Cultural anthropology is a discipline of infinite curiosity about human beings, focusing on how and why culture has changed or remained unchanged in the past and now.
Cultural anthropology encompasses almost the entire catalog of disciplines: sociology, psychology, political science, economics, history, philosophy, and literature.
As an introductory book to cultural anthropology, Cultural Anthropology is published by Pearson Education Group. Since its publication in 1973, it has been reprinted more than a dozen times. The Chinese translation of the Commercial Press is the largest edition of the book since the 10th edition.
The authors are the famous American anthropologists Mr. and Mrs. Ember. They have doctorates in anthropology from Harvard University and Yale University, respectively, and have long conducted field research among Kenyan Luo and American Samoans, and have rich fieldwork experience.
Two major publishing institutions
Pearson Education Group classic best-selling original + authoritative translation of the Commercial Press
Book structure settings
3 major sections + 18 chapters + 52 knowledge boxes + 158 illustrations + 780 pages of text + 1238 bibliographies + 1336 notes
Chapter style design
Foreword Synopsis + Pre-Chapter Overview + Post-Chapter Summary + End-of-Chapter Question + Extended Reading + Glossary + Notes + References
Anthropology is the most in-depth understanding of our species. This book counts as a small encyclopedia of anthropology. Anthropological categories, concepts, problems, and newer ideas and methods of exploration are all in it. To fully understand anthropology, you can start from here, and to delve into many of the problems of anthropology, you can get ideas and reference books from it.
——Zheng Yefu, professor at Peking University
As the authors argue, anthropology is important because it helps us avoid many unnecessary misunderstandings caused by cultural differences. There are many very interesting points of knowledge in the book, which constitute a complete body of knowledge about cultural anthropology. These classic theoretical knowledge and rich experience materials can further broaden our horizons and enhance our understanding of the world. And all this is yet to be experienced and discovered by the reader himself through reading the book.
——Wang Qingfeng, Associate Professor of China Agricultural University
This is an excellent academic treatise, from which we can see insights into anthropology, cross-cultural studies, and comparison. The well-structured chapters cover major themes in various societies and are well worth a look. At the same time, the chapters are layered on top of each other, and the conclusions stand up to scrutiny. This book can be used as an auxiliary reading for the study of anthropology, and each topic is read smoothly and smoothly.
When the new book list
"Fat for beauty" is more popular?
Different cultures have different aesthetics, and the same is true for people's aesthetics. In many cultures, people think that obese people are more beautiful than thin people. Many years ago, Melvin Ember was doing field research on the American island of Samoa. Three months later, when he returned to the main island from a remote island, he met a Samoan acquaintance, a prominent chief. The chief said, "You look good. You're getting fat. In fact, he lost 30 pounds! The chief may not remember how much the anthropologist had ever had, but he apparently thought it was better to be fat than thin. Among the Azawag Arabs of Niger, obesity is not only valued but also considered beautiful; there is a well-intentioned desire for girls to become fat, insisting that they sometimes even be forced to drink large amounts of milk porridge.
From all over the world, it is widely believed that what is more deserving of it is obesity than thinness, which is especially true for women. In these cultures, obesity is widely valued not only because it is seen as more beautiful, but also because it is seen as a symbol of higher status in health, fertility, and stratified societies. This perception contrasts sharply with the ideal paradigm in the United States and many other Western societies, which see obesity as unattractive and a reflection of laziness, lack of self-control, and unhealthiness.
Cultural Anthropology (13th Edition), pp. 614-615
Is the bride price common?
A young Iraqi couple looking at gold jewelry will be part of the bride price. Whatever happens in the future marriage, these bride price gifts are considered to belong to the wife.
"It is not men who marry maidens, but fields that marry fields, vineyards that marry vineyards, and livestock that marry livestock." This German peasant proverb shows in a popular and practical way that in many societies marriage involves economic considerations. In our culture, considerations of economic factors can be explicit or implicit. However, in about 75% of societies known to anthropology, people generate one or more definite economic transactions before and after marriage. Such economic transactions can take many forms, such as dowry, dowry labor, women's exchange, gift exchange, dowry or indirect dowry.
Of all the forms of economic transactions involved in marriage, the dowry is the most common. According to a cross-cultural social sample, in societies where there is economic transaction in marriage, 44 per cent of them practice dowry; in almost all of these societies, the amount of dowry is considerable. Dowry exists in all parts of the world, but it is particularly prevalent in Africa and Oceania. It can be paid for different currencies; livestock and food are two of the more common forms. As the importance of commodity exchange increased, money increasingly became part of the dowry. Among the Manus in the Admielti Islands in northern New Guinea, the groom needs a financial supporter, usually the eldest brother or brother-in-law, who, if he intends to get married, may take years to pay off the debts owed by the marriage. Depending on the amount of the final dowry, this payment may terminate at the time of marriage or may continue for several years after marriage.
Cultural Anthropology (13th ed.), pp. 372-372