The principle focus of teaching and research in the graduate programme is the Social Anthropology of Complex Societies in Third World and Western countries. Anthropology covers an enormous historical and geographical range and it is fortunate that the library has a strong social science collection from which students may draw. Areas that are emphasized in the graduate programme receive extra attention but the collection has no particular strengths. Prehistory, archaeology and physical anthropology have limited holdings. Related Collections at York Many social science and humanities subjects are closely related to anthropology.
Sociology is the closest and it is often difficult to distinguish which fund is applicable.
If it can be readily ascertained, the focus of the work is the criterion for deciding the funding in overlapping areas. Art, economics, environmental studies, health, history, law, political science, psychology, religion, urban studies, women's studies and area studies are all subjects that have anthropological aspects. The independent disciplines have collections policies. The Government Documents Library has a good collection of documents in anthropology and a collection policy. Religious ritual and symbolism, folklore and witchcraft are selected by the English Humanities bibliographer.