The Importance of Anthropology to 21st Century Essay Example

2021, like every year, has provided society with various new issues.  The COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter social movement, however, have been the biggest issues the United States has faced. Using one main subdiscipline of anthropology, sociocultural anthropology, we can come to understand why these issues have plagued society and how anthropology can help find a resolution. While all of the subdisciplines can likely contribute to the understanding of these issues, sociocultural anthropology provides the best understanding of both issues. 

When people first think of the COVID-19 pandemic, they would likely think that biological anthropology would help understand resolve it; however, the issue is almost entirely cultural. Anthropologists can use ethnology to identify whether certain cultures or customs actively cause the virus to spread more. For example, in the United States, society itself has cultural problems with social distancing and complaints regarding face masks. Comparing data and information, anthropologists can find the root cause of these complaints. Also, to help resolve the COVID-19 pandemic, anthropologists will need to complete and compare sociocultural studies regarding how and where the virus is spreading. There are many poor nations that do not have access to proper health care. Anthropologists can perform ethnographic fieldwork and share this information to pinpoint nations or cultures struggling.  

The Black Lives Matter social movement, unlike the COVID-19 pandemic, is national culture related. While it’s effects, certainly, are known worldwide, the issue itself is localized in the USA. Like the COVID-19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter social is best understood through sociocultural anthropology, although anthropologists could also use anthropological archaeology to further study the root causes of the issue. In essence, the Black Lives Matter social movement is about the cultural rights of African Americans. To achieve an understanding of the cultural rights issues of the movement, would also use ethnographic research to learn about discrimination they may face, or to research any ethnocentrism that presides in the country. By learning more about the discrimination and ethnocentrism, anthropologists could help contribute to the resolution of the cultural rights issue that the Black Lives Matter movement is about.