The science that studies human cultures is called anthropology. It is a discipline that deals with the origins and development of human societies and the differences between them. The word anthropology is derived from two Greek words: anthropos meaning “man” or “human”; and logos, meaning “thought” or “reason.” Anthropologists attempt, by investigating the whole range [...]

Diffusionism A group of Austro-German anthropologists, led by Fritz Graebner and Wilhelm Schmidt, rejected 19th-century evolutionism in favour of a belief that a few core cultures influenced all later societies. This diffusion, or spreading, of culture traits was believed to be the basic force in human development. By analysing the cultural behaviours and aspects of [...]