Cultural Anthropology

Cultural anthropology is a branch of anthropology focused on the study of cultural variation among humans. It is in contrast to social anthropology, which perceives cultural variation as a subset of the anthropological constant.

Cultural anthropology has a rich methodology, including participant observation (often called fieldwork because it requires the anthropologist spending an extended period of time at the research location), interviews, and surveys.

One of the earliest articulations of the anthropological meaning of the term "culture" came from Sir Edward Tylor who writes on the first page of his 1871 book: "Culture, or civilization, taken in its broad, ethnographic sense, is that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society." The term "civilization" later gave way to definitions given by V. Gordon Childe, with culture forming an umbrella term and civilization becoming a particular kind of culture.

The anthropological concept of "culture" reflects in part a reaction against earlier Western discourses based on an opposition between "culture" and "nature", according to which some human beings lived in a "state of nature".[citation needed] Anthropologists have argued that culture is "human nature", and that all people have a capacity to classify experiences, encode classifications symbolically (i.e. in language), and teach such abstractions to others.

Since humans acquire culture through the learning processes of enculturation and socialization, people living in different places or different circumstances develop different cultures. Anthropologists have also pointed out that through culture people can adapt to their environment in non-genetic ways, so people living in different environments will often have different cultures. Much of anthropological theory has originated in an appreciation of and interest in the tension between the local (particular cultures) and the global (a universal human nature, or the web of connections between people in distinct places/circumstances).

The rise of cultural anthropology took place within the context of the late 19th century, when questions regarding which cultures were "primitive" and which were "civilized" occupied the minds of not only Marx and Freud, but many others. Colonialism and its processes increasingly brought European thinkers into direct or indirect contact with "primitive others." The relative status of various humans, some of whom had modern advanced technologies that included engines and telegraphs, while others lacked anything but face-to-face communication techniques and still lived a Paleolithic lifestyle, was of interest to the first generation of cultural anthropologists.

Parallel with the rise of cultural anthropology in the United States, social anthropology, in which sociality is the central concept and which focuses on the study of social statuses and roles, groups, institutions, and the relations among them—developed as an academic discipline in Britain and in France. The umbrella term socio-cultural anthropology draws upon both cultural and social anthropology traditions.

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Matching Cultural Anthropology Colleges

Ashford University

Four or more years; Private for profit; $13,280 average out-state tuition; $13,280 average in-state tuition

The New School

Four or more years; Private not for profit; $51,122 average out-state tuition; $51,122 average in-state tuition

Brigham Young University-Hawaii

Four or more years; Private not for profit; $6,068 average out-state tuition; $6,068 average in-state tuition

University of Southern Maine

Four or more years; Public; $22,041 average out-state tuition; $8,064 average in-state tuition

Arcadia University

Four or more years; Private not for profit; $45,520 average out-state tuition; $45,520 average in-state tuition

Creighton University

Four or more years; Private not for profit; $42,618 average out-state tuition; $42,618 average in-state tuition

Webster University

Four or more years; Private not for profit; $28,500 average out-state tuition; $28,500 average in-state tuition

Scholarships for Cultural Anthropology Majors

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UNCF/CVS Health Foundation Health Care Careers Scholarship

UNCF, Inc

$10,000 May 15, 2025 See Details

Description

The UNCF/CVS Health Foundation Health Care Careers Scholarship is available to full-time, junior-level undergraduate students who identify as African American/Black or Latino/a/e. To be considered for this renewable award, you must be majoring in pharmacy, nursing, business management, biology, biochemistry, finance, operations/supply chain,...

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UNCF/CVS Health Foundation Health Care Careers Scholarship

UNCF, Inc

award

$10,000

deadline

May 15, 2025
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Description

The UNCF/CVS Health Foundation Health Care Careers Scholarship is available to full-time, junior-level undergraduate students who identify as African American/Black or Latino/a/e. To be considered for this renewable award, you must be majoring in pharmacy, nursing, business management, biology, biochemistry, finance, operations/supply chain,...

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Judge Beverly Reid O’Connell Scholarship

Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles

Up to $5,000 April 30, 2025 See Details

Description

The Judge Beverly Reid O’Connell Scholarship is available to female graduating high school senior students in the Los Angeles, CA, area. To be considered for this award, you must be a WLALA member who is interested in the field of law or public service and was inspired in this career choice by WLALA Foundation’s Power Lunch Program, the WLALA...

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Judge Beverly Reid O’Connell Scholarship

Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles

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Up to $5,000

deadline

April 30, 2025
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Description

The Judge Beverly Reid O’Connell Scholarship is available to female graduating high school senior students in the Los Angeles, CA, area. To be considered for this award, you must be a WLALA member who is interested in the field of law or public service and was inspired in this career choice by WLALA Foundation’s Power Lunch Program, the WLALA...

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Frank L. Roberts Community Service Endowed Scholarship

Portland State University - School of Urban and Public Affairs

Up to $5,000 May 15, 2025 See Details

Description

The Frank L. Roberts Community Service Endowed Scholarship is available to graduate students at Portland State University-College of Urban and Public Affairs whose activities reflect the importance of civic responsibility either through career choice or desire to use higher education to achieve specific goals shared by a community.

