Book Description
This shorter, but comprehensive and academically sound, anchor text is an approachable, full-color introduction to cultural anthropology. This edition continues to give students the opportunity to explore anthropology's relevance to their own lives through stories, examples, and new, unique chapter-opening vignettes. The rich visual program allows professors to assign outside reading without sacrificing visual appeal in a concise text. A relaxed writing style offers students an accessible text, which is to-the-point and well-organized yet academically solid. Unique "Try This" pedagogy asks students to think critically and apply anthropological concepts, perspectives and methods, and the "Anthropology Around Us" boxes focus on the application of anthropological concepts featured in each chapter. An appendix on "How to Read Ethnography" gives students practical steps for getting the most out of reading and comparing ethnographies.
Book Description
Postmodernism seemed to promise an end to the grim Cold War era of nuclear confrontation and oppressive ideologies. This expanded edition brilliantly elucidates this hall of mirrors with Richard Appignanesi's witty and easy-to-follow text and the inspired cartoonist Chris Garratt.
Customer Reviews:
The Torrential Stream of Postmodernism (Don't Let The Pictures Fool You).......2007-05-18
Postmodernism impacts our approach to the arts, our understanding of history, and our understanding of faith. The Introduction to Posmodernism presents a torrential stream of modern and postmodern thinkers and the boundaries they have bent and broken in order to redefine human reality and existence for the past century. Recently I have been watching how postmodernity and faith interact. More often than not postmodernity seems to be the jackhammer philosophy ready to make a go at the bedrock in God's Truth - "the word made flesh."
The "word made flesh" and "truth" in the Biblical sense are terms postmoderns avoid. Logocentrism strives to perfectly represent the world through reason and the perfect "word.". This rational (man centered) approach to words can never reveal the perfection it seeks (the word made flesh). Harold Bloom's latest book, "Jesus and Yahweh: The Names Divine," presents a logocentric quest for Christ. Bloom seeks legitimization for belief through reason (not faith) and fails to find perfection in the word (as approached without God).
Postmodernism presents us with a "new type of knower." Where once the acquisition of knowledge was linked to how we trained our minds; now the acquisition of knowledge is dependent upon our link to cyber-knowledge. One of my students recently quipped that he would love to have a hard drive in his head where he could just download his college education - like something from a Philip K. Dick novel.
Postmodernism blends truth and fiction leading to a destructive approach to history. I wonder how will this disregard for the past will impact Biblical truth? Here I think of Gore Vidal's postmodern tale "Live from Golgotha" where hackers erode the Gospel message prompting journalists to travel in time back to Golgotha to report the events that happened there. In postmodern Christian culture, biblical Truth and tradition gives way to C-Pop music, multimedia displays and book studies. These practices pared with the prevalence of paraphrased and inclusive Bibles (modified for easier digestion - like Olestra) hint at the destruction of the Truth (and Christian heritage) by Christians.
Postmodern ideologies began in art and philosophy. These ideologies have now taken root in the church, our universities, along with media and entertainment channels. How then shall postmodernism end? I predict a great fall, like that of the Roman Empire which had taken influence on much of the world. After the crash (re)birth of culture and (re)formation of faith. And if the book is right, a (re) birth of romanticism.
It isn't the best book I have read on the subject, but does a pretty good job of presenting complex concepts in a simple way..........2007-05-07
"Introducing Postmodernism", by Richard Appignanesi, is just as its name suggests, a good basic introduction to Postmodernism. This small and engaging book traces the origins of the concept and its evolution, from the points of view of theory, art and science. Truth to be told, it isn't the best book I have read on the subject, but does a pretty good job of presenting complex concepts in a simple way, and giving you a general idea of what Postomodernism is about.
