An Introduction To Social Anthropology

'Brilliant This is just the book I have been looking for...good format and layout, and is reasonably priced.' - Dr D. Burnett, All Nationas Christian College 'Brilliant examples. I've already used 'the Japanese handkerchief' in my class.' - Dr S. Wright, University of Birmingham 'I especially like the fact that films are recommended for each chapter.' - Dr F. Hughes-Freeland, University of Wales This refreshingly clear and easy-to-read text offers the perfect introduction to social anthropology for anyone approaching the subject for the first time. It is carefully structured so that one chapter builds on the next and it covers all the core topics in an even-handed and illuminating manner, introducing the reader to the depth of divergent views on all the most basic subjects - food, hygiene, gift-exchange, rites of passage, symbolism, religion, politics and the environment. Combining an abundance of unobtrusive reference and further reading for the serious student with an immensely readable and engaging writing style, this book offers a compelling introduction to a growing and exciting subject.

This book offers a clear, inviting and fascinating introduction to the social anthropology of Western Europe, illustrating the rich diversity of dialects, cultures and everyday lives of its peoples.

Women today are being instructed on how they can raise their self-esteem, love their inner child, survive their toxic families, overcome codependency, and experience a revolution from within. By holding up the ideal of a pure and happy inner core, psychotherapists refuse to acknowledge that a certain degree of unhappiness or dissatisfaction is a routine part of life and not necessarily a cause for therapy. Lesbians specifically are now guided to define themselves according to their frailties, inadequacies, and insecurities. An incisive critique of contemporary feminist psychology and therapy, Changing our Minds argues not just that the current practice of psychology is flawed, but that the whole idea of psychology runs counter to many tenets of lesbian feminist politics. Recognizing that many lesbians do feel unhappy and experience a range of problems that detract from their well-being, Changing Our Minds makes positive, prescriptive suggestions for non-psychological ways of understanding and dealing with emotional distress. Written in a lively and engaging style, Changing our Minds is required reading for anyone who has ever been in therapy or is close to someone who has, and for lesbians, feminists, psychologists, psychotherapists, students of psychology and women's studies, and anyone with an interest in the development of lesbian feminist theory, ethics, and practice.

Louis Dumont, who died in 1998, was one of the most important figures in post-war French anthropology. He is well-known for his early work on India, which culminated in Homo Hierarchicus (1966; in English 1972, 1980), an anthropological account of the caste system. He later extended this work into a comparison of the values of Indian and western society in works like Essays on Individualism (1986) and German ideology: From France to Germany and Back (1994). He is also known for pioneering work on kinship in south India and more generally (for example Affinity as a Value, 1983). The current volume represents the fruits of this side of his activities and originated in as a series of lectures providing an account of the British and French schools for students. Robert Parkin is a Departmental Lecturer in Social Anthropology at the University of Oxford. He has a longstanding interest in the anthropology of kinship, represented by Kinship: an Introduction to Basic Concepts (1997) and Kinship and Family: n Anthropological Reader (2004, edited with Linda Stone). He has also published a full-length study of Dumont in the same Berghahn series (Louis Dumont and hierarchical opposition, 2003).

An essential core textbook that leads the reader from Social Anthropology's foundational approaches and theories to the fundamental areas that characterise the field today. Taking a truly global and holistic view, it includes a wide range of case studies, touching on topics that both divide and connect us, such as family, marriage and religion. Fully updated and revised, the third edition of this popular textbook continues to introduce students to what Social Anthropology is, what anthropologists do, how and what they contribute, and how even a limited knowledge of anthropology can help people flourish in today's world. This is an inviting, engaging and enjoyable text that has established itself as a comprehensive introduction to social and cultural anthropology. Written in an accessible style, and including a wide range of pedagogical features, it is ideally suited to new or prospective students seeking to better understand the discipline and its roots. New to this Edition: - Includes a new chapter on the role of social and cultural anthropologists and the specific methods they use in a fast-changing world - Features a number of new first-hand accounts to explore difficult concepts through people's real world experiences - Updated sections for further exploration, including books, articles, novels, films and websites

A comprehensive and concise analysis of the deeply rooted differences in customs and habits between "primitive" and "civilized" societies.--