Description
Book SynopsisStudy the science of all of us Anthropologyis the organized study of what makes humans human. It takes an objective step backto viewhomo sapiensas a species andaskquestions like:Given our common characteristics,why aren'tall of usexactlythe same? Why do people across the world havevariableskin and hair color andso many inventivewaysto sayhello?Andhowcan knowing the reasons behindour differencesas well as our similaritiesteach us useful lessons for the future?The updated edition ofAnthropologyForDummiesgives you a panoramic view ofthefascinating fieldwork and theorythatseeks toanswer these questionsandhelps youviewthe humanworldthroughimpartial,anthropological eyes. Keeping the jargon to a minimum,AnthropologyForDummiesexploresthe four mainsubdivisions of the discipline, fromtheadventurous Indiana Jones territoryof archaeology and the hands-on biological insightsprovided by our physical natureto thestudiousbook-crackingbrainwork of cultural and linguistic investigation. Along the way,you'lljourneydeepinto ourprehistorywherewebegin to differentiateourselves fromourprimate relativesandthenfast forwardintothe possibilities ofcenturies yet to come. Explorethe history of anthropology and apply its methodsGet adeep, scientifictake on contemporary debatessuch asidentityExcavate the human past through new fossil discoveriesPeer into humanity's future in space Whether you're studyinganthropologyfor schoolor just want to know more aboutwhat makesushumanswho we are, this is the perfectintroductionto humanity's past and presentanda clue to what we needto build a better future.
Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION 1
PART 1: WHAT IS ANTHROPOLOGY? 7
CHAPTER 1: Human Beings and Being Human: An Overview of Anthropology 9
CHAPTER 2: Looking Into Humanity's Mirror: Anthropology’s History 17
CHAPTER 3: Actually, Four Mirrors: How Anthropology Is Studied 31
PART 2: PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY AND ARCHAEOLOGY 57
CHAPTER 4: The Wildest Family Reunion: Meet the Primates 59
CHAPTER 5: My Career Is in Ruins: How Anthropologists Learn about the Past 83
CHAPTER 6: Bones of Contention: The Fossil Evidence for Early Human Evolution 101
CHAPTER 7: It’s Good to Be Home: Homo sapiens sapiens, Our Biological Species 125
CHAPTER 8: Hunting, Fishing, Sailing, and Sledding: The Dispersal of Humanity Worldwide 145
CHAPTER 9: Old, Old McDonald: The Origins of Farming 165
CHAPTER 10: The Development of Civilization 189
PART 3: CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY AND LINGUISTICS 213
CHAPTER 11: The Spice of Life: Human Culture 215
CHAPTER 12: From Kalahari to Minneapolis: How Cultural Anthropologists Work 233
CHAPTER 13: Can We Talk? Communication, Symbols, and Language 251
CHAPTER 14: Types of Types: Race and Ethnicity 271
CHAPTER 15: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? Identity, Family, Kinship, and Gender 287
CHAPTER 16: Not at the Dinner Table! Religion and Politics 305
PART 4: SO WHAT? ANTHROPOLOGY, THE MODERN WORLD, AND YOU 323
CHAPTER 17: Kiss or Kill? Diversity, Conflict, and Culture 325
CHAPTER 18: Looming Disasters? From Overpopulation to Space Debris 339
CHAPTER 19: Eve and the Iceman: The Cutting Edge of Physical Anthropology 355
CHAPTER 20: Stonehenge and You: Why Archaeology Matters 367
PART 5: THE PART OF TENS 379
CHAPTER 21: Ten Things to Remember About Anthropology, Whatever Else You Forget 381
CHAPTER 22: Ten Great Careers for Anthropology Majors 387
CHAPTER 23: Ten (Or So) Great Anthropologically Themed Movies and Books 393
CHAPTER 24: The Top Ten Myths about the Human Past 397
INDEX 405
