Ecological anthropology

Ecological anthropology is a sub-field of anthropology and is defined as the "study of cultural adaptations to environments".^[1] The sub-field is also defined as, "the study of relationships between a population of humans and their biophysical environment".^[2] The focus of its research concerns "how cultural beliefs and practices helped human populations adapt to their environments, and how people used elements of their culture to maintain their ecosystems".^[1] Ecological anthropology developed from the approach of cultural ecology, and it provided a conceptual framework more suitable for scientific inquiry than the cultural ecology approach.^[3] Research pursued under this approach aims to study a wide range of human responses to environmental problems.^[3]

Ecological anthropologist, Conrad Kottak published arguing^{[clarification needed]} there is an original older 'functionalist', apolitical style ecological anthropology and, as of the time of writing in 1999, a 'new ecological anthropology' was emerging and being recommended consisting of a more complex intersecting global, national, regional and local systems style or approach.^[4]

^ ^a ^b Kottak, Conrad Phillip (2010). Anthropology : appreciating human diversity (14th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. pp. 579–584. ISBN 978-0-07-811699-5.
^ Townsend, Patricia K. (2009). Environmental anthropology : from pigs to policies (2nd ed.). Prospect Heights, Ill.: Waveland Press. pp. 104. ISBN 978-1-57766-581-6.
^ ^a ^b Moran, Emilio F. (2006). People and nature : an introduction to human ecological relations (3. [repr.]. ed.). Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing. pp. 31–32. ISBN 978-1-4051-0572-9.
^ Kottack, Conrad. (1999). "The New Ecological Anthropology" (PDF). American Anthropologist. 1: 23–35. doi:10.1525/aa.1999.101.1.23. hdl:2027.42/66329.

[Kottak-1] Kottak, Conrad Phillip (2010). Anthropology : appreciating human diversity (14th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. pp. 579–584. ISBN 978-0-07-811699-5.

[Townsend-2] Townsend, Patricia K. (2009). Environmental anthropology : from pigs to policies (2nd ed.). Prospect Heights, Ill.: Waveland Press. pp. 104. ISBN 978-1-57766-581-6.

[Moran-3] Moran, Emilio F. (2006). People and nature : an introduction to human ecological relations (3. [repr.]. ed.). Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing. pp. 31–32. ISBN 978-1-4051-0572-9.

[NewEcoAnthrop-4] Kottack, Conrad. (1999). "The New Ecological Anthropology" (PDF). American Anthropologist. 1: 23–35. doi:10.1525/aa.1999.101.1.23. hdl:2027.42/66329.

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