Applied anthropology and theoretical anthropology differ in their focus, purpose, and methods:
- Applied Anthropology
- Focuses on solving real-world problems using anthropological knowledge and methods.
- Works in fields such as public health, development, education, business, and environmental conservation.
- Often involves working with governments, NGOs, corporations, or communities.
- Examples: An anthropologist helping design culturally appropriate health interventions or improving workplace diversity.
- Theoretical Anthropology
- Primarily concerned with developing and testing theories about human behavior, culture, and evolution.
- Conducts research to understand fundamental aspects of human societies, both past and present.
- Often works in academic settings, publishing findings in scholarly journals.
- Examples: Studying kinship systems across different societies or analyzing the impact of globalization on indigenous cultures.