Engaging Anthropological Theory: A Social And Political History

Description

This updated second edition of Mark Moberg's lively book offers a fresh look at the history of anthropological theory. Covering key concepts and theorists, Engaging Anthropological Theory examines the historical context of anthropological ideas and the contested nature of anthropology itself. Anthropological ideas regarding human diversity have always been rooted in the sociopolitical conditions in which they arose and exploring them in context helps students understand how and why they evolved, and how theory relates to life and society. Illustrated throughout, this engaging text moves away from the dry recitation of past viewpoints in anthropology and brings the subject matter to life. Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Contents......Page 6 List of figures......Page 8 List of tables......Page 11 List of boxes......Page 12 Acknowledgments......Page 13 1 Of politics and paradigms......Page 16 2 Claims and critiques of anthropological knowledge......Page 42 3 Anthropology before anthropologists......Page 70 4 Theory and practice to change the world......Page 98 5 Heirs to order and progress......Page 127 6 Spencer, Darwin, and some evolutionary tales for our time......Page 153 7 The Boasian revolution......Page 183 8 Culture and psychology......Page 211 9 Functionalism, the pure and the hyphenated......Page 241 10 Anti-structure and the collapse of empire......Page 269 11 Evolution redux......Page 298 12 Contemporary materialist and ecological approaches......Page 324 13 Symbols, structures, and the “web of significance”......Page 348 14 Postmodern political economy and sensibilities......Page 376 15 The contemporary anthropological moment......Page 404 References......Page 432 Index......Page 448