Final answer:
Anthropology is composed of four main subfields: biological, archaeological, cultural, and linguistic anthropology, with medical anthropology being an additional discipline. Each field provides a unique perspective that converges to form a comprehensive understanding of human experiences and social challenges.
Step-by-step explanation:
The four traditional subfields of anthropology are biological anthropology, archaeology, cultural anthropology, and linguistic anthropology. Biological anthropology investigates human evolution and diversity through the deep past, including studies in paleoanthropology and primatology. Archaeology examines ancient cultures by analyzing material artifacts, providing insights into technologies and social practices of past societies.
Cultural anthropology explores contemporary societal structures and customs through methods such as participant observation, while linguistic anthropology focuses on language's role in human societies and how it interacts with other cultural components. An additional subfield of anthropology is medical anthropology, which studies human health and disease from cultural and biological perspectives. Together, these subfields contribute to a multifaceted understanding of humanity, addressing central challenges like racial injustice, gender inequality, and environmental issues.