The disciplines of anthropology tend to overlap those of history, and as such, this has made it possible for anthropology to play a significant role in promoting the comprehension of history. For that reason, this discussion will look at the overlap and the role anthropology has played in promoting the understanding of history.
History and Anthropology
To study how the disciplines of anthropology and history overlap each other, it is worth noting that anthropology as a subject matter tries to pick various elements of human culture coming from a common matrix (Mitchell, 405-411). However, human culture keeps on changing with time. History, on the other hand, studies the unfolding of events, especially, past events. To start with, cultural anthropology, this subdiscipline involve itself with the development, history, and origins of human culture. This area is also studied in history when trying to find out about cultural diversity. Therefore, both historians and anthropologists try to study and come up with conclusions about cultural diversity as well as its change over a given time (Mitchell, 405-411). For that reason, there are a number of ways in which anthropology has contributed to the understanding of history.
Firstly, anthropology helps to bring out the idea that the life of human beings is a continuous process. History has incorporated the method of interpretation from anthropology on the concept of continuous development (Naepels). Also, anthropology has introduced to history a new approach of analyzing human civilization. The concept of continuous development in anthropology has influenced history and its understanding of past events by not only focusing on the recital of events but also the continuity of customs and institutions (Naepels). Lastly, anthropology has introduced a comparative approach in studying history, which in turn has improved the understanding of history. This is how anthropology contributed to the history and its understanding.
Conclusion
The discussion has thus demonstrated that the study of human culture and cultural anthropology overlaps in the subdisciplines of history and anthropology. However, of importance to note is the various concepts of anthropology, like the comparative approach that have been incorporated in history, which makes its understanding easier.
Works Cited
Mitchell, Jon P. "A Bridge Too Far? The Relationships between History and Anthropology." Contemporary European History6.3 (1997): 405-411.
Naepels, Michel. "Anthropology and History: Through the Disciplinary Looking Glass." Annales. Histoire, Sciences Sociales. Vol. 65. No. 4. Editions de l’EHESS, 2010.
