Anthropology is expanding its boundary and responding to the need of the time incorporating various issues within its domain of research and the study to make it more relevant and useful to the society.
Anthropology is the study of human being and their life (physical, social, cultural) and livelihood by the context within .which they adopt and live. Anthropology is also a way of looking to human in unique and myriad fashions. Historically anthropology has been treated as study of "primitive" and "preliterate people". This view of anthropology is no longer valid. There have been significant changes in the focus and scope of anthropology.
Anthropology is changing continuously and expanding its boundary portraying an impression that there is no end to this. When one considers the ever changing nature of anthropology some pertinent questions naturally arise which are:
a) What is anthropology anyway?
b) Are there any boundaries left? And
c) How do we situate ourselves within the vast scope of anthropology?
One basic issue regarding boundary is: can we knowledge within certain disciplines or subjects? Indeed knowledge has no boundary and anthropology as the fundamental of all social sciences cross-cut all other branches of knowledge. This is despite of the fact that anthropology has certain unique approaches and methodology to study society and the people which distinguish it from other social sciences. It emphasizes that different issues that affect the life of the people-should be viewed in the broadest possible context, in order to understand their interconnections and interdependence.
This is what we call the "holistic practice" in anthropology. The discussion and debate regarding the boundaries of anthropology is going on for quite sometime. The main objective of the topics is to elucidate author's position on the boundary of anthropology in the light of the changing scenario both in -and outside the academia. It is pointed out that anthropology can not be limited within certain topics/issues. Anthropology is expanding its boundary and responding to the need of the time incorporating various issues within its domain of research and the study to make it more relevant and useful to the society.
The topics is based on a review of the recent writings on anthropology, a review of the contents of text books in the last three decade, journal articles and also the contents of the syllabus of different universities. The reasons for the emergence of applied anthropology as the "fifth subfield" are also discussed.
The views of several anthropologists both in and outside of Bangladesh through personal communication have been reflected in the topics.
It is concluded that there is no way to predict what will be the shape of anthropology in future because it is changing continuously and adapting to the need of the time. This changing nature of anthropology is viewed as the main dynamic essence of anthropology. So it feels that anthropology will serve in a changing world by continuously reinventing its focus and adapting to the contemporary need and time.