What is Applied Anthropology (And Why Applied Anthropology Rocks!)? | Definition, Examples, Careers 

Hey Alivia, I am a student of Anthropology at University of Chittagong. I often watch your videos, and It's really informative. Thank you, good wishes ❤️

This video cemented my decision, I'm definitely going towards applied anthropology

love the energy and the passion!

Applied anthropology is actually foundational but poorly applied in underserved communities. From the education system to race and inequality, applied anthropology would be so welcome. Unfortunately, anthropologists are uncomfortable getting into the mix at the local level to extract the real data that can help transition communities out of their ruts. Anthropology at large follows the culture set by the historic preservation community or the “Don’t touch it” culture. Think about the communities that feel resentment towards old systems. Think of the credibility good ideas that may be foreign to a community can be given by the perspective of an applied anthropologist. The difference between the good idea having a chance to work and it not being heard, is often the information and data on how that practice has shown up in other human communities. Being uncomfortable with getting involved in the making of history, the knowledge remains on book shelves and in academic circles, mean while communities suffer and wonder what good academics are to society… resentment.

Right when I have nothing on paper after being a week late and then….boom here you are! Thank you!

I decided on anthropology as a major bc of your videos! So thanks!

Wow, Alivia, thank you for the insight. I'm doing my undergraduate degree in Anthropology and thinking about postgraduate studies I could pursue with Anthropology. Hopefully I can find motivation and ideas from all your videos

I am a transfer student majoring in sociology going for my BA and what you described is very similar to what I have learned in a few of my sociology class. We learned that we use the information that's out there and apply it to the community at large. This also described the kind of jobs for applied anthropology. I want to do more research as I am finishing up with an AA in anthropology and am learning about applied anthropology at the moment.

Best video, more power to you 👏

Hey..i want to discuss this field a little bit... for me, this fifth subfield of Anthropology will not be held by Anthropologists ourselves..but rather this field will used by other occupation such as psychologist, economists, social workers inter religious studies, Historian, politicians, law enforcement, lawyers, judges, law and rule makers, Teachers and others as they are the one who really interact directly to social netizen, create law and enforce those law to change societies... As Anthropologist and Sociologists tend to do research field while not directly applied it to society themselves...that's for my opinions...

in undergrad (bio-anth) I was so frustrated because I wanted to do something practically helpful in my career. I wish I would've known about applied anthro before I graduated! I've been contemplating going back to grad school for a while, but I want to know what I'm going to do with my degrees when I'm done. this video and your channel is really helpful!

Great quote! That's what I always say

Hey, I love your videos!!! I am a college freshman trying to learn more about humanities/ social sciences and your vids are very informative. Maybe you could do a video on public history/ museum studies? History seems interesting but there is so much info out there it’s hard to find where to start.

I’m back to campaign work, and I find this very very helpful. My senior thesis advisor had a PhD in anthropology and people often tell me that the field is impractical. I think they’re wrong! There is a lot you can do.

Hi Aliva, your videos have been helpful to me, 100%, I’m a student of Anthropology at the University of Ibadan♥️.. Thank you and best wishes

Thanks again for an informative video, Alivia. I'd like to draw attention to the work of Dr. Jeremy Narby who does advocacy work with peoples of the Peruvian Amazon. I'm not sure if his books, "The Cosmic Serpent" and "Intelligence in Nature", qualify as applied anthropology, but they raise awareness of ecological issues.

I am relatively new to the channel, but have been considering ways I might integrate RU-vid into my own public education schemes, and also interested in seeing what is already out there. I do, generally, find your advice to be quite good, and of high value to those considering taking up the study of anthropology. However, I would like to bring up a couple concerns about this portrayal of applied anthropology. I don't want to appear to be using this an "appeal to authority;" but, in the interest of full disclosure, I hold an M.A. in Applied Anthropology (Public Archaeology track), from the University of South Florida. USF was one of the first applied anthropology departments in the world, and was the first to offer both the M.A. and the Ph.D. in the United States. I, too, have been exposed to the suggestion that applied anthropology is a "fifth sub-discipline." I suppose that might be a subject of internal discussion for the discipline; but, I would like to point out that using anthropology to develop intervention strategies for the benefit of our subject populations is an integral part of American anthropology from the writings of Franz Boas onward. I would definitely recommend looking into the work of Melville Herskovits, and also the writings of Eliot D. Chapple (first president of the SfAA). For some more recent work, I would suggest looking at Michael Angrosino's work at Opportunity House, and/or David Himmelgreen's and Nancy Romero-Daza's work among addiction communities in Connecticut. My chief concern is that you have presented a fairly top-down, asymmetrical approach to implementing intervention strategies. We must always treat our research/descendant communities as knowledgeable actors with completely valid understandings of the cultural world within which they live. They must always be treated as full stakeholders in the negotiated processes that we facilitate. So, while we do always want to appropriately review the literature surrounding previous researches in our particular subject domains, we must still adhere to our core principles, such as participant observation and cultural relativism. For another perspective on using anthropology to effect change, I would also look into some of the background literature of "action anthropology," as promulgated by Sol Tax and Robert Redfield. That's probably a lot for a RU-vid comment, so I will leave it at that. Thanks for your work on this channel, and for cultivating an awareness of and interest in anthropology. Best.

