In this article the author describes the meaning of anthropology in terms of its inherent
interest in human culture. It has been this culture making capacity which has made
human adaptation to various environments and human situations possible. Interest in
human culture across time and space has made this field not only look into the past,
but also into the future: for as long as human beings retain this culture making
capacity, whether living in small communities or in “network” societies of today.
The four fields of anthropology are schematically portrayed using R. Redfield
(1969), but cast in the form of traditional Iranian garden with culture as the central
fountain. Participant observation, as the unique share of research method in
anthropology within social sciences has opened the whole area of non-formal life to
anthropologists, where people are not only questioned on specific topics of interest to
researcher, but where people are observed in action, and their perspectives and needs
are noted also. This opens the way toward applied anthropology.
Finally A. Johnson’s claim that “The 21st century is the century of anthropology” is
elaborated on in the hope of making this journal an emblem of the claim, through
making the potentialities of this field better known in Iran. Thus while presenting the
aims and interests of the journal, the author voices the request of the editorial board to
the readers in Iran and in the Iranian diaspora to express their academic participation in the form of articles, books, reviews, any views they think could help enhance the
journal, in service of readers, practitioners and planners.