Marvin Harris is arguably the most influential, prolific anthropological theorist of our time. This book brings together many of the strands of his work of the past two decades into a unified, contemporary statement on anthropological theory and practice. In this book, he presents his current views on the nature of culture addressing such issues as the mental/behavioral debate, emics and etics, and anthropological holism. He resoundly critiques many current theoretical trends_from sociobiology to postmodernism to Afrocentrism. And he offers a cultural materialist perspective on diverse contemporary issues such as the IQ question and the fall of communism. Harris' thought-provoking and controversial theoretical views will be required reading for all anthropologists, social theorists, and their students.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
[Harris] is an especially acute guide. . . . [He] has written an excellent book for students. Its references are wide-ranging, its arguments always succinctly stated, its sentiments critical and truth-seeking...His clear-eyed depiction of the deficiencies of the rearguard arguments of Marxists is a particular treat. (I. C. Jarvie International Studies In Philosophy Vol. Xxxv. No.2, 2003 )
'Let the grinches who stole culture give it back,' demands Harris in this very readable and vigorous call for a revival of a science-oriented anthropology. . . . Harris argues that a cultural materialist research strategy is a necessary antidote to misdirections in anthropological theory such as the 'anything goes' eclecticism and antiscientific epistemology of postmodernism, as well as to the misuses of science within neo-Darwinism and other forms of biological reductionism. Familiar arguments and interpretations are revived and applied to topics such as the origins of capitalism, the demise of the Soviet Union, historical inaccuracies in Afrocentrism and other examples of 'ethnomania,' and blatant racism in Richard Herrnstein and Charles Murray's The Bell Curve. The book may be welcomed for the opportunity it offers to a new generation of students to review some of the major theoretical controversies found within anthropology over the past four decades. . . . General readers, upper-division undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty. (B. Tavakolian Choice )
[Harris] is an especially acute guide. . . . [He] has written an excellent book for students. Its references are wide-ranging, its arguments always succinctly stated, its sentiments critical and truth-seeking...His clear-eyed depiction of the deficienciesof the rearguard arguments of Marxists is a particular treat.... (I. C. Jarvie International Studies In Philosophy Vol. Xxxv. No.2, 2003 )
'Let the grinches who stole culture give it back,' demands Harris in this very readable and vigorous call for a revival of a science-oriented anthropology. . . . Harris argues that a cultural materialist research strategy is a necessary antidote to misdirections in anthropological theory such as the 'anything goes' eclecticism and antiscientific epistemology of postmodernism, as well as to the misuses of science within neo-Darwinism and other forms of biological reductionism. Familiar arguments and interpretations are revived and applied to topics such as the origins of capitalism, the demise of the Soviet Union, historical inaccuracies in Afrocentrism and other examples of 'ethnomania,' and blatant racism in Richard Herrnstein and Charles Murray's The Bell Curve. The book may be welcomed for the opportunity it offers to a new generation of students to review some of the major theoretical controversies found within anthropology over the past four decades. . . . General readers, upper-division undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty. (B. Tavakolian Choice )
[Harris] is an especially acute guide. . . . [He] has written an excellent book for students. Its references are wide-ranging, its arguments always succinctly stated, its sentiments critical and truth-seeking...His clear-eyed depiction of the deficienciesof the rearguard arguments of Marxists is a particular treat.... (I. C. Jarvie International Studies In Philosophy Vol. Xxxv. No.2, 2003 )
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University of Florida
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
a good update,
This review is from: Theories of Culture in Postmodern Times (Paperback)
This is a great update and companion to the classic, The Rise of Anthropological Theory. Harris builds on the arguments he first laid out in the previous work. Harris's cultural materialist critiques of other anthropological research strategies have stood the test of time and only need to be updated to include some of the newer trends that arose in the intervening thirty years.
In the first part of the book Harris clarifies some of the theoretical and epistemological principles underlying cultural materialism. He defines culture, discusses the emics/etics debate, discusses holism and individualism and defends science. The second part stands out as the strongest part of the book. He thoroughly critiques sociobiology and biological reductionism. His critique is scathing and pointed yet wide ranging. An interesting note is how some evolutionary biologists seem to agree with his critiques of those who would, at first glance, seem to be their comrades. The third part of the book is mostly a short explaination of the heart of cultural materialism that answers some questions left from his previous works. The end of this section is a much too short critique of postmodernism. Seeing as how this is the title one would have hoped Harris would have written more. The fourth part discusses some more "recent" cultural topics. In a chapter inappropriately titled Origins of Capitalism Harris explores an excellent cultural materialist explaination of the rise of feudalism in Europe and Japan which was, as he says, the basis for the rise of capitalism. The last chapter wonderfully explains the collapse of the Soviet Union and Stalinist style communism. All in all this is an excellent update to some of Dr. Harris's earlier books. As with all Marvin Harris's books it includes a wonderful bibliography and index. It is a shame that he did not live long enough to do a complete rewrite and update of The Rise of Anthropological Theory.
10 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Theories of Culture in Postmodern Times,
By A Customer
This review is from: Theories of Culture in Postmodern Times (Paperback)
This man is the top social scientist of his generation. He is still near the top of his form. His critiques of postmodernism and sociobiology, are compelling. The chapter on the fall of the Soviet Union is fascinating (and consistent with his theory of cultural materialism). The book is well worth the read.
8 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Anything by Harris is 5 stars,
By NancyMc "gerette" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Theories of Culture in Postmodern Times (Hardcover)
The book seems slightly skimpy, but it's great nevertheless. Harris knows his subject - human culture from the perspective of cultural materialism - inside out. His critique of the Bell Curve is especially astute.
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