Culture Sketches: Case Studies in Anthropology

Ideal for any cultural anthropology course this brief collection of ethnographic case studies exposes students to 15 different cultures. The groups selected are peoples whose traditional cultures are uniquely their own. Each has distinctive patterns and practices; each has faced the challenge of an encroaching world with differing results. Moreover they often provide the prime illustrations of important concepts in introductory anthropology course including Azande witchcraft Ju/’hoansi egalitarianism Trobriand kula exchange and Minangkabau matriliny. As such this volume can stand alone as an introduction to central ethnographic concepts through these 15 societies or serve as a valuable companion to anthropology texts. Many of the peoples presented are involved in the diaspora; some struggle to preserve old ways in new places. All sketches follow a logical consistent organization that makes it easy for students to understand major themes such as history subsistence sociopolitical organization belief systems marriage kinship and contemporary issues. Read more