If that is what you are looking for, this is likely to be the book for you. In case you need or want to know more, you will need to read other books too, but this would be nonetheless an adequate starting point. From my point of view, "Introducing Postmodernism" is worth your time. Recommended :)
Belen Alcat
clear introduction to a confusing topic.......2007-03-16
Introducing Postmodernism is a basic introduction to Postmodern thought. As it is a basic introduction, it does not go very far into depth on any one aspect of Postmodern thought. Still, it clearly represents the main aspects of Postmodernism namely, legitimization, reproducibility and hyper reality. Before reading this book I had no idea what Postmodernism was, now at least I have some idea. The book includes a useful list of books for further reading at the end. Also, you can read about some of the main thinkers in other totem books for example Introducing Derrida.
Good Read, Yet not quite an introduction.......2007-01-09
This book I find more of a reference than an introduction. I was looking for a gooding starting point for postmodernism, and was led to this book. Half the book is the complex world of modernism, followed by linguistic theory, and finally ending with interesting theories of current events.
I must say if postmodernism is of interest for you get this book. But this book will probably only leave you with more questions. I find it more of a picture reference book.
Taking the authors advice---I bought both 'The postmodern condition' and 'simulacra and simulation'. Having just read the condition, I felt that provided a indepth read into the subject. Introducing Postmodernism then provided an easy reference to clarify some arguments.
Suggestion for those new to the subject:
1. Buy this book and a good book on the introduction of modernism. If you do not have a solid understanding of modernism...goodluck.
2. Buy 'The Postmodern Condition'--it is a difficult read -- yet many key concepts appear.
Introducing Postmodernism is a GOOD book, not great, but it does intice one to learn more with the new questions that should arise, and deal with some issues that are not very postmodern yet are considered PM. PERHAPS THAT IS WHAT A GOOD INTRODUCTION OF POSTMODERNISM SHOULD CONSIDER ITS CHIEF GOAL.
Biting off more than you can chew.......2006-02-17
'Introducing Postmodernism' is a good source to gather names of philosophers, architects, artists, anthropologists, linguists, and everyone in between that have been somehow connected to PM. The problem, and it is a big one, is that this style of tour de force writing does little to contextualize all these diverse disciplines. Sure, if you only have half an hour to read up on PM, you can whip through this book and go on with your life. But if you're wanting to really absorb the phenomenon, and perhaps go on to read more, this book is NOT the place to start. Check out David Harvey's 'Condition of Postmodernism.' This will rip the top of your head clean off! It's much more weighty (in every sense of the word), but your understanding of PM will vastly improve, and will better prepare you to go on to other important writers of the 'genre'.
Book Description
Introducing Cultural Studies provides students with an up-to-date introduction to the expanding and controversial field of cultural studies. The book offers an overview and exploration of some of the most important avenues of research in the field, and is divided into two parts. The first on cultural theory introduces the core themes and concerns of the book and examines the multiple meanings of culture, communication, representation, power and inequality.
The argument is that cultural studies as an activity produces knowledge that separate disciplines cannot. The second part of the book examines different dimensions of culture. Reflecting contemporary developments in the humanities and social sciences more widely, as well as in cultural studies, the book considers space, time, politics, the body, subculture and visual culture. Through its representation of past and contemporary research in cultural studies and its use of easily understood summaries, Introducing Cultural Studies offers students a complete overview of the present state of the field.
Features: Up-to-date research-based introductions to specific topics such as space, time and the body allow students to understand key cutting-edge aspects of the field. Boxed summaries of key figures give an overview of important writers in one place. Boxed summaries of key concepts and definitions provide overviews of important concepts and definitions. A variety of extracts, photos, recap lists, learning objectives and diagrams illustrate key points and break up the discursive nature of the text. Collaboratively authored by a research active team who represent different disciplines- English, Anthropology, Geography and Sociology.
Book Description
Explores the avantgarde milieu of Picassso, Joyce Schoenberg and other modern masters.
Customer Reviews:
Another Fine Installment in the "Introducing..." Series.......2006-07-21
The "Introducing..." books are a great way to start exploring a subject without a large investment in time or money. They outline a topic in a wide breadth without going into too much depth, but offer pointers and suggestions for further study. If the subject is interesting, go find other resources on it. If not, pick up another potentially interesting "Introducing..." book.
