Anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the comparative study of humans across time and space, encompassing human biology and evolution, culture and society, language, and material remains. In the United States it is commonly organized into four major subfields—cultural/social anthropology, archaeology, biological (physical) anthropology, and linguistic anthropology—reflecting a holistic approach to the 'science of humanity.'
Archaeology
Archaeology is the scientific study of material remains from past human life and activities, encompassing artifacts, structures, and biofacts to understand historical and prehistoric cultures.
Human Evolution
Human evolution is the lengthy process through which modern humans developed from early hominins over approximately six million years, characterized by significant anatomical and behavioral changes.
Religion
Religion comprises systems of beliefs, practices, symbols, and institutions that relate humans to what is taken as ultimate, sacred, or superempirical. It spans diverse traditions—monotheistic, polytheistic, and non-theistic—and has been central to social organization, moral orders, and cultural transmission across history and societies worldwide.
Ritual
Ritual is a structured, symbolically charged sequence of actions performed according to prescribed rules, found in religious, civic, and everyday contexts across all known human societies. Scholars in anthropology, sociology, religious studies, psychology, and ethology analyze rituals’ forms, functions, and effects—ranging from social cohesion and identity formation to emotional regulation and communication.