Peoples of the world


Peoples is a rather fuzzily defined subject. The term may correspond to a civilization, nationality, culture, language group, or ethnic group. It is easier to recognize one than to come up with an exact definition. Peoples are not entirely distinct from one another and change from region to region and over time. Although in principle all peoples are equally worthy of attention, it is in practice not possible to give them equal weight. Greater weight and attention is given to those peoples that are most populous, have a well-developed culture, a long history, and frequent interactions with their neighbors. Due to limitations of time and resources, only the most prominent ones can be discussed at present. For purposes of study, peoples are at present divided into four major categories: Asiatic peoples and civilization, Western civilization, African peoples and civilization, and American Indian peoples and civilization.	Sapience Home Site Map About Sapience Sociology Western Civilization Asiatic Civilization African peoples American Indian peoples Nations

Peoples is a rather fuzzily defined subject. The term may correspond to a civilization, nationality, culture, language group, or ethnic group. It is easier to recognize one than to come up with an exact definition. Peoples are not entirely distinct from one another and change from region to region and over time.

Although in principle all peoples are equally worthy of attention, it is in practice not possible to give them equal weight. Greater weight and attention is given to those peoples that are most populous, have a well-developed culture, a long history, and frequent interactions with their neighbors. Due to limitations of time and resources, only the most prominent ones can be discussed at present.

For purposes of study, peoples are at present divided into four major categories: Asiatic peoples and civilization, Western civilization, African peoples and civilization, and American Indian peoples and civilization.

Sociology

Nations

As a reference, the larger nations of the world are listed in an alphabetical order. This list may be extended to include nations which no longer exist, but which were historically important.

Western Civilization

This includes subdivisions of Anglic peoples, Latin peoples, Northeast European peoples, Germanic peoples, Balkan peoples, and Scandinavian peoples.

Asiatic Civilization

This includes subdivisions of Middle East, South Asian people, Oriental peoples, Central Asian peoples, and Southeast Asian and Oceanic peoples.

African peoples

This will include subdivisions of West African peoples, East African peoples, Central African peoples, and Southern African peoples.

American Indian peoples

On this site, this means the Native American or American Indian peoples of North America, Meso-America, (which includes Mexico and Central American), and South America. The history of these peoples is little known before Columbus and submerged in the European-derived national cultures since then, but more information will be included as the site develops.


