Anthropology
BIBLIOGRAPHER: Ronda Rowe, Australian Studies Bibliographer
OTHER SUBJECT RESPONSIBILITIES:Networked Information Resources, Australian Studies
ADDRESS: PCL 3.317
PHONE: 495-4110
- I. Purpose:
- To support research and instruction through the
doctoral level in the following areas: physical anthropology, archaeology,
folklore, social anthropology, and anthropological linguistics. Of these,
anthropological linguistics is treated in the Linguistics Statement and archaeology in the Archaeology Statement.
- In addition to
Linguistics several other departments share interests with Anthropology: English
and other language departments in the area of folklore, Classics in archaeology,
Sociology in matters of interest to social anthropologists, and Biology in
physical anthropology.
- II. General Collection Guidelines:
- A. Language: Although English is the primary language of collection
and English translations, when available, are generally preferred to works in
foreign languages, materials in French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and
Russian are collected on a broad basis. Materials in other languages are
generally acquired more selectively. Collecting of anthropological works in Arabic, Hebrew, Chinese, and Japanese and other Oriental languages is
treated in the appropriate vernacular Collection Statements.
- B.
Chronological Guidelines: Interests begin with the prehistoric period, as
exemplified in archaeology, and continues through the present time, as
exemplified in contemporary applications of social anthropology.
- C.
Geographical Guidelines: Primary emphasis is on North America and South
America; of secondary importance is Europe and the U.S.S.R. (minimize local
treatment for non-Slavic people of the U.S.S.R.), the Middle East and North
Africa. Lesser emphasis is given to South and East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and
Oceania. For anthropology related to Latin America and
to Texas see the
Statements for those special collections.
- D. Treatment of Subject:
Titles on techniques and procedures, especially as related to field work,
are important. Biographies are of interest both when the subject is an
anthropologist or when the subject illustrates his anthropological context,
e.g., the biography of a Nineteenth Century America Indian chief or the
biography of a contemporary migrant worker. Juvenilia will not ordinarily be
sought; an exception is juvenile folklore, which is acquired on a very selective
basis. Legal aspects of anthropological topics, e.g., the legal rights of
ethnic minorities, are relevant. Lower-division textbooks are not ordinarily
purchased.
- E. Types of Material: Heavy emphasis is on society
and museum publications. Publications of international organization (e.g.,
UNESCO, WHO, etc.) and national governments (e.g., publications of the U.S.
Bureau of Indian Affairs) contain much needed basic information. Archaeological
commissions of the various American states and of foreign governments issue
publications which are also useful.
- F. Date of Publication:
Primarily current publications with a limited program of retrospective
acquisitions, chiefly in reprint or microfilm.
- G. Other General
Considerations: The resources of the Benson Latin
American Collection are of primary importance for documentary research in
all areas of Latin American archaeology, ethnography and folklore. For studies
of American Indian groups this collection provides important manuscripts
resources, as do the Center for American
History Center, The Texas State
Library and the General
Land Office. Field recordings are maintained in the Center for
Inter-Cultural Studies in Folklore and Ethnomusicology, now called the Americo Paredes Center for Cultural Studies; for the student of
American archaeology the Texas Memorial Museum and Texas Archeological Research Laboratory (TARL) have materials from every major section of Texas and Certain
adjoining areas. The University also has a Radiocarbon Laboratory and a
laboratory of Physical Anthropology.
- Anthropologists have keen interests
in the following areas, which are included in other subject statements as
indicated: anthropological linguistics (Linguistics); comparative religions,
primitive and folk religion, ethnic religions (Religion); ethnomusicology
(Music); sociology of culture, social organization and institutions (Sociology);
urban geography, cultural geography (Geography); primitive art (Art).
- III. Observations and Qualifications by Subject and LC Class:
-
| Subject |
LC Class | Location | CDP [NCIP] Collection Level |
Bibliographer |
| Physical Anthropology: See Footnote 1 |
- | - |
C | Anthropology |
| Folklore: See Footnote 2 |
- | - | C |
Anthropology |
| Social Anthropology: See Footnote 3 |
- | - |
C | Anthropology |
- Footnote 1:
Includes non-human primate anatomy and
behavior, genetic variations and evolution, human physical growth and
development, and human adaptation to the biocultural environment. These
interests are largely shared with biologists. Add to types of materials
anatomical atlases.
- Footnote 2:
Includes magic and
superstition; structural analysis; recurring motifs, etc.: to languages in the
general guidelines add Yiddish. In addition to English language folklore,
regardless of geographical area, and Latin American folklore, regardless of
language (the two overlap in the Caribbean), the following are emphasized:
Yiddish and German folklore, Slavic folklore and folklore emanating from the
Middle Eastern-North African tradition. (Note that ethnomusicology is included
in the Music Statement, and folk and ethnic religion in
the Religion Statement).
- Footnote 3:
Includes ethnography, ethnology, economics, ecological, urban and
psychological anthropology. Stress is on social relationships and cultural
change, an interest shared with the Sociology Department.
Return to Subject Policies List
