Palgrave Dictionary of Anthropology

Book excerpt: An authoritative reference work, the Macmillan Dictionary of Anthropology covers the entire range of scholarship in this field, from the early ethnographers to the most recent research. This concise guide provides succinct definitions of basic concepts, summarizes key issues and the development of the major theoretical schools, and discusses the contribution of some 250 British, American and European anthropologists. Its clear and lively style enables the reader to approach such formidable topics as the works of Levi-Strauss or the influence of semiology, and all 2000 entries are fully cross-referenced and include bibliographical details. The Dictionary is an introduction for the general reader, a handbook for students of anthropology and many related disciplines, and a reference tool for academic anthropologists. It covers both physical and cultural and social anthropology, takes account of literature in all languages, and, with its wide range and high level of scholarship, is a significant contribution to the understanding of its subject.