A History of Anthropological Theory | Paul A. Erickson, Liam D. Murphy

A History of Anthropological Theory | Paul A. Erickson, Liam D. Murphy | Best overview of theory i have ever read

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A History of Anthr...

	A History of Anthropological Theory Paul A. Erickson, Liam D. Murphy Broadview Press, 2003 - 272 pages average customer review:based on 5 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Recognizing that anthropology - the integrated study of humanity in its biological, social, and cultural dimensions - has deep roots in the Western experience, this concise survey begins in antiquity, with such writers as Herodotus and Aristotle, then moves forward through the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the nineteenth century, when anthropological thought took on a more disciplined form. The twentieth century is, however, the central focus of the text - the authors cover all of the main strands, including American, British, and French anthropological traditions, and discuss developments in theory that point to future directions in anthropology. The book also features sections that introduce readers to theory in archaeology, physical anthropology, and linguistic anthropology. A History of Anthropology, second edition is thus a remarkably comprehensive, accessible introduction to the field.

New to this edition are sections on Transactionalism and Feminist anthropology as well as a new preface and expanded sections on French Structural Anthropology, British Social Anthropology, and Postmodernity, including pieces on Medical Anthropology and Globalization

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An excellent introduction to the history of Anthropology

I found this to be a highly readable introductory text, which outlines all the major developments in anthropology, from antiquity to postmodernism. The work is, in my opinion, suitable for anyone interested in the broad study of human origins, and of the societies and cultures humans create. I would DEFINITELY buy this book if I were taking an introductory course. A real undiscovered gem for most readers!

Best overview of theory i have ever read

I bought this book for an undergraduate class 3 years ago and have used it over and over again despite haveing many other theory books. does a great job at explaining were anthropological theory originates and how differing theoretical perspectives interrelate. Also has an excellent cronology.

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Concise, useful and delightful

An extremely useful and delightful book. Not the best on the market, but very, very good. It is more appropriated for undergraduate than for graduate courses, because readers already acquainted with anthropological theory might feel some "déjà vu". Some caution is necessary, because the book has a strong (yet explicit) US-centric bias, neglecting important British, French, and other national contributions to anthropological theory. Nevertheless, I use it in my classes.

Short and Sweet

If you are looking for a concise, quick introduction to the history of anthropological theory, then I highly recommend this book. No other short survey of its history comes close to scope and content of Erickson and Murphy's book. The companion book of readings is also very good. I only give it 4 stars because of its brevity, you can't go too deep when you have to cover so much ground and keep the book a reasonable length.

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A Good text to help understand Anthropological Theory

This was the required text for Anthropological Theory. I would have been hopelessly lost without this book. It helps understand some very hard concepts. I gave it four stars because I felt that some of the theories were not discussed in depth as other theories were. Overall, this book is a great tool to help begin to process theories in anthropology.

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