The Social Sciences

The social science disciplines are anthropology, economics, geography, history, sociology, and political science. Each of these disciplines has a unique and important role in a solid social studies curriculum.

Anthropology- whenever I think of Anthropology I automatically think of the word "people" (okay, not entirely true... I actually think of the shop Anthropologie... they have the most adorable and eclectic clothes!). Where was I..? Oh yes, people. Anthropology is generally categorized as the study of culture or the scientific study of human beings. Anthropologists incorporate elements of behavior, economics, political science, sociology, psychology, and other social sciences into their investigation of people and cultures. In a nutshell, anthropology looks at all the diverse characteristics of a culture and how they interrelate to make that culture unique. As a person who has always been an avid traveler (I hate to stay in one place for too long!) I have always been fascinated by different people and cultures.

Economics- no one can deny (especially in today's environment) that economics are at the central hub of daily life. Of course the first term that springs to mind is "money"! But economics is more than just monetary distribution, it's also all about the production and consumption of all goods and services. Instruction in this area can span from teaching responsible money management to the idea of supply and demand and the role and necessity of taxes. I was never that enthusiastic about this particular strain of social studies because to me economics=numbers, and that meant math. It's a generalization that largely ignores many of the other areas of economics, but I can't seem to stop my mind from jumping straight from "economics" to "math". Yes, math is important. Yes, math is everywhere. I understood that (and still do) and always put forth my best effort when it came to our tricky number friends. But I just never have enjoyed math. So any extra math time is just plain too much.

Geography- geography is more of what I quintessentially consider "social studies." Every social studies class I've ever had has had some form of map on the wall. Geography goes further than simply describing location, however. It encompasses all of the concepts of space- including all human activity (past and present), the implications of the culture of a place, and the relationships among them, on top of the traditional concepts of landforms, capitals, and longitude and latitude. Geography and anthropology seem to go hand-in-hand, because the physical make-up of a place can have so much impact on the culture of the people living there, and vice-versa. Knowledge of geography also helps students feel a sense of global connectivity. When my parents told us we were moving from England to the United States, the first thing they did was grab a globe and show us where North Carolina was located on it. There was something reassuring about seeing my current home and my future home pinpointed on that little tabletop globe. After all, it didn't really look that far away at all! (Though now that I think about it, what looked like a 30 or 40 minute swim to my nine year old brain was a little closer to 3,000 miles of choppy Atlantic waters...)

History- this is probably the first thing people think of when they consider "social studies." It's the cornerstone of where we've been, and where we're going. History considers all areas of life. When I think of history I think of time lines, ancient documents, and cheesy video reenactments. No one event is isolated, and a knowledge of the past is essential to an understanding of both the present and the future.

Sociology- this is another one of the more elusive terms that I don't always think of right away when considering social studies. Our text describes sociology as "the study of groups and the subsequent norms of behavior that human beings exhibit as a result of their group memberships." Because it looks at both behaviors and people, I guess it's kind of a hybrid between anthropology and psychology. Sociology looks at the behaviors and structures of groups, and how they change and adapt. It also considers social norms and roles, such as gender roles, age relationships, and occupations. One problem I have with this particular area is I have a tendency to lump it under the anthropology umbrella (which I guess I just did, oops!).

Political Science- political science involves the study of human behavior as it relates to political systems, governments, laws, and international relations. Of course the key word that jumps out to me is politics (I mean, it's in the name!). It is easy to incorporate this strand into classroom learning by making it relatable to students. Mock presidential debates and elections are a great way for students to explore the election process. However it's also important that students gain a good understanding of the processes behind our political system and government. I think one of my weaknesses in this area is simply a lack of understanding in the structure of our government. Obviously it's something I need to work on!

I believe I was lucky to have a pretty well-rounded education that covered all areas of social sciences. They weren't necessarily laid out and labeled for me, but thinking back to some of the activities we did I can see how anthropology or economics, etc., were incorporated. It's important to note that all of these areas work together and influence each other, so a solid social studies curriculum should definitely have all six!