Introducing Modernism covers the rise and reasons for the existence of modernism, which is really an umbrella term for a number of various movements and "-isms" that arose as a reaction to the new, modern conditions of life that followed the Industrial Revolution (the conditions of modernity). Innovations like rapid transit and cinema changed the way people related to time and space. Large numbers of people were moving from rural lifestyles to the big cities to get jobs in factories, causing them to feel lost in the anonymity of the large city crowds.
Modernist reaction to these changes took various forms including Futurism, Dadaism, Cubism, atonal music and more, which are described in outline. The tendency for modernists to be avant garde and elitist is also explained. Perhaps most importantly, Introducing Modernism also explores the question of whether modernism has ended (and if so, when?). With the recent renovation of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in Manhattan, this seems a relevant question. Perhaps one that "Introducing Postmodernism" can help to answer.
Modernism Lite.......2003-12-18
This is an excellent book to get a broad view of Modernism, what it means, when did it begin, etc. The format of the "Introducing" books makes for fun and informative reading. This is not a book for dumbies it is just put together in a way that makes it easy to learn. I suggest getting it with Introducing PostModernism.
Book Description
Introducing Anthropology traces the evolution of anthropology from Ancient Greece to contemporary times. Anthropology's key concepts and methods are explained, and we meet some of its most famous stars, including Franz Boas, Bronislaw Malinowski, E.E. Evans-Pritchard, Margaret Mead and Claude Levi-Strauss.
Customer Reviews:
A frenetic, navel-gazing introduction.......2004-06-25
I am a big fan of the "Introducing" series and in most cases find them to be entertaining as well as edifying. I was a bit disappointed with the the anthropology one in that it tends to radically jump from one topic to another with each flip of a page. Also, like a lot of particularly boring contemporary anthropology, it spends too much time reflecting on the criticisms of anthropology and way too little time on the usefulness of the information collected and analyzed by anthropologists. To write that "Anthropology has not assisted in equalizing power or disparities in wealth between the West and the Other (sic)..." (pg. 171) is both plain poppycock in that much of what anthropology does elevates the visiblity and power of people in diverse cultures, and is ridiculous in assuming that anthropologists have the numbers or power to influence governments and international capital. It is like blaming the Shakers for the moral decline of the world.
I suspect much of my criticism is due to the impossibility of using the format of the "Introducing" series to cover a topic as broad as anthropology. I liked the Levi-Strauss and the Noam Chomsky books in the series, but I think it is inherently easier to create a coherent introduction to single scholars.
Book Description
Provides an incisive tour through this complex subject, charting its origins in Britain and its migration to the U.S.A.
Customer Reviews:
How modern myths are made.......2007-09-01
This book, like all in its series, intends to simplify a topic with short remarks (crowded with cartoons) for short attention spans and easy access. For the topic of Cultural Studies, however, it fails to state the obvious - that Cultural Studies (CS) is a political faction. One invented as an ally against the West now that communism failed so miserably. CS is a close relative to Feminist Theory, Women's Studies and White Studies, all pushing political agendas - under the guise of academic freedom - with as much intellectually sounding venom as they can pass without simply stating their rage in English. The book does a fair job of revealing how CS does this, without intending to be so transparent - i.e. searching for historical connections between modern "signs & symbols" and some form of oppression, real or imagined. Still using Foucault's long dismissed "other", CS scours Western Civilization for those capable of carrying our highly cherished label of "victim" in order to indict the West. Like its postmodern relations, this book does a fair job in displaying how much denial, selectivity and willful ignorance is required to keep the "theory" safe, sounding a great deal like religious fundamentalism.
We see the goal of CS is to bring forward lost meanings associated with signs and symbols or recast them though convenient revision in order to keep the fires of loathing burning hot. The purpose being to motivate oppressed "others" enough to one day break free by an inspired force demanded when resisting the Giant David. If it weren't for CS, the oppressed frequently wouldn't even know they were (recalling the infamous Mary Koss / Ms Magazine rape study).
