How is the Department of Anthropology and Ethnology at Xiamen University?

Department of Anthropology and Ethnology

The major of Anthropology and Ethnology has a traditional and profound historical heritage. As early as the early 1930s, the anthropology major of Xiamen University was established. The research and teaching tradition established by the famous Chinese anthropologist Mr. Lin Huixiang has become the academic origin and institutional foundation of anthropology and ethnology at Xiamen University today. For a long time, the Department of Anthropology and Ethnology of Xiamen University has been the only anthropology teaching and research institution in China with a complete disciplinary structure of the Trinity (Department of Anthropology, Institute of Anthropology, and Museum of Anthropology). Two national first-level societies, the Chinese Anthropological Society and the Baiyue Ethnographic History Society, are also located at Xiamen University.

The department currently has 1 doctoral degree conferral program in Anthropology, 1 master's degree program in Anthropology, and 1 master's degree program in the first-level discipline of Ethnology. Fujian Provincial Key Discipline of Anthropology (2008), Fujian Provincial Key Discipline of Ethnology (2012). There are currently 20 teachers, including 4 professors, 9 associate professors and 7 assistant professors. One person serves as a member of the Ethnology Teaching Steering Committee of the Ministry of Education, one person was selected into the New Century Excellent Talents Program of the Ministry of Education, and one person is a leading talent in philosophy and social sciences in Fujian Province. 1 innovation team for basic theories of philosophy and social sciences guided by Marxism in universities in Fujian Province (China Rural Anthropology Innovation Team, 2018). The Department of Anthropology and Ethnology of Xiamen University offers an undergraduate major in Anthropology. The anthropology major in this department covers various branches of anthropology, including social and cultural anthropology, archaeological anthropology, linguistic anthropology, and physical anthropology. From these four major branches, some very distinctive professional directions extend, such as historical anthropology, religious anthropology, tourism anthropology, film and television anthropology, art anthropology, medical anthropology, marine anthropology, dietary anthropology, gender research, immigration studies, museum studies and cultural heritage studies to name a few. These professional directions all attach great importance to cultivating students' professional qualities from the perspective of the integrity of human society and culture.

This department attaches great importance to practical courses such as anthropological fieldwork. These courses focus on the training of socio-economic and cultural investigation methods, and focus on improving students’ research skills and their ability to engage in applied research. This department aims to cultivate professionals with solid basic knowledge of anthropology and ethnology, who are familiar with field survey methods, and who can engage in teaching and research in anthropology, ethnology and related disciplines in colleges and scientific research institutions; to cultivate professionals who can Major party and government agencies, press and publications, and social groups use the theories and methods of anthropology and ethnology to analyze and solve theoretical and practical problems in the process of social development; cultivate professionals who can work in various museums and exhibition units, Specialized talents working in cultural relics management departments, tourism departments and other units. The main courses include anthropological theory and thought, selected readings of original works on anthropology and ethnology, Western social theory, theory and practice of fieldwork, history of anthropology and ethnology, research on kinship systems, analysis of classic anthropological cases, and research on witchcraft and religion. , primitive economy, political anthropology, applied anthropology, marine anthropology, social anthropology and China studies, social and historical research on Chinese ethnic minorities, ethnic theory, Chinese ethnic history, introduction to ethnology, Fujian and Taiwan ethnic groups and culture, ethnic theory and ethnic policy, southeastern ethnic studies, archaeological anthropology, physical anthropology, and immigration anthropology.