When it was first published, What Is Anthropology? immediately ignited the discipline, proving how anthropology can be a revolutionary way of thinking about the modern human world. In this fully updated second edition, Thomas Hylland Eriksen brings together examples from current events as well as within anthropological research in order to explain how to see the world from below and from within--emphasizing the importance of adopting an insider's perspective.
The first section of the book presents the history of anthropology, and the second discusses core issues in greater detail, covering economics, morals, human nature, ecology, cultural relativism, and much more. Throughout, he reveals how seemingly enormous cultural differences actually conceal the deep unity of humanity. Perfect not only for students, but also for those who have never encountered anthropology before, What is Anthropology? presents the discipline in an exciting and innovative way.
Thomas Hylland Eriksen is professor of social anthropology at the University of Oslo. He is the author of several books including Ethnicity and Nationalism, A History of Anthropology, Small Places, Large Issues, Tyranny of the Moment, and Globalisation, all published by Pluto Press.