Anthropology

Cousin (family relationship) Cousin A cousin is a relative who shares a common ancestor but is not a direct ancestor or descendant. Article explains types (first, second, removed), kinship rules, cultural roles, and…

Cowboy: history, role, equipment, and cultural influence Cowboy An overview of the cowboy: origins from the vaquero tradition, typical ranch work and equipment, regional variants such as stockmen, connections with rodeo and Indigenous riders, a…

Cree: Peoples, language, territory and contemporary life Cree Overview of the Cree (Néhiyaw), an Indigenous peoples of North America: language, traditional ways, historical movements, regional distribution and contemporary issues in Canada an…

Croats (South Slavic ethnic group) Croats Croats are a South Slavic people primarily associated with Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, sharing a common language, cultural traditions and a largely Catholic heritage with a…

Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina An overview of the Croat community in Bosnia and Herzegovina: origins, demographics, language, religion, cultural contributions, and their constitutional and political role in the…

Crow Nation (Apsáalooke) Crow Nation The Crow (Apsáalooke) are a Siouan-speaking Native American people historically centered on the Yellowstone River valley; today they are the federally recognized Crow Tribe of Mont…

Cuban Americans People in the United States born in Cuba or descended from Cuban immigrants; a diverse Latino community shaped by distinct migration waves and concentrated in Florida and several m…

Cultural heritage: definition, types, protection and contemporary issues Cultural heritage Cultural heritage includes tangible and intangible legacies—monuments, artifacts, languages, rituals—preserved across generations. It is protected through law, conservation, and in…

Cultural identity: meaning, components, formation, and contemporary issues Cultural identity Cultural identity is the sense of belonging to a group or culture formed by shared practices, values, language, symbols and memory. This article explains its elements, development,…

Cultural relativism: concept, history, and debates Cultural relativism An overview of cultural relativism—its meaning, history, methodological and moral forms, typical examples, benefits for cultural study, and major criticisms.

Culture: definition, elements, history, and contemporary significance Culture An accessible overview of culture: what it is, its components (symbols, norms, material forms), how it is transmitted, studied, and why it matters in societies past and present.

Culture of Iran Overview of Iran's rich cultural heritage: languages, literature, arts, religion, festivals, cuisine, music, cinema and modern expressions rooted in Persian civilization.

Culture shock: definition, stages, causes, and coping strategies Culture shock Culture shock: what it is, common symptoms and stages, origins of the term, examples and causes, plus practical coping strategies and the distinction of reverse culture shock.

Cumans: Turkic nomads of the Eurasian steppe Cumans Cumans were a medieval Turkic nomadic people of the Black Sea steppe. They shaped politics, warfare and culture across Eastern Europe before dispersing after the 13th‑century Mongo…

Czech Canadians People in Canada of Czech ancestry or Czech-born residents, their history, settlement, cultural life, organizations, and contemporary identity within Canadian society.

Czechs: people, language, history and cultural identity Czechs An overview of the Czechs, a West Slavic people of Central Europe: origins, language, cultural traditions, historical development, and modern distribution at home and abroad.

Dacians — ancient inhabitants of Dacia Dacians Overview of the Dacians: their origins, language, society, conflicts with Rome, religion and archaeological legacy in the Carpathian–Black Sea region.

Dakota people The Dakota are one of the principal divisions of the Sioux (Oceti Sakowin), traditionally of the Upper Midwest. This article outlines their branches, language, history, culture, go…

Dalmatae (Delmatae): an Illyrian tribe of the western Balkans Dalmatae An Illyrian tribal group inhabiting the region of Dalmatia (modern Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina), centered on Delminium and ultimately incorporated into the Roman province af…

Dalmatian Italians: history, culture, and modern communities Dalmatian Italians Italians whose families originate from Dalmatia, a historical Adriatic region now mostly in Croatia, with communities shaped by Venetian rule, maritime culture, bilingualism and 20…

Danish people: identity, history, and cultural overview Danish people An overview of the Danish people (Danes): origins, language, history from the Viking era, cultural traits, diaspora and distinctions between ethnicity and citizenship.

Dards (Dardic peoples of Pakistan, Kashmir and Afghanistan) Dards The Dards are Indo‑Aryan speaking communities in northern Pakistan, western Jammu and Kashmir, eastern Afghanistan and small pockets in China and Tajikistan, identified by related…

Darwinius — the Eocene primate known from the 'Ida' fossil Darwinius Darwinius is a genus represented by a single exceptionally complete Eocene primate fossil ('Ida') from the Messel Pit; notable for its preservation, scientific debate, and public i…

Daughter language: definition, development, examples, and distinctions Daughter language A daughter language is a language that has evolved from an earlier ancestor. This article explains how daughter languages form, how linguists study them, examples, and important di…

Dayak peoples of Borneo Dayak people An overview of the Dayak: the diverse indigenous peoples of Borneo, their cultures, languages, traditional beliefs, social life, and contemporary challenges and revitalization.

