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Goals of Anthropology and Political Science

The document discusses the goals and origins of anthropology, sociology, and political science. Anthropology aims to understand human nature and diversity by examining cultural commonalities and differences. Sociology seeks to understand society and social life through theories about human roles and interdependence. Political science originated in ancient Greece with Plato and Aristotle and is the systematic study of government, politics, and power. It examines concepts like citizenship, laws, rights, and international relations.

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Ha KDOG
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53 views3 pages

Goals of Anthropology and Political Science

The document discusses the goals and origins of anthropology, sociology, and political science. Anthropology aims to understand human nature and diversity by examining cultural commonalities and differences. Sociology seeks to understand society and social life through theories about human roles and interdependence. Political science originated in ancient Greece with Plato and Aristotle and is the systematic study of government, politics, and power. It examines concepts like citizenship, laws, rights, and international relations.

Uploaded by

Ha KDOG
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Goals The goals of anthropology are The goals of Sociology are the

the following: following:


 See the commonalities  Obtain possible theories
among people (tradition, and principles about
language, kinship, etc). society as well as various
 Look at what makes us aspects of social life.
the same to understand  Study the nature of
more about human humanity to further
nature. examine our roles within a
 Discover what makes society.
people different from  Appreciate that all things
each other in order to in society are
understand and preserve interdependent.
diversity.  Expose our minds to
 Produce new knowledge different perspectives in
and new theories about attaining truth
mankind and behavior.
 Look at one’s own
culture more objectively.

 After finding out the difference between anthropology and sociology, let us now
proceed with another discipline in social science that plays another important role
in our life.
 Politics impacts our lives directly or indirectly, whether we are aware of its effects
or not. If there is a crime that took place, we call a police, and this scheme is part
of government. If there was a fire that occured, we call the fire department, and
that’s also a part of government. Military is government as well, let alone our civil
liberty and our rights which have influences on us daily. In school, you were
asked to read by heart the Constitution. When you are apprehended by an
authority, you asked your violation and insisted on your legal rights. Even inside
your house, there are still set of rules that are being enforced and followed. All
these things are related to a field called Political Science.
POLITICAL DESCRIPTION/EXPLANATION
SCIENCE
Origin  As early as the Babylonian period, codified laws like
the Hammurabi Code provided the legal and political
framework for stable government as justified by the
existence of good rule in ancient times.
 The development of political science as a social
science discipline can be traced from ancient Greece
when the philosophers Plato and Aristotle
systematically analysed the political system of the
city-state.
Who started it the field? ARISTOTLE PLATO
 is considered as the “Father  His work entitled
of Political Science”. “The Republic”
 Aristotle on his book ushered political
“Politics” stated that Man is philosophy
a political animal. It means  He advocated that
that it is our nature to live in philosopher kings
a society and to have power as political rulers
over another. must have the
 He was the first to make a necessary wisdom
generalization about the to govern a state.
political consequences of the  His book is the first
various constitutional systematic study of
processes. the political
 He also advocated the process that
establishment of written generated the ideal
rules of governance and of elite politicians
made a comprehensive who relied more on
analysis of the political rationality to
culture of the community and govern the state.
latter referred to politics as
the queen of all sciences.
Concepts/Definitions  The word “politics” is derived from the Greek word
“polis” which means “city”.
 The word science came from the Latin word “scire”
which means “to know”.
 The term political science was coined by Jean Bodin
who based it on the organization of institution related
to law.
 Baron de Montesquieu describe political science as the
distribution of the different functions among separate
organizations along legislation, execution, and
adjudication of law.
 Political Science is the systematic study of
government, politics, and political power.
 It is often defined as who gets what, when, where and
how.
 As a social science, political science focuses on the
‘how’ and ‘why’ of collective decision-making.
 Topics about democracy, war, law, rights, wealth,
authority, and power are discussed under this field.
Subjects of Inquiry  political theory, philosopy and different political
ideologies
 public management
 human rights
 international relations and foreign policies
 studying political science involves studying political
behaviour (behaviourist approach), political structure
and its functions (structural-functional approach),
political phenomena (phenomenological approach),
and studying political ideas through various political
documents (philosophical approach).
Goals  Make people a better citizen.
 Keep social order and harmony among different group
of people.
 Protect the rights of an individual.
 Avoid conflict and promote cooperation

Sociology and anthropology are social science disciplines that focus on studying the
behavior of humans within their societies. The main difference between the two
concepts is that sociology concentrates on society (social institutions/structures)
while anthropology focuses on culture. With this, answer the following statements
below to deepen your understanding about the differences of the two fields.

