote the culture of bullying in America
Evaluate the concept of aging in African and Europe
Express the spiritual cultures of any African and European country
Assess the religious beliefs of Catholicism and Its Influence on contemporary faith
Assess how sexuality is affected by religiosity
Evaluate the defiant behavior of contemporary sexuality
Examine the factors that propel religious aggressions
Expatiate on the factors that promote cultural hatred in a diverse society
Explore the cultural distinctions between European and American societies
Account for the role of TV reality shows in the social life of any society of your choice
How does TV reality show the reality of any society?

Physical Anthropology Research Paper Topics

This is a field of anthropology interested in the history, evolution, and distinguishing features of humans. The field impacts, most importantly, human behavior and anatomical transformations. You can consider these Anthropology research paper topics for your class or personal research study:

What are the advantages and consequences of eugenics in today’s society?
Why has the origin of man been different societies of civilization
Have western ideas of superiority affected the acknowledgment of Egypt as the cradle of civilization?
What are the contemporary facts that support past research and experiences of homo habilis?
What are the consequences of smoking on human physical appearance
What is the underlying Egyptian belief in preserving the dead
Examine the Influence of the environment on skin color
Explore aging in Asian countries and what it means for them
Analyze the physical concept of re-adjusting newborn babies by nursing mothers
Analyze five pieces of Literature on the stages of drowning till death

List of Ethnography Topics

If you need topics regarding the scientific understanding of cultures, humans, their customs, and collective distinctive features, you need ethnographic research topics. You can consider the following:

Is homelessness a function of ethnic affiliation in the United States?
Examine the factors contributing to migration from Latin America to other parts of the world
Examine the concept of drug trafficking in Africa
Examine the violence and concept of human trafficking in Africa
Analyze the Psychology of victims of human trafficking and how it affects their human relationships
Attempt to examine how cultures of patriarchy adapt to American liberalism
Analyze the factors that propel violence through drug trade in South America
Examine the difference between the treatment of black and white Americans in the prison system
Attempt to respond to the division of fraternities along the lines of ethnic groups
Discuss the way of life of homeless persons in Europe
Examine the domestic policies of Europe and how it affects day to day living
Examine how the migration policies of Poland affect migrants
Examine how US veterans are integrated into the society
Criticize the policies of Poland and express its fear of terrorism
Give an overview of Sharia law in the UK and what it means for the culture
Examine the conceit of migration between Africa and Europe
Examine how unemployment has fueled the migration of Nigerian culture to Saudi Arabia and the potential effect of cultural diversity
Examine how Muslim parents dominate their children’s choices
Examine how parents in Asian societies dominate their children’s choices
Analyze how parents in European societies dominate their children’s choices
Discuss the advantages of western socialization with Islamic countries
Assess the politics of Arab countries
Account for the Arab spring and the link to human revolutions
Account for the means of socializing with kids in India
Examine the link between terrorism and human trafficking
Explore the success and failure levels of people with different backgrounds
Examine the trend of marriage and the changes in any society of your choice
Account for how globalization has affected any group of people
Account for the values of European countries
Assess the eating habits of European homeless persons
Account for how the street is sometimes space for talent shows
Discuss the concept of adulthood amongst Brazilians and Indians
Examine any social organization and share their striking features
What is the traditional and contemporary definition of beauty
Examine the culture of transgenderism in Arab countries.

Current Topics in Anthropology

You could also want to consider straightforward anthropology topics for your thesis. You can set your research study on:

Oral traditions and culture
Human evolution
Forensic anthropology
Physical Anthropology
Spiritual therapy
Cross-cultural diversity
Linguistics and culture
Art, beauty, and worldview
Labour and work systems
Political and economic systems
Family, kinship, and marriage systems
Social inequality
Contemporary technology
Contemporary industrialization
Immigration processes
Archaeology
Gender studies
Decomposition
Methods embalmment
Primatology
Reconstruction of skeletal systems
Homo species
Science of excavations
Human anatomy
Interpretation of archaeological researches
Early species
Westernization and tribalism
Comparative culture.

Need Help With Anthropology?

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Anthropology Research Topics: 100+ Ideas

Do you want to frame an anthropology research paper that helps you stand out from the crowd? If this is the case, don’t worry because we have you covered. However, before jumping straight to the writing part, the first step is to select a great anthropology research topic.

A majority of students consider this step to be the most daunting. Choosing a topic and researching it can take time and effort. It requires a broad range of skills. However, since it is an academic compulsion, you must recognize it for a short time. Why not give this your most passionate shot once and for all and fully indulge in it once and all?

Don’t be afraid, as we’re here to navigate you through an enticing list of 100+ research topics in anthropology. These topics will help you frame the outstanding research paper you have always wanted. You can choose these topics as they are or tweak them a little according to your unique requirements.

Table of Contents

Working on Anthropology Research Paper Topics

To frame an outstanding research paper on anthropological topics, the first and foremost thing is to think anthropologically. Thinking anthropologically implies suspending their preconceived notions of how the world functions and what constitutes “normal” or “abnormal.” Anthropology urges anthropologists to be “culturally relative” and to comprehend cultural diversity on their terms. Anthropology rejects ethnocentrism and recognizes divergence without placing it in a hierarchy.

When you are writing your anthropology research paper, you need to ensure the following items are on your checklist:

Critically analyze and evaluate cultural norms (both in your own and other cultures).
Conduct comprehensive research on ethnographic data (including data and descriptions of everyday events, oral histories, and significant interviews) to understand significant patterns.
Organize all the ethnographic or other evidence to expound on a phenomenon or event or support a hypothesis or argument.
Evaluate a theoretical viewpoint critically to determine how well it explains cultural occurrences.

100+ Anthropology Research Paper Topics

There are a few subjects that intrigue the majority of students. These are anthropology, psychology, mythology, sociology, and other good ethnography topics.

Drafting a research paper on anthropology comes with a wide spectrum of special subtopics. These subtopics include linguistics, biology, current events, and cultural anthropology topics to choose from. These topics are mentioned below and can help inspire fascinating research and writing about humans and their evolution.

Read Also – Top 100 Position Paper Topics

Biology and Anthropology Topics for Research

Biological anthropologists investigate, document, and explain the evolution of morphological variations among humankind through time in the historical record. They also provide a comparative perspective on the uniqueness of the human race compared to other living primates. It is a very popular subject for students. Thus, if you’re keen to research more about such factors, then consider these biological anthropology topics that will help you get started with a specific mindset for writing:

The history of biological anthropology: understanding the natural history of humankind
A handbook on paleoanthropology: the history of our tribes
Minimizing the risk of maladaptation: a developmental perspective
Understanding the current stage of paleoanthropology in the USSR
Biological anthropology with other allied fields of science
How biological anthropology explains the genesis of human behaviour and social structures
Applying biological anthropology to interpret human evolution
How do the biotech and pharmaceutical industries influence modern medicine?
Biological anthropology and aging

Controversial Anthropology Topics for Research

Writing and researching controversial topics is always the cherry on the cake. You can easily expound on these topics by corroborating a huge spectrum of data and resources. Thus, instead of choosing drudgery research topics in anthropology, give another penny for your thoughts and choose controversial topics. Topic ideas relating to controversial topics are here.

Ancient Egyptian civilization: the culture of life and death
Validation of social anthropology
The ethnographic paradigms
The war on infanticide has a global scope and magnitude.
Cultural construction or anthropology: theory and empirical evidence
The criticism of the European monarchy over western democracy
The relationship between social anthropology and allied disciplines
Hidden voices: Unveiling women in Ancient Egypt
Understanding Italian culture: Greek culture’s influence on Italian languages and culture
The origins and natural history of human morality
Analyzing male aggression against women from an evolutionary perspective
Understanding personality, cognition, and behavioural changes in chimpanzees
Infanticide as an evolutionary strategy: reality or myth?
The myth of man as a natural hunter
Analyzing the dart and the Seville statement on war
The history of Samoan sexual conduct and the Mead-Freeman controversy
Menopause: adaptation or epiphenomenon?
Who owns the past?
The repatriation of anthropology

Read Also – 295 Sociology Research Topics

Cultural Anthropology Research Topics

Cultural anthropology is the branch of anthropology that studies human societies, patterns, cultures, and developments. Some of the contentious cultural anthropology topics are given below:

Cultural anthropology and linguistics
The evolution of sexism: a critical analysis of past problems and future possibilities
The flourishing of libertarian literary writings
The history of women’s struggles
Cultural anthropology and psychiatry
The development of sociology and social anthropology
Fundamental religious principles govern child forced marriages in northern Nigeria.
The battle of African women for equality
Patriarchy and the representation of women in Asian nations
Green and Roman mythology: a comparative analysis
African traditional beliefs and spirituality in Africa
Cultural violence and the Nigerian woman: a narrative review
The ultimate journey of widow-burning in India
Exploring cultural spaces and technologies in contemporary societies
The biological myth of human evolution: a phylogenetic approach
Erasing culture and race: practising “self-determination.”
The American Holocaust: Columbus and the Conquest of the New World
The 16th and 17th-century philosophy of India
Understanding Mexican culture from a religious point of view
Migration and cultural diversity
The native American ancestry of African-Americans
Muslim women and forced marriages
A theoretical analysis of culture clashes in American anthropology
Anthropology of religion
Christendom’s worlds and Christianity’s future

Physical Anthropology Research Paper Topics

Physical anthropology is the study of human origins, evolution, and diversity. If you’re interested in researching and writing about physical anthropology, then here are some interesting topic suggestions that you can consider:

Genotype-environment correlation study: an overview
The evolution of human beings
Genetic hitchhiking: the controversy and its implications
The altruistic personality: the heritability of individual differences
The cephalization process
Amazonian Anthropology: Henry Walter Bates
Homo sapiens and early human migration
The evolution of human history and the first man
The ancient Egyptian afterlife beliefs
The issues and challenges of aging in Asia
Influence of environmental factors on skin tone
Examine five literary works that discuss the stages of drowning and dying.
Evidence of somatic acceleration from recent investigations
The relationship between psychological and physiological constitutions
A review and comparison of dissolution profiles
The advantages and disadvantages of eugenics in the 21st century
Aging across cultures: a comparative analysis
Genetic engineering and medical anthropology: ethics and challenges

Read Also – 100+ Compelling Linguistics Research Topics

Linguistic Anthropology Research Paper Topics

Linguistic anthropology is the branch of anthropology that studies the connection or relationship between languages and cultures. It study how people negotiate, think, compete, and reproduce cultural forms and relations through the medium of languages. If you’re interested in learning more about linguistic anthropology, here are a few suggestions for you:

The anatomy and physiology of speech
Language, Race, and Popular Culture
The relationship between language and culture
Understanding intercultural communication: a current perspective
Linguistics and the politics of representation
Representational barriers and issues in linguistic anthropology
Language and gender: a comprehensive research work
American-African women’s language: talking that talk
Journeys into the past: understanding different language cultures
Language endangerment and language revitalization: an active approach

Forensic Research Topics in Anthropology

Generally speaking, forensic anthropology studies the examination of human remains for law enforcement agencies to solve atrocious crimes. Have a look at some of these great forensic anthropology research topics:

Analyzing the latest perspectives on forensic anthropology
Criminal profiling and computer forensic processes: assumptions, challenges, and probable solutions
Fundamentals of forensic anthropology: current methods and practices
Forensic anthropology and medicine
Forensic anthropology and forensic pathology
A handbook on crime scene investigation
Comparison of soils in forensic anthropology: a detailed study
Reactive oxidants and human diseases
An investigation of the fundamental factors that cause biological alterations in the human body
A study on the recent advancements in forensic science
Criminal profiling: a powerful tool against criminal offences
Current tools and future concepts of forensic anthropology
Common techniques in the study of forensic anthropology
Progress and prospects of DNA testing procedures
Narratives of forensic psychology and criminal personality profiling
Moral issues in forensic anthropology
The workings of forensic anthropology: ethics and professionalism
accuracy of carbon dating technology
Asphyxiation: an autopsy study
Analyzing the methods of determining the time of death

Medical Anthropology Topics for Research

Interested in medical anthropology? If so, look at the below-provided research topics on anthropology.