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Frank L. Roberts Community Service Endowed Scholarship

Portland State University - School of Urban and Public Affairs

award

Up to $5,000

deadline

May 15, 2025
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Description

The Frank L. Roberts Community Service Endowed Scholarship is available to graduate students at Portland State University-College of Urban and Public Affairs whose activities reflect the importance of civic responsibility either through career choice or desire to use higher education to achieve specific goals shared by a community.

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Carl Abbott Fellowship

Portland State University - School of Urban and Public Affairs

Up to $5,000 May 15, 2025 See Details

Description

The Carl Abbott Fellowship is available to doctoral students at Portland State University-College of Urban and Public Affairs.

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Carl Abbott Fellowship

Portland State University - School of Urban and Public Affairs

award

Up to $5,000

deadline

May 15, 2025
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Description

The Carl Abbott Fellowship is available to doctoral students at Portland State University-College of Urban and Public Affairs.

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Nancy Chapman Endowed Scholarship

Portland State University - School of Urban and Public Affairs

Up to $2,000 May 15, 2025 See Details

Description

The Nancy Chapman Endowed Scholarship is available to doctoral students at Portland State University-College of Urban and Public Affairs who demonstrate financial need and show promise of accomplishment in an academic or professional career.

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Nancy Chapman Endowed Scholarship

Portland State University - School of Urban and Public Affairs

award

Up to $2,000

deadline

May 15, 2025
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Description

The Nancy Chapman Endowed Scholarship is available to doctoral students at Portland State University-College of Urban and Public Affairs who demonstrate financial need and show promise of accomplishment in an academic or professional career.

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Kirsten C. Feldman Memorial Scholarship

West Los Angeles College

$1,000 Varies See Details

Description

The Kirsten C. Feldman Memorial Scholarship is available to students at West Los Angeles College who are majoring in social sciences. Preference will be given to students majoring in anthropology.

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Kirsten C. Feldman Memorial Scholarship

West Los Angeles College

award

$1,000

deadline

Varies
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Description

The Kirsten C. Feldman Memorial Scholarship is available to students at West Los Angeles College who are majoring in social sciences. Preference will be given to students majoring in anthropology.

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Dr. Anwar A. Al-Mudamgha Scholarship

Onondaga Community College Foundation

$700 Varies See Details

Description

The Dr. Anwar A. Al-Mudamgha Scholarship is available to students at OCC who are studying social sciences. Preference will be given to refugee and female students.

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Dr. Anwar A. Al-Mudamgha Scholarship

Onondaga Community College Foundation

award

$700

deadline

Varies
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Description

The Dr. Anwar A. Al-Mudamgha Scholarship is available to students at OCC who are studying social sciences. Preference will be given to refugee and female students.

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Louise B. Perkal Memorial Scholarship

Suffolk County Community College

$500 April 20, 2025 See Details

Description

The Louise B. Perkal Memorial Scholarship is available to students at Suffolk Community College-Ammerman Campus. To be considered for this award, you must have a minimum GPA of 3.25 and be majoring in history, geography, political science, economics, sociology, anthropology, or other social science.

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Louise B. Perkal Memorial Scholarship

Suffolk County Community College

award

$500

deadline

April 20, 2025
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Description

The Louise B. Perkal Memorial Scholarship is available to students at Suffolk Community College-Ammerman Campus. To be considered for this award, you must have a minimum GPA of 3.25 and be majoring in history, geography, political science, economics, sociology, anthropology, or other social science.

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Jesse H. Jones and Mary Gibbs Jones Scholarship

Sam Houston State University

Up to $1,000 August 20, 2025 See Details

Description

The Jesse H. Jones and Mary Gibbs Jones Scholarship is available to sophomores, juniors and seniors majoring in liberal arts or graphic arts at Sam Houston State University. You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA to be eligible for this award.

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Jesse H. Jones and Mary Gibbs Jones Scholarship

Sam Houston State University

award

Up to $1,000

deadline

August 20, 2025
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Description

The Jesse H. Jones and Mary Gibbs Jones Scholarship is available to sophomores, juniors and seniors majoring in liberal arts or graphic arts at Sam Houston State University. You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA to be eligible for this award.

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Nakayama Public Service Scholarship

Duke University

50% of tuition Varies See Details

Description

The Nakayama Public Service Scholarship is available to junior-level undergraduate students at Duke University who want to work on our world’s challenging problems by engaging in public service careers. Selected scholars will engage with Duke faculty and public servants in a variety of fields for mentorship and career exploration.

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Nakayama Public Service Scholarship

Duke University

award

50% of tuition

deadline

Varies
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Description

The Nakayama Public Service Scholarship is available to junior-level undergraduate students at Duke University who want to work on our world’s challenging problems by engaging in public service careers. Selected scholars will engage with Duke faculty and public servants in a variety of fields for mentorship and career exploration.

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