Cultural Anthropology - Softcover

Harris, Marvin; Johnson, Orna

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0321034147 ISBN 13: 9780321034144

Publisher: Pearson, 1999

Synopsis

The fifth edition of Cultural Anthropology continues to focus on the text's two major objectives. First, it presents a holistic view of sociocultural systems, and secondly, the text provides a unified theoretical framework for explaining these systems. It also remains faithful to the belief that anthropologists must routinely deal with facts and theories that are crucial to informed decisions regarding issues of enduring relevance. The cultural approach used throughout furnishes students with a framework for explaining how the parts of sociocultural systems are interrelated and how they change over time.

The text also continues in its effort to identify the many causal strands that help explain the process of sociocultural change. It tries to make sense of the many seemingly irrational or arbitrary customs and institutions in small, technologically simple societies as well as complex nations.

About this title

From the Back Cover

One reviewer writes, “Cultural Anthropology excels in making anthropology
accessible and relevant to today's students. The authors succeed in showing not
only what the current status of anthropology is but also the potential of
anthropology to explain human culture in all of its diversity and magnificence.”

Highlights of the Seventh Edition

Using a cultural materialist approach, this classic text provides students with a framework for explaining how the parts of sociocultural systems are interrelated and how they change over time.

Described as accessible, engaging, well-illustrated, and comprehensive, this text covers a wide range of Western and non-Western cultures for analysis and comparison.

Readings from the best-selling Spradley/McCurdy, Conformity and Conflict: Readings in Cultural Anthropology, 12/e have been integrated with this edition of Cultural Anthropology. Orna Johnson uses the lens of cultural materialism as her guide while providing an analysis that demonstrates how the Spradley readings relate to each chapter, providing insider and outsider interpretations of the articles. This new “Through the Lens of Cultural Materialism” feature makes a distinction between emic (insiders’) and etic (outsiders’) perspectives–an integral part of Marvin Harris’ paradigm of cultural materialism.

The seventh edition reflects an increased emphasis on the universal pattern model through graphics and new content throughout each chapter. The universal pattern model is introduced in Chapter 2 and applied throughout the text to reinforce how differences in civilization affect infrastructure and adaptive patterns.

Edition details

• Publisher: Pearson
• Publication date: 1999
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0321034147
• ISBN 13: 9780321034144
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 5
• Number of pages: 374