Anthropology

Ethnic groups of Pakistan: languages, distribution, and cultural identity Ethnic groups of Pakistan Survey of Pakistan’s principal ethnic communities, their languages and scripts, regional distributions, historical origins, smaller groups, and contemporary cultural and political…

Ethnic groups of the United States Overview of the major ethnic groups in the United States, how race and ethnicity are defined, historical migration waves, census categories, and cultural impact.

Ethnocentrism: judging other cultures from one’s own cultural standpoint Ethnocentrism Ethnocentrism is the tendency to evaluate other peoples’ languages, customs, religions and behaviours by the standards of one’s own culture, often implying superiority.

Ethnology: Comparative Study of Cultures and Ethnic Groups Ethnology Ethnology is the branch of anthropology that compares cultures and ethnic groups to identify patterns, historical connections, and social processes shaping human diversity.

Eurasian Identity: Mixed European–Asian Ancestry and Regional Meanings Eurasian people Explores Eurasian identity—people of mixed European–Asian ancestry—and how the term’s meanings vary by region, history, culture and geography, from colonial communities to continen…

Exodusters: The 1879 African American Migration to Kansas and Beyond Exodusters Exodusters were African Americans who left the post–Reconstruction South in the late 1870s for Kansas and other states, escaping violence and legal oppression and establishing new…

Exploration: motives, methods, history and consequences Exploration An overview of exploration: its definition, historical development from human migrations to the Age of Discovery and space travel, methods and tools, motivations, and ethical and e…

Eye colour: causes, variation, evolution and cultural significance Eye colour An overview of the biological basis, variation, genetics, evolution, medical relevance and cultural aspects of human eye colour, and how it differs from other primates.

Fa'afafine: Samoa’s traditional third-gender people Fa’afafine Faʻafafine are a Samoan gender category—typically androphilic males who adopt feminine gender expression—recognized socially as a distinct identity with cultural roles, histories,…

Father (male parent) Father A father is a male parent with biological, legal, and social roles. This article explains biological contribution, types of fatherhood, cultural roles, responsibilities, and distin…

Feminist Anthropology: study of gender, power, and cultures Feminist Anthropology Feminist anthropology applies feminist perspectives to anthropological study, centering gender, critiquing androcentrism, and reshaping methods and topics such as kinship, labor, r…

Filipino: people, language and national identity Filipino “Filipino” denotes citizens of the Philippines, the country’s national language (based on Tagalog), and related cultural identities. This article explains origins, linguistic featu…

Filipino Americans Americans of Filipino ancestry: overview of origins, migration history, cultural contributions, demographics, and contemporary issues facing this diverse community.

Finger A finger is a digit on the human hand used for manipulation, sensation and communication. This article describes anatomy, evolution, common uses, variation and notable facts.

Fingerprint Distinctive patterns of friction ridges on human fingertips used for identification in forensics, biometrics, and personal security; includes structure, history, capture methods, a…

First Nations (Canada): peoples, governance, history and contemporary issues First Nations Overview of First Nations—diverse Indigenous peoples of Canada (distinct from Métis and Inuit), their cultures, languages, legal status, governance forms, history, and the contempo…

Five Civilized Tribes: Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek (Muscogee) and Seminole Five Civilized Tribes Collective name used by European-American settlers for five Southeastern Native nations—Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek (Muscogee) and Seminole—recognized for adopting many col…

Folk: People, Traditions, Arts and Music Folk Overview of 'folk' as a term for people or communities, oral traditions and folklore, folk arts and crafts, and folk music, with history, characteristics, uses, and distinctions fr…

Foot binding: history, practice, and cultural legacy Foot binding A comprehensive overview of the Chinese custom of foot binding: its practices, social meanings, historical development, health effects, reform efforts, and legacy.

Forensic anthropology: analysis of human remains for legal investigation Forensic anthropology Forensic anthropology applies skeletal analysis to help identify individuals, estimate biological profile, interpret trauma and taphonomy, and support legal investigations and disa…

Four-field approach in anthropology Four-field approach A descriptive overview of the four-field approach in American anthropology: its components, history, uses, and debates including the treatment of applied anthropology.

French Americans: history, communities, language, and cultural influence French Americans Overview of French Americans: origins, regional identities (Québécois, Cajun, Franco‑Americans), language and religion, demographic notes, cultural contributions, and patterns of a…

French Canadians French Canadians are an ethnic and cultural group originating in colonial New France, forming the principal Francophone population in Canada with distinct regional varieties, histo…

Frisian people: history, language and culture of Frisia Frisian people The Frisians are a Germanic people of the southern North Sea coast. This article outlines their geography, languages, medieval history, cultural traditions and modern status.

