What’s the difference between sociology and anthropology?

Sociology is the study of the processes that create, maintain and change social groups.

As a sociology student, you'll explore key aspects of everyday life including ethnicity, religion, gender, consumerism, globalisation and youth culture – and how these things shape our society.

The field is solution-oriented, and focuses as much on research as it does theory.

Sociologists use qualitative approaches (like interviews and focus groups) and quantitative approaches (surveys and data mining), and take a wide-angle approach to looking at the world.

By contrast, anthropology is the science of trying to understand humanity (no small feat!).

‘I’ve heard anthropology described as philosophy with its feet on the ground,’ says Tanya King, an associate professor of anthropology at Deakin.

‘We document the complex lives of people in particular societies as they unfold, from what people eat to who they marry ... currency, crime, non-humans, time, reality, agriculture and drugs. And we ask, what does this say about us as humans?

‘We focus on real-world issues as they’re experienced by locals, and are often deeply involved in explaining and reconciling conflict.

Study anthropology and you’ll explore contemporary issues facing a wide range of cultures and people, from militant Buddhist monks, to child soldiers, surf tour operators in PNG and artificial intelligence designers in Silicon Valley.

Assoc Prof King says there are probably more similarities than differences between the two fields. They are both very broad fields of study, so there is plenty of crossover between the two.

She says they each use many of the same tools, such as interviews, focus groups and surveys.

Andrew Singleton, a professor of sociology and social research at Deakin, agrees that the two fields frequently overlap.

‘I think when anthropology and sociology both began in the 19th century, there were really clear-cut differences, but I think in time we’ve become a lot closer in terms of how we understand and think about society,’ Prof Singleton says.

Both fields take a great interest in culture, including meanings and symbols.

Professor Singleton is currently working with an anthropologist for the first time, on a major research project exploring the religion of Spiritualism.

‘One of the things that always strikes me is when we research together in a particular setting that we come at it with a different set of observations and questions,’ he says.

‘So if we both go and observe a medium doing a Spiritualist reading, he (the anthropologist) is much more concerned with aspects of the ritual, the language that the medium uses.

‘Whereas for me, I sit there and I pay loose attention to that stuff, but I’m much more interested in the social rather than the cultural aspects.

‘For example, I’m more interested in the social class of these particular people and I’m interested in the social transformative effect of hearing a medium give her message.’

Some anthropologists would be interested in those aspects, too, but might draw on a different set of literature to frame their observations.

From Assoc Prof King’s perspective, the one really clear difference is that anthropologists practice ‘participant observation’.

‘It’s our key methodology. We spend long periods of time immersed in a particular culture, walking in the shoes of the locals, developing a deep and holistic appreciation of their lives.’

For example, as part of her fieldwork, she lived in a small fishing village in South Gippsland for two years, trying to understand life from the point of view of commercial shark fishermen, and how different groups of people perceive the marine environment.

While more anthropologists than in the past choose to work with communities ‘at home’, many still venture to countries and societies vastly different from their own in order to understand ‘what it is to be human in a variety of contexts’, Assoc Prof King says.

‘The first year course looks at the practice of witchcraft among early 20th century Sudanese Azande, which students have loved,’ Assoc Prof King says.

Here’s the good news: if you can’t choose between the two, a popular option is to study both at Deakin as a double major.

Professor Singleton says while many people are interested in studying psychology and sociology in one hit, he recommends a double degree in anthropology and sociology, saying:

‘They go extremely well together.’

Ready to become a student of anthropology or sociology? Choose a major in either or both as part of a Bachelor of Arts.