Encyclopedia of Social and Cultural Anthropology [Paperback]

Dr. Spencer (Author), Dr. Jonathan Spencer (Author), Dr. Alan Barnard (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1998 | ISBN-10: 041520318X | ISBN-13: 978-0415203180 | Edition: New edition

This volume provides a guide to the ideas, arguments and history of social and cultural anthropology which discusses human social and cultural life in all its diversity and difference. Theory, ethnography and history are combined in over 230 substantial entries on topics as wide ranging as race, postmodernism, witchcraft and essentialism, magic and methodology. Areas covered include: history of anthropological research, colonialism, orientalism and occidentalism and theories of culture and society; kinship, gender and family, marriage and the body; and ritual and religion, language and linguistics, poetics, literacy, aesthetics, film and museums. The text features over 230 entries which give insights into anthropological thinking and definitions of specific terms. It contains a glossary with short explanations of more than 600 key terms and ideas and a biographical appendix which details the lives and work of over 250 important figures in the history of anthropology. The encyclopedia covers the many important areas of overlap between anthropology and related disciplines, from history and literary studies to social psychology. Such topics include semantics, evolutionary theory and the influence of social theorists such as Marx, Durkheim and Weber. The text is alphabetically organized with extensive cross-referencing and indexing leading readers to specific definitions and explanations. Fully annotated primary and secondary bibliographies focus on established classics as much as recent works and provide further reading signposts to aid research.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...charts a contemporary discourse that is vibrant, sophisticated, and unexpectedly coherent. This is what post-post-modernist anthropology looks like." -- Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute - February 1997

"Choice Outstanding Book of 1997." -- Choice

About the Author

Alan Barnard studied at George Washington, McMaster and London Universities and is Reader in Social Anthropology at the University of Edinburgh. He has done extensive fieldwork and is author of Hunters and Herders of Southern Africa (Cambridge University Press, 1992), Research Practices in the Study of Kinship (with Anthony Good, Academic Press, 1984), and numerous articles on hunter-gatherers, kinship and the history of anthropology.
Jonathan Spencer studied anthropology at the Universities of Edinburgh, Chicago and Oxford and is now Senior Lecturer in the Department of Social Anthropology at the University of Edinburgh. He has carried out extensive research in Sri Lanka and is the author of A Sinhala Village in a Time of Trouble (Oxford University Press, 1990) and many articles on politics, nationalism and religion. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 688 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; New edition edition (December 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 041520318X
• ISBN-13: 978-0415203180
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.9 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,288,191 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A loyal friend, June 14, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Encyclopedia of Social and Cultural Anthropology (Routledge World Reference) (Paperback)

This book is invaluable. Whatever be your interest in anthropology, this will serve as a comprehensive guide and jumping off point for all areas of the discipline. It is easy to follow, well-written and full of references for further reading. Although it is not suitable for in-depth study (as the title suggests, it is an encyclopedia), it is a fantastic aid for clarifying and summarizing a broad spectrum of topics. For students and the novice, this book is a gem, just don't rely on it to get you through your exams.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Do not buy the Kindle Edition, August 12, 2010

By 

Malkauns (DC) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Encyclopedia of Social and Cultural Anthropology (Routledge World Reference) (Kindle Edition)

The Kindle edition of this encyclopedia does not have live links between the table of contents and the entries in the main text. Consequently it is impossible to look for an entry on a particular subject, which makes it rather useless as an encyclopedia. The publishers should figure out how to format digital content before trying to sell it.

14 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Encyclopedia of Social and Cultural Anthropology, December 24, 2006

By 

Activist Max "The Crime of Making Love is Silent" (Brussels, Belgium) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Encyclopedia of Social and Cultural Anthropology (Routledge World Reference) (Paperback)

I am studying anthropological courses in the university and bought the encyclopedia to help and guide me through the new terms I encountered. For these purposes I found this book extremely unhelpful. This is definitely not a book for students, those who start studying anthropology, but rather for those who already know a lot about the science.

For example, here is the definition of essentialism:

"Essentialism commonly appears as both a violation of anthropological relativism and one of the besetting conceptual sins of anthropology. Exemplified by such totalizing ideologies as nationalims and biological determinism, it is also frequently conflated with reification, objectivism and literalism". Etc.

For me in order to understand this definition, I need to read 3-4 page articles in the same encyclopedia about: relativism, biological determinism, objectivism, literalism. And even after that I don't think I will be able to understand what the authors wanted to say by this definition. And its the same almost about every other term or concept I was looking up.

Of course, if you are familiar with all these terms - it is easy, but then do you really need this encyclopedia.

A frustrating experience for me. This publication is collecting dust on a shelf now, and I turned to more popular publications, like "What is anthropology" (terms are explained in a much more accessible language), "Understanding social and cultural anthropology", etc. And... never underestimate wikipedia, the best for me as a student.

Would strongly not recommmend this book for students and whoever is starting to learn anthropology. Will advise it to my anthropology university professor with 20 years teaching experience, he may find it interesting.

Max