What do anthropologists study? Well first of all, anthropology is the study of human kind - the study of past and present culture. An anthropologist goes out and observes the world because they are interested in all aspects of human behavior and how they interact with each other. They study idealist and realistic views. They dedicate their time and work into discovering the deeper meaning of past and present human life; like their culture, lifestyle, linguistics, and relations to today's humanity. .
An Anthropologist would visit a variety of places all over the world; like small villages, urban places, and even big cities to discover different types of human life. They study about apes, hunters, peasants, farmers, and even some of today's political leaders. An anthropologist would gather all of what he/She examined from these different types of people and compare their culture and religious life. Being an anthropologist takes a lot of dedication, persistence, adaptability, and imagination to overcome the difficulties associated with anthropology. .
Another word for an anthropologist is also a "participant observer." A participant observer becomes active with his/her work by making direct observation and also establishes active involvement in different lives, hoping to gain an insider's perspective. .
What tools do cultural anthropologists use in data collection and analysis? A cultural anthropologist also says that they are known as a "social anthropologist." So what does a "social anthropologist" do? They go and visit a completely foreign place compared to the everyday world we see and live in. While they are there, they do extensive fieldwork, and actually live where they visit and participate in lives and cultures of the place they are visiting. .
Richard Borshay Lee visited the !Kungs in the Kalahari Desert. He was there in December experiencing a very different type of Christmas.