History Particular nations are not identical with peoples since many nations contain more than one people and many peoples are spread over more than one nation. However, they do provide useful introductions to the subject. Recorded history begins with Asiatic peoples, a diverse group. These gave rise to Western civilization. Although according to current anthropological theory, the African peoples are the oldest of all the peoples of the world, their history was not recorded until recently. The American Indian peoples underwent a largely separate development from those of the Old world, and most of their records have been lost. These developments can be followed through prehistory, antiquity, and classical and medieval times. In modern times Western civilization has been prominent and influential. Asiatic peoples were eclipsed by them for most of the period. African peoples were not well connected. American Indian peoples became connected. Developments of the future are not yet well known.	Links to other sites: Dr. Vess' World Civilizations Virtual Library World Civilizations Access Map
Other Sociology Peoples of the world depend heavily on other areas of sociology, including communities and social structure and change. Institutions Studies of peoples of the world depend heavily on the institutions including religion, government, education, economics, and families. Culture Behavioral culture is important in describing peoples. Cultural events such as holidays, gatherings, disasters, and miscellaneous events are essential in characterizing and describing peoples. Recreation and entertainment such as sports, games, theater, dance, and music is important. Occupations are useful in describing peoples. Service occupations such as institutional services, business and commercial services, sports, recreation and entertainment, and social and medical occupations can be connected. Industrial occupations, communication occupations, transportation occupations, building occupations, and food related occupations can be connected. Customs such as institutional customs, social interaction, dress and adornment, living and dwelling, and vital customs are important. Conceptual culture is essential in describing peoples. Philosophy, including areas of schools and doctrines, metaphysics, aesthetics, ethics, epistemology, and logic varies from one people to another. Applied science including applied social science, accounting, information science, medical science, navigation, engineering science, and measurement is also useful in characterizing and describing peoples. Mathematics including statistics, geometry, analysis, algebra, arithmetic, and mathematical foundations may be useful. Literature with particular literary works, literary genres and forms, and oral tradition is also useful. Graphic arts including computer graphics, photography, printmaking, painting, and drawing will be useful. Language is particularly significant. Languages of the world including Indo-European languages, Afro-Asiatic languages, Asiatic languages, African languages, and American Indian languages are highly important. Writing and linguistics are also significant. Material culture is important in characterizing and describing peoples. Miscellaneous artifacts such as toys, weaponry, medicines, musical intruments, and sculpture will also be important. Communications technology including electronic communication, graphic communication, and written communication can be considered. Transportation technology including space transportation, air transportation, water transportation, land transportation, and packaging will be useful. Clothing including textiles, garments, and adornment is also important. Foodstuffs including agricultural products, processed and preserved foods, and prepared foods are important. Building technology including materials, components, furnishings, finished buildings, and outdoor structures will be useful.Industrial technology including tools, fuels, chemical technology, machinery, utilities, and other technology will be imporant. Anthropology Western Civilization, Asiatic peoples, African peoples, and American Indian peoples are be inflenced by various aspects of anthropology. Particular groups will also be useful. One example is the Wright brothers. The geography of peoples is based on human geography, but is not identical to it. European geography including Island Europe, Northwestern Europe, Iberia, Italy, the Balkans, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and Scandinavia is important. Asian geography such as Southwest Asia, and in particular the Near East, Arabia, and Asia Minor, South Asian geography, Central Asian geograpy, Southeast Asian geography, East Asian geography, and North Asian geography. North American geography including Northern North American geography, Middle American (US)and Southern North American geography, South American geograpy, and African geography including North African geography, East African geography, North Central African geography, South Central African geography, West African geography, and Southern African geography are the areas most important to the peoples so far considered. Oceanic geography is of limited use. Human ecology including the influence of mankind on the environment, relations with other life, and the influence of the environments on these peoples will also be useful. Physical anthropology including human dispersion, racial variation, and human origins will also be useful in examining peoples. Demography of peoples, including population change, population structure, morbidity and mortality, migration, and birth and fertility is highly important. Social foundations including social group behavior, social group types, social control, social interaction, and social presentation may be useful to studies of peoples. Personal studies The biographical listing of individuals is not duplicated here, since everyone belongs to at least one of these peoples, but important contributors to the study of peoples may be mentioned. Details of Psychology including social psychology, personality, developmental psychology, mental disorders, behavior patterns, mind, and behavioral fundamentals are mostly at a fairly low level, but may be useful. The Human body seems to be largely at too low a level to be helpful to peoples of the world, but may be of some use. Form and appearance may be helpful. The human life cycle including gestation, infancy, childhood, adulthood, senescence, and death, disease, body functions including control functions, reproduction, vital functions, and mobility, and body systems including control systems, reproductive system vital systems, and structural systems can be considered. Science Biology Biohistory including Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic biology down to the Pliocene, Pleistocene, and Holocene epochs can be considered. Ecology including biogeography, ecosystems, evolution, system ecology, community ecology, population ecology, and behavioral ecology can be connected. systematics including animals, fungi, plants, protists, and microbes can be connected. Organism biology including behavior, life cycle, forms, organs systems, tissues, and habital is less directly useful. Cell biology including cell types, behavior, and anatomy seems to be indirectly useful. Molecular biology including nucleinc acids, proteins, Lipids, carbohydrates, small organics, and inorganics seems to be at best indirectly useful. Earth science may be useful to particular peoples. geohistory including Precambrian, Paoeozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic geology including the Pleistocene and Holocene epocs can be considered. Physical geography including mapping, Terrestrial geography, and oceanic geography can be connected. Atmospheric science including climatology, meteorology, and atmospheric structure can be connected. Hydrospheric science including studies of the oceans, glaciers, groundwater, and freshwater can possibly be connected.Geology including interior geology, geologic processes, landforms, petrology, and mineralogy can possibly be connected. Astronomy is somewhat useful. Cosmology does not seem to be strongly connected, and galactic astronomy does not seem to be particularly useful. Stellar astronomy and Solar System astronomy seem to be better connected. Chemistry and physics seem to be less directly useful. to peoples.

History

Particular nations are not identical with peoples since many nations contain more than one people and many peoples are spread over more than one nation. However, they do provide useful introductions to the subject. Recorded history begins with Asiatic peoples, a diverse group. These gave rise to Western civilization. Although according to current anthropological theory, the African peoples are the oldest of all the peoples of the world, their history was not recorded until recently. The American Indian peoples underwent a largely separate development from those of the Old world, and most of their records have been lost. These developments can be followed through prehistory, antiquity, and classical and medieval times. In modern times Western civilization has been prominent and influential. Asiatic peoples were eclipsed by them for most of the period. African peoples were not well connected. American Indian peoples became connected. Developments of the future are not yet well known.

Links to other sites:
Dr. Vess' World Civilizations Virtual Library
World Civilizations Access Map

Other Sociology

Peoples of the world depend heavily on other areas of sociology, including communities and social structure and change.

Institutions

Studies of peoples of the world depend heavily on the institutions including religion, government, education, economics, and families.

Culture

Behavioral culture is important in describing peoples. Cultural events such as holidays, gatherings, disasters, and miscellaneous events are essential in characterizing and describing peoples. Recreation and entertainment such as sports, games, theater, dance, and music is important. Occupations are useful in describing peoples. Service occupations such as institutional services, business and commercial services, sports, recreation and entertainment, and social and medical occupations can be connected. Industrial occupations, communication occupations, transportation occupations, building occupations, and food related occupations can be connected. Customs such as institutional customs, social interaction, dress and adornment, living and dwelling, and vital customs are important.