Exploring medical anthropology
Ethno zoology: applications and principles
A reflection on medical anthropology
Medical anthropology and epidemiology
Medical ethno botany: applied principles and applications
An overview of the spread of the Ebola virus in 2014
Maladaptation: The effects of adaptation to ecological conditions and improper adaptation on health
Mapping the concepts of vulnerability, risk, and responsibility for healthcare and illness
Critical and clinical engagement in anthropology
Ethno medicine modalities in a healing process

The Bottom Line

Each option in the article can help you develop an outstanding research paper in anthropology. Anthropology is indeed a complex subject. Thus, you can also consider some good ethnography topics for your research. You need to conduct extensive research on the different sections of societies and how they have evolved over the past few years. These research paper topics are meant to inspire you and help you score high marks in your academic research programs. You can use these topics as they are or modify them accordingly.

Choose our paper help services for experts’ assistance!

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121+ Highly Informative Anthropology Research Topics

Anthropology is a broad field of study about human beings, and it spans various subjects that deal with the past, present, and future. Curious students, those who want to become researchers, or just learners love this subject as there are numerous fascinating things to discuss.

This course involves everyone with an innate desire for curiosity and self-discovery in an intellectual experience. It covers topics ranging from converting the riddles of ancient civilizations to understanding the ethnicities surrounding us.

So please go through our list of the top 121+ anthropology research topics that are informative and provide gateways to appreciating the richness of human societies, their transformation through time, and how they have profoundly affected our earth.

What Are Anthropology Research Topics?

Table of Contents

Anthropology research topics look at different parts of human life, both past and present. These topics explore cultural traditions, social groups, languages, and biological factors that help us understand what it means to be human.

At their core, these topics invite us to be curious and question what we think we know. They let us explore the many different ways humans live and have lived worldwide, from ancient societies to modern communities. These topics allow us to see how culture, environment, and human behavior are connected.

Whether studying how languages started, how social rankings developed, or the special meanings behind rituals and objects, anthropology research topics help us unravel the many stories that make up human history. They bring together knowledge of archaeology, biology, linguistics, and cultural studies.

By investigating these topics, we learn more and gain a deeper respect for our planet’s diversity of human cultures. We learn to understand and appreciate the rich tapestry of ways of life around us.

Recommended Reading: “ Top 169+ AP Seminar Research Topics – Full Guide! “.

Ethnographic Fieldwork: Immersive Research Techniques

Ethnographic fieldwork involves getting close to different groups of people. It’s like jumping into their way of life, seeing things through their eyes. Researchers don’t just read about these groups—they stay with them for a while.

This hands-on approach lets anthropologists experience a culture for themselves. They watch daily activities, participate in special events and traditions, and get to know the people. Instead of just looking in from the outside, they become a part of the community, even just a little bit.

Ethnographers use techniques like participant observation, where participants fully participate in the cultural setting. They might learn local languages, eat the same foods, and follow the same routines as the people they’re studying—it’s like walking in their shoes.

Talking to people is also important. Having open conversations with community members to understand their beliefs, values, and perspectives is crucial to building trust so people feel comfortable sharing their stories and thoughts.

Field notes capture all the rich details of daily life that outsiders often miss. From unique customs to deep, meaningful practices, these firsthand accounts paint a clear picture of the culture.

By living this immersive lifestyle, even for a while, ethnographers can truly understand what makes each community special and human. It’s an up-close look at the diversity of our world.

Top 121+ Most Informative Anthropology Research Topics

Here is the list of the top 121+ highly informative anthropology research topics; let’s look.

Cultural Anthropology Research Topics

How the world becoming more connected affects traditional cultures
When people copy aspects of another culture without understanding its meaning
How men and women are expected to behave in different societies
Special events and ceremonies in different cultures today
How cities have people from many different cultures living together
How people see things differently depending on their culture
Keeping traditional knowledge alive in native communities
Studying immigrant communities to understand their way of life
How cultures mix in the age of the internet
How different cultures view mental health problems

Biological Anthropology Research Topics

Learning about human evolution through old bones
How people are different because of their genes and how they adapt to their environment
Looking at how culture and biology affect people’s health differently
Studying how monkeys and other non-human primates behave
Using old bones to solve crimes
Looking at how our bodies evolved to understand how to stay healthy
Studying how people are different based on their race or where they’re from
Understanding how food affects our bodies
How people grow and develop from babies to adults
Studying old bones to learn about ancient people’s lives

Forensic Anthropology Research Topics

Figuring out how old a person was when they died
Studying how bodies decay after death
Making faces of people from their skulls
Using DNA to help solve crimes
Finding and studying mass graves
Studying bugs to help solve crimes
Using chemicals to learn about people’s lives from their bones
Identifying victims of large disasters
Looking at the laws and what’s right or wrong in studying bones
Using bones to investigate human rights abuses

Linguistic Anthropology Research Topics

Saving languages that are disappearing
Looking at how people talk differently in different places
How people feel about themselves because of the language they speak
How children learn to talk
How language affects how people see themselves in society
Seeing how languages stay alive or die out
How people mix languages
Studying how people talk to each other in different cultures
How language shows who has power in a society
How language affects how people think

Medical Anthropology Research Topics

Looking at how different cultures deal with being sick
Mixing traditional and modern medicine to help people
Studying how people choose where to get medical help
Using plants to help people get better
Seeing how some people get good healthcare while others don’t
Studying how different cultures see disabilities
People traveling to get medical help and what it means for where they live
Learning about how people make babies and take care of them in different cultures
How people feel about getting help for their mind
Studying what’s right or wrong when studying people who need help

Physical Anthropology Research Topics

Looking at how hormones affect how we act and how our bodies work
Studying how our bodies move
Seeing how we change because of things around us
Learning about how people pick who they want to be with
How people change when they live up high
Studying how our genes affect how we move and do sports
Looking at people’s teeth to learn about how they lived
How diseases change and spread over time
Studying old bones to learn about what people ate and how healthy they were
Studying how our minds work and why we do things

Archaeological Anthropology Research Topics

Looking at where people lived and why
Studying how people made things in the past
Seeing how people changed the world around them
How people traded things a long time ago
Special things people did in the past for their religion
Studying old plants remains to learn about what people ate
How people started farming and why
Drawing and studying old pictures on rocks
Studying old things found under the sea
How people protect and take care of old things

Cross-Cutting and Interdisciplinary Topics

Looking at how different things about a person come together
Studying how people are treated fairly when it comes to the environment
Thinking about what’s right or wrong when studying people
Using different sciences to learn about how people and the world around them are changing because of the weather
Learning from native people about how to take care of the Earth
How technology helps us learn about people
Working with native people to learn from them
Looking at how people and animals lived together
Studying how people are changing the world
Looking at how people see things because of their skin color

Emerging and Futuristic Topics

Studying how robots and computers are like people
Looking at how people act online
Thinking about how people will live in space
What’s right or wrong when scientists change people’s genes
Thinking about how people and machines will be together in the future
Studying new things that are being made
Learning how people deal with big problems like disasters
What’s right or wrong when we change the Earth
Taking care of old things that are online
Studying how people and machines are being put together

Some More Interesting Anthropology Research Topics

How social media affects different cultures
Why stories are important for keeping our traditions alive
How language can make someone feel powerful at work
Why music and dancing matter in different cultures
How food is part of important events and traditions
How native people are shown in movies and TV
Why some people change their bodies in special ways
What happens to traditions when lots of people visit
How religion affects what people think is right or wrong
Why do people wear certain clothes that show where they’re from
How climate change affects native communities
How we can help the environment and respect people’s culture
Why boys and girls are expected to act a certain way
How people help each other during bad times
Why making things by hand is important to some cultures
How moving to a new place can change who you are
Why playing games is part of the culture
How holidays help keep us together
Why do we tell stories to each other
How the world is changing because people in different places are talking to each other
How people learn new things from each other
How we show when something important happens in our lives
Why do we take care of older people
How families work in different places
How old ways of living changed because of new people
How people deal with someone doing something wrong
Why do we laugh at silly things
How do we stay healthy, and what do we do when we’re not feeling well
Why do some people have babies, and some don’t
Why do we tell stories about things that didn’t happen
How do we help people who need extra help
Why we like new things and how they change us
How we make friends and what we do with them
Why someone is chosen to lead and what they do
Why it’s important to take care of our planet
How we talk shows who we are
How big cities change who we are
Why we fight and how it changes our traditions
Why it’s important to have fun and relax
How we remember our past and who we are

These topics cover various cultural, social, and environmental aspects of human societies, providing ample opportunities for research and exploration in anthropology.

Tips While Choosing The Right Anthropology Research Topics

Picking the perfect topic for your anthropology research can be confusing, but don’t worry—we have some handy tips to simplify it.

Choosing the right anthropology research topic is important for a fun and rewarding project. Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind:

Pick something you like : Choose a topic that interests and excites you. The research process becomes more enjoyable and meaningful when you’re into your subject.
Look at new things : Stay updated on the latest happenings and talks in anthropology. Exploring modern-day issues can provide fresh angles and contribute to ongoing conversations.
Mix different subjects : Anthropology combines fields like sociology, psychology, and history. Look for topics that allow you to connect across subjects for a richer understanding.
Make it smaller : While anthropology covers a lot, it’s important to focus on a specific part or cultural group. This will help you dig deeper into your chosen area and find more insightful stuff.
Ensure it’s doable : Consider the resources available, access to research places or people, and the time to finish. Choose a topic that is both interesting and practically achievable.
Ask for help : Don’t hesitate to talk to teachers, mentors, or experienced researchers in your area of interest. Their insights and suggestions can be valuable in refining your topic and ensuring it’s relevant.

By following these tips, you’ll be well-prepared to choose an anthropology research topic that matches your interests and contributes to the ever-growing understanding of human diversity and culture.

Closing Up

As we finish looking at all these different anthropology topics, it’s clear that studying humans is a big and interesting exploration. Each topic we discussed opens a window into the many unique ways humans live worldwide.

