An Introduction to Sociocultural Anthropology
An Introduction to Sociocultural Anthropology
Adaptations, Structures, Meanings
An Introduction to Sociocultural Anthropology exposes students to the cultural detail and personal experiences that lie in the anthropological record and extends their anthropological understanding to contemporary issues.
The book is divided into three parts that focus on the main themes of the discipline: ecological adaptations, structural arrangements, and interpretive meanings. Each chapter provides an overview of a particular topic and then presents two case examples that illuminate the range of variation in traditional and contemporary societies. New case examples include herders’ climate change adaptations in the Arctic, matrilineal Muslims in Indonesia, Google’s AI winning the Asian game Go, mass migration in China, cross-cultural differences in the use of social media, and the North American response to the Syrian refugee crisis. Instructors will also have digital access to all the book’s illustrations for class review.
Covering the full range of sociocultural anthropology in a compact approach, this revised and updated edition of Cultural Anthropology: Adaptations, Structures, Meanings is a holistic, accessible, and socially relevant guide to the discipline for students at all levels.
'A remarkable invitation to learn what cultural anthropology is and how culture works.'
—Donna Budani, University of Delaware
'An excellent update to a trusted textbook.'
—Analiese Richard, University of the Pacific
'An extremely valuable resource for those instructors seeking a comprehensive, yet concise, well-written, accessible text for introductory cultural anthropology students.'
—Deborah Altamirano, SUNY Plattsburgh
‘An Introduction to Sociocultural Anthropology is unquestionably a valuable addition to the teaching toolkit.’
—Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute
