Companion Encyclopedia Of Anthropology

Description:
There have been rapid advances in anthropological knowledge on a wide variety of fronts in recent years. This Companion provides a comprehensive survey of contemporary thinking in biological, social and cultural anthropology. In bringing these three fields together, it establishes their interconnections, and lays the foundations for an integrated perspective on the conditions of human life appropriate to the challenges of the future. In thirty-five separately authored chapters a selection of the world's leading authorities present their own visions of the state of play in their different specialisms, and chart out new directions of inquiry. The structure of the book is such that it is divided into three parts - Humanity, Culture and Social Life. In the first part the emphasis is on human beings as members of a species, on how that species differs from others, on how it has evolved, and on how human populations have adapted to and in turn transformed their environments. The second part focuses on the origins and structure of human culture, and on the role of culture in action, perception and cognition. The third part examines the various aspects of the relationships and processes that are carried on by persons and groups in the course of social life. Each part is preceded by a short editorial introduction and the entire work is prefaced by a general introduction outlining the scope and promise of the discipline of anthropology as a whole. Special features include: * a unique synthesis of the three branches of anthropology - social, cultural and biological * carefully illustrated with line drawings * prestigious editor leads an international team of acknowledged experts in each field * useful cross-references within the text, with full bibliographical references and suggestions for further reading

Review:
'The Companion Encyclopedia of Anthropology is a welcome addition to the reference literature. Bringing together authoritative, incisive and scrupulously edited contributions from some three dozen authors. The book achieves an impressive breadth of coverage of specialist areas.' - Times Higher Educational Supplement 'Recommended for all anthropology collections, especially those in academic libraries.' - Library Journal 'This is a marvellous book and I am very happy to recommend it.' - Reference Reviews 'The Companion Encyclopedia of Anthropology is a welcome... addition to the reference literature. [It] brings together authoritative, incisive and scrupulously edited contributions from some three dozen authors. The book achieves an impressive breadth of coverage of specialist areas.' - Times Higher Education Supplement 'Recommended for all anthropology collections, especially those in academic libraries.' - Library Journal

Table of Contents:
Part I 1. Concepts of Humanity and Animality 2. Evolution of Early Hominids 3. Human Evolution: The Last One Million Years 4. The Origins and Evolution of Language 5. The Social Transmission of Information in Humans and Non-Human Animals 6. Tools 7. Modes of Subsistence: Hunting and Gathering to Agriculture and Pastoralism 8. The Diet and Nutrition of Human Populations 9. Demographic Expansion: Causes and Consequences 10. Disease and the Destruction of Human Populations Part II 1. Culture and Environment in Evolutionary Theory 2. Symbolism: The Foundations of Human Culture 3. Artefacts and the Meaning of Things 4. Technology 5. Fundamentals of Ethno-biological Classification 6. Spatial Organisation and the Built Environment 7. Perceptions of Time 8. Literacy 9. Magic, Religion and the Rationality of Belief 10. Myth and Cosmology 11. Ritual and Performance 12. The Anthropology of Art 13. Music and Dance 14. The Politics of Culture: Ethnicity and Nationalism Part III 1. Sociality Among Humans and Non-Human Animals 2. Rules and Prohibitions: The Form and Content of Human Kinship 3. Socialisation and Personhood 4. Social Aspects of Language Use 5. Understanding Sex and Gender 6. Work, the Division of Labour and Co-operation 7. Exchange and Reciprocity 8. Process of Law and Dispute Settlement 9. Violence and Warfare 10. Political Domination and Cultural Evolution 11. Equality and Inequality 12. The Nation State, Colonial Expansion and the Contemporary World Order