Whether learning about ancient groups, special languages people use to communicate, or the close social bonds that connect communities, these topics remind us how creative and varied human life is.

As you start your anthropology journey, may these topics get you curious, inspiring you to question what you think you know and see things in new ways. Ultimately, they can help you appreciate the incredible tapestry of human cultures from all over and throughout time.

By understanding our shared pasts and presents, we can build a future filled with kindness, understanding, and joy in our differences. After all, our diversity is what makes the human story so special and meaningful.

How can I choose the right anthropology research topic?

Consider your interests and the subfield of anthropology you’re most passionate about. Research current trends and emerging issues in the field for inspiration.

Are there any ethical considerations when conducting anthropological research?

Yes, ethical considerations are crucial in anthropology, especially regarding cultural sensitivity, informed consent, and the preservation of cultural heritage.

How can I ensure my anthropology research is unique and original?

Conduct thorough literature reviews to identify gaps in existing research and explore novel perspectives or methodologies to contribute to the field.

Can anthropology research topics be interdisciplinary?

Absolutely! Anthropology often intersects with other disciplines, such as sociology, biology, linguistics, and environmental science, offering interdisciplinary research opportunities.

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Selected Journals

One way to find a topic for research is to skim articles from journals focused on Anthropology. You can create alerts for individual journals so you receive an email when a new issue is available.

American Anthropologist
American Antiquity
American Journal of Biological Anthropology
Annual Review of Anthropology
Anthropological Theory
Cultural Anthropology
Current Anthropology
Evolutionary Anthropology
Field Methods
Geoarchaeology
Human Communication Research
Journal of Anthropological Research
Journal of Human Evolution

Contact Kat Nelsen ([email protected]) if you have questions about setting up alerts or locating other journals.

Make an appointment

Make a virtual appointment with the subject librarian, Kat Nelsen.

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Anthropology - All subfields

Annual Reviews The Annual Reviews collection offers comprehensive, timely critical reviews written by leading scientists. This collection provides the worldwide scientific community with a useful and intelligent synthesis of the primary research literature for a broad spectrum of disciplines. Annual Reviews volumes are published each year for 40 focused disciplines within the Biomedical, Life, Physical, and Social Sciences including Economics and Financial Economics.
Anthropology Plus Anthropology Plus provides extensive worldwide indexing of journal articles, reports, commentaries, edited works, and obituaries in the fields of social, cultural, physical, biological, and linguistic anthropology, ethnology, archaeology, folklore, material culture, and interdisciplinary studies.. Coverage is from the late 19th century to the present.
AnthroSource Search or browse major journals from the American Anthropological Association (AAA) including American Anthropologist, American Ethnologist, Anthropology and Education Quarterly, and Medical Anthropology Quarterly.
JSTOR Find full text articles in academic journals or books on the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences. JSTOR provides articles from the journal's first issue. In some cases the most recent 2-5 years may not be available. View this tutorial to learn how to go from a general idea to a very precise set of results of journal articles and scholarly materials.
Oxford Bibliographies Search expert commentary and detailed annotated bibliographies to find high quality sources of information in these areas: African American Studies, African Studies, American Literature, Anthropology, Architecture, Planning and Preservation, Art History, Atlantic History, Biblical Studies, British and Irish Literature, Buddhism, Childhood Studies, Chinese Studies, Cinema and Media Studies, Classics, Communication, Criminology, Ecology, Education, Environmental Science, Evolutionary Biology, Geography, Hinduism, International Law, International Relations, Islamic Studies, Jewish Studies, Latin American Studies, Latino Studies, Linguistics, Literary and Critical Theory, Management, Medieval Studies, Military History, Music, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Public Health, Renaissance and Reformation, Social Work, Sociology, Urban Studies, Victorian Literature
Scopus Search for information from scientific journals, books and conference proceedings. Covers the fields of science, technology, medicine, social sciences, and arts and humanities.
Web of Science A comprehensive interdisciplinary collection of journal article citations. Subjects generally covered are within science and technology, arts and humanities, and social sciences. View this tutorial to learn how to go from a general idea to a very precise set of results of journal articles and scholarly materials.

Archaeology

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Biological Anthropology

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Zoological Record (Web of Science) Search articles covering all animal taxa from protozoa to the primates, and all aspects of their life cycles, behaviors, taxonomy, ecology and evolution. There are taxonomic summaries of each animal discussed in an article, geographical headings and additional subject approaches.

Linguistic Anthropology

Ethnologue: Languages of the World Ethnologue: Languages of the World is a comprehensive reference work cataloging all of the world's known living languages. Our subscription features include: language profiles, classic static country language maps, country profiles, and language family trees (classification). more... less... Our access is the basic subscription: unlimited page views of language profiles, classic static country language maps, country profiles, and language family trees (classification).
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Sociocultural Anthropology

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UConn Library
Topic: How to do Anthropological Research

Topic: How to do Anthropological Research — Overview

Finding Background Information
Ethnographies
How to Pick a Topic
Where to Find Anthro Articles
Where to Find Anthro Books & Videos
Citing Using AAA/Chicago Style

Meme image: Indiana Jones with Cobra. Text: Anthro articles!! Why'd it have to be anthro articles?

The purpose of this guide is to help you:

Find background information on broad topics in anthropology
Develop an anthropological research topic (and if possible related to your major)
Teach you strategies to develop keywords to find articles on your chosen topic in anthropological journals.

If you have questions, feel free to contact me for help!

Useful Research Guides:

Anthropology & Archaeology Subject Guide by Fyiane Nsilo-Swai Last Updated May 13, 2024 427 views this year

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Requests for purchase are reviewed by subject specialists using the Library's Collection Development Policy . Please note that items may take up to 8 weeks to arrive, with certain requests taking longer.

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Science News

Anthropology.

Illustration of Sahelanthropus tchadensis walking upright on the ground and climbing in trees

50 years ago, evidence showed that an extinct human ancestor walked upright

Fossil finds have since pushed back the ability of hominids to walk on two legs by millions of years.

Ancient primates’ unchipped teeth hint that they ate mostly fruit

Spanish horses joined indigenous south americans’ societies long before europeans came to stay, more stories in anthropology.

A tower emerges from the forest around the Maya city Tikal in Guatemala.

Ancient Maya power brokers lived in neighborhoods, not just palaces

Lidar discoveries and recent excavations are forcing archaeologists to rethink ancient Maya political structures.

Sword and bronze mirror from a 2,000-year-old grave in England

A mysterious ancient grave with a sword and mirror belonged to a woman

The items hint that she fought in or helped plan raids and defensive actions in what’s now southwestern England about 2,000 years ago, scientists speculate.

An illustration of a black man in a red jacket hugging himself while several other people walk by and don't seem to notice him.

Why scientists are expanding the definition of loneliness

Feeling detached from animals, places and routines can cause loneliness, researchers are learning, which may expand the list of interventions.

A photo of a female chimp sitting next to another chimp.

Surprisingly long-lived wild female chimps go through menopause

Chimpanzees in Uganda are the first known example of wild, nonhuman primates experiencing the hormonal changes, raising questions about how menopause evolved.

A partial skeleton of a cave lion lays on a dark surface. A spear replica lies between the skull and vertebrae.

Neandertals hunted cave lions at least 48,000 years ago

A new study reports the first direct evidence of Neandertals slaying the big cats, and the earliest evidence of any hominids killing a large predator.

A photo of human footprints in White Sands National Park in New Mexico.

Human footprints in New Mexico really may be surprisingly ancient, new dating shows

Two dating methods find that human tracks in White Sands National Park in New Mexico are roughly 22,000 years old, aligning with a previous estimate.

A photo of an person on their hands and knees digging into the ground.

Interlocking logs may be evidence of the oldest known wooden structure

Roughly 480,000-year-old wooden find from Zambia suggests early hominids were more skilled at structuring their environments than scientists realized.

The skull of a member of the Homo heidelbergensis species sits on a podium in a museum.

Extreme cold may have nearly wiped out human ancestors 900,000 years ago

Ancestral populations had rebounded by about 800,000 years ago, heralding the evolution of people today, a contested DNA analysis suggests.

A photo of two Indigenous youth skinning a moose as part of a hunting camp in Alberta, Canada.

An apology to Indigenous communities sparks a mental health rethink

The leading U.S. psychological association pledged to embrace Indigenous approaches to healing, which requires rethinking how to address mental health.

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Articles on Anthropology

Displaying 1 - 20 of 233 articles.

Friday essay: our culture sees women’s bodies as faulty machines, but there are other birthing possibilities

Holly High , Deakin University

Everyday life and its variability influenced human evolution at least as much as rare activities like big-game hunting

Cara Wall-Scheffler , University of Washington

Future pandemics will have the same human causes as ancient outbreaks − lessons from anthropology can help prevent them

Ron Barrett , Macalester College

Cassava: The perilous past and promising future of a toxic but nourishing crop

Stephen Wooding , University of California, Merced

Ancient nomads you’ve probably never heard of disappeared from Europe 1,000 years ago. Now, DNA analysis reveals how they lived

Magdalena M.E. Bunbury , James Cook University and Guido Alberto Gnecchi-Ruscone , Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology

Fermented foods sustain both microbiomes and cultural heritage

Andrew Flachs , Purdue University and Joseph Orkin , Université de Montréal

Aboriginal people made pottery and sailed to distant offshore islands thousands of years before Europeans arrived

Sean Ulm , James Cook University ; Ian J. McNiven , Monash University , and Kenneth McLean , Indigenous Knowledge

We are losing tetrapod species at a faster rate than we are rediscovering them

Thomas Evans , Université Paris-Saclay

What’s the point of giving gifts? An anthropologist explains this ancient part of being human

Chip Colwell , University of Colorado Denver

Controversial claims about extinct humans are stirring up evolution research. Here’s how the mess could have been avoided

Mike W. Morley , Flinders University ; Andy I.R. Herries , La Trobe University ; Anna M. Kotarba-Morley , University of Adelaide ; Renaud Joannes-Boyau , Southern Cross University , and Vito C. Hernandez

Science communicators need to stop telling everybody the universe is a meaningless void

Chris Ellis , University of Sydney

Forensic anthropologists work to identify human skeletal remains and uncover the stories of the unknown dead

Madeline Atwell , Clemson University and Katherine Weisensee , Clemson University

Forget ‘Man the Hunter’ – physiological and archaeological evidence rewrites assumptions about a gendered division of labor in prehistoric times

Sarah Lacy , University of Delaware and Cara Ocobock , University of Notre Dame

New path for early human migrations through a once-lush Arabia contradicts a single ‘out of Africa’ origin

Michael Petraglia , Griffith University ; Mahmoud Abbas , Shantou University , and Zhongping Lai , Shantou University

The philosopher Marc Augé defined our cities. Now it’s in our hands to make them homey

Isabel Argüelles Rozada , Universidad de Oviedo

In a Stone Age cemetery, DNA reveals a treasured ‘founding father’ and a legacy of prosperity for his sons

Adam "Ben" Rohrlach , University of Adelaide and Maïté Rivollat , Université de Bordeaux

Ghassan Hage is one of Australia’s most significant intellectuals. He’s still on a quest for a multicultural society that hopes and cares

Andrew Jakubowicz , University of Technology Sydney

San and Khoe skeletons: how a South African university sought to restore dignity and redress the past

Victoria Gibbon , University of Cape Town

Listen — Indiana Jones’s last ride: A legacy to celebrate or bury?

