An Invitation to Anthropology: The Structure, Evolution and Cultural Identity of Human Societies"Llobera's book is impressive in its comprehensive and encyclopaedic presentation of theories and key concepts relating to all aspects human societies . . . Although controversial, Llobera's elementary book is welcome because it opens the way for new debates and discussions in anthropology . . . [It] is courageous and provocative, but first of all it is a 'fresh', detailed and sophisticated introduction to an old discipline." - Social Anthropology "This introduction to anthropology for undergraduates reflects a blend of textbooks in Europe and the US . . . excellent chapters." - JRAI Synthesizing British, French and American traditions, this stimulating and accessible text presents a comprehensive and fascinating introduction to social and cultural anthropology. It offers an original approach through integrating knowledge produced from a variety of perspectives, placing cultural and social anthropology in a wider context including macro-sociological concepts and reference to biological evolution. Written in a clear and concise style, it conveys to the student the complexities of a discipline focusing on the structure, evolution and cultural identity of human societies up to the present day. The text consists of four major parts: the scope and method of anthropology, a conceptual and institutional overview, the evolution of the structure of human societies, and the cultural politics of race, ethnicity, nationalism and multiculturalism. Josep R. Llobera was born in Havana and brought up in Catalonia. He has made Britain his home since 1969. Since 1996, he has been a visiting Professor of Anthropology at University College London and the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona. |
Contents
The uses of history in anthropology | 11 |
Summary | 26 |
MODULE 3 | 32 |
Person self and individual | 51 |
Religion | 73 |
Answers to test questions | 86 |
The evolution and structure of human societies | 87 |
assumptions theories and typologies | 103 |
the making of the modern world | 155 |
Summary | 174 |
Nations and nationalism | 187 |
Ethnicity | 202 |
Race | 217 |
The politics of multiculturalism | 233 |
The process of cultural globalisation | 250 |
Agrarian societies | 130 |
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Common terms and phrases
African agriculture American ancestor animals areas Baga band basic behaviour belief Bronislaw Malinowski Cambridge capitalism capitalist century cetera characterised chiefdoms civilisation clan colonial common complex concept Cultural Anthropology Darwin defined descent groups discipline division of labour domination Durkheim economic egalitarian Emile Durkheim emphasised empire ethnic groups ethno-nations ethnographic Europe European European Union evolution evolutionary example existence exogamy hierarchy historical Homo horticultural human hunter-gatherers hunting-gathering idea ideology imperialism important individual industrial institutions Islam kinship system language lineage London major Marcel Mauss marriage Marvin Harris Mauss medieval modern nation nuclear family organisation origins particularly pastoralists patrilineal person political polygyny population primitive principle production race racial refers religion religious rituals scientific sense social anthropology social scientists specialised species structure supernatural Tallensi tend territory theory tion Tocqueville traditional unilineal descent unilineal descent groups University Press Western world-system