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Physical Anthropology: Original Readings in Method and Practice 1/e
Peter N. Peregrine
Carol R. Ember
Melvin Ember
Published November 2001 by Prentice Hall
Copyright 2002, 280 pp., Paper
ISBN: 0-13-093979-X
List Price:
$28.00
Inventory Status:
In-Stock
   
Preface
Summary

The carefully selected works in this collection help readers understand the methods, practices, and experiences of some of the top physical anthropologists working in the field today. Each article reflects the contributors' experiences, insights, and opinions in a lively, semi-autobiographical manner. KEY TOPICS: Conveys not only what contributors found, but how they found it and what the experience was like. Brings the experiences and insights of active scholars to practical research matters. Introduces basic concepts of biological evolution and evolutionary theory. Explores our australopithecine and early human ancestors, and considers how and why humans evolved. Considers both the nature and causes of physical variation among contemporary peoples. MARKET: For anyone interested in learning more about physical anthropology, its methods, and discoveries.

Features

  • Original readings created specifically for undergraduates—Avoids the jargon and excessive detail of more scholarly works, yet provides more information than normally found in works written for a popular audience.

    • Provides a student-friendly level of coverage that ensures students receive the technical detail they need. Ex.___

  • Focus on discovery and process—Conveys not only what contributors found, but how they found it and what the experience was like.

    • Helps to pique students' interest in the process of doing physical anthropology. Ex.___

  • Unique coverage of standard physical anthropology topics—Brings the experiences and insights of active scholars to practical research matters.

    • Helps to retain student interest in topics that other texts often present in a dry, uninteresting manner. Ex.___

  • Evolution section—Introduces basic concepts of biological evolution and evolutionary theory.

    • Conveys to students a feeling of the research process while focusing on a particular facet of the subject. Ex.___

  • Human Evolution section—Explores our australopithecine and early human ancestors, and considers how and why humans evolved.

    • Conveys to students a feeling of the research process while focusing on a particular facet of the subject. Ex.___

  • Modern Human Variation section—Considers both the nature and causes of physical variation among contemporary peoples.

    • Conveys to students a feeling of the research process while focusing on a particular facet of the subject. Ex.___

  • Physical Anthropologists at Work section—Includes two autobiographical articles that conveys the variations among physical anthropologists themselves.

    • Gives students a more personal perspective on professionals in the field and enables them to see the material applied in a real-world setting. Ex.___
Table of Contents



Introduction by P.N. Peregrine, C.R. Ember, and M. Ember.

I. EVOLUTION.

 1. Evolutionary Genetics, R. Eckhardt.

 2. Genes, Bodies, and Species, J. Marks.

 3. Paleoanthropology and Evolutionary Theory, I. Tattersall.

II. PRIMATE EVOLUTION.

 4. Explaining Primate Origins, M. Cartmill.

 5. Why Are Primates So Smart?, J. Silk and R. Boyd.

 6. Miocene Apes, D. Begun.

 7. Chimpanzee Hunting Behavior and Human Evolution, C. Stanford.

III. HUMAN EVOLUTION.

 8. Australopithecus Afarensis and Human Evolution, S. Simpson.

 9. “ Robust” Australopithecines, Our Family Tree, and Homoplasy, H. McHenry.

10. The Natural History and Evolutionary Fate of Homo Erectus, A. Kramer.

11. Neandertal Growth: Examining Developmental Adaptations in Earlier Homo Sapiens, N. Minugh-Purvis.

12. Testing Theories and Hypothesis about Modern Human Origins, D. Frayer.

IV. MODERN HUMAN VARIATION.

13. Natural Variation in Human Fecundity, P. Ellison.

14. What Accounts for Population Variation in Height?, J.P. Gray and L. Wolfe.

15. Growth and Development of Turkana Pastoralists, M. Little.

16. The Concept of Race in Physical Anthropology, C.L. Brace.

PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGISTS AT WORK.

17. Paleoanthropology and Life History, and Life History of a Paleoanthropologist, T. Bromage.

18. The Evolution of a Physical Anthropologist, K. Milton.



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