Schools And Styles Of Anthropological Theory

Description

This book presents an overview of important currents of thought in social and cultural anthropology, from the 19th century to the present. It introduces readers to the origins, context and continuing relevance of a fascinating and exciting kaleidoscope of ideas that have transformed the humanities and social sciences, and the way we understand ourselves and the societies we live in today. Each chapter provides a thorough yet engaging introduction to a particular theoretical school, style or conceptual issue. Together they build up to a detailed and comprehensive critical introduction to the most salient areas of the field. The introduction reflects on the substantive themes which tie the chapters together and on what the very notions of ‘theory’ and ‘theoretical school’ bring to our understanding of anthropology as a discipline. The book tracks a core lecture series given at Cambridge University and is essential reading for all undergraduate students undertaking a course on anthropological theory or the history of anthropological thought. It will also be useful more broadly for students of social and cultural anthropology, sociology, human geography and cognate disciplines in the social sciences and humanities. Cover -- Half Title -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Table of Contents -- List of figures -- Introduction: Echoes of a conversation -- 1 Severed roots: Evolutionism, diffusionism and (structuralâ&#x80 &#x93 )functionalism -- 2 Structuralism -- 3 Marxism and neoâ&#x80 &#x93 Marxism -- 4 From transactionalism to practice theory -- 5 Anthropology and history -- 6 From the extendedâ&#x80 &#x93 case method to multiâ&#x80 &#x93 sited ethnography (and back) -- 7 Cognitive anthropology as epistemological critique -- 8 Interpretive cultural anthropology: Geertz and his â&#x80 &#x98 writingâ&#x80 &#x93 cultureâ&#x80 &#x99 criticsis -- 9 The Frankfurt School, critical theory and anthropology -- 10 The anthropological lives of Michel Foucault -- 11 From â&#x80 &#x98 the bodyâ&#x80 &#x99 to â&#x80 &#x98 embodimentâ&#x80 &#x99 , with help from phenomenology -- 12 Feminist anthropology and the question of gender -- 13 No actor, no network, no theory -- 14 The ontological turn -- 15 Persons and partible persons -- Index.