Opening with an analysis of the name of an Indian restaurant, its historical connections to oppression by a colonial, imperialistic West we see how the argument unfolds. The Lincoln Monument serves as a simple example for Americans: A copy of the Parthenon of ancient Athens, a symbol ("sign") of civilization's greatest achievements in art, engineering, the rule of law, democracy, valor, and heroism, all wrapped up in a temple to the goddess Athena. To those tenured in Cultural Studies, this copy in the form of Lincoln's Monument is "in fact" a symbol of male oppression over women, clearly expressed by the statue of a god-like male stealing the thrown of a goddess, with not even a mention, sign or symbol of women in the entire building. And of a white man to boot. Ignoring the small matter of Lincoln's opposition to slavery - merely as a "text" - there is no sign or symbol for people of color, or other sexuality. Racism, sexism and homophobia seep from its marble walls. Signs of dominance, of Western reason, law, science, all on display to intimidate non-Western peoples through the usurpation of architecture from a long dead people as though it were our own. Where is it fairly stated that Lincoln's Monument is a copy, or that Jefferson's is the Roman Pantheon or Washington's an Egyptian Obelisk? (Empires all.) It isn't. To Americans, these are, "Just another pretty building". If we only realized these were beacons of subjugation, we might be persuaded to bring them to their foundations and to the gleeful satisfaction of our scholars.
One will not discover in Cultural Studies (this book or others) that without exception, every civilization, religion, race, gender or sexuality has committed crimes against other people, animals and the planet because to CS - like all of postmodernism - an exclusive group is to be found guilty. The goal is not to correct wrongs, but to create more in order to delight emotional desires to get even. The application of reason, naturally, a form of "Western bigotry", is not to be found well practiced in CS, as with any dogma.
And this is what we teach succeeding generations at the university... Doomed.
Additional on "Introducing Cultural Studies".......2006-02-26
The book is enlightening as an introduction. I recommend it. I do detect a strong British oriented and influenced view of the topic which, in certain ways, is refreshing. The United States tends to seem to think of itself as the center or the world and it's nice to read a book with at least a slightly different point of view.
It should be mentioned that the book is very heavily illustrated so that the page count is somewhat misleading. If the book were not illustrated, it would perhaps be 50 pages or less. The graphics do help enliven what might be a dry topic for some. The "Further Reading" section at the end will aid those who would like to continue more in depth.
LIGHT ESSAY OF CULTURAL STUDIES.......2000-07-21
Ziauddin Sardar's "Introduction to Cultural Studies" is nothing more than the title indicates. This lenghty essay merely presents basic concepts that are prevalent in a postmodern discourse between societal values, power relations, and the value placed on cultural "norms" given in various communities. Sardar presents the history of Cultural Studies as a discipline, which begins in a social context, but the analysis of which, takes place by various sociologists, philosophers (primarily Freud, Nietzche, and Hegel), and literary minds. Overall, the essay is enlightening as an introduction, a good preface to the discourse(s) one finds in most disciplines today.
Book Description
Because of the increasing breadth and complexity of the field, most texts for introductory-level, general anthropology courses (so-called four-field courses) have tended to become longer and more detailed. In contrast, this concise book, authored by a physical anthropologist, offers a tightly managed amount of detail and a student-friendly narrative approach (explaining its topics through a clear sequence of ideas), while including all of the traditional topics in anthropology.
Book Description
Because of the increasing breadth and complexity of the field, texts for introductory-level, general anthropology courses (so-called four-field courses) have tended to become longer and more detailed. This places a burden on instructors using these texts and, more importantly, on students reading them to learn about the field. This book is short and with a tightly managed amount of detail. It also uses a narrative approach (that is, explaining its topics through a clear sequence of ideas) which is more user-friendly to students. At the same time, no traditional topic in anthropology is left out.
