Cultural Anthropology Research Paper Suggestions

Cultural anthropology is the comparative study of human societies and cultures, including social structure, language, politics, religion, art, and technology.

Some suggested topics for your paper:

Note: These instructions apply to students in the regular semester course, not the five-week Bridge module course.

See the course syllabus for detailed instructions for researching and writing this paper.

A description of key points of a culture in which you are interested (a brief ethnography)
An in-depth look at the concept of "worldview" or the comparison of the worldviews of people in two societies
Religious beliefs or practices of a particular society
Marriage and family in a particular group or a comparison between customs in two or more societies
Types of economic organization/systems
Language acquisition
The influence of language on culture
Views about ancestors
The role of women in a given society
Doing fieldwork as an anthropologist
The importance of cultural anthropology for missionaries, business executives, or educators
Ethnocentrism and some tips on how to minimize it
The idea of cultural baggage and how to minimize it
Culture shock: What it is and how best to work through it

Use one of these topics, adapt one, or choose another that interests you. Browsing an introductory cultural anthropology textbook may also spark ideas.

Ready for some cross-cultural humor?

Missionaries and other people living and working across cultures make small cultural mistakes that can give their hosts (and themselves) a laugh. Read more.

-- Howard Culbertson, hculbert@snu.edu

Coping with Culture Shock

Afterword: More Topic Suggestions

This AI-generated list offers additional research paper ideas for an introductory cultural anthropology course. Use it to choose a topic, but do your own research and writing.

Cultural Practices and Beliefs: Examine a specific cultural practice or belief system, such as rituals surrounding death, marriage customs, or coming-of-age ceremonies.
Cultural Change and Adaptation: Investigate how cultures adapt to changing environments, technologies, or socio-political systems. This could include the impact of globalization, colonialism, or the effects of modernization on Indigenous communities.
Language and Communication: Analyze the role of language in forming cultural identity, social interaction, and worldview. This could involve studying language diversity, language revitalization efforts, or the impact of language on thought processes.
Cultural Heritage and Preservation: Investigate efforts to preserve cultural heritage, including museums, cultural festivals, or indigenous rights movements aimed at protecting ancestral lands and traditions.
Ethnicity and Identity: Analyze how ethnicity is constructed and experienced in different cultural contexts, including issues of race relations, ethnic conflict, or identity politics.
Religion and Spirituality: Examine the role of religion and spirituality in shaping cultural practices, social organization, and worldview. This could involve studying religious rituals, belief systems, or religious syncretism.
Food and Culture: Investigate the cultural significance of food, including food rituals, culinary traditions, and the symbolic meanings attached to different types of cuisine.
Art and Expression: Analyze the role of art, music, dance, and other forms of cultural expression in creating identity, social cohesion, and resistance movements.
Cross-Cultural Comparisons: Compare and contrast cultural practices, beliefs, or social institutions across different societies or regions. This could involve examining similarities and differences in family structures, economic systems, or political organization.

Note: Choose a topic that fits your course and interests you, and make sure sufficient research materials are available.