Vinita Srivastava , The Conversation

English dialects make themselves heard in genes

Yakov Pichkar , Vanderbilt University and Nicole Creanza , Vanderbilt University

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This guide contains curated lists of Harvard Library resources on the following topics:

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Zotero (free tool): Easy-to-use tool to help you collect, organize, cite, and share research.
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Countway Library : One of the largest medical libraries in the world and a valuable resource for medical anthropologists.
Ernst Mayr Library : The library for Harvard's Museum of Comparative Zoology. It contains many useful resources for researchers studying human evolution.
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Anthropology: Developing Topics & Research Questions

About this Guide
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Developing Topics & Research Questions
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Developing a Research Question Takes Research

When the scope of your paper is too big, it's hard to dig through information and to write a paper wit any depth. The goal of most research papers in college is to seek a possible answer to a particular questions related to a topic. A research question, when not too broad or too narrow, helps guide and focus your paper.

The question should also be one in which you haven't decided on a pre-determined answer. You may find that looking for sources that provide a certain answer may be too limiting. The answer you are expecting might not be supported by evidence.

Brainstorm & do some pre-research

The research question isn't a question you make up at the top of your head. It's normal to start with a broad topic in mind. After doing some brainstorming about a topic, you will need to do some reading to find an angle to pursue, and, even then, your question may change as you find more information later.

Ask questions

From your pre-research, think about questions you might be able to ask regarding the topic. Most scholarly research examines fairly narrow topics and looks at relationships between concepts. One way to limit the scope of your topic is to ask who, what, where, when, why, and how questions.

Be flexible

It's okay to continue to tweak your question; the end result should be that you have answered the question you've laid out in the introduction, even if the introduction is the last paragraph you actually end up revising in your final paper.

Picking Your Topic IS Research

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OER Book Chapters

The Qualities of a Good Research Question from LibreTexts
Research Questions from Choosing & Using Sources: A Guide to Academic Research, Teaching & Learning, Ohio State University Libraries

Research is a Process

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Encourages students to develop background knowledge to create a research question. Research questions should have topic, question and significance. The narrator suggests using the following formulation: I’m studying _______________ to investigate ______________ in order to understand. Complex research questions take time to create.

Keeping your research question in mind, if you can answer TRUE to the statements below, your research question is probably workable.

It cannot simply be answered with a yes/no.
It has social significance/a problem associated with it.
There is reliable evidence available to address it.
It has appropriate scope.

Be careful about investigating questions that you think you already have the answer to.

Choosing a Manageable Research Topic

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Applied Anthropology Research Paper Topics

Applied Anthropology Research Paper Topics:

Action Anthropology
Anthropology and Business
Bioethics and Anthropology
Careers in Anthropology
Clinical Anthropology
Ecology and Anthropology
Economic Anthropology
Ethics and Anthropology
Forensic Anthropology
Human Rights and Anthropology
Justice and Anthropology
Law and Anthropology
Medical Genetics
Native Studies
Political Anthropology
Practicing Anthropology
Twin Studies
Urban Anthropology
Visual Anthropology
Women’s Studies

What is Applied Anthropology?

Applied anthropology, in its broader sense, is distinguished primarily from academic anthropology as anthropological methods and data put to use outside of the classroom. This is not to say that all anthropological methods and data put to use outside of the classroom is applied anthropology; field research also is anthropological methods and data put to use outside of the classroom, but it can be used for academic purposes, as well as for practical application. Applied anthropology is used to solve practical problems outside of the academic world, and it has appeared under such names as action anthropology, development anthropology, practicing anthropology, and advocacy anthropology among others.

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In its narrower sense, applied anthropology is distinguished from practicing anthropology. Practicing anthropology is the application of anthropology strictly outside of academia by nonacademics; applied anthropology can be practiced outside of academia or within academia by academics. To some, the differences are considered to be minimal, but to others they are of great importance.

Origins of Applied Anthropology

Early in the 19th century, anthropology was a religious philosophy that examined how to view the place of humans in the cosmos. This began to change by the mid-19th century, and people who were to become the founders of what is called anthropology today began to look at the more earthly nature of humanity. One of these individuals was Lewis Henry Morgan. Morgan, who was an attorney, began to work with the Iroquois in the 1840s on legal issues involving railroad right of ways. This may have been one of the first, if not the first, application of the nascent but as yet still inchoate discipline.

Across the Atlantic, Sir Edward BurnettTylor, the “father of anthropology” who defined “culture,” considered anthropology to be a “policy science” that should be implemented to ameliorate the problems of humanity. James Hunt, who founded the Anthropological Society of London, began to use the term practical anthropology by the 1860s, and in 1869, the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland (this was later to be titled the Royal Anthropological Institute) was formed.

In North America, the federal government formed the Bureau of American Ethnology (BAE) under John Wesley Powell in order to perform research that was intended to guide government policy toward Native Americans, and in 1879, Powell dispatched Frank Hamilton Cushing to the Zuñi pueblo to perform some of the first anthropological field research. By 1895, the BAE had hired anthropologist James Mooney to research a revitalization movement, the ghost dance. It also was in the 1890s that Franz Boas, the “father of American anthropology,” worked outside of academia with the Chicago Field Museum.

Early History of Applied Anthropology

Boas developed a lifelong hatred of racism arising from anti-Semitic experiences he had had in school in Germany. This led him to attempt to dispel the prevailing racist notions of the day in anthropology. From 1910 to 1913, Boas applied anthropometry to disprove a basic racist assumption: Cranial shape was a factor of race. To accomplish this, he measured the heads of Jewish immigrants in New York City ghettos. Presumably, they were members of the dolichocephalic (long-headed) Mediterranean race, and indeed, the immigrants tended to fit that pattern. However, their children, born in America, were members of the brachicephalic (round-headed) Alpine race. Apparently, they had changed race within one generation of having moved to America. Boas explained this anomaly as being the product of different diets between the parents and their children during their growth years and not the result of race at all.

Boas’s first PhD student, Alfred Louis Kroeber, and Kroeber’s students spent the first two decades of the 20th century conducting “salvage ethnology” to preserve cultures that were, or already had, become extinct. The most famous of these cases, both within and outside of anthropology, is the story of Ishi, the last member of the California Yahi tribe, whom Kroeber brought to Berkeley to serve as the key respondent from a vanished people. In 1919, Kroeber applied anthropological techniques to discover the rapprochement between fashion and economic cycles in his hem-length study. He demonstrated that one could determine (and perhaps predict) economic cycles by the rise or fall of women’s dress and skirt lengths. The 1920s also found Margaret Mead (1928/1973) making recommendations on sex education to the American educational establishment in the last two chapters of her doctoral dissertation, published as Coming of Age in Samoa.

In Europe, it was common during this time for anthropologists to seek employment in colonial governments: Anthropologists from the Netherlands were employed by their government to provide ethnographic data on its Indonesian colony; Northcote Thomas used anthropology to aid in administrating the British colony in Nigeria; and Alfred Reginald Radcliffe-Brown served as director of education on Tonga. Somewhat later, in the 1930s, Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard (1969), in the employment of the government of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, spent several research periods among the Nuer to determine why they did not consider it necessary to uphold their treaty with the British government, among other projects. Also in the 1930s, Radcliffe-Brown first used the term applied anthropology in the article “Anthropology as Public Service and Malinowski’s Contribution to It” (although the term already had appeared in 1906 in a degree program at Oxford). Bronislaw Malinowski himself, had coined the term practicing anthropology for nonacademic anthropology.

In 1932, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt appointed the anthropologist John Collier to Commissioner of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). Collier then employed fellow anthropologists Julian Steward, Clyde Kluckhohn, and others in the applied anthropology office to investigate Native American cultures and to counsel the BIA in regard to the Indian Reorganization Act. The anthropologists served as intermediaries between the BIA and Native Americans during the drawing of tribal constitutions and charters. Also in the 1930s, Edward Sapir’s student, Benjamin Lee Whorf, applied anthropological linguists to the analysis of fire insurance investigations, and anthropologist W. Lloyd Warner was hired by the Western Electric Company to study worker productivity in its bank-wiring facility. Warner employed qualitative ethnographic techniques, such as participant observation and informal interviewing, that previously had been used in nonindustrial, non-Western societies in one of the first applications of “industrial anthropology.”

The 1940s brought about the efflorescence of the field with the founding of the Society for Applied Anthropology (SfAA) by Margaret Mead, Conrad Arensberg, and Eliot Chapple. They published the journal Applied Anthropology to counter what they saw as academic bias against practical, nontheoretical work. In 1949, the name of the journal was changed to Human Organization, and the SfAA code of ethics was created. Despite this, Melville Herskovits taught in the late 1940s that applied anthropology was racist and should not be practiced, according to one of his former students.

Today, a variety of organizations specialize in applied anthropology. The Consortium of Practicing and Applied Anthropology Programs (COPAA), chaired by Linda A. Bennett of the University of Memphis, lists and gives a brief description of some of these organizations on its Web site, including the COPAA , the SfAA , and the National Association for the Practice of Anthropology within the American Anthropological Association .

The COPAA also lists regional organizations, which include the Washington Association of Professional Anthropologists; the High Plains Society for Applied Anthropology; the Chicago Association for Practicing Anthropologists; the Sun Coast Organization of Practicing Anthropologists; the California Alliance of Local Practitioner Organizations that embraces the Southern California Applied Anthropology Network, the Bay Area Association of Practicing Anthropologists, and the Central Valley Applied Anthropology Network; and the Mid-South Association of Professional Anthropologists. It was during World War II that Margaret Mead headed a group of anthropologists who served in the Office of Strategic Services. In addition to Mead, Ruth Benedict, Ralph Linton, Julian Steward, and Clyde Kluckhohn, among others (including such interdisciplinary notables as Erik Erikson), worked on the Committee on Food Habits, the Culture at a Distance national character project, theWar Relocation Authority, and others, in order to aid in the U.S. war effort. A description of their work and methods was published (Mead & Rhoda, 1949) after the war as The Study of Culture at a Distance. Following the war, anthropologists also worked for the U.S. Pacific protectorates’ administrations.

Applied Anthropology in the Mid-20th Century

The fox project.

In the late 1940s, Sol Tax of the University of Chicago wanted to develop a program that would give field experience to anthropology students. To do this, he began the Fox Project in 1948 to look into social organization and leadership in the Fox/Tama settlement, which was facing acculturative pressures from the neighboring Euro-American community. Although they tried to become involved in the amelioration of the acculturative process, they had no authority to do so. Thus, they developed a theoretical agenda that became known as “action anthropology.” In 1953, the group consulted with the Fox project and developed a framework for action that was funded by a private foundation. University of Iowa students joined the University of Chicago group, and together they created the Fox Indian Educational Program and began the Tama Indian Crafts industry.

