Social Anthropology

The programme offers an intensive introduction to contemporary anthropology. It is primarily intended for graduates with little or no previous training in anthropology. As societies around the world vary enormously in their social, cultural and political forms, the programme is designed to study these variations and the common humanity contained therein. It is also designed to provide the students with a thorough theoretical and methodological grounding in anthropology essential for attaining non-judgmental understanding and appreciation of the diversity of other cultures, significance of cross-cultural perspectives and intercultural understanding.

The programme combines classroom and experiential field-based learning activities that are adopted to each student’s career plans. The programme teaches students how to conduct independent scientific research and ethnographic fieldwork as well as apply other methods of inquiry and contemporary research perspectives in analyzing urgent issues associated with globalization, transnationalism, social change and the growth of social, cultural and ethnic diversity and the need for intercultural understanding. Anthropology is a subject that ties the capacity to change the way you look at the world with the ability to impart cultural knowledge about certain population to groups expected to work in cross-cultural situations.

The MA Degree in Social Anthropology will enable the student to:

– carry out empirical research based on qualitative methodology, applying participant observation and other anthropological fieldwork methods;

– design and conduct research on problematic situations caused by socio-cultural encounters between different global, transnational, national, regional and local development perspectives, majority and minority interests in conditions of social change, social mobility, and multiculturalism;

– address, both politically and practically, problems arising from socio-cultural differences as well as monitor stigmatized and/or marginalized and other segregated groups representing the interests of these groups in intercultural mediation;

– prepare preventive strategies for socio-culturally different and/or conflicting interest groups; identify, analyze and enhance solutions for existing cultural conflicts;

– mediate in the fields of national and international cooperation by developing strategies and programmes for the implementation of sustainable development in education, public health, culture, ethnic relations, environment and cultural heritage management;

– teach social and cultural anthropology in college and university level programmes.