Decolonization: process, history, forms, and lasting effects Decolonization Decolonization is the process by which colonies achieve self-government or independence from colonial powers, a major political transformation especially evident in the 20th centur…

Demographics of Nicaragua Overview of Nicaragua's population: ethnic composition, languages, religion, settlement patterns, historical influences and contemporary demographic features.

Demonym A demonym (or gentilic) is the name used for the inhabitants of a place; it can overlap with language names, take regular or irregular forms, and carries cultural and legal uses.

Denisovans (Denisova hominins) Denisovan Denisovans are an archaic human group known from DNA and sparse fossils in Asia; they interbred with modern humans and contributed genes to some present-day populations.

Dhar / Dar (surname) Dhar (surname) Dhar or Dar is a Kashmiri clan name and surname found among people from Kashmir and across South Asia and the diaspora, with several spelling variants and a presence in both Muslim…

Dhund Abbasi — a subtribe of the Abbasi in northern Pakistan Dhund Abbasi Overview of the Dhund Abbasi: identity, geographic distribution, language, social organization and history of this Abbasi subtribe in northern Pakistan and Azad Kashmir.

Diglossia: high and low varieties in language communities Diglossia Diglossia is a sociolinguistic situation in which two closely related language varieties have complementary social roles: a high (formal) variety and a low (informal) variety used…

Dimples (facial skin indentations) Dimples Small, often congenital indentations in the cheek or chin caused by variations in muscle or connective tissue; influenced by genetics, development, and cultural perception.

Dirweyn (Greater Dir) — Somali clan grouping Dirweyn Dirweyn, or Greater Dir, is a Somali clan grouping traditionally understood to include the Isaaq and Dir lineages, with a significant social and territorial presence across Somalil…

Dogras: People, language and cultural identity of the Jammu region Dogras Dogras are an Indo‑Aryan community from the Jammu hills of northern South Asia. They speak Dogri, are predominantly Hindu, and have a distinct history, culture, and regional instit…

Doll: History, Types, Uses, and Cultural Significance Doll An overview of dolls: their forms, materials, historical roles, uses in play and professional settings, and varieties from baby dolls to action figures and collectible art dolls.

Dravidian languages A language family of South Asia spoken mainly in southern India and neighbouring regions, with major languages like Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam and several smaller tribal…

Dravidian peoples: languages, history, and cultural traditions Dravidian peoples Ethnolinguistic groups of South Asia who speak Dravidian languages. Overview of languages, origins, regional history, cultural achievements, distribution, and distinguishing lingui…

Dungan language: a Sinitic tongue of Central Asian Hui descendants Dungan language Dungan is a variety of Mandarin spoken by the Dungan/Hui diaspora in Central Asia and Xinjiang. It is tonal and analytic, uses a Cyrillic script, and preserves regional Gansu–Shaan…

Dungan people: history, language, culture, and contemporary distribution Dungan people Ethnic Muslim community of Hui origin living mainly in Central Asia and Xinjiang; speak a Mandarin-derived language in Cyrillic and retain Islamic cultural traditions and distinct…

Dutch people People native to or associated with the Netherlands: overview of identity, language, history, diaspora, culture, notable contributions and distinctions within the Kingdom of the Ne…

East Asian cultural sphere (Sinosphere) East Asian cultural sphere Region of East Asia shaped by long-term cultural influence from Chinese civilization: shared writing practices, institutions, religions, arts, and transmission of technologies acro…

Eastern world: regions, cultures, history and contemporary significance Eastern world An accessible overview of the Eastern world—its regions, cultural traits, historical development, and contemporary roles in global culture, politics and economy.

Ecuadorian Americans: identity, history, and cultural presence in the United States Ecuadorian Americans Ecuadorian Americans are U.S. residents with roots in Ecuador. This article outlines their identities, migration history, cultural contributions, communities, and notable figures.

English people: identity, history and global presence English people A concise encyclopedic overview of English people: origins, cultural identity, relationship to Britain, demographic patterns and the global English diaspora.

Eora — Aboriginal people of the Sydney basin Eora The Eora are the Aboriginal peoples of the Sydney coastal region. This article outlines their territory, culture, archaeological record, the effects of colonial contact and contemp…

Ethnic conflict: causes, history, and approaches to resolution Ethnic conflict An overview of ethnic conflict: definition, typical drivers, notable examples, academic perspectives, and political and institutional options for managing interethnic violence.

Ethnic groups in Afghanistan: overview, distribution, and significance Ethnic groups in Afghanistan Survey of Afghanistan's principal ethnic communities, their geographic distribution, languages, religions, historical notes, and contemporary political and cultural roles.