Cultural Anthropology: A Perspective on the Human Condition / Edition 10

by Emily A. Schultz

Overview

This introduction to the major subfields of anthropology explores the interplay of biological and cultural forces shaping human nature, human society, and human history. Cultural creativity and human agency are seen as part of the human biological (evolutionary) heritage. This biocultural approach is evident throughout the text in the authors' consistent examination of both interpretive and materialist factors.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	2900190620683
Publication date:	01/18/2017
Pages:	480
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 1.25(h) x 9.00(d)

About the Author

Emily A. Schultz is Professor of Anthropology at St. Cloud State University.

Robert H. Lavenda is Professor of Anthropology at St. Cloud State University.

Table of Contents

1. The Anthropological Perspective
Part I. The Tools of Biological Anthropology
2. Thinking about Evolution
3. Microevolution and Macroevolution: Human Evolution in the Short and Long Term
Part II. Primates and Human Evolution
4. The Primates
5. Hominid Evolution
6. The Evolution of Homo sapiens
Part III. Cultural Evolution
7. Studying the Human Past
8. After the Ice Age: Sedentism, Domestication, and Agriculture
9. The Evolution of Complex Societies
Part IV. The Tools of Cultural Anthropology
10. Culture and the Human Condition
11. Ethnographic Fieldwork
12. History, Anthropology, and the Explanation of Cultural Diversity
Part V. The Resources of Culture
13. Language
14. Cognition
15. Play, Art, Myth, and Ritual
16. Worldview
Part VI. The Organization of Material Life
17. Social Organization and Power
18. Making a Living
Part VII. Systems of Relationships
19. Kinship
20. Marriage and the Family
21. Beyond Kinship
Part VIII. From Local to Global
(and more...)

Editorial Reviews

"Cultural Anthropology is comprehensive, and the case studies and examples show both the breadth and the depth of the material. It offers deeper coverage than competing books, which don't use as many specific examples from anthropological research."—Dillon Carr, Grand Rapids Community College

"Cultural Anthropology provides a holistic introduction to anthropological methods, including topics, theories, and various approaches. It is comprehensive while still feeling fresh and relatively up to date. I like the emphasis on the tools of anthropology, meaning-making, the material life, human relationships, and the global world. I particularly like that the authors articulate key concepts with case studies. This is especially useful for my teaching-I can use a case study from the book or draw on an example from my own fieldwork to illustrate the concepts."—Christina P. Davis, Western Illinois University

"Cultural Anthropology is very effective in communicating the relevancy of ethnographic research to undergraduate introductory-level students. It demonstrates that there is continuity between historical conceptualizations of the discipline and current research in easily relatable topics like politics, economics, kinship, and gender. Beyond being unique, the book is well written and interesting. I use it and will continue to use it as long as I teach big introductory-level classes."—Kimberly Hart, State University of New York, Buffalo

From the Publisher