Anthropology, the study focused on human and its culture, is about understanding cultural and biological aspects of human beings. It includes characteristics of humanities and natural sciences while strongly rooted in the discipline of social sciences. By this token, anthropology acquires its distinctive features presenting itself as the most synthetic and basic discipline among other studies. The scope of anthropology includes any moment since after human beings appeared on this planet; from pre-history to contemporary; as well as any area of the globe. Moreover, not only it produces deep and broad knowledge suitable for the 21st century but draws a wide range of information together to fulfill its role as an integrated discipline.
The main question of anthropology is about culture. In this context, culture refers to the overall lifestyle and perceptions of human beings beyond the one possessed by a certain few dilettantes. Yet this viewpoint of culture may be a contrast to that of which it is generally conceived, it would be more plausible to provide a comprehensive explanation considering its ambivalent characteristics: peculiarity vs unity.
So far, the main focus of anthropology has been either on so-called "primitive peoples" or the evolution of human beings along with the development of Western intellectual discourses. But now anthropologists are diverting to new fields such as metropolitan areas or industrial complex instead of persisting in remote villages.
