Engaging Anthropological Theory ─ A Social and Political History

This lively book offers a fresh look at the history of anthropological theory. Covering key concepts and theorists, Mark Moberg examines the historical context of anthropological ideas and the contested nature of anthropology itself. Anthropological ideas regarding human diversity have always been rooted in the socio-political conditions in which they arose and exploring them in context helps students understand how and why they evolved, and how theory relates to life and society. Illustrated throughout, this engaging text moves away from the dry recitation of past viewpoints in anthropology and brings the subject matter to life.

Mark Moberg is Professor of Anthropology at the University of South Alabama, USA, and has many years experience of teaching anthropological theory. His books include Slipping Away: Banana Politics and Fair Trade in the Eastern Caribbean (Berghahn 2008).

1. Of Politics and Paradigms 2. Claims and Critiques of Anthropological Knowledge 3. The Prehistory of Anthropology 4. Marx 5. Durkheim and Weber 6. Spencer, Darwin, and an Evolutionary Parable for Our Time 7. Boas and the Demise of Cultural Evolution 8. Culture and Psychology 9. Structure and Function 10. Decolonization and Anti-Structure 11. Ecological and Neo-Evolutionary Approaches 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