Department of Social Sciences

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  • Anthropology

    Anthropologists try to understand where humans came from and how we became so culturally diverse through social adaptation and imagination.

    We are interested in profound philosophical questions on “nature” and “nurture”, individual freedom and social determination, but we are also interested in how these questions can be informed through empirical data recorded in rigorous fieldwork and material analysis. At Brookes, we look at what it means to be human from the perspectives of archaeology, biological anthropology, and social anthropology. Our students have the opportunity to learn in practical laboratory-based classes, as well as discussion seminars, learning how to think critically and creatively about all kinds of data, whether presented in numbers or narratives.

    Anthropology can lead to a wide variety of career paths. Notable figures with degrees in anthropology include authors Zora Neale Hurston and Kurt Vonnegut, the 12th President of the World Bank Jim Kim, and Charles, Prince of Wales!

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    Japanese Anthropology

    Oxford Brookes has been a centre for the Anthropology of Japan for many years. Jason Danely, lecturer for the Anthropology course, talks about modules you can take that specialise in Japanese Anthropology, as well as the Japanese Room, study abroad options and the Europe Japan Research Centre.

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    Culture and Care

    This module explores various anthropological approaches to the human capacity for various kinds of care, nurturance, and social support.

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    Stone Tool Making Workshop

    Third year Anthropologists got a chance to visit their pre-historic roots, with a workshop teaching them how to make stone tools from flint. This is part of the module Cognitive Evolution.