SOCIAL SCIENCE FOR SCHOOLS

Careers in social science

Social anthropology
Why do people get passionate about sport? Why can terrible atrocities be committed by
people defending their religious beliefs?
Social anthropology is the study of human societies and cultures, social customs and beliefs.

Why study social anthropology?

Anthropology is a broad discipline, linking
“I think anthropology is
many subjects including sociology, psychology, important because it makes
archaeology and biology. It covers the entire
time-span of human history from its origins to
us more aware and sensitive.
today and aims to understand social diversity and It opens our eyes to other
ideas. Social anthropology focuses in particular
on the study of how contemporary human beings
people’s lives in a way that
behave in social groups. Social anthropology can few other disciplines do.”
offer insight into the key political and social issues
affecting the world today.
Anthropology student

What will I study at university?

There are over 120 different social anthropology What skills will I gain?
courses available. The subject can be studied as a Many organisations and businesses depend
combined degree with a range of other subjects: on insights about human diversity that social
• Politics anthropology offers. By the time you have finished
• Sociology your undergraduate degree, you will have acquired
• Archaeology a wide range of skills including:
• International relations • Interpreting human diversity
• Media and cultural studies • Comparative analysis of data
• History • Research and report writing
• Philosophy • Communication skills
• Languages

Many social anthropology students have the

opportunity to undertake fieldwork abroad as part
of their degree. Topics can include:
• How different societies organise themselves
politically and economically
• Material culture, which is the study of people’s
relationships through the objects that they
have created
• Differences in religious practices
• Relationships between family members
SOCIAL SCIENCE FOR SCHOOLS
Careers in social science

Social anthropology
After my degree... what next? Learning on the job
Once you’ve finished your undergraduate degree
you may want to continue studying and researching If you are interested in pursuing a career
anthropology. Today there are postgraduate in anthropology, volunteering or doing
opportunities in new fields such as the an internship in a relevant area is a great
anthropology of childhood or digital anthropology. way to gain first-hand experience of what
PhD students can go on to be lecturers at anthropologists do, as well as knowledge of
universities, curators in museums or work as specialist areas within the discipline.
consultants in public and private organisations. www.discoveranthropology.org.uk

With an undergraduate degree in social

anthropology you will have acquired a range of
Anthropologists can even work in disaster areas,
skills that are increasingly sought after by local and
including Ground Zero in New York and the Gulf
international organisations.
Coast in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina.

From market research to museums, from aid

Social anthropology plays a central role in an era
organisations to social policy, social anthropology
when global understanding and recognition of
gives a breadth of experience for your future.
diverse ways of seeing the world are of critical
Social anthropologists enter a wide range of jobs
social, political and economic importance.
and career options, including:

Social anthropology uses practical methods

• Journalism
to investigate philosophical problems about
• Race relations
the nature of human life in society. It grapples
• Social work
with issues of global impact on local society,
• Politics
the politics of nationalism and ethnicity, the
• Museums
world religions, conflict and violence and the
• International organisations
powerful communication media.
• Business, including market research, advertising,
product design
What do students say?

“One day I would be learning about the

cultural significance of Dr Marten boots and
the next day I would be studying witchcraft!
There seems to be a little bit of anthropology
in everything and a little bit of everything in
anthropology.”

Alex Skinner, anthropology graduate

SOCIAL SCIENCE FOR SCHOOLS
Further resources
• The Royal Anthropological Institute (RAI) is a • Apply is the website of the ASA Network
scholarly association dedicated to anthropology of Applied Anthropologists which serves
in all its fields and applications. It has a practitioners of applied anthropology
rich collection of unpublished archival and working in and outside academia, students
manuscript materials as well as film, video and seeking a career as an applied anthropologist,
photographic collections and its manuscript and teachers and trainers in applied anthropology,
archive holdings. Its educational programme is and employers and clients of applied
Discover Anthropology. anthropologists.
www.therai.org.uk www.theasa.org/networks/apply.shtml

• Discover Anthropology is designed to inform • Anthropology Matters is an initiative developed

teachers and young people about anthropology. by postgraduates that aims to stimulate
It provides good information for students discussion on the production of anthropological
wanting to study anthropology at university. knowledge through a focus on training,
It also provides information about the teaching, research and writing. It features
anthropology A level, which was accredited for various anthropology resources and an email
the first time in 2010. It has regular events and list that distributes relevant information about
activities for young people and teachers, as well jobs.
as useful resources for teachers that draw upon www.anthropologymatters.com
the insights of anthropology.
www.discoveranthropology.org.uk • Anthropologist About Town blog is a monthly
blog of events and useful information for
• Association of Social Anthropologists of the students thinking about studying anthropology
UK and Commonwealth (ASA) was founded or wanting to pursue a career using
in 1946 to promote the study and teaching anthropology. It includes online activities, a
of social anthropology. It has a blog, with diary of upcoming events and useful resources.
invited guests discussing current issues such as http://anthropologistabouttown.blogspot.co.uk/
Immigration, Counter-insurgency, Exotic Film
and the Financial Crisis. The ASA also hosts a • American Anthropological Association is the
film-site with a biannual short film competition. American equivalent of the RAI. Founded
It supports several networks of anthropologists in 1902, it is the largest organisation for
(see below for Apply and Anthropology anthropologists in the world. It has a useful
Matters). section on careers, with tips on many relevant
www.theasa.org issues such as becoming an international
consultant and using anthropology in the
• University of Oxford Institute for Social and tourist industry.
Cultural Change was originally established www.aaanet.org
as the only centre in the UK specialising in
postgraduate teaching and research within
the discipline. It continues to supervise large
numbers of graduate and research students.
www.isca.ox.ac.uk