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The latest version of CLAS notes is available for download in the newsletters section.

The Four-Fields Approach

In North America, anthropologists usually specialize in one of four areas of research: physical anthropology, cultural anthropology, archaeology, and socio-linguistics. At Rowan, you have the opportunity to take courses in each of these fields.

Physical anthropologists study human physical and biological variation over space and time. Our research includes analysis of genetics, primatology, human variation, skeletal biology, human evolution, medicine, nutrition, human physical growth and development, and forensic anthropology.

Cultural anthropologists study human behaviors and cultural patterns by observing and interacting with people during their everyday lives. This first-hand approach to researching behavior provides us with a strong understanding of how people interact with their social and physical environments. We explore how and why cultures change, and we research the implications of large-scale cross-cultural interactions on people and their way of life.

Archaeologists excavate, recover, and analyze the physical products of past human behavior in order to reconstruct the lifeways of past cultures. We clarify and extend humanity’s knowledge of the full range of human history and the processes which have shaped it.

Linguistic anthropologists study the structure, history, diversity, and use of language in human societies. We investigate how languages can maintain social groups and reflect the philosophy of the people who construct them.