Explorations in cultural anthropology / edited by Colleen Boyd and Luke Eric Lassiter.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Boyd, Colleen E.

Lassiter, Luke E.

George Clapp Vaillant Book Fund.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Ethnology.

Physical Description:

x, 400 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Lanham, Md. : AltaMira Press, [2011]

Summary:

Explorations in-Cultural Anthropology is a collection of readings chosen to demonstrate- the varied and valuable applications of the anthropological perspective to real-world problems on local, regional, and global scales. It introduces undergraduates to the exciting, perplexing, and troubling issues that sociocultural anthropologists confront in their work in academia and beyond. Students now have a one-stop source for a variety of key ethnographic and cultural materials without having to buy or search for numerous texts.

Explorations in Cultural Anthropology offers thirty-one classic readings and contemporary anthropological essays as well as pieces written by journalists, scholars from other disciplines, cultural consultants, and community leaders. The selections arc meant to thoughtfully challenge students and provoke further discussion within introductory-level classrooms. The book is organized into nine parts that reflect significant themes and current trends in cultural anthropology: "Culture"; "Fieldwork and Ethnography'; "Language, Communication, and Expressive Culture"; "Socioeconomic and Political Systems in a Changing World ; "Race and Ethnicity'; "Gender and Sexuality'; "Marriage, Family. ,. and kinship"; "Belief Systems"; and "Applied and Future Anthropologies." Each part introduces the articles therein and provides probing questions per article for student response. This outstanding collection perfectly complements Luke Eric Lassiter's Invitation to Anthropology textbook but has wide appeal for all introductory cultural anthropology courses. Book jacket.

Contents:

Part I Culture

Introduction and Discussion Questions 1

1 Body Ritual among the Nacirema / Horace Miner Miner, Horace 5

2 Crack in Spanish Harlem: Culture and Economy in the Inner City / Philippe Bourgois Bourgois, Philippe 11

3 Cultural Relativism and Universal Human Rights / Carolyn Fluehr-Lobban Fluehr-Lobban, Carolyn 25

Part II Fieldwork and Ethnography

Introduction and Discussion Questions 37

4 Eating Christmas in the Kalahari / Richard Borshay Lee Lee, Richard Borshay 41

5 Reflections of a Shy Ethnographer: Foot-in-the-Mouth Is Not Fatal / Juliana Flinn Flinn, Juliana 49

6 Doing Collaborative Ethnography / Luke Eric Lassiter Lassiter, Luke Eric 57

7 Getting a Living / Michelle Anderson Anderson, Michelle, Anne Kr'emer Kr'emer, Anne, Ashley Moore Moore, Ashley 65

Part III Language, Communication, and Expressive Culture

Introduction and Discussion Questions 83

8 The Circle / Mich'el Ag'r Ag'r, Mich'el 89

9 Fighting for Our Lives / Deborah Tannen Tannen, Deborah 105

10 Body Art as Visual Language / Enid Schildkrout Schildkrout, Enid 125

Part IV Socioeconomic and Political Systems in a Changing World

Introduction and Discussion Questions 135

11 One Hundred Percent American / Ralph Linton Linton, Ralph 141

12 The Silk Road: The Making of a Global Cultural Economy / Richard Kurin Kurin, Richard 145

13 The Globalization of a Brazilian Fishing Community / Conrad Kottak Kottak, Conrad 159

14 A Tribal Chair's Perspective on Inherent Sovereignty / Billy Evans Horse Horse, Billy Evans 167

Part V Race and Ethnicity

Introduction and Discussion Questions 175

15 Scientific and Folk Ideas about Heredity / Jonathan M. Marks Marks, Jonathan M. 179

16 Melungeons and the Politics of Heritage / Melissa Schrift Schrift, Melissa 191

17 Inventing Hispanics: A Diverse Minority Resists Being Labeled / Amitai Etzioni Etzioni, Amitai 211

Part VI Gender and Sexuality

Introduction and Discussion Questions 217

18 Different Words, Different Worlds / Deborah Tannen Tannen, Deborah 223

19 "Ladies" Behind Bars: A Liminal Gender as Cultural Mirror / John M. Coggeshall Coggeshall, John M. 243

20 The Sworn Virgins of Albania / Antonia Young Young, Antonia 251

21 Hijra and Sadhin: Neither Man nor Woman in India / Serena Nanda Nanda, Serena 259

Part VII Marriage, Family, and Kinship

Introduction and Discussion Questions 275

22 Child-Rearing [in Middletown USA, circa 1929] / Robert, Helen Lynd Lynd, Helen 281

23 Gay Marriage and Anthropology / Linda S. Stone Stone, Linda S. 301

24 When Brothers Share a Wife / Melvyn C. Goldstein Goldstein, Melvyn C. 305

25 Caveat Emptor? / Jonathan M. Marks Marks, Jonathan M. 313

Part VIII Belief Systems

Introduction and Discussion Questions 319

26 The Sacred Pipe in Modern Life / Arval Looking Horse Horse, Arval Looking 325

27 Oh, Gods! / Toby Lester Lester, Toby 331

28 Folklore and Medicine / David J. Hufford Hufford, David J. 349

Part IX Applied and Future Anthropologies

Introduction and Discussion Questions 363

29 Reflections on Collaboration, Ethnographic and Applied / James L. Peacock Peacock, James L. 367

30 Studying College Students: Applying Anthropology to Teaching Anthropology / Cathy Small Small, Cathy 379

31 Virtual Worlds and Futures of Anthropology / Tom Boellstorff Boellstorff, Tom 387.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the George Clapp Vaillant Book Fund.

ISBN:

0759109532

9780759109520

0759109524

9780759109537

OCLC:

704121367

Publisher Number:

99943946371