Engaging Anthropological Theory: A Social and Political History

The updated third edition of this book critically reconsiders the history of anthropological theory. Covering key concepts and theorists in a lively style, Engaging Anthropological Theory examines the historical context of anthropological ideas and the contested nature of anthropology itself. The book illustrates how anthropological ideas about human diversity are rooted in historical conditions, including the West’s relationship with colonized societies and the politics of scholarly inquiry itself. Exploring anthropological ideas in context helps students understand how they evolved and how they relate to society and history. This new edition pays close attention to non-canonical figures and scholars of color whose contributions are too often bypassed in disciplinary histories. Students and instructors will also appreciate the open-ended review questions for each chapter that stimulate critical thought and discussion. Extensively illustrated throughout, this engaging text moves away from the dry recitation of past viewpoints in anthropology and shows their continued relevance to modern life.

Table of Contents:
List of Figures List of Tables List of Boxes Acknowledgments 1. Of politics and paradigms 2. Claims and critiques of anthropological knowledge 3. Anthropology before anthropologists 4. Theory and practice to change the world 5. Heirs to order and progress 6. Spencer, Darwin, and evolutionary tales for our time 7. The Boasian revolution 8. Culture and psychology 9. Functionalism, the pure and the hyphenated 10. Anti-structure and the collapse of empire 11. Evolution redux 12. Contemporary materialist and ecological approaches 13. Symbols, structures, and the “web of significance” 14. Postmodern political economy and sensibilities 15. The contemporary anthropological moment References Index

About the Author :
Mark Moberg is Emeritus Professor of Anthropology at the University of South Alabama, USA, and has taught anthropological theory over many years. His research centers on labor, Fair Trade, and environmental politics in Central America, the Caribbean, and the United States. Among his other books are Slipping Away: Banana Politics and Fair Trade in the Eastern Caribbean (2010) and Fair Trade and Social Justice: Global Ethnographies (with Sarah Lyon, 2010).

Review :
Praise for the previous editions: "Moberg does a masterful job of weaving together historical context, anthropological theory, and present-day issues and sensibilities. Rather than standing at a critical distance and taking potshots at our disciplinary ancestors, Moberg shows students clearly how anthropology’s ideas and theoretical stances have arisen out of, and made sense within, their historical and geographical contexts. His style is engaging, readable, and often laugh-out-loud funny. How often can one say that about a theory textbook?" –Julie Adkins, University of Texas at Arlington, USA "While other textbooks on anthropological theory give token accounts of the socio-political influences and historical contexts that produced ‘ruling ideas’ on the nature of society and the origins of cultural diversity, these processes are the central focus of Moberg’s unique analysis. Moving beyond biographical sketches and historical vignettes, the book is a lively exploration of how ‘paradigms and politics’ of the past and present inform anthropological thought." –William L. Alexander, University of North Carolina Wilmington, USA