Social Anthropology

Contemporary social anthropology is a critical discipline that tackles an enormous variety of topics. These range from social implications of the new reproductive and information technologies through the analysis of ritual, kinship and material culture to the study of violence, poverty and the means for resolving conflicts and alleviating human suffering. Although anthropological studies are now conducted everywhere, from middle class suburbs and inner cities, to boardrooms, migrant labour camps and rural settlements what all our studies have in common is an awareness of human diversity. This programme provides a comprehensive knowledge of the diversity of cultural, social and material aspects of human existence in contemporary contexts. It has both regional and global scope, focusing on particular peoples and areas, while considering much wider issues, including current processes of globalisation and migration.
Students who choose to study Social Anthropology then, are interested in the diverse ways in which human beings live in the world today. They are interested, amongst other things, in cultural difference and similarity, in the social and economic relationships between different parts of the world and in the varied ways in which people make families, communities and societies. With this in mind, the programme offers the opportunity to study one year abroad. Students may have the opportunity to study Social Anthropology in one of our partner universities
in the third year of their studies. This offers the chance to gain a practical cross-cultural experience of another student culture, as well as acquiring knowledge, through experience and participation, of the society in which it is embedded.