About the time that the Fox project was nearing its completion in 1952, Edward Spicer’s book, Human Problems in Technological Change, was published. That same year Allen Holmberg began Cornell University’s 14-year experiment: the “Peru Vicos Project.” Cornell University had rented Vicos, a feudal estate in Peru, as a living laboratory to study social engineering on the Quechua-speaking peasantry, to test theories of modernization, and to develop models for community advocacy and culture brokering.

1964: Project Camelot

Project Camelot had the potential to be a low point in the application of anthropology in the late 20th century. In December 1964, the Office of the Director of the Special Operations Research Office of the American University in Washington, D.C., announced a new program to be funded by the army and the Department of Defense. The program extensively would employ anthropological fieldworkers in government research for 3 to 4 years. In theory, it was a project that was intended to develop a systems model that would enable the prediction of social changes that in turn could develop into political movements in third world nations that might threaten the United States—specifically in Latin American countries (where a field office was planned) but with plans to expand globally. Its objectives were to formulate means to predict civil wars and revolutions; to identify means to prevent civil wars, insurgency, and counterinsurgency movements in particular societies; and to develop a system of field methods to collect the information to accomplish the two previous objectives. The budget was expected to be in the $1.5 million range annually.

Some anthropologists feared that applying anthropology to aid Latin American government’s repression of political movements was unethical and would hinder development of societies in those countries. A more horrific potential outcome to the field ethnographers was the possible executions of their field respondents. In response to the outcry from the social science community, Project Camelot was cancelled in July 1965.

Nonetheless, not all social scientists found Project Camelot to be totally objectionable. Beyond the satisfaction of the obvious and never-ending quest for research funding, which it would have provided, albeit from sources that are suspect to many in the academic community, there is the less obvious appeal of ethnography finally having some input into government international policy, something that had been called for over decades. Likewise, many anthropologists in that era had gotten their starts in the military by having had their first international experiences during the second World War and their educations financed by the government issue, or GI, Bill. Rather, it was the possible outcomes of their research that convinced the community to object to Project Camelot.

Also in the 1960s, medical anthropologists working with the Foré tribe of New Guinea traced the origins of a deadly neurological disease, kuru, to cannibalism by using traditional qualitative techniques, such as collecting life histories; Margaret Mead testified before Congress on birth control and marijuana, and she coined the term generation gap to describe a global phenomenon that had never occurred previously in human history; Jules Henry’s Culture Against Man described the Orwellian nature of popular advertising in American society; Jomo Kenyatta applied his PhD in anthropology from the London School of Economics under Malinowski to running the government of Kenya, with its diverse ethnic makeup, as its first president under the slogan Harambe, or “let us pull together” in Kiswahili. Oscar Lewis conducted his “family life histories” in Mexico City (The Children of Sanchez) and New York (La Vida) and described the poor as living in a selfperpetuating “culture of poverty.” Although this was criticized widely as an attempt to blame the poor for their condition, it also could be said that Lewis was acknowledging the wisdom of people who lived on the edge and their ability to survive and fully exploit their economic niches.

James P. Spradley conducted a Herculean application of ethnoscience to “tramp” culture in Seattle in the 1960s to determine the emic structure of the society in order to make recommendations for improved treatments to social workers, police, psychiatrists, and alcohol treatment centers. It was published as You Owe Yourself a Drunk: An Ethnography of Urban Nomads in 1970. In 1969, George Foster wrote the first textbook on development and change agency, Applied Anthropology, in which he cited changes in human behavior as a primary goal in order to solve social, economic, and technological problems. He followed this up in 1973 with Traditional Societies and Technological Change.

Applied Anthropology in the Late 20th Century

In 1974, the University of South Florida began the first master of arts degree program to focus specifically on training students for careers in applied anthropology. The options available to those students form a wide range of topics that define applied anthropology. Among them are archaeology, Cultural Resource Management, economic development, educational anthropology, immigration, medical anthropology, race, gender, ethnicity, and urban policy and community development. Among the reasons for such theoretical breadth is the realization that many master of arts students do not choose to pursue a doctor of philosophy degree, and this curriculum, then, qualifies them to work in specialized professions outside of academia. The reader will note that work outside of academia is known as practicing anthropology, and in 1978 the University of South Florida first published the journal Practicing Anthropology. Graduate programs in applied anthropology are becoming more widespread in the United States since that time; for example, the master’s program in applied anthropology at California State University, Long Beach, has three program options: communities/ organizations, health, and education. Northern Kentucky University’s anthropology program is long known for its award-winning Web site with information on where undergraduate anthropology majors, who cannot or do not choose to attend graduate programs, can find jobs outside of academia; currently, it is in the process of developing a master’s program in applied anthropology.

Programs in Applied Anthropology

COPAA lists member programs on its Web site for those interested in pursuing a career in applied anthropology. The Web site notes that there are other programs that are not currently COPAA members. Among the universities in consortium are the University of Alaska, Anchorage; American University; University of Arizona; California State University, East Bay; California State University, Long Beach; University of Florida, Gainesville; The GeorgeWashington University; University of Georgia; Georgia State University; Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis; University of Kentucky; University of Maryland; University of Memphis; Mississippi State University; Montclair State University; University of North Carolina at Greensboro; University of North Texas; Northern Arizona University; Oregon State University; Santa Clara University; San Jose State University; the University of South Florida; the University of Texas at San Antonio; and Wayne State University.

The first doctoral program in applied anthropology was begun at the University of South Florida (USF) in 1984. Although the master of arts curriculum had been intended for nonacademic professions, the PhD curriculum trained students for university careers, as well as for practicing anthropology. USF’s Center for Applied Anthropology combines these two objectives in ventures such as the Human Services Information System database and the Alliance for Applied Research in Education and Anthropology.

In the 1960s and 1970s, Napoleon Chagnon and James Neel conducted genetics research for the American Atomic Energy Commission in an ethnographic setting. Chagnon was the ethnographer, and Neel was the geneticist. Their work was designed to determine the effects of the forces of evolution (such as the founder effect) on small populations in order to determine how genes might affect survival following a nuclear destruction of modern civilization. Their research took them to the Orinoco River basin in southeastern Venezuela where they established contact and conducted research among the Yanomamo, an isolated, horticultural, tribal society. Out of this research came Chagnon’s ethnography, The Yanomamo: The Fierce People. From its very early days, the project was heavily documented on film, and their classic documentary, The Yanomamo: A Multidisciplinary Study, became a standard in both cultural and physical anthropology classrooms. In the film, Chagnon and Neal become aware of a measles epidemic sweeping up the Orinoco Basin toward the Yanomamo. They acquire a vaccine that contains a weakened strain of the live virus and conduct mass inoculations of the Yanomamo against measles.

Although their work was met with criticism from the outset, none was quite as virulent as the later criticism contained in Patrick Tierney’s 2000 book, Darkness in El Dorado, and its aftermath. Tierney claimed that Chagnon and Neel had been conducting Josef Mengele-like genetics experiments on the Yanomamo by injecting them with the live measles virus to see who would live and who would die—not, as shown in the documentary, to protect them from an epidemic. By that time, Neel was dead, and although Chagnon was retired, he filed a lawsuit against Tierney in which he and Neel eventually were vindicated. Currently, calls are being made in anthropology to disband the “El Dorado Task Force” set up to investigate this case.

In the 1980s, Philippe Bourgois conducted field research among Hispanic crack (“rock” cocaine, which is smoked) dealers in the Harlem area of NewYork. This was not an update of Elliott Liebow’s Tally’s Corner nor of Oscar Lewis’s La Vida. Rather, it is what Bourgois refers to as a “culture of terror” that exploits an underground economy. Bourgois argues that this renders the crack dealers unexploitable by the larger, legal society as they pursue their interpretations of the “American dream.”

Across the Atlantic, anthropologists and other social scientists began to influence government policies in the Republic of Ireland in the late 1980s, according to ThomasWilson and Hastings Donnan, via what are called the economic and social partnerships with government. This should not be confused with hegemony as may have been the case with the 1960s American “military-industrial complex.” Rather, in a country in which anthropology traditionally had been practiced by foreign scholars investigating semi-isolated rural communities, it was a remarkable innovation for anthropologists and other academics to have creative input, with their governmental partner, in the policies that led to the Celtic Tiger economy in what had been one of the poorest countries in Europe and the social structural transformations that allowed the “boom” to filter down to the public at large. Anthropologists also have been called on more recently in Ireland to assist the government with ethnic minority issues, especially those of the indigenous minority, the travelling community.

Since the beginning of the 1990s, nonacademic jobs for anthropologists have increased, and more anthropologists have found themselves involved in the business world, especially in marketing, although the irony of this may not be lost on those who were students when Jules Henry’s anti-MadisonAvenue research, published as Culture Against Man, was a popular textbook in the 1960s and 1970s. Much of the new material centers around cultural miscues that corporations and individuals make in advertising— physical gestures, slang, and so on—when acting crossculturally (e.g., Chevrolet’s attempt to market the Nova automobile in Latin America where the homonym of the name means “does not go” or Gerber’s attempt to market baby food with an infant’s picture on the label in parts of Africa where labels routinely showed the containers’ contents for consumers who could not read). Other businessoriented approaches fall more along the lines of the Western Electric bank-wiring study (noted above) conducted by W. Lloyd Warner in the 1930s.

Nonetheless, some members of the anthropological community still consider business anthropology to be “colluding with the enemy,” according to Jason S. Parker of Youngstown State University in a recent article in the Society for Applied Anthropology Newsletter. Parker points out that these same critics, who stigmatize those applied anthropologists that work in business, are not offering any jobs to their recently minted bachelor’s degree graduates, who must then look elsewhere. Parker argues that the anthropological perspective can benefit the employees, as well as the corporations, through the inclusion of their input in the manufacturing processes.

Ann T. Jordan has written a persuasive argument for the use of anthropology in the business world in her book Business Anthropology. Jordan cites a number of cases in which anthropologists have ameliorated conditions that had the potential to lead to labor disharmony through managerial insensitivity to working conditions. Likewise, she explains that cross-cultural conflicts and misunderstandings on the job could easily be avoided with anthropological input.

Applied Anthropology Today

Louise Lamphere suggested a convergence of applied, practicing, and public anthropology in 2004. Lamphere argues that anthropologists in the 21st century should collaborate with each other, as well as with the groups that they are investigating, on archaeological research, health, urban, and environmental topics to unify their work on critical social, educational, and political issues. The traditional research populations increasingly want greater degrees of jurisdiction over what is written about them, and applied anthropologists, especially those influenced by the feminist critique, have advocated more collaboration with their respondents on ethnographic publications and museum exhibits in order to express more emic perspectives. This joint participation in the research and presentation process (whether by publication or museum display) fosters skills and generates capacities for indigenous change within communities.