Loves it

I’ve been adding all your videos to my anthropology playlist!! You are definitely making a difference for a lot of us !!

I studied applied anthropology in undergrad. I HIGHLY recommend anyone pursing this degree to get a certificate in Project Management or Data Analytics

❤❤❤

And Bones! I’m surprised you don’t hear this more, LOL.

😊

Tq ma'am

Hi Alivia, I am conducting research on people with type 1 diabetes and work. I’ve interviewed them and going to show the data of their suggestions to help with particular issues to employers and work with them to see what is feasible and what is not, I.e. whether it will be able to be implemented. Would this be classed as applied anthropology?

Thank you for the video. Have you read "The Origins of Wealth" by Eric Beinhocker? It's regarded by some as one of the better books on Economics, and details how Economics is closer to Anthropology than suggested in much of the circulumm developed today that primaryly focuses on theoretical, Natural Scientific methods rather than a Social Scientific Methods to develop theories for the discipline. Eric's co-author in another book (and upcoming one I think), Nick Hanauner is a billionaire self discribed plutocrat, that is trying to help spread this more applicable expression for the Economics discipline that has more than just a pedagogical value.

Alivia, applied anthropology could learn a thing or two from Los Horcones. Comunidad de los Horcones is an "experimental community". It has been in operation for almost 50 years. The people of Los Horcones use science-based behavior modification techniques to shape their own and each others behaviors. They describe these activities as "behavioral engineering" and "cultural engineering". Brief Introduction Los Horcones 2008 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-hVRU1VEGE1M.html The Los Horconans also apply their behavior shaping skills to children who have autism or Downs syndrome. Centro de autismo y down Los Horcones ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-IO-6IqrSd2Y.html The social control system of Los Horcones is based on science. Los Horcones may therefore be described as a "scientocracy".

An example of Smoking , there’s a region community that smoking a kretek cigarettes is an act of easing chest pain … the kretek that are made from Cloves to mix with tobacco .. mostly Indonesian male smoke this to ease the chest pain back on 19th century .. In southeast asia , old timer usually use this cloves to make a mixture with tobacco or even chewing betel leaves mix with tobacco .. my mom still chew it until this day from generation to generation from my ancestor .. What is your thought about it ?

I m a student of anthropology ..Doing B's anthropology from Quaid e Azam university Islamabad Pakistan..Now I m in 5th semester and i have a course about of applied anthropology .. and my presentation about How does Anthropology Work Today. Domains of Application; Medical Anthropology, Urban Anthropology, Development Anthropology, Forensic Anthropology, Cultural Resource Management. Can u help me plz

Heyy, I am currently in 2nd year of college studying anthropology..and after I graduate I want to do a job and then move on to masters...can I get a job in data analytics with an anthropology degree??

Check out UPSC syllabus on anthropology. I need to cover it in one month. Is it possible ? I know it’s quite an ask but I would be truly grateful.

I never thought of the museum discussion as applied anthropology. I always thought it was a political issue and anti European bickering

why your name is Alivia, not Olivia 😄; by the way ı am a student in Türkiye and our teachers send us your videos to watch. 2 days later ı have an exam wish me luck gorgeous!!!

Are you R c brown’s granddaughter ?

Focus more on the topic and no so much on how that makes you feel, it will save a lot of time for everyone, it sounds interesting I always wandered wat was that about, but yeah its an interesting topic just stop the laughing 😂😅

The "Cornell-Peru project" was an example of applied anthropology making a positive difference in people's lives. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornell-Peru_project