Anthropology Discussion Question, Essay Example

Anthropologists do study human beings wherever and whenever they find them. Humans are complex beings and there is no end to the observation possibilities. But it is because of this complexity in the subject that anthropologists often run into limitations to performing their work. There are many situations that may limit when and where an anthropologist can carry out their work. For various reasons, a person may not want certain rituals, aspects of a lifestyle, or personal details to be observed or recorded for view by others.

Cultural areas a person may not want an anthropologist to observe may center around religion, medical practice, and personal details regarding family or work. Physical areas a person may not want observed could be related to a burial site, religious grounds, or specific areas of the home. For instance, a culture may have strict limitations on the observation of female medical care. Or a man may not want to be observed smoking marijuana, from fear of losing his job. These sort of limits have an effect on how an anthropological study can be set up and conducted.

Specific instructions about what can and cannot be observed must be laid out from the start, in order to respect those under observation and to lay out a working plan for the anthropologist’s work. The cultural and physical areas that cannot be observed, or observed only with limits, are still an important piece of a particular cultural puzzle. For this reason, ways other than direct observation must be devised in order to describe the role they play within the people’s lives. Discussion of the limited subjects and interviews with people who partake in activities not directly observed would be one way to cover these areas in an anthropological study.