The Cultural Anthropology program at Missional University provides many important skills, which can be used in a variety of means:

First, studying anthropology allows a more holistic understanding of all society, including the ways in which people interact with others in a variety of social situations.  Increased knowledge of these processes can provide insights about historical and cultural motivations that social movements and changes of all kinds.  The widespread and accelerating globalization of recent decades has made this study even more essential.  There are many global and local issues that can benefit from this understanding, such as regional and ethnic conflict, overpopulation, the rise of radical religious fundamentalism, economic inequality, etc.

In addition, students in this program will be more skilled in understanding group values and priorities that motivate people.  This may also contribute to creative thinking on how to solve issues that cannot be foreseen.  There is an urgent need for new thinking in all fields, from education to healthcare, and individuals with anthropological training will be especially useful in multinational organizations.  In a world where people are so divided by political, economic, religious and ideological differences, anthropology offers hope for more peaceful and sustainable efforts for long-term solutions.

Skills in “deciphering” cultural symbols are very helpful for applying anthropological insights.  Students can learn how social meaning is created and shared, and then how to analyze the findings for a positive impact.  They can then use this information to become involved in practical applications, such as in social planning, in representing others for change, in social impact studies, in facilitating community development, in interpreting data for social analysis, in mediating among different groups, as well in many other ways to help others.  As such, it provides a unique way to serve others that can have many positive results and create answers for human problems of all kinds.

Another potential result of studying anthropological concepts is that it can provide tools to uncover implicit “messages” that are hidden within social phenomena.  This may reveal the reasons for customs that are in reality violating what many would consider to be universal fundamental human rights (such as the right to life and freedom from all kinds of abuse, slavery, persecution, etc.).  By investigating the reasons for these customs, there can be informed advocacy for more humane norms and values.  Christians should be active leaders in this important task to live out the Mission of God.

This process also reveals assumptions about what is “normal” and therefore taken for granted by different groups.  Culture is a shared set of values, beliefs and norms that are learned and acquired by each generation, both consciously through formal education and unconsciously through informal interaction and social learning.  As such, it can be changed.  Behavior may be modified as new concepts are adopted, usually due to different circumstances or new technology, etc.  In this process new symbols become meaningful if people are receptive.  By understanding the complex way that cultures are modified, students can become “change agents” for positive values and practices.

Anthropology therefore provides methods for finding what meanings are significant in societies and how these differ between groups.  This is very important because without this knowledge most change efforts fail, regardless of good intentions.  By focusing on a group’s existing values, it becomes clear what influences the members of a society.  This is closely tied to beliefs – what individuals think are true or false, and thus what assumptions they make about their reality.  Beliefs are built on values and are considered rational and obvious to those in a culture.  They lead to norms — which are guidelines or rules that people should follow.  All these elements form an ideology that supports the needs of the group.  With this information, a change agent has foundational skills to assist in cultural transformation.