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Understanding Culture : An Introduction to Anthropological Theory

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Author: Philip Carl Salzman
Publisher: Waveland Press
Category: Book

List Price: ~~$14.50~~
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Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 173
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.4

ISBN: 1577661796
Dewey Decimal Number: 301
EAN: 9781577661795
ASIN: 1577661796

Publication Date: March 13, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

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Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
Are cows sacred to Indian Hindus because they stand for nature and life, as symbolic analysts explain, or because they pull plows and fertilize the land, providing people with food, as cultural materialists argue? Do Muslim Sufi Orders incorporate the lower classes and stabilize the cultural status quo, as functionalists would assert, or are they dynamic forces reshaping society and culture, as processualists claim to illustrate? Are witchcraft accusations a scapegoating of the powerless by the elite to maintain their ascendancy, as materialist class theorists argue, or are they social expressions of psychological tensions arising from conflicts in relationships, as functionalist psychological anthropologists have argued? Understanding culture means understanding and appreciating the diverse theories that offer different perspectives on culture. Salzman's text explores six major streams of anthropological theory: interdependence in human life (functionalism); agency in human action (processualism and transactionalism); determining factors (materialism and political economy); coherence in culture (configurationalism and structuralism); transformation through time (history and evolution); and critical advocacy (feminism and postmodernism). Each theoretical approach is initially presented in its own terms, to show its assumptions, aims, and accomplishments. Each approach is elucidated and illustrated through the arguments and ethnographic examples offered by original theorists and astute practitioners. The introductory and concluding chapters of Understanding Culture frame the diverse theoretical positions and the debates among them within the broader philosophical opposition between explanation and explication. A caution is offered about "presentism," the reflex acceptance of currently popular theories and easy dismissal of earlier theories, because an informed appreciation of a wide range of theoretical approaches is beneficial for understanding cultures. Includes glossary of major terms, brief biographies of major culture theorists, and suggestions for further reading.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars

Understanding Understanding Culture September 14, 2008
It strikes me as paradoxical that the best works on a subject are often among the shortest. One would expect a lengthy treatment of anthropological theory to do it justice but, in the case of Salzman's book, one is provided an excellent survey of the basic (and always relevant) theories in just 142 pages. The writing is so elegant and unpretentious that it can be read in just 2-3 sittings. This book is an ideal work for undergrads and grad students as well as anyone who has an interest in anthropology. In fact, I would recommend this text before reading too many other works since with this theoretical background you can better situate a particular ethnography and understand its theoretical significance. This is a really good one to read in conjunction with Eriksen and Nielsen's, A History Of Anthropology (Anthropology, Culture and Society). Again, I would suggest reading this one before the history since it provides such a good overview of the intellectual arguments that have shaped the history of the field.br /br /Understanding Culture has 8 chapters, a glossary, brief biographies of the major theorists, suggestions for further reading, references, and an index. The eighth chapter, "Reflections on Anthropological Theory," in which Salzman reviews the major theories in a fast and poignant way that ties the whole text together, is worth the price of the book. I look forward to reviewing these concise and argument-rich synopses time and again.

5 out of 5 stars

finally -- a good overview of contemporary anthro theory! July 8, 2002
37 out of 38 found this review helpful

This little book is a gem. For years, Kaplan and Manners' CULTURE THEORY was my guide for a quick, unbiased overview of anthropological theory. KM, while still useful, sorely needs an update. Waveland Press (which also published CULTURE THEORY), scores again with Salzman's UNDERSTANDING CULTURE. There's a lot to like about this book.pSalzman offers a fresh and eminently readable commentary on the full breadth of anthropological theory, including the most current theorists. Students and professors alike will find the author's discussion of the different ways that theory can be conceptualized helpful. The glossary of terms and brief biographies of anthropologists add a nice touch, too. pThis book is a must have for both the casual and academic reader.

5 out of 5 stars

a Survey for All Anthropologists November 6, 2001
29 out of 29 found this review helpful

Philip Salzman provides a lively and accessible survey of current anthropological theory, which will be useful to students and practising social scientists alike who wish to update their knowledge of the current, controversial state of anthropological theory. Salzman's final chapter catches the state of debate more successfully than any other work I know and brings this concise but highly informative survey to a wise and sensible conclusion, as might be expected of the author of Black Tents of Baluchistan. The book's succinctness and attractive style render it highly accessible to a wide readership.

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