Charles Menzies erects a paradigm to foster these joint ventures based on his work with the Gitkxaala Nation in British Columbia, which consists of four stages. First, the anthropologist opens a dialogue with the community that may suggest modifications to the research protocol. Then, research continues to grow and change in consultation with the respondents—who now are becoming “coethnographers.” Next, the research is conducted jointly between academics and members of the society. Finally, the data and results are analyzed by the joint team and the reports are coauthored. Lamphire advocates training students to conduct collaborative research of this nature as anthropologists increasingly find themselves employed by nonacademic public and private organizations.

21st-century anthropologists increasingly find themselves involved in policy-making jobs in areas as diverse as libraries and the army. The University of Rochester library hired anthropologist Nancy Fried Foster, under a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, to study undergraduates’ term paper research, to steer library renovations, and to make suggestions on the redesign of its Web site. Foster used traditional anthropological research methods to discover that not only are many students extremely uncomfortable with the increasing technological changes that universities are forcing on them but also that they use the libraries to escape from them.

Anthropologists and the Military

A recent Society for Applied Anthropology Newsletter reports that anthropologists increasingly may become involved in work with the military via a program called the Human Terrain System under the Department of Defense (DoD). According to Susan L. Andreatta, president of the SfAA, the DoD wants to employ graduate-level anthropologists in Iraq and Afghanistan. Opinions on this are divided, but one may note that the Society was founded by anthropologists who worked for the war effort in the 1940s.

The anthropologist and senior consultant to the Human Terrain Systems project is Montgomery McFate. William Roberts of St. Mary’s College, Maryland, describes her argument as one in which a military that has greater understanding of indigenous civilians in war zones will reduce loss of life and cultural destruction.

Also, archaeologists may be involved with the military on sensitive issues. As of this writing, archaeologist Laurie Rush serves as a cultural resources manager at the United States Army’s Fort Drum, where she works with the Integrated Training Area Management unit of the DoD’s Legacy Program to develop a consciousness for archaeological treasures. This project arose out of a British Museum report that detailed the construction of a helicopter pad by U.S. Marines on the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon, the destruction of a 2.5-millenniaold brick road, and the filling of sandbags with artifacts. Part of Rush’s program involves building models of archaeological sites, mosques, and cemeteries for soldiers to train to avoid.

Forensic Anthropology, Ethnic Cleansing, and Political Dissidents

Television programs such as Crime Scene Investigation (CSI), CSI: Miami, CSI: New York, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) have sparked an international interest in forensics. This, in turn, has led to a student population interested in forensic anthropology. Cable television’s Discovery Health channel has created a true-life version of the CSI phenomenon with its Forensic Files program, which features cases solved by forensic anthropologists, such as Elizabeth Murray of the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati who works regularly with law enforcement agencies across the country.

The ABC News and Christian Science Monitor Web sites occasionally report on the applications of forensic science. They describe forensic anthropologists and archaeologists who have been involved in the identification of the remains of the nearly 3,000 victims of the September 11, 2001, attack; Jon Stereberg, a forensic archaeologist, has tried to trace the evidence of 1992 gas attacks in the clothing of victims in the Balkans; and Clyde Collins Snow, a retired forensic archaeologist, has investigated grave sites in Guatemala, Bosnia, and Iraq. Currently, forensic specialists, such as Ariana Fernandez, are examining the bodies of Kurdish people who were found in mass graves and who are believed to have been massacred in a genocide attack during the Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq.

Applied Anthropology and Tourism

The travel and tourism industry is in dire need of the services of anthropologists, and this is becoming an attractive employment option to anthropology graduates, according to Susan Banks, an anthropologist involved in the travel industry. Too often, tourists will go to exotic locales where they believe that they are seeing the actual types of lives lived in those places, unaware that they are being fed a fabricated culture designed, not to expose them to life in other places, but to screen them from the true ways of life found in those locations. Commonly, tourists are discouraged from visiting local towns and actually learning something about the countries that they have visited. Anthropology can offer a remedy to this problem and provide some much-needed income to the local economies. Exploitation and insensitivity to indigenous people by culturally uninformed tourists does little to change the image of the “ugly American.” Likewise, the international sex trade both exploits and victimizes indigenous peoples and furthers the spread of dangerous diseases, such as HIV/AIDS.

Environmental degradation of local ecologies is another problem of culturally ignorant tourism. For this reason, Susan Charnley, in an article in Human Organization in 2005, suggests a change from nature tourism to ecotourism. She cites the case of Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) in Tanzania. Nature tourism involves traveling to pristine locations where tourists can experience and enjoy nature; ecotourism involves traveling to natural areas that conserve the local ecology while respecting the rights of the local cultures and encouraging sustainable development. Charnley makes the case for the increasingly difficult position of the Massai people since the creation of the NCA and the negative effect it has had on their economy. Charnley argues for culturally appropriate involvement of local people in tourist destinations in ways that will provide actual benefits to their communities. These benefits would include social and political justice and involvement in decision-making processes that directly influence their lives.

A selection of articles from Human Organization from the first decade of the 21st century includes such topics as the administration of federally managed fisheries, including a discussion of the role of James A. Acheson who was the first applied anthropologist hired by the National Marine Fisheries Service in 1974 to conduct policy research and implementation through conservation and stewardship of marine ecosystems.

Another article described the importance of beer parties among Xhosa labor cooperatives on homesteads in South Africa. An article that has to do with changes in gender relations and commercial activities, as the global market expands to countries such as Mali, explores how the outside world can force local peoples to change the structure of their society by giving advantages to one gender over the other when that may not have been the case previously. What can be seen as a parallel between the popular use of family trusts in the United States in the 1980s and 1990s and a move from individual land tenure to collective, kinbased ownership on Mokil Atoll in Micronesia, as the region’s political, economic, and demographic transformation has imperiled the rights of absentee owners. By placing the land ownership in the kin group, it is protected from individual alienation.

A 2007 article by Kathryn Forbes is especially topical in the current social, economic, and political climate of the United States today. Forbes’s article examines how the regional land use of ideologies and popular images of farm workers has contributed to a housing crisis for Mexican agricultural laborers in Fresno County, California. Stereotypic descriptions of Mexican farm workers have resulted in the formulation of zoning codes that exacerbate demographic segregation in Fresno County. Most farm workers live in rural areas, which are more economical and more convenient to their sources of income but where there are fewer retail outlets—including groceries. The arrival of seasonal laborers, combined with a lack of affordable housing thanks to local policymakers, has engendered a regional overcrowding crisis for Mexican farm workers. Forbes’s role in this discussion is similar to the review of the roles that anthropology can play in public policy cited by Wilson and Donnan (2006) in Ireland.

Future Directions in Applied Anthropology

Forbes’s article is especially relevant to the United States today as the influx of immigrant labor, thanks in part to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), has made the appearance of Hispanic laborers a topic of vituperative discussion on national radio talk shows and political campaigns. This is a point that falls clearly within the purview of social science rather than politics as anthropological demographers and gerontologists clearly can demonstrate that not only does the country require immigrant labor because of statistical “full employment,” but also it needs to save social security from the influx of baby boom retirees.

The bankruptcy of social security was predicted in university classes as long ago as the 1970s. The increase in life spans, coupled with the potentially disastrous demographic effect of a baby boom generation that will retire to be supported by a much smaller (thanks to the introduction of the birth control pill in the 1960s) birth dearth/baby bust cohort, has the potential to lead to economic disaster for the latter group as their increasing social security taxes erode their quality of life. The baby boom retirees’ social security taxes must be replaced from somewhere—if not by eroding the birth dearth/baby bust cohort’s quality of life, then by an influx of tax contributors, for example, immigrant laborers.

Anthropologists are in a unique position to act as the social partners of policymakers on this issue not only by means of their demographic and gerontological expertise but also by their ethnographic contributions to allay the concerns of the extant non-Hispanic population of the United States over its possible perception of cultural drowning by immersion in a neo-Hispanic society del Norte (“land of the north”).

Likewise, anthropological expertise in indigenous Latin American medical beliefs, such as hot and cold, wet and dry bodily conditions derived from the ancient Mediterranean medical concept of humors where illnesses were believed to be caused by an imbalance of humors; folk illnesses, such as susto (“fright”), a culture bound syndrome found in southern Mexico in which an individual who does not recover from an illness is believed to have had a terrible fright in the past that prevents recovery from the unrelated illness (Rubel, O’Nell, & Collado-Ardon, 1991); and cultural sensitivities to variations in conceptions of sexual modesty and familial responsibilities will form a necessary component in the rapprochement of the two larger cultures although this may be difficult in cases of smaller subcultures.

Other areas for future research in applied anthropology include human trafficking (briefly cited in the discussion of tourism); indigenous rights (e.g., salmon fishing among the native Northwest coast peoples in North America, cattle grazing in the Burren in County Clare, Ireland, or the effects of water control on the Marsh Arabs of southern Iraq); anthropometry and gender (in the cultural sense, not the linguistic sense) stereotypes and gender rearing roles; cultural relativism versus cultural interference, including whether or not Muslim women need to be “saved” or if Western hegemonists even have the right to do so; genital mutilation (male as well as female); the role of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in distributing information and treatment of HIV/AIDS; food waste, diet and health, and body image; intelligent design, globalization and hightech industry; and the role of biology and culture in psychiatric illnesses, to name but a few of the possibilities open to applied research in anthropology.

In an article titled “Making Our Voices Heard—Ethical Dilemmas and Opportunities,” in the November 2007 Society for Applied Anthropology Newsletter, Mark Schuller of Vassar College gives a good review of the future of applied research in anthropology. Schuller writes that many anthropologists believe that their contributions are considered marginal and irrelevant and are passed over in policy making based on a review of the leading anthropological journals and newsletters. He argues that applied anthropologists with a holistic viewpoint can inform policymakers regarding the integrated structural correlation among debt and poverty, education, health care, and local welfare via their engagement with local communities. Schuller calls for local, global, and ethical analysis of current concerns to make anthropology applicable in the “real” world. He suggests that a good way to apply anthropology is through teaching; his students investigate public policies and then send letters to the editors of newspapers in order to introduce anthropological viewpoints into current policy discussions.

Schuller has been keyword-searching “anthropology” on Google and reports that he has found at least two stories a day in which anthropologists are interviewed or have authored stories in media outlets. Among the included issues that his students or other anthropologists have written about in daily news publications is the part played by anthropologists in clandestine activities, inequalities of globalization, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) health care bill, the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, No Child Left Behind, prison reform, disclosure of hormone content in milk, Hurricane Katrina “fatigue,” and the cancellation of international debt in impoverished nations of South America.

In the same issue, Amanda Stronza of Texas A&M University describes a new program in applied biodiversity science, which also will tackle poverty and cultural inequality. The interdisciplinary research program integrates cooperation between social and biological sciences and conservation organizations at the applied level. Research topics are to incorporate biodiversity with local legislative policy in partnership among academia, governments, NGOs, and local societies in four regions of the Americas.

This article has explored the subject of applied anthropology and provided the list of applied anthropology research paper topics. It was done from a historical perspective in order to gain a processual understanding of how it arrived at the state in which it is found in early 21st-century anthropology.

