Cultural anthropology is the study of contemporary social life and the
complex symbolic processes that humans engage in their daily lives.
Therefore, as part of their work cultural anthropologists examine religious
ritual, political oratory, healing ceremonies, rites of passage (such as
confirmation ceremonies or bar mitzvahs), mortuary rites, the exchange of
commodities, goods and gifts, intercultural communication, race and
gender relations, folk art and dance, language acquisition as well as other
practices and customs. While cultural anthropologists have traditionally
focused on simple, small scale societies, they now work predominantly in
modern industrial or post-industrial societies of the world, and have
broadened their methodological repetoire.
Increasingly, cultural
anthropologists are looking at ways to apply anthropological knowledge,
theory and methods to the resolution of human problems. In their
capacity as applied researchers, anthropologists have made notable
contributions to agricultural and economic development, doctor-patient
communication, the resolution of international and domestic conflict,
health policy, business, literacy, language acquisition, tourism and many
other contemporary issues.
