Anthropology: a student's guide to theory and method

Abstract

This is the first book to provide an overview of theory and method in anthropology which is specifically aimed at students. Starting with anthropology's foundations in the late nineteenth century, Stanley R. Barrett brings the reader up to date on such topics as the influence of postmodern and feminist criticism, changes in ethnographic style, and the shift from scientific to humanistic discourse. He discusses the power relationships between anthropologists and their subjects, from the era of colonialism through that of contemporary cultural pluralism. Barrett shows that, in recent decades, a serious gap has emerged between theory and method - a gap that will ultimately have to be addressed by today's students.