An Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology: Small Places, Large Issues

This concise introduction to social and cultural anthropology has become a modern classic, revealing the rich global variation in social life and culture.

The text provides a clear overview of anthropology, focusing on central topics such as kinship, ethnicity, ritual and political systems, offering a wealth of examples that demonstrate the enormous scope of anthropology and the importance of a comparative perspective. Unlike other texts on the subject, this book incorporates the anthropology of complex modern societies. Using reviews of key monographs to illustrate his argument, Eriksen’s lucid and accessible text remains an established introductory text in anthropology.

This new edition is updated throughout and increases the emphasis on the interdependence of human worlds. There is a new discussion of the new influence of cultural studies and natural science on anthropology. Effortlessly bridging the perceived gap between ‘classic’ and ‘contemporary’ anthropology, this book is as essential to anthropology undergraduates as ever.