Anthropology is the study of people (their presents, their pasts, their languages, and their biology). Given the breadth of the discipline I, the author, often find myself locating anthropology in various other fields of study, even if the individuals working in those disciplines do not see it themselves. This is because where there are people there is at least a touch of anthropology. Today’s blog post is dedicated to supporting this point by examining the connections between the study of plants (e.g., agriculture, plant sciences, botany, etc.) and anthropology, which is more formally known as ethnobotany.
The term ethnobotany was coined by American scholar John William Harshberger in 1895. At that time it had a very narrow focus that was simply the study of how native cultural groups used and interacted with plants and the physical environment. Many early ethnobotanists typically recorded what plants were being used by indigenous groups and the purpose of those uses.
Today, however, the definition of ethnobotany has expanded. Presently ethnobotany is understood to be an interdisciplinary field that draws upon anthropology (specifically cultural anthropology, linguistics, and archaeology), biology (including but not limited to botany), agriculture, chemistry, ecology, history, and economics. There remain some disagreements concerning the specific definition, but generally it is understood to be the study of the intersections between cultural groups and plants, allowing for a greater understanding of human relationships with nature and how those relationships have changed over time. No longer are ethnobotanists exclusively focused on non-Western cultural groups but also people who identify as Western or urban-industrialists, the latter of which also includes the rural populations who live in such nations.
There has also been an increase in the types of studies that fall within this newly defined idea of ethnobotany. Of course there remains the cataloguing of what plants are used and how by cultural groups (both in the past and present). This is important to understanding how people value plants for specific uses (e.g., certain woods for construction of housing, utilitarian goods, or artworks; or certain plants for medicinal purposes). There are new avenues of research, which include but are not limited to recognizing the role of humans in the development and diversification of plants (e.g., the development of marijuana or the various species of corn); the role people play in the management, proliferation, or loss of wild plants through unintentional or intentional practices (e.g., the extinction of a plant associated with contraception); as well as the use of plants in medicine, magic, ritual, personal use (e.g., clothing or housing), nutrition, and identity, although this last one is largely a focus among anthropologists (e.g., among the ancient Maya or African Americans). There are even forays into studying how people hunting seed dispersing animals (e.g., primates) affects the plant ecology of the area.
Because of the interdisciplinary nature of ethnobotany a variety of methods are used to conduct these studies. These include those that are specific to the scientific disciplines employed (e.g., isotopic studies), but specific anthropological methods used are largely found within cultural anthropological methods. These include participant observation, interviews, and making use of cultural informants. There are not many individuals who are trained specifically in ethnobotany, so many ethnobotanical studies are beingconducted by interdisciplinary teams that include anthropologists. There are, of course, anthropologists and scientists who strike out on their own, drawing upon the methods and techniques of other fields to complete their research.
Ultimately, ethnobotany is one area of study that demonstrates the utility of anthropology in furthering our knowledge. Ethnobotany allows one to better understand the human connections to plants and how that has and continues to affect the natural environments we exist in. Preservation of human societies and natural environments will require the appropriate use of ethnobotanical research, including the use of the anthropological skills that are instrumental to this discipline.
Works Cited
Albuquerque, U. P., Ramos, M. A., Ferreira Júnior, W. S., & Muniz de Medeiros, P. (2017). Ethnobotany for Beginners. London: Springer International Publishing.
Heinrich, M. (2000). Ethnobotany and Its Role in Drug Development. Phytotherapy Research, 479-488.
Prance, G. T. (1991). What is Ethnobotany Today? Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 209-216.
Welsch, R. L., & Vivanco, L. A. (2020). Anthropology: Asking Questions About Human Origins, Diversity, and Culture. New York: Oxford University Press.
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