Frontiersman and Frontierswoman: life, role, and legacy Frontiersman People who lived at the edge of settled society, shaping and surviving in borderlands; overview of skills, daily life, regional varieties, interactions with indigenous peoples, cul…

Fulani people: pastoral communities of the West African Sahel Fulani people Overview of the Fulani (Fula, Fulɓe): distribution across West Africa, language, culture, pastoralism, historical states, and contemporary issues including sedentarization and reso…

Fulfulde (Fula): language of the Fulani people Fulfulde Fulfulde, also called Fula, Pulaar or Pular, is a Niger–Congo language cluster spoken by the Fulani across West and Central Africa. It has many dialects, multiple scripts, and impo…

Gao (surname) Gao (高) is an East Asian surname meaning "high" or "tall", common in China and the Chinese diaspora; it has multiple origins, regional romanizations, and related forms in Korea and…

Gaucho (Gaúcho): South American horseman and cultural figure Gaucho Gaucho (Portuguese Gaúcho) refers to the mounted herders of the South American pampas, a regional horseman and cultural symbol associated with Argentina, Uruguay, southern Brazil a…

Genogram: family diagram for medical, psychological, and social patterns Genogram A genogram is a structured family diagram that records relationships and additional information — medical history, emotional ties, and social patterns — used in health, therapy and…

German Americans: history, culture, and regional distribution German Americans Overview of Americans of German ancestry: origins, immigration waves, language and assimilation, cultural contributions, regional communities and contemporary demographics.

German Canadians Canadians of German-language or ethnic German ancestry: history of migration, regional communities, language and religion, cultural contributions, and contemporary identity.

German Jews: History, Identity, and Community German Jews An overview of German Jews: their historical development, cultural characteristics, experiences from medieval times through the Holocaust to contemporary revival and contributions…

Germanic peoples: origins, groups, and cultural legacy Germanic peoples Overview of the Germanic peoples: linguistic and ethnic origins, Roman-era records, tribal divisions, migration and kingdom formation, cultural traits, and modern linguistic and na…

Germans: people, identity, and history Germans An overview of Germans covering language, cultural traits, historical origins, legal citizenship versus ethnic identity, distribution and notable cultural contributions.

Getae: ancient Thracian tribes of the Lower Danube region Getae The Getae were Thracian-speaking tribes living along the lower Danube in parts of modern Bulgaria and Romania. Classical authors linked them to the Dacians; archaeology clarifies t…

Ghost Dance: Native American spiritual movement of the late 19th century Ghost Dance The Ghost Dance was a pan‑Native American spiritual movement of the late 1800s promising renewal and reunion with the dead. It combined ritual dance, prophecy, and social reform an…

Girl: definition, development, and social context Girl A girl is a young female human — a child or adolescent. This article explains biological development, puberty, cultural and legal contexts, social roles, distinctions from boys and…

Glans (penile and clitoral) Glans The glans is the rounded, highly sensitive tip of the penis or clitoris. This article describes its anatomy, development, function, clinical considerations, and differences between…

Goths: an East Germanic people — origins, history, and legacy Goths Overview of the Goths: their origins, language, migrations, division into Visigoths and Ostrogoths, interactions with Rome, culture, religion, and historical legacy.

Gotra: lineage clans and kinship in Hindu tradition Gotra Gotra denotes a lineage or clan in Hindu social organization, traditionally tracing descent in an unbroken male line from a common ancestor; used for identity, marriage rules, and…

Great Migration (African American) The 20th-century movement of roughly six million African Americans from the rural South to industrial cities in the North, Midwest, and West; causes, phases, cultural effects, and…

Greeks in Albania: community, language, and history Greeks in Albania Ethnic Greeks in Albania form a longstanding minority concentrated in the south. This article summarizes their distribution, language rights, history, cultural life, and contempora…

Griot (Jeli): West African oral historian, musician, and storyteller Griot Griot (also jeli) refers to a hereditary West African oral specialist who preserves history, genealogy, music and social memory through storytelling, song, and public speech.

Guaraní: people, languages, and cultural legacy Guarani Guaraní denotes an indigenous people of the Río de la Plata region, a family of Tupí languages (notably Paraguayan Guaraní), and Paraguay's currency; notable for broad social use a…

Gujarati: People, Language, and Cultural Identity of Gujarat Gujarati Overview of Gujarati as an identity: the Indian state of Gujarat, its people, and the Gujarati language — history, characteristics, diaspora, culture, and notable distinctions.

Gujarati language: overview, script, history and global presence Gujarati language Gujarati is an Indo-Aryan language native to the state of Gujarat in India, spoken by tens of millions worldwide and notable for its script, literature, and diaspora communities.

Gujarati people (Gujaratis) Gujarati people Ethnolinguistic group from Gujarat, India, speaking Gujarati and known for commerce, distinctive cuisine, festivals like Navratri, a broad diaspora, and varied religious and region…