A brief definition of applied anthropology was followed by a review of the origins of applied anthropology in the 19th century and a history of the field through WorldWar II, the Fox Project, the PeruVicos Project, and Project Camelot. The section on the later 20th century led into applied anthropology today and topics for future research.

Bibliography:

Boas, F. (1903). Heredity in head form. American Anthropologist, 5(3), 530–538.
Bourgois, P. (1995). In search of respect: Selling crack in El Barrio. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Carlson, S. (2007). An anthropologist in the library. Chronicle of Higher Education, 53(50), A26.
Chagnon, N. (1997). Yanomamo (5th ed.). Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace College.
Colburn, L. L., Abbott-Jamieson, S., & Clay, P. M. (2006). Anthropological applications in the management of federally managed fisheries: Context, institutional history, and prospectus. Human Organization, 65(3), 231–239.
Dobyns, H. F., Doughty, P. L., & Lasswell, H. D. (Eds.). (1971). Peasants, power, and applied social change: Vicos as a model. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Evans-Pritchard, E. E. (1969). The Nuer: A description of the modes of livelihood and political institutions of a Nilotic people. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Forbes, K. (2007). Bureaucratic strategies of exclusion: Land use ideology and images of Mexican farm workers in housing policy. Human Organization, 66(2), 196–209.
Foster, G. M. (1973). Traditional societies and technological change. New York: Harper & Row.
Harris, M. (1968). The rise of anthropological theory. New York: Harper & Row.
Henry, J. (1963). Culture against man. New York: Vintage Books.
Horowitz, I. L. (Ed.). (1967). The rise and fall of project Camelot: Studies in the relationship between social science and practical politics. Cambridge: MIT Press.
Jordan, A. T. (2003). Business anthropology. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press.
Kroeber, A. L. (1919). On the principle of order in civilization as exemplified by changes of fashion. American Anthropologist, 21(3), 253–263.
Lamphere, L. (2004). The convergence of applied, practicing and public anthropology in the 21st century. Human Organization, 63(4), 431–443.
Lewis, O. (1963). The children of Sanchez: Autobiography of a Mexican family. New York: Vintage Books.
Lewis, O. (1966). La vida: A Puerto Rican family in the culture of poverty—San Juan and New York. New York: Random House.
Liebow, E. (1967). Tally’s corner. Boston: Little, Brown.
Madian, L., & Oppenheim, A. N. (1969). Knowledge for what? The Camelot legacy: The dangers of sponsored research in the social sciences. British Journal of Sociology, 20(3), 326–336.
McAlister, P. (2004). Labor and beer in the Transeki, South Africa: Xhosa work parties in historical and contemporary perspective. Human Organization, 63 (1), 100–111.
Mead, M. (1973). Coming of age in Samoa: A psychological study of primitive youth for Western civilization. New York: American Museum of Natural History. (Original work published 1928)
Mead, M., & Rhoda M. (Eds.). (1949). The study of culture at a distance. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Oles, B. (2007). Access and alienation: The promise and threat of stewardship on Mokil Atoll. Human Organization, 66(1), 78–89.
Rubel, A. J., O’Nell, C. W., & Collado-Ardón, R. (1991). Susto: A folk illness. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Schuller, M. (2007). Making our voices heard: Ethical dilemmas and opportunities. Society for Applied Anthropology Newsletter, 18(4), 15–17.
Spradley, J. P. (1970). You owe yourself a drunk: An ethnography of urban nomads. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press.
Stronza, A. (2007). New graduate research opportunity in applied biodiversity science. Society for Applied Anthropology Newsletter, 18(4), 43–44.
Tax, S. (1975). Action anthropology. Current Anthropology, 16(4), 514–517.
Tierney, P. (2000). Darkness in El Dorado: How scientists and journalists devastated the Amazon. New York: W.W. Norton.
van Willigen, J. (1993). Applied anthropology (Rev. ed).Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey.
Whorf, B. L. (1964). Language, thought, and reality: Selected writings of Benjamin Lee Whorf (J. B. Carroll, Ed.). Cambridge: MIT Press.
Wilson, T. M., & Donnan, H. (2006). The anthropology of Ireland. Oxford, UK: Berg.
Wooten, S. (2003). Women, men and market gardens: Gender relations and income generation in rural Mali. Human Organization, 62(2), 166–177.

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Medical Anthropology

Medical anthropology is the study of how health and illness are shaped, experienced, and understood in the context of cultural, historical, and political forces. It is one of the most exciting subfields of anthropology and has increasingly clear relevance for students and professionals interested in the complexity of disease states, diagnostic categories, and what comes to count as pathology or health.

At Stanford some of our principal areas of inquiry include cultures of medicine, the social nature of emergent biotechnology, the economics of bodily injury, psychic expressions of disorder, the formation of social networks on health, the lived experience of disability and inequality, caregiving, and ever-changing concepts of human biological difference and race. We work in Africa, Asia, and Latin America in addition to the United States and its borderlands. We engage with patients, health scientists, and larger publics at home and abroad in order to contribute to a more robust understanding of the way poverty, social status, war, racism, and nationalism produce illness and disease. We look both at the broad forces of structural violence and the microphenomenology of pain and suffering. Our program seeks students who creatively imagine interdisciplinary approaches to health questions, wish to increase dialogue with medical professionals, and aim to rethink operative principles within science and medicine.

Our core group of faculty includes:

Angela Garcia: Professor Garcia’s work explores political, economic and psychic processes through which illness and suffering is produced and lived. Through long-term ethnographic research with poor families and communities struggling with multigenerational experiences of addiction, depression, and incarceration, she draws attention to emerging forms of care and kinship, accounts of cultural history and subjectivities, and relations of affect and intimacy, that are essential to understanding health and life. Working in the United States and Mexico, her work also demonstrates the urgent need for drug law reform and new approaches to ethics and therapeutics as they concern suffering in shared and transgressive formations.

Duana Fullwiley: Professor Fullwiley explores how global and historical notions of health, disease, race, and power yield biological consequences that bear on scientific definitions of human difference. Through an ethnographic engagement with geneticists and the populations they study, she underscores the importance of expanding the conceptual terrain of genetic causation to include poverty and on-going racial stratification. She explicitly writes in the long histories of inequality and dispossession suffered by global minorities that often go missing from medical narratives of genetic disease and ideas of “population-based” severity. Working in France, West Africa and the United States, she details the legacy effects of postcolonial, post-Reconstruction, and Progressive Era science policies on present-day health outcomes. She also chronicles the remnants of racial thinking in new population genetic research and works with scientists to redress them.

Lochlann Jain: Professor Jain's research is primarily concerned with the ways in which stories get told about injuries, how they are thought to be caused, and how that matters. Figuring out the political and social significance of these stories has led to the study of law, product design, medical error, and histories of engineering, regulation, corporations, and advertising.

Matthew Kohrman: Professor Kohrman’s research and writing bring anthropological methods to bear on the ways health, culture, and politics are interrelated. Focusing on the People's Republic of China, he engages various intellectual terrains such as governmentality, gender theory, political economy, critical science studies, narrativity, and embodiment. His first monograph, Bodies of Difference: Experiences of Disability and Institutional Advocacy in the Making of Modern China, raises questions about how embodied aspects of human existence, such as our gender, such as our ability to propel ourselves through space as walkers, cyclists and workers, become founts for the building of new state apparatuses of social provision, in particular, disability-advocacy organizations. Over the last decade, Prof. Kohrman has been involved in research aimed at analyzing and intervening in the biopolitics of cigarette smoking among Chinese citizens. This work, as seen in his recently edited volume--Poisonous Pandas: Chinese Cigarette Manufacturing in Critical Historical Perspectives--expands upon heuristic themes of his earlier disability research and engages in novel ways techniques of public health, political philosophy, and spatial history. More recently, he has begun projects linking ongoing interests at the intersection of phenomenology and political economy with questions regarding environmental attunement and the arts.

Tanya Luhrmann: Professor Luhrmann has long standing interests in schizophrenia, with work on homeless, poverty, and social defeat. Her work focuses on the edge of experience: on voices, visions, the world of the supernatural and the world of psychosis. She has done ethnography on the streets of Chicago with homeless and psychotic women, and worked with people with psychosis who hear voices in Chennai, Accra and the South Bay. She has also done fieldwork with evangelical Christians who seek to hear God speak back, with Zoroastrians who set out to create a more mystical faith, and with people who practice magic. She uses a combination of ethnographic and experimental methods to understand the phenomenology of unusual sensory experiences, the way they are shaped by ideas about minds and persons, the relationship between the voices of madness and the voices of spirit, and what we can learn from this social shaping that can help us to help those whose voices are distressing.

What sets this program apart?

An engaged orientation

Our group at Stanford believes that anthropological analysis is not just for anthropologists and not just for the classroom. It matters elsewhere. Whether it is cancer, psychiatric disease, drug addiction, injury and disability, racialized health disparities, genetic disorders or the leading cause of premature death, tobacco, we tackle issues of great importance for people the world over. In addressing the societal and bodily aspects of these problems, we encourage our students to work with affected communities, medical professionals, basic scientists, patient advocates, and health NGOs while aiming to reach even larger publics.

The goal of our work is to advance the field of anthropology, which is the disciplinary home of medical anthropology, but to do so in ways that also advance thinking within broader intellectual communities. The field of medical anthropology addresses afflictions of increasing importance that are seldom sufficiently understood by biomedicine alone. Much of our work focuses on how health problems arise from larger social issues, which must also be addressed. As we strive to dissolve the stark divides between the life and the social sciences, we work in the spirit that cross-disciplinary conversations are possible and necessary to achieve effective medicine, humane healing, and ethical science. In this vein, we encourage our students to publish in the flagship journals of anthropology but also in relevant health science and more popular mainstream venues.

Theory and Methods

We are steadfast in our commitment to ethnography, affirming its empirical merits and value for theory building. We also realize that some research questions benefit from other methods, including statistical reporting, demographic observations, and survey techniques. In its specifics, training in our program includes courses in anthropological theory, the anthropology of science and technology, psychiatric anthropology, and various area foci where specific health problems are more prevalent for geo-political reasons. We expose students to these diverse approaches to allow them to contribute innovatively to anthropology as well as to a broader set of audiences. To facilitate this work, we also collaborate with Stanford’s Center for Comparative Studies on Race and Ethnicity (CCSRE), the Center for International Studies (FSI), the Departments of Medicine and Psychiatry, the Department of Psychology, and the program on Science and Technology Studies (STS).

Duana Fullwiley

Angela Garcia

Lochlann Jain

Matthew Kohrman

Tanya Marie Luhrmann

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Anthropology.

Anthropology Research Quick Guide
Productivity Tools for Scholars
Articles & Other Sources
Selected Reference Works
Library Research Methods
Creating Machine-Generated Transcripts for A/V Files

How to Gut a (Scholarly) Book in 5 Almost-easy Steps

Finding sources.

