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Perspectives on Culture: A Critical Introduction to Theory in Cultural Anthropology 1/e
Homayun Sidky
Published December 2003 by Prentice Hall
Copyright 2004, 531 pp., Paper
ISBN: 0-13-093134-9
List Price:
$57.80
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Preface
Summary

This book provides a critical introduction to theory in cultural anthropology—from the perspective of the philosophy of science. It imparts the analytical skills needed to assess the often contradictory claims to knowledge and theoretical perspectives encountered in the study of general anthropology. KEY TOPICS Chapter topics cover science and anthropology: epistemological questions, evolutionism and the beginnings of anthropology during the nineteenth century, the Diffusionists, historical particularism, functionalism and modern anthropology, structural-functionalism, French structuralism, ethnoscience and cognitive anthropology, symbolic anthropology and the interpretation of culture, scientific anthropology, materialist and Marxist anthropology, postmodern anthropology, and anthropology in the 21st century. MARKET: For individuals seeking reliable, valid knowledge about humankind, human behavior, and the evolution and operation of sociocultural systems.

Features

  • Broad scope of material—Offers an in-depth, historical review of anthropological theories developed over the last 120 years.

    • Introduces students to “the problem of knowledge”—teaching them that it is not insoluble, and allows them to make sense of various theories and differentiate between the kinds of knowledge generated under the auspices of different theoretical perspectives.

  • A focus on scientific knowledge—And how it differs from other types of knowledge.

    • Helps students to understand that there are different kinds of knowledge, and not all of those are of equal value if our goal is to obtain reliable understanding of the world, people, and sociocultural systems.

  • Coverage of epistemology.

    • Familiarizes students with the branch of inquiry dealing with the nature and sources of anthropological knowledge.

  • Emphasis on analytical skills.

    • Enables students to distinguish between scientific, pseudoscientific, and non-scientific accounts.

  • Numerous examples of anthropological puzzles—i.e., the efforts, ideas, debates, mistakes, and successes that anthropologists have tackled over the last 100 years.

    • Illustrates the various theoretical operations associated with particular research strategies.

  • Unique presentation of cultural perspectives.

    • Helps instructors explain the fields theoretical diversity. Teaches studentshow to get a handle on the contentious theory wars in American cultural anthropology today.
Table of Contents



 1. The Nature of Anthropology and Anthropological Knowledge.


 2. Science and Anthropology: Epistemological Questions.


 3. Evolutionism and the Beginnings of Anthropology during the Nineteenth Century.


 4. Lewis Henry Morgan and the Evolution of Society.


 5. The Diffusionists: Unbridled Imagination and the History of Culture.


 6. Historical Particularism: The Anthropology of Franz Boas and the Demise of Theory.


 7. After Boas: The Development of American Anthropology.


 8. Bronislaw Malinowski, Functionalism, and Modern Anthropology.


 9. From Functionalism to Structural-Functionalism: The Anthropology of Radcliffe-Brown.


10. Cultural Evolution Returns: Leslie White and Julian Steward.


11. French Structuralism: The Anthropology of Claude Lvi-Strauss.


12. Ethnoscience and Cognitive Anthropology: The Problem of Local Knowledge.


13. Symbols, Symbolic Anthropology and the Interpretation of Culture.


14. Scientific, Materialist and Marxist Anthropology.


15. Postmodern Anthropology.


16. Conclusion: Anthropology in the 21st Century.


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