Author Description

The second edition of Barbara Miller's Cultural Anthropology takes an innovative approach to the subject by combining a solid materialist foundation with attention to interpretive approaches and findings. This contemporary book continues to emphasize social inequality and explain its affect on economy, kinship, politics, religion, and language while still covering the core concepts of cultural anthropology. Contemporary issues, such as health systems, migration, and development, are integrated through out the book to highlight the practical applications and relevance of cultural anthropology studies to today's society. Miller's knack for showing students how anthropology is relevant to their lives and skill at generating lively discussion continue to win her book high praise.In addition to a greater focus on theory, the newest edition features new discussions and the latest research on the affect of development on indigenous peoples, the relationship between development and social inequality, and new examples of human resistance in the face of large-scale exogenous development. The Table of Contents has been reorganized to streamline the coverage of certain topics and create room to reinstate topics that have been popular in previous editions. Finally, a new layout with larger pages and an improved design make the text more accessible and easier to read.