Anthropology Plus (for ethnographies, Limit to SUBJECT: Cultural Ethnography)
Anthrosource
Annual Review of Anthropology (Anthro-specific search: Advance Search and Limit to "anthropology" in Publication Title)
KEYWORD search to find relevant or interesting sources
Look for SUBJECT terms in relevant books and articles; click on or search those
READ or SKIM abstracts, ToC, introductions, and bibliographies
Find relevant sources CITED within sources and read or skim them
REPEAT for every topic
Look for the scholarly conversation
Anthropology Plus (anthropology articles; broader search, no full text searching)
AnthroSource (anthropology articles; narrower search, full text searching)
Google Scholar (Try the "cited by” feature, Search within citations)

Anthropology Review Articles, Handbooks, and Bibliographies (Good for theory, background, and context)

Annual Review of Anthropology (review articles)
Wiley Online Library (e.g., companions to medical, political, organizational, and urban anthropology, and anthropology of the body and embodiment as well as the anthropology of various world regions)
Routledge Handbooks (Many " handbooks " to specific anthropology topics, e.g., a general companion to anthropology research and contemporary anthropology and handbooks on medical, urban, environmental, and business anthropology)
The International Encyclopedia of Anthropology
Sage Encyclopedia of Anthropology
Theory in social and cultural anthropology: an encyclopedia
Oxford Bibliographies Online: Anthropology
International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences (2nd ed.)
Catalog (Search books and journals at Princeton)
WorldCat (Search books at other libraries)
Web of Science (Try Cited Reference Search / Related Articles / Shared References)
Sociological Abstracts
Annual Review of Sociology
APA Psycinfo (psychology)
Annual Review of Psychology
GenderWatch
ATLA Religion Database
Education Full Text
Borrow Direct for books
Article Express for articles
American Anthropological Association Style Guide (AAA style is Chicago Manual of Style Author-Date system; sample CMOS Author-Date essay )
Zotero (Download bibliographic management program & browser connector, create account)
Google Drive (download it, store everything in the cloud)
Textfixer (removes line-breaks in PDFs to copy text easily from PDFs to your essay)

Finding a Scholarly Conversation

Search for recent scholarly books or articles as focused on your topic as possible. Review or “handbook” articles and scholarly encyclopedia entries make good starting places if available.
Stop searching and skim/read the books or articles for especially interesting or relevant parts that cite other scholars. Look for authors discussing other authors, not just publications listed in a bibliography.
Find the cited books or articles and skim/read them for especially interesting or relevant parts that cite other scholars.
Repeat until you start seeing connections among scholars, publications, themes, theories, etc.
To go forward in the “conversation,” use the Google Scholar “Cited By” feature to see who has cited the most useful books or articles.
Also try Web of Science: Cited Reference Search / Related Articles / Shared References

When Your Topic Doesn't Have Much Anthropology Lit to Review

Strategies for an Anthropology Literature Review When There Isn't Much Anthropology Literature on Your Topic:

Analyze fewer anthropology sources more deeply. Work with what you have.
Review any tangentially related anthropology literature .
Broaden your context until there’s enough anthropology literature to review.
Bring in relevant non-anthropological literature as needed (e.g., public health in medical anthropology), but don’t make that the only focus of your review. Use the anthropology as a lens to view the other literature.
Find theoretical sources through the practical sources.
Find scholars in conversation with each other.
Remember: there are no bad sources, only bad ways to use them.

Reviewing the Literature

From Shan-Estelle Brown. Writing in Anthropology: a Brief Guide . Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017.

REVIEWING THE LITERATURE

First Look at the Title and Identify Its Key Words
Review the Abstract
Examine the Structure
Identify the Purpose
Ask the Essential Questions:
What is the Question, Controversy, or Problem Driving the Study?
Who or What Group was Being Studied
How was the Study Executed? What Method was Used? What Kind of Study was Done?
What Questions were Addressed or Asked in the Study to Generate Data?
What was Found in the Study? What were the Results of the Study? Why did the Scientists They they Found what they Found?
How does this study—in its Methods as well as in the Findings it Shares—Relate to other Relevant or Potential Studies?

DEVELOPING YOUR ARGUMENT To move from a series of summaries to an argument, ask yourself the following:

What is my specific problem or research question?
How does each source relate to it?
What type of literature review am I conducting?
Am I seeing trends in theory, in methods, within the work of specific researchers, in findings across sources? What can I say about the trend?
What unexpected findings or patterns emerged as I read across the literature?
Are there contradictions or telling points of disagreement in the literature?
Where do I stand on the specific debates under way among the authors of the sources?
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https://www.nist.gov/forensic-science

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Forensic Science

NIST is working to strengthen forensic practice through research and improved standards. Our efforts involve three key components:

We conduct scientific research in several forensic disciplines, including DNA, ballistics, fingerprint analysis, trace evidence, and digital, among others. We provide physical reference standards and data that help forensic laboratories validate their analytical methods and ensure accurate test results.

We also support CSAFE, a NIST Center of Excellence in Forensic Science, which is working to develop new statistical methods for use in evidence examination

We co-chaired, with the Department of Justice, the National Commission on Forensic Science , which formulated recommendations for the U.S. Attorney General on matters such as accreditation requirements for forensic science service providers.

We administer the Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC), which is facilitating the development of science-based standards and guidelines for a broad array of forensic disciplines.

What Is Forensic Science?

Forensic science is the use of scientific methods or expertise to investigate crimes or examine evidence that might be presented in a court of law. Forensic science comprises a diverse array of disciplines, from fingerprint and DNA analysis to anthropology and wildlife forensics. Though they represent varied disciplines, all forensic scientists face a common set of challenges. How do you ensure that forensic methods produce reliable results? How do you communicate findings to a jury or other nonexperts in a way that is accurate and understandable? How do you keep up with new technology without falling behind on casework? Meeting these and other challenges is critical to ensuring that forensic science remains a powerful force in support of justice and public safety.

Key Accomplishments

Forensic SRMs: NIST develops standard reference materials (SRMs) for forensic science, including the Standard Bullet and the Human DNA Quantitation Standard . By helping to ensure that forensic labs produce accurate measurements when analyzing crime scene evidence, these SRMs contribute to public safety and fairness in the criminal justice system.
Digital forensics: NIST’s National Software Reference Library is one of the largest publicly known collections of computer software in the world and includes a database of millions of digital signatures from known software files. That database is a critical tool for computer forensics experts and vastly speeds up the investigation of crimes involving digital evidence.
Combating the opioid epidemic: Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids kill tens of thousands of Americans each year. NIST scientists have developed new tools that help police and forensic chemists save lives by detecting and identifying these drugs safely, efficiently and reliably.
Forensic science standards: NIST is accelerating the development and adoption of high-quality, technically sound forensic science standards by administering the Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC). OSAC-approved standards define minimum requirements, best practices and standard protocols that help ensure that the results of forensic analysis are reliable and reproducible.
Forensic DNA: NIST played a central role in developing the forensic DNA analysis techniques that have revolutionized crime fighting and have helped convict the guilty and exonerate the innocent. Among other things, NIST scientists have enabled enhanced DNA “fingerprints.”

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Safe, Efficient, Reliable: New Science in the Fight Against Killer Drugs

“A new drug might appear, then three or six months later it’s gone, replaced by something new,” said NIST chemist and program manager Marcela Najarro. “It’s a totally different ballgame than 10 or 15 years ago.”

To help with that issue and others, NIST researchers are giving law enforcement and public health experts new tools to combat fentanyl and other synthetic drugs.

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NIST Publishes Review of DNA Mixture Interpretation Methods

Spotlight: forensics videos and app for collecting trace evidence.

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Spotlight: Measuring the Decisions of Human Facial Forensic Examiners

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Researchers Analyze THC in Breath of Cannabis Smokers

Stay in touch.

Communicating Forensic Findings: Current Practices and Future Directions

Kinship and ancestry of the Celts in Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Genetic analyses of celtic burial mounds from 500 bce reveal close relationships and provide new insights into the power structures of early celtic elites.

The Celtic culture of the pre-Roman Iron Age in Western and Central Europe has left numerous traces to this day, not least in the form of enormous burial mounds and spectacular archaeological artifacts. Despite this rich legacy, much about this civilization remains hidden from us. In a collaboration between the State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments in Baden-Württemberg and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA) in Leipzig, the genomes of Celtic individuals from several burial mounds have now been reconstructed for the first time.

The burial mounds of Eberdingen-Hochdorf and Asperg-Grafenbühl, known as Fürstengräber, are among the richest burials of German prehistory, with gold finds and elaborate bronze vessels. A new genetic analysis has now revealed that the two princes, buried about 10 kilometers apart, were biologically closely related. "It has long been suspected that the two princes from the burial mounds in Eberdingen-Hochdorf and Asperg 'Grafenbühl' were related," says Dirk Krausse of the State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments, "but only now has this assumption been confirmed by the new analyses."

For the current analyses, teeth and skull bones of the inner ear were sampled at the MPI-EVA using the latest methods, and the remaining DNA was sequenced to reconstruct the genomes of a total of 31 individuals. The two central burials stand out from the rest of the group due to their close relationship.

Two princes closely related

After establishing a genetic relationship between the two individuals, the team looked at all possible connections, such as brothers, half-siblings, grandfather and grandson, as well as uncle and nephew. "Based on the fairly precise death dates, estimates of age at death and the genetic similarity of the two princes, only one scenario comes into question as uncle and nephew, more precisely: the sister of the Hochdorf prince was the mother of the Asperg prince," explains Stephan Schiffels from MPI-EVA.

"This result shows that political power in this society was most likely inherited through biological succession, comparable to a dynasty," says Joscha Gretzinger from MPI-EVA. This is also supported by evidence of relationships between other individuals from the two mounds, as well as from the much more distant Magdalenenberg mound, which was built about 100 years earlier. Gretzinger adds: "Overall, we seem to be dealing with a broad network among the Celts in Baden-Württemberg, in which political power was underpinned by biological kinship."

But how were the Celts related to other inhabitants of Iron Age Europe beyond Baden-Württemberg? A detailed analysis of the genetic origins of this group reveals a genetic origin most likely to be found in present-day France, but which was widespread throughout southern Germany at the time. In addition, several individuals show a genetic origin from Italy, which also fits well with the objects found in the graves, many of which show Mediterranean styles.

The study is therefore an important piece of the puzzle in our understanding of European history in the Middle and Late Iron Age, which, unlike the Roman and other Early Medieval periods, can hardly be researched from written sources.

Ancient Civilizations
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Materials provided by Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology . Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

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Rich gold finds and a hat made from birch bark

Journal Reference :

Joscha Gretzinger, Felicitas Schmitt, Angela Mötsch, Selina Carlhoff, Thiseas Christos Lamnidis, Yilei Huang, Harald Ringbauer, Corina Knipper, Michael Francken, Franziska Mandt, Leif Hansen, Cäcilia Freund, Cosimo Posth, Hannes Rathmann, Katerina Harvati, Günther Wieland, Lena Granehäll, Frank Maixner, Albert Zink, Wolfram Schier, Dirk Krausse, Johannes Krause, Stephan Schiffels. Evidence for dynastic succession among early Celtic elites in Central Europe . Nature Human Behaviour , 2024; DOI: 10.1038/s41562-024-01888-7

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