Anthropology: The Human Challenge

By Dana Walrath, Harald E.L. Prins, William A. Haviland

Book Overview

This book offers a comprehensive and balanced presentation on views of human culture, evolution, and prehistory. The text presents the principles and processes of anthropology, both physical (biological) and cultural, including ethnology, linguistics, and prehistoric archaeology in an integrated, holistic manner. A new framework emphasizing connections (between the subfields of anthropology) and the challenge of global interconnections serves to unify the material. Biocultural connections are also emphasized as the authors integrate contemporary research and ideas from several schools of thought, using a lively writing style to engage students and keep them interested in real world anthropology. The first section of the text covers selected aspects of physical anthropology and prehistoric archaeology as they relate to the origin of humanity, the origin of culture, and the development of human biological and cultural diversity. The second section covers the central concepts of cultural anthropology and linguistics, and challenges students to think about the diversity of the human condition and the changes ensuing from a globally connected world. Students are challenged to think about the world around them from the perspective of anthropology, and they are treated to a fascinating examination of the field of cultural anthropology, its findings, and its relevance to the modern world.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0534623697
• ISBN13: 9780534623692
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing Company
• Length: 792 Pages

Customer Reviews

anthropology text for high schoolers too!

I've used this book a couple of times for teaching either college freshmen or high school students and it is well-received. The readings are engaging and the authors bring in plenty of contemporary examples of uses for anthropology today.

Anthropolofy: The Human Challenge

Thanks, the book arrived in the time promised, early in fact. and in the condition promise. I amd very satisfied with the purchase. As far as the content, it is a school book and my opion on it would be just that an opion of if I like the subject or not.

Excellent introductory text

Take a journey back through the layers of time to comparitively define what it means to be human. Step outside your existence for a few days and flip your way thru this text.

Great Intro text.

This is a solid introductory text which competently handles and encyclopedic load of research in a way as to invites the novice to want to learn about human biology, history, culture within the unique naturalistic holism of academic anthropology. Excerpt: Most anthropology instructors have two goals for their introductory classes: (1) to provide an overview of principles and processes of anthropology and (2) to plant a seed of awareness about human cultural and biological diversity in their students that will continue to grow and to challenge ethnocentrism long past the end of the semester. All eleven editions of Anthropology have tried to support and further these goals. The majority of our students come to class intrigued with anthropology but with little more than a vague sense of what it is all about. The first and most obvious aim of the text, therefore, is to provide a comprehensive introduction to the discipline-its fundamental principles and key concepts. Drawing from the research and ideas of a number of schools of anthropological thought, this book exposes students to a mix of theoretical perspectives-in human evolution and human ecology, as well as theories about culture such as functionalism, structuralism, cultural materialism, and world systems theory. Such inclusiveness reflects our conviction that different approaches all reveal important insights about human behavior, biology, and beliefs. To employ the tools of a single approach at the expense of all others is to cut oneself off from significant insights.

Insightful and not at all preaching.

I couldn't disagree more with the previous reviewer and felt the need to add my review to explain the absurdity of theirs. This book is very insighful, interesting, and makes perfect sense. Quite a bit of the writers opinions are included, but that is the case with most books on the social sciences. It is almost an unavoidable reality that the author will flavor the text with their own personal experience. The previous reviewer (a mathematician) seems more intent on discrediting Anthropology as a science than presenting the real facts. If one is truly interested in gleaning a generalized view of all the anthropological disciplines from one text, this book comes highly recommended.