Common questions

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Plato and Aristotle laid the groundwork for political science with their analyses of political systems. Plato introduced political philosophy with "The Republic," advocating for philosopher kings as rational rulers . Aristotle, considered the "Father of Political Science," emphasized the nature of humans as political animals in his work "Politics," provided comprehensive analyses of political culture, and generalized about political consequences of constitutional processes . Collectively, their ideas formed early political theory that influenced later governance frameworks.

Appreciating the interdependence of all societal elements is crucial in sociology because it acknowledges how different aspects of society interact and influence each other, leading to a deeper understanding of social structures and processes . This perspective helps in analyzing how various institutions, roles, and norms contribute to societal cohesion and functionality, thus facilitating more comprehensive theories and principles about social life and human behavior within society.

The goals of anthropology include seeing commonalities among people such as tradition and kinship, understanding human nature by discovering differences, producing new knowledge about mankind and behavior, and looking at one's culture objectively . On the other hand, sociology aims to obtain theories about society, study the nature of humanity in a societal context, appreciate the interdependence of societal elements, and expose minds to different perspectives . While both aim to understand humans, anthropology emphasizes cultural diversity and heritage, whereas sociology focuses more on social structures and interrelations within society.

The main subjects of inquiry in political science include political theory, public management, human rights, and international relations . These areas integrate by examining political ideologies, the organizational functions of governments, the protection and advocacy of human rights, and the dynamics of foreign policy . By studying political behavior, structure, and ideas, political science provides a comprehensive understanding of governmental systems and the influence of political actions on both national and international scales .

The historical development of political science influences its modern practices through foundational concepts established by early thinkers like Plato and Aristotle, who analyzed political systems and promoted systematic studies of governance . These early ideas laid the groundwork for contemporary political science, emphasizing rational governance, structured political inquiry, and the importance of philosophical underpinnings in political analysis . The evolution of political science from these historical roots directs how current scholars study political processes, theories, and policies.

The concept of "science" in political science is characterized etymologically by the Latin word "scire," meaning "to know," indicating a systematic pursuit of knowledge . Political science is described as a systematic study of government, politics, and power, focusing on collective decision-making processes such as who gets what, when, where, and how . It includes studying political theories, ideologies, behaviors, structures, and phenomena, with a breadth that covers democracy, law, rights, and international relations .

Political science contributes to maintaining social order and protecting individual rights by systematically studying government and political power, exploring mechanisms for lawmaking, enforcement, and adjudication . It assesses how institutional frameworks distribute functions among legislative, executive, and judicial branches to ensure rights protection and social harmony . By analyzing the balance of power and authority, political science offers insights into policies and practices that foster cooperation and conflict avoidance among diverse societal groups.

The relationship between cultural diversity and the goals of anthropology lies in the latter's objective to understand and preserve diversity by examining differences among people . Anthropology aims to produce knowledge about human behavior and culture, recognizing both commonalities and variations in traditions, languages, and kinship systems . This understanding helps to appreciate diverse cultural heritages and contributes to a comprehensive view of human nature.

Political science analyzes how government actions affect daily life by examining legal and political frameworks, such as those from ancient times like the Hammurabi Code . It explores institutions and processes through which governance is conducted, assessing impacts on civil liberties, rights, and social order . This involves understanding how policies, laws, and political decisions influence various aspects of society, from personal interactions with authorities to the rule of law within a community.

Studying political behavior, structure, and ideas within political science is significant for developing a comprehensive understanding of governance and societal interactions. Political behavior analysis (behaviorist approach) investigates how individuals and groups act within political systems . Structural-functional analysis examines how political structures operate and their roles in governance . Studying political ideas through documents (philosophical approach) reveals the theoretical underpinnings of political processes . Together, these analyses enable a deep understanding of political dynamics, decision-making, and the impact on social order and rights protection.

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