Customer Reviews:
Anthropology 1 Course.......2003-12-10
I have been currently using this book in my Anthropology 1 Course. I have never taken an anthropology course before and this book has been very helpful. It presents and explains ideas clearly and thoroughly throught the book. I would recommend this book for someone who is looking to enhance their knowledge of all aspects of anthropology, but I would advise against it for general reading pleasure.
Average customer rating:
- Engaging, comprehensive, and compelling overview
|
Introducing Anthropology of Religion: Culture to the Ultimate
Jack Eller
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Sociology
| Religious Studies
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0415408962 |
Book Description
Written by an experienced teacher, this basic introduction to the anthropology of religion explores key contemporary issues such as: definitions, theories, beliefs, symbols and language, and behaviour. The second part of the book analyzes:
- religion in the modern world
- violence
- fundamentalism
- key world religions and new religious movements.
Unlike other introductions which have tended to focus solely on traditional anthropological areas, this book also shows how to apply an anthropological approach to contemporary world religions, reflecting broader trends.
Assuming no prior knowledge of the subject, this is the perfect resource for students.
Customer Reviews:
Engaging, comprehensive, and compelling overview .......2007-10-14
Anthropology of Religion
"One of the most engaging, comprehensive, and compelling overviews of anthropology of religion ever published. Eller successfully integrates and interprets a wide array of ethnographic information, giving ample attention to both past contributions and contemporary perspectives. Beginning students and specialists alike will learn much from this volume." Stephen D. Glazier, Graduate Professor of Anthropology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Selected Readings in the Anthropology of Religion: Theoretical and Methodological Essays (Contributions to the Study of Anthropology)
Book Description
This book pursues the major contribution that he made to aesthetic theory, examining his key work on Amerindian myth.
Customer Reviews:
Pitthy, Entertaining Introduction to a Complicated Subject.......2003-05-10
Reading this was a hoot. It makes structural anthropology fun and understantable in lay terms, notwithstanding the dilution and simplification of key concepts that invariably results from this sort of watering-down treatment.
I'm not sure what the previous reviewer meant about L-S's "deconstruction" of myths--although Derrida is mentioned briefly in the book. However, the L-S method of interpreting the transposition and mutation of myths is briefly introduced.
Like a Cliff's Notes for Levi-Strauss.......2001-05-28
A fun adventure through the complex world of Levi-Strauss and his theory of Structuralism. It contains cartoons, pictures, and fun comments which bring Levi-Strauss' complex theory to a sort of clarity.
Although I still don't find any practical use for a theory that is based upon the Western concept of binary opposites and deconstruction of mythology and fiction to explain culture, I am at least better able to understand the theory.
Books:
- Introduction to Nursing Informatics (Health Informatics)
- Law of Attraction: The Science of Attracting More of What You Want and Less of What You Don't
- Living By the Book: The Art and Science of Reading the Bible
- Low Power CMOS VLSI: Circuit Design
- Manipulating the Mouse Embryo: A Laboratory Manual
- Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower's Bible
- Memories Are Made of This: How Memory Works in Humans and Animals (Maps of the Mind)
- Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
- Mind Hacks: Tips & Tricks for Using Your Brain (Hacks)
- National Electrical Code 2005 Softcover Version (National Fire Protection Association National Electrical Code)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Kitchen Confidential Updated Ed: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly
- Guided Mindfulness Meditation
- Elizabeth and Her German Garden
- Fanciful Paper Projects: Making Your Own Posh Little Follies
- Frog and Toad Are Friends
- Functional Analysis
- Experimental Methods for Engineers
- The Historic Cumberland Plateau: An Explorer's Guide
- Diary of William Mackenzie: The 1st International Railway Contractor
- Promises! Promises!: Adventures of Sargento Tico, Cataluna to California 1766-1802
Annual Editions: Anthropology 07/08 (Annual Editions : Anthropology)
Dancing Skeletons: Life and Death in West Africa
Invitation to Anthropology
Nisa: The Life and Words of a !Kung Woman
Conformity and Conflict: Readings in Cultural Anthropology (12th Edition) (MyAnthroKit Series)
