Customer Reviews

Social and Cultural Anthropology: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a great little book to get a first impression of anthropology. The two authors present different historical developments and schools of thought. I had not know anything about this academic field before, but this book made me want to read more. Especially helpful with that were the examples that pertained to the authors' own fieldwork in Mexico and Indonesia. Reading about bee larvas and onion soup just makes the ideas presented more "real".

This is the first Anthropology introduction I have read that doesn't get bogged down in postmodern academic speak. It was very clear and interesting, with good examples.

This was the first VSI I read and it made me fall in love with the series.

I wanted my 100th review for Amazon to be for something I could wholeheartedly recommend, and this is it.

The authors manage, within severe space restrictions, to convey the essential features of their discipline, an outline of its history and development, and an indication of the philosophical and moral issues that it raises.

Monaghan's work with the Mixtec of Central America and Just's work with the Dou Donggo of Indonesia are used as sources for the anecdotal details that are used throughout the book to illustrate aspects of anthropology. This is very much a description of anthropology as a practical endeavor, a hands-on discipline whose theories are firmly grounded in the everyday lives of human beings.

Broader theoretical contexts, such as are found in Marxism or Structuralism, are touched on but no more. Those are the things you go on to read about after your appetite has been whetted by an excellent introduction such as this.

After disheartening forays into text books and frustration at readers that are either too thematic or otherwise not quite right for a quick orientation in the discipline, I decided to check this out. This is about as perfect a scene-setter as I could ask for for either an intro course or any course that is likely to attract students who do not have an anthropological background. It's pocket-sized, it's affordable, it's readable, and it's SMART. It covers theoretical debates in a straight-forward and understandable way that shows why anyone should care about evolution vs. diffusion (to name one example). This little book as does about a good a job as any at showing how (and why) anthropologists and others use the word "post-modernity" (pg 69). The field examples are well chosen and engaging. The chapters are of a length and written in a style students are likely to read. Even better, the authors give enough tantalizing detail that I suspect it will inspire students to read MORE.

I read this book (along with other selected readings) for a beginning anthropology course at my school. The students in my class seem to agree that it is a good book because although it is thought provoking it doesn't read like a text book. The writing style is very clear yet still scholarly. I would recommend having a copy of this book if you are taking any anthropology course because its a handy reference!

This has proven to be both a very interesting introduction and nothing like what I expected. It seems that a great many of academic fields are confined to the ivory tower. This book emphasizes ethnographic field work. I would recommend to anyone interesting in learning more about anthropology.

My only criticism: I wish the authors had focused more on the distinctions between the different subfields of anthropology. It would have been nice to have a clearer understanding of how Social/Cultural Anthropology differs from, say, physical anthropology.

All in all, very engaging and interesting read.

As stated by both authors, this book is very short, so it serves to give the reader only a glimpse of what anthropologists do. They spend excruciatingly long time with the populations they want to study ("exotic societies", urban settings - like big corporations), be part of them, and try to observe in a way as objective as possible. Such prolonged observations are necessary to provide key insights into the working and psyche of the communities being studied.

One chapter (Ch.3) is devoted on "culture". Various ways to define "culture" are propounded. By looking into various different cultures, it can be concluded that "each person is simultaneously like some other people, like all other people, and like no other person" (p.40). In the same chapter, the authors try to explain the concept of "Cultural Relativism". Unfortunately, they use a most objectionable example of female circumcision to illustrate their point (p. 51-52), which is erroreous particularly when we now know is a practice that, quite obviously, produces immense psychological trauma.

The chapter (Ch.4) on marriage as the way societies regulate sex is informative and consistent with evoultionary psychology. The authors' interpretation of Genesis 38:8-10 is simultaneously amusing and insightful and particularly apt.

Ch.5 is devoted on group identity (including non-kin groups, "ethnicity", and "race") and it provides food for thought to those who do not believe in "group selection" at all.

The last three chapters are on economy (which includes the authors' short criticism on globilization), religion, and the concept of self-hood. How convincing these chapters are readers can decide themselves.

In summary, a short interesting book, to be read with a tiny pinch of salt.

The first time I laid my hands on this little pocket size book I could not put it away until I drained out all its information. This book really gave a very concise idea about anthropology and its subfields. The authors provided valuable first hand examples about their experiences as anthropologists and ethnographers. This book is perfect for those who would like to get a brief understanding of what anthropology is about and also good for experts because the authors managed to incorporate some of the most relevant anthropologists.

The book arrived right on time for when I needed it for class. I've learned a lot from it. Great book. :)

I really love amazon; I got the book in only 2 days, just in time for me to read it for my Cultural Anthropology class. The book itself is very interesting and not only does it give you information on anthropology, it also contains stories from 2 anthropologist which makes it all the more interesting and easy to understand.