8 Things I Want You to Know about Anthropology

1. Anthropology is not the small, well defined job description you probably think of when you hear the word.  Margaret Mead was an Anthropologist, and Temperence Brennan on Bones is an Anthropologist and I suppose Indiana Jones is an Anthropologist as well (though we’ll talk more about the last two later on).  But really, there are countless other ways to be an anthropologist too, because…

2. Anthropology is not a What, It’s a How.  An anthropologist worth his or her salt can bring their training to bear on just about any problem or question involving human beings. This training varies across the subfields of cultural anthropology, biological anthropology, linguistic anthropology and archaeology, but always includes a defining commitment to unbiased exploration, respect for all, and the importance of context. Anthropology is, essentially, about working to understand the whole story surrounding any given problem or research question.

3. Anthropologists work with all sorts of populations. We work all over the world with small indigenous groups, populations in developing countries, and western populations.  We may even work within our own communities.

4. The subfields are not discrete boxes, and plenty of anthropologists pull a bit from several in defining their niche. Many even pull from outside the field entirely to supplement their knowledge base.  As a biomedical anthropologist, I’ve had basic training in genetics, evolutionary theory, international health, epidemiology and research methods. I’ve also spent a lot of time honing skills in critical reading and communication.  There are few academic disciplines today that offer the same degree of latitude in training.

5. If you leverage that freedom effectively, the job possibilities can be great. While it is true that you will rarely come across an job posting with the word “anthropologist” in the title, someone with anthropological training can be suited for jobs in academia, public health, cultural resource management, nonprofits, museums, hospitals, human service organizations, forensics laboratories, education…I could go on, but you get the point.  The caveat is that in a lot of these situations, the onus is on the individual to effectively convey (in cover letters, resumes/CVs, and interviews) their qualifications.

6. Anthropology is not as glamorous as the media would have us believe. This probably comes as no surprise to anyone, but a typical day at work (if there were such a thing) does not include kidnapping, shoot-outs, undercover work, or epic history-altering treasure hunts. To the forensic scientists out there- we feel your pain! Though many anthropologists do participate in or lead active field work (gathering data on a particular problem or question right where it’s happening), sometimes “the field” is right outside their own door. And no matter what, a significant amount of their time is often spent in front of a computer managing data or synthesizing field notes and figuring out exactly what their observations are saying.

7. However, sometimes we get to do some REALLY cool stuff.  As far as I know, there’s not much that is more fun than a party in the anthropology department, especially if the drinks are flowing.  I’ve heard stories about treks through the Himalayas, weddings on Vanuatu, mystery illnesses in Siberia and Guam, and stifling field seasons spent on the Kenyan savannah. And that’s just from the folks I know personally. Right now there are anthropologists working to contain the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, and a team from the University of South Florida is helping to identify the bodies of 55 boys buried at a notoriously abusive reform school west of Tallahassee…children who may otherwise have been lost to history forever.

8. Anthropology is vital and worthy field.  Please understand this, if nothing else. There are plenty of jokes about the pointlessness of the degree and the supposed naiveté and unrealistic idealism that allegedly leads people to pursue it, but that is bad intel from uninformed individuals. There may be an element of idealism for some of us, but that’s not an empty idea, it’s a drive to bring about positive change where we can, when we can. And from what I’ve seen so far, it’s a drive backed up by an awful lot of hard work.