Conceptual culture is essential in describing peoples. Philosophy, including areas of schools and doctrines, metaphysics, aesthetics, ethics, epistemology, and logic varies from one people to another. Applied science including applied social science, accounting, information science, medical science, navigation, engineering science, and measurement is also useful in characterizing and describing peoples. Mathematics including statistics, geometry, analysis, algebra, arithmetic, and mathematical foundations may be useful. Literature with particular literary works, literary genres and forms, and oral tradition is also useful. Graphic arts including computer graphics, photography, printmaking, painting, and drawing will be useful. Language is particularly significant. Languages of the world including Indo-European languages, Afro-Asiatic languages, Asiatic languages, African languages, and American Indian languages are highly important. Writing and linguistics are also significant.

Material culture is important in characterizing and describing peoples. Miscellaneous artifacts such as toys, weaponry, medicines, musical intruments, and sculpture will also be important. Communications technology including electronic communication, graphic communication, and written communication can be considered. Transportation technology including space transportation, air transportation, water transportation, land transportation, and packaging will be useful. Clothing including textiles, garments, and adornment is also important. Foodstuffs including agricultural products, processed and preserved foods, and prepared foods are important. Building technology including materials, components, furnishings, finished buildings, and outdoor structures will be useful.Industrial technology including tools, fuels, chemical technology, machinery, utilities, and other technology will be imporant.

Anthropology

Western Civilization, Asiatic peoples, African peoples, and American Indian peoples are be inflenced by various aspects of anthropology.

Particular groups will also be useful. One example is the Wright brothers.

The geography of peoples is based on human geography, but is not identical to it. European geography including Island Europe, Northwestern Europe, Iberia, Italy, the Balkans, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and Scandinavia is important. Asian geography such as Southwest Asia, and in particular the Near East, Arabia, and Asia Minor, South Asian geography, Central Asian geograpy, Southeast Asian geography, East Asian geography, and North Asian geography. North American geography including Northern North American geography, Middle American (US)and Southern North American geography, South American geograpy, and African geography including North African geography, East African geography, North Central African geography, South Central African geography, West African geography, and Southern African geography are the areas most important to the peoples so far considered. Oceanic geography is of limited use.

Human ecology including the influence of mankind on the environment, relations with other life, and the influence of the environments on these peoples will also be useful.

Physical anthropology including human dispersion, racial variation, and human origins will also be useful in examining peoples.

Demography of peoples, including population change, population structure, morbidity and mortality, migration, and birth and fertility is highly important.

Social foundations including social group behavior, social group types, social control, social interaction, and social presentation may be useful to studies of peoples.

Personal studies

The biographical listing of individuals is not duplicated here, since everyone belongs to at least one of these peoples, but important contributors to the study of peoples may be mentioned.

Details of Psychology including social psychology, personality, developmental psychology, mental disorders, behavior patterns, mind, and behavioral fundamentals are mostly at a fairly low level, but may be useful.

The Human body seems to be largely at too low a level to be helpful to peoples of the world, but may be of some use. Form and appearance may be helpful. The human life cycle including gestation, infancy, childhood, adulthood, senescence, and death, disease, body functions including control functions, reproduction, vital functions, and mobility, and body systems including control systems, reproductive system vital systems, and structural systems can be considered.

Science

Biology

Biohistory including Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic biology down to the Pliocene, Pleistocene, and Holocene epochs can be considered. Ecology including biogeography, ecosystems, evolution, system ecology, community ecology, population ecology, and behavioral ecology can be connected. systematics including animals, fungi, plants, protists, and microbes can be connected. Organism biology including behavior, life cycle, forms, organs systems, tissues, and habital is less directly useful. Cell biology including cell types, behavior, and anatomy seems to be indirectly useful. Molecular biology including nucleinc acids, proteins, Lipids, carbohydrates, small organics, and inorganics seems to be at best indirectly useful.

Earth science may be useful to particular peoples. geohistory including Precambrian, Paoeozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic geology including the Pleistocene and Holocene epocs can be considered. Physical geography including mapping, Terrestrial geography, and oceanic geography can be connected. Atmospheric science including climatology, meteorology, and atmospheric structure can be connected. Hydrospheric science including studies of the oceans, glaciers, groundwater, and freshwater can possibly be connected.Geology including interior geology, geologic processes, landforms, petrology, and mineralogy can possibly be connected.

Astronomy is somewhat useful. Cosmology does not seem to be strongly connected, and galactic astronomy does not seem to be particularly useful. Stellar astronomy and Solar System astronomy seem to be better connected.

Chemistry and physics seem to be less directly useful. to peoples.

Top