Social and cultural anthropology is the study of people and their behaviour in social and societal contexts. Social and cultural anthropology studies societies and social groups in terms of dynamics, changes, diversity and similarities with regard to all matters of social and cultural life, both material and symbolic. It deals with different subjects such as gender, family, health, law, politics, religion, economy, the environment, mobility, urban and rural development, etc.
With the qualitative research approach of ethnography, which involves participant observation and a holistic perspective, the discipline focuses on informal, social everyday relationships and long-term research for its analyses. Based on local populations, social and cultural anthropologists research social relationships within regional, national and global networks. With its comparative approach, social and cultural anthropology questions ethnocentric views where other lifestyles and people are described and evaluated solely from one's own perspective. It promotes discussion about sociocultural diversity.
All institutes and academic chairs for social and cultural anthropology in Switzerland
The websites for academic chairs, institutes and institutions provide information on concrete options for studying social and cultural anthropology.
- University of Basel, Institute of Social Anthropology
- University of Berne, Institute of Social Anthropology
- University of Fribourg, Lehrstuhl für Sozialanthropologie
- Genf, ANSO, Graduate Institute Geneva - Anthropology and Sociology of Development
- Université de Lausanne, Laboratoire d'anthropologie sociale et culturelle
- EPFL, Lausanne
- University of Lucerne, Ethnologisches Seminar
- Université de Neuchâtel, Institut d'ethnologie
- University of Zurich, Department of Social Anthropology and Cultural Studies - Social and Cultural Anthropology
PhD in Social and Cultural Anthropology in Switzerland
Education at PhD level occurs with Swiss-wide cooperation through the
- University of Basel, Anthropology (PhD)
- University of Berne, PhD in Social Anthropology
- University of Fribourg, Doktorat Sozialanthropologie
- Genf, ANSO, Graduate Institute Geneva - Anthropology and Sociology of Development
- Université de Lausanne, Laboratoire d'anthropologie sociale et culturelle
- University of Lucerne, Ethnologisches Seminar
- Université de Neuchâtel, Institut d'ethnologie
- University of Zurich, Department of Social Anthropology and Cultural Studies, ISEK – Social and Cultural Anthropology
- Critical Urbanisms, Universität Basel
- Graduate Program in Anthropology
Social and cultural anthropology and museums
Many institutes collaborate with ethnological museums:
- University of Basel, Institute of Social Anthropology
- University of Berne, Institut für Sozialanthropologie
- Université de Neuchâtel, Institut d'ethnologie
- University of Zurich, Department of Social and Cultural Studies, ISEK - Social and Cultural Anthropology
- Museum der Kulturen Basel
- Bernisches Historisches Museum, Ethnographical Collection
- Schloss Burgdorf
- Musée d'ethnographie de Genève (MEG)
- Musée d'ethnographie de Neuchâtel (MEN)
- Historisches und Völkerkundemuseum, St. Gallen
- Nordamerika Native Museum (NONAM), Zürich
- Museum Rietberg, Zürich
- Ethnographic Museum, University of Zurich
Social and cultural anthropology at technical colleges
Social and cultural anthropology is also taught in modules within various study programmes at technical colleges in Switzerland though there are no independent study programmes on the subject. Anthropologists that teach and research at technical colleges deal among other things with the following subjects and areas: youth culture, winners and losers, Albania, social aspects of art, school social work, migration, offenders, addiction, integration, health, AIDS, death, chronic illness, discrimination, the concept of culture, intercultural activities, disability, public space, development work, tourism, sustainability, action anthropology and applied anthropology.
More information can be found on the individual study programmes at the technical colleges.