The literature review should relate to these questions, theories that have been used to explain this and similar matters, and previous work on the material or data. You are writing a dissertation in Anthropology , therefore the review needs to be grounded in the anthropological literature.
It is essential to situate the work in this broader context.
This Literature Review summarizes the ‘state of the art’ of a subject and how it relates to the dissertation. A question you may ask yourself in the process is: “How have anthropologists addressed the central themes/topic of interest, and how might an anthropological perspective or approach contribute new perspectives on these themes/topic?”
It could take a chronological, historical approach, or be thematic, beginning in the broadest terms and becoming progressively more focused.
The Literature Review provides a critical overview of the existing research that is significant. It is not simply a summary. Although there is a need to summarize relevant research, you should evaluate this work, and show the relationships between different sources, schools of thought, or methods. At the end of the Literature Review, a reader should understand what has already been done on the topic and how your projects fit in/why it needs to be done.
Some questions the Literature Review might address.
• What do anthropologists (and other relevant scholars) already know about my topic?
• How have previous scholars in anthropology addressed this topic or related issues?
• What existing theories/theoretical approaches may be relevant to the questions/topic?
• Where are the inconsistencies or other shortcomings in the current knowledge?
• What can an anthropological lens contribute to this topic?
• What evidence is lacking, inconclusive, contradictory or too limited?
• What research methods or approaches seem unsatisfactory?
• Why should this research be studied?
• What views need to be (further) tested or investigated?
