Difference Between Anthropology and Sociology

Definition of Anthropology

Anthropology is the scientific study of human societies, cultures, and the human experience. It encompasses various sub-fields, including cultural anthropology, archaeology, physical anthropology, and linguistic anthropology. The goal of anthropology is to understand the complexity and diversity of human behavior, both past and present, and to provide a holistic understanding of human beings and their societies.

Definition of Sociology

Sociology is the scientific study of human social behavior, relationships, and institutions. It examines how individuals and groups interact in society, and how social structures and institutions shape and is shaped by human behavior. Sociology also explores the ways in which society is organized and how it changes over time. It encompasses a wide range of topics including culture, inequality, socialization, crime, and many more. Sociology often relies on quantitative and qualitative research methods, and it is used to inform policies and practices in fields such as education, health, law, and politics.

Anthropology and Sociology – Differences

Anthropology and sociology are both social sciences that study human behavior and society, but they have some key differences:

1. Scope: Anthropology focuses on the study of human cultures, societies, and the human experience, both past and present, in all parts of the world. Sociology, on the other hand, focuses on the study of human social behavior and institutions within a particular society or culture.
2. Methodology: Anthropology often employs ethnographic methods, such as fieldwork and participant observation, to study a culture or society. Sociology, in contrast, often relies on quantitative research methods, such as surveys and statistical analysis, to study social phenomena within a particular society or culture.
3. Time perspective: Anthropology has a longer time perspective than sociology, often studying the evolution of human societies and cultures over thousands of years, while sociology typically focuses on contemporary society.
4. Focus: Anthropology has a holistic approach, studying the cultural, linguistic, social, economic, and political aspects of a society, and looking at the interconnections between them. Sociology tends to focus on specific aspects of social life, such as social class, crime, or education, and their relationship to other factors in society.
5. Subfields: Anthropology has several subfields including cultural anthropology, archaeology, physical anthropology, and linguistic anthropology. Sociology also has several subfields, but the most commonly studied subfields are social stratification, social inequality, social networks, social psychology, and criminology.

To sum up, while anthropology and sociology have many similarities, they differ in the scope of their inquiry, the methods they use to study society, and the types of questions they ask about human behavior and social life.

Comparison Chart

Here is a comparison chart that summarizes the main differences between Anthropology and Sociology:

Feature	Anthropology	Sociology
Scope	Study of human cultures, societies, and the human experience, both past and present, in all parts of the world.	Study of human social behavior and institutions within a particular society or culture.
Methodology	Ethnographic methods such as fieldwork and participant observation.	Quantitative research methods such as surveys and statistical analysis.
Time perspective	Longer time perspective, often studying the evolution of human societies and cultures over thousands of years.	Typically focuses on contemporary society.
Focus	Holistic approach, studying the cultural, linguistic, social, economic, and political aspects of a society.	Focuses on specific aspects of social life, such as social class, crime, or education.
Subfields	Cultural anthropology, archaeology, physical anthropology, and linguistic anthropology.	Social stratification, social inequality, social networks, social psychology, and criminology.

Please note that this chart is not exhaustive and there may be some overlaps in the subfields as well.

Similarities Between Anthropology vs Sociology

Anthropology and sociology are both social sciences that study human behavior and society, and they share some similarities:

1. Both disciplines are concerned with understanding the complexity of human behavior and the ways in which individuals and groups interact in society.
2. Both use a variety of research methods, including both quantitative and qualitative methods, to gather and analyze data.
3. Both disciplines aim to provide a holistic understanding of human societies and cultures and to understand the interconnectedness of different aspects of social life.
4. Both disciplines are concerned with understanding the ways in which social structures and institutions shape human behavior, as well as how human behavior shapes social structures and institutions.
5. Both disciplines also examine the ways in which society changes over time and how social patterns vary across different cultures and societies.
6. Both disciplines are interested in understanding the relationship between individual experiences and the larger social and cultural context.
7. Both disciplines are concerned with the study of inequality, power, and social change.
8. Both disciplines are concerned with the study of social problems, such as poverty, crime, and discrimination.
9. Both disciplines are concerned with the study of people and culture, and therefore have a lot of overlaps in their research areas and methods.
10. Both disciplines are interdisciplinary and often draw on insights from other social sciences, such as economics, psychology, and political science, to understand the complexities of human societies and cultures.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about the differences and similarities between anthropology and sociology:

1. What are the main differences between anthropology and sociology? The main differences between anthropology and sociology are the scope of their inquiry, the methods they use to study society, and the types of questions they ask about human behavior and social life. Anthropology focuses on the study of human cultures, societies, and the human experience, both past and present, in all parts of the world. Sociology, on the other hand, focuses on the study of human social behavior and institutions within a particular society or culture.
2. What are the main similarities between anthropology and sociology? The main similarities between anthropology and sociology are that both disciplines are concerned with understanding the complexity of human behavior and the ways in which individuals and groups interact in society. Both use a variety of research methods, including both quantitative and qualitative methods, to gather and analyze data. Both disciplines aim to provide a holistic understanding of human societies and cultures, and to understand the interconnectedness of different aspects of social life.
3. What are the subfields of anthropology? The subfields of anthropology include cultural anthropology, archaeology, physical anthropology, and linguistic anthropology.
4. What are the subfields of sociology? The subfields of sociology include social stratification, social inequality, social networks, social psychology, and criminology.
5. Can I study both anthropology and sociology at the same time? Yes, it is possible to study both anthropology and sociology at the same time, and many universities offer programs that combine the two disciplines.
6. Is anthropology or sociology better for studying a particular topic? The choice between anthropology and sociology depends on the specific topic and research question. For example, if you are interested in studying the culture and traditions of a particular society, anthropology would be more appropriate. If you are interested in studying patterns of crime in a particular society, sociology would be more appropriate.
7. Can anthropology or sociology be applied in the real world? Both anthropology and sociology can be applied in the real world. They provide valuable insights into human behavior and social phenomena and can be used to inform policies and practices in fields such as education, health, law, and politics.

Reference Books

Here are some popular reference books for anthropology and sociology

Anthropology:

1. “Cultural Anthropology” by Ember and Ember
2. “Anthropology: The Basics” by Peter Metcalf and Richard Huntington
3. “A History of Anthropological Theory” by Paul A. Erickson and Liam D. Murphy
4. “Ethnography: A Way of Seeing” by Harry F. Wolcott
5. “Kinship and Marriage: An Anthropological Perspective” by Robin Fox

Sociology:

1. “Sociology: A Brief Introduction” by Alex Thio
2. “The Sociological Imagination” by C. Wright Mills
3. “Introduction to Sociology” by Anthony Giddens, Mitchell Duneier, and Richard P. Appelbaum
4. “Social Structure and Culture” by Neil J. Smelser
5. “Theoretical Sociology” by John Scott