Cultural Anthropology (3rd Edition) - Softcover

Miller, Barbara D.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0205401392 ISBN 13: 9780205401390

Publisher: Allyn & Bacon, 2004

Synopsis

The second edition of Barbara Miller's Cultural Anthropology takes an innovative approach to the subject by combining a solid materialist foundation with attention to interpretive approaches and findings. This contemporary book continues to emphasize social inequality and explain its affect on economy, kinship, politics, religion, and language while still covering the core concepts of cultural anthropology. Contemporary issues, such as health systems, migration, and development, are integrated through out the book to highlight the practical applications and relevance of cultural anthropology studies to today's society. Miller's knack for showing students how anthropology is relevant to their lives and skill at generating lively discussion continue to win her book high praise.

In addition to a greater focus on theory, the newest edition features new discussions and the latest research on the affect of development on indigenous peoples, the relationship between development and social inequality, and new examples of human resistance in the face of large-scale exogenous development. The Table of Contents has been reorganized to streamline the coverage of certain topics and create room to reinstate topics that have been popular in previous editions. Finally, a new layout with larger pages and an improved design make the text more accessible and easier to read.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

----STUDENT EDITION----

The first mainstream book to truly integrate coverage of race, class, gender, ethnicity, and age continues to win high praise. One user writes, “Miller's text offers clarity and an attention to diversity and inequality in human experience that the students really appreciate.”

Emphasizing social inequality, this contemporary introductory textbook explains how inequalities affect economy, kinship, politics, religion, and language while still covering the core concepts of cultural anthropology.

Special Features:

• Integrates coverage of contemporary issues suCh. as health systems, migration, and development throughout the text to highlight the practical applications and relevance of cultural anthropological studies.
• More focus on theory in cultural anthropology with a new section on the history of theory (Ch. 1) and more explicit links to theory in the Critical Thinking boxes in every chapter.
• Development Anthropology includes new discussions and the latest researCh. on the relationship between development on indigenous peoples, social inequality, and new examples of human resistance in the face of large-scale exogenous development (Ch. 16).
• Back by popular demand, Miller's migration chapter, “People on the Move”—unique in this market—returns as Chapter 15.
• New layout, larger pages, and attractive design combine to make this Third Edition even more accessible to students!
• Boxed Features show the interconnection of Anthropology to other disciplines and to career opportunities:
• Lessons Applied illustrates how anthropological knowledge impacts the “real world” through vital contributions to social projects and policy.
• Unity and Diversity boxed features present cultural examples from the perspectives of both difference and similarity. While most writings of cultural anthropologists document variation and diversity, it is important to remember that humans everywhere share certain features of life in common.
• Critical Thinking boxes present a topic, often from two different angles, and then ask questions that provide critical thinking reviews and possible assignments for students.

----EXAM COPY EDITION----

The first mainstream book to truly integrate coverage of race, class, gender, ethnicity, and age continues to win high praise. One user writes, “Miller's text offers clarity and an attention to diversity and inequality in human experience that the students really appreciate.”

Emphasizing social inequality, this contemporary introductory textbook explains how inequalities affect economy, kinship, politics, religion, and language while still covering the core concepts of cultural anthropology.

Special Features:

• Integrates coverage of contemporary issues suCh. as health systems, migration, and development throughout the text to highlight the practical applications and relevance of cultural anthropological studies.
• More focus on theory in cultural anthropology with a new section on the history of theory (Ch. 1) and more explicit links to theory in the Critical Thinking boxes in every chapter.
• Development Anthropology includes new discussions and the latest researCh. on the relationship between development on indigenous peoples, social inequality, and new examples of human resistance in the face of large-scale exogenous development (Ch. 16).
• Back by popular demand, Miller's migration chapter, “People on the Move”—unique in this market—returns as Chapter 15.
• New layout, larger pages, and attractive design combine to make this Third Edition even more accessible to students!
• Boxed Features show the interconnection of Anthropology to other disciplines and to career opportunities:
• Lessons Applied illustrates how anthropological knowledge impacts the “real world” through vital contributions to social projects and policy.
• Unity and Diversity boxed features present cultural examples from the perspectives of both difference and similarity. While most writings of cultural anthropologists document variation and diversity, it is important to remember that humans everywhere share certain features of life in common.
• Critical Thinking boxes present a topic, often from two different angles, and then ask questions that provide critical thinking reviews and possible assignments for students.

About the Author:

“Cultural anthropology is exciting because it CONNECTS with everything, from FOOD to ART. And it can help prevent or SOLVE

world problems related to social inequality and injustice.” - BARBARA D. MILLER

 

Barbara Miller is Professor of Anthropology and International Affairs, and Director of the Culture in Global Affairs (CIGA) Research and Policy Program, at The George Washington University. She received her Ph.D. in anthropology from Syracuse University in 1978. Before coming to GW in 1994, she taught at the University of Rochester, SUNY Cortland, Ithaca College, Cornell University, and the University of Pittsburgh.

 

Barbara’s research has focused mainly on gender-based inequalities in India, especially the nutritional and medical neglect of daughters in the northern part of the country. She has also conducted research on culture and rural development in Bangladesh, on low-income household dynamics in Jamaica, and on Hindu adolescents in Pittsburgh.

 

Her current interests include continued research on India along with attention to the role of cultural anthropology in informing policy issues, especially as related to women, children, and other disenfranchised people.

 

She teaches courses on introductory cultural anthropology, medical anthropology, development anthropology, culture and population, health and development in South Asia, migration and mental health, and culture and security.

 

In addition to many journal articles and book chapters, she has published several books: The Endangered Sex: Neglect of Female Children in Rural North India, 2nd ed. (Oxford University Press, 1997), an edited volume, Sex and Gender Hierarchies (Cambridge University Press, 1993), and a co-edited volume with Alf Hiltebeitel, Hair: Its Power and Meaning in Asian Cultures (SUNY Press, 1998). She is the author of Cultural Anthropology in a Globalizing World (Pearson, 2008) and the lead author of Anthropology (Pearson, 2nd ed., 2008).

About this edition

• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0205401392
• ISBN 13: 9780205401390
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 3
• Number of pages: 496