Wordtrade.com
Brief Notice

Anthropology of Conversion edited by Andrew Buckser, Stephen D. Glazier (Rowman & Littlefield) paints a picture of conversion far more complex than its customary image in anthropology and religious studies. Conversion is very seldom simply a sudden moment of insight or inspiration; it is a change both of individual consciousness and of social belonging, of mental attitude and of physical experience, whose unfolding depends both on its cultural setting and on the distinct individuals who undergo it. This book explores religious conversion in a variety of cultural settings and considers how anthropological approaches can help us understand the phenomenon. Fourteen case studies span historical and geographical contexts, including the contemporary United States , modern and medieval Europe , and non-western societies in South Asia , Melanesia , and South America . Contributors discuss conversion to Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, and Spiritualism. Combining ethnographic description with theoretical analysis, authors consider the nature and meaning of conversion, its social and political dimensions, and its relationship to individual religious experience. Highly recommended. More

Makuna: Portrait of an Amazonian People by Kaj Arhem, photographs by Diego Samper (Smithsonian Books) The Makuna of eastern Columbia inhabit an Amazonian rain forest teeming with plant and animal life that provides them not only a livelihood but also with cultural inspiration that infuses their daily life and frequent ritual performances. According to Makuna tradition, the forest in all its aspects embodies a world of powerful spirits who control the cosmos yet are intimately connected to human activities: the river is the defied anaconda that gave birth to their ancestors; rocks and slat licks are the spirit houses of animals; fish and plants are people; and hills are petrified mythical heroes that created the world and maintain life on earth. More

In Light of Our Differences: How Diversity in Nature and Culture Makes Us Human by David Harmon (Smithsonian) Most scientists would agree that a sixth mass extinction is on the horizon unless radical changes are made in how Western society treats nature. At the same time, another extinction crisis is unfolding: the loss of many of the world's languages. More and more work in applied biology, anthropology, linguistics, and other related fields is now driven by the assumption that we are approaching a threshold of irreversible loss, that events during the next few decades will decide whether we cross over into a fundamentally changed and significantly diminished world. This leads to a very simple question that has not, until now, been answered satisfactorily: Why should anyone care? Harmon takes a unique approach to answering this essential question by drawing on insights from conservation biology, evolutionary theory, linguistics, geography, psychology, philosophy, and ethics. His interconnected discussion explores the works of Voltaire, A.O. Lovejoy, Darwin, Wittgenstein, William James, Dobzhansky, and many others to explain why everyone must be concerned about the loss of diversity. When more and more elemental differences are erased from the natural world and human societies, the field of possible experience becomes more constricted and our essential humanity becomes jeopardized. The very reason our planet can be said to be alive is because an amazing variety of organisms, streams of human thought and behavior, and geophysical features exist that provide a congenial setting for the interworkings of nature and culture. Harmon's timely, important book elucidates how as we lose diversity, we risk losing ourselves. More

Scenes from the High Desert: Julian Steward's Life and Theory by Virginia Kerns  (University of Illinois Press) Julian Steward (1902-72) is best remembered in American anthropology as the creator of cultural ecology, a theoretical approach that has influenced generations of archaeologists and cultural anthropologists. This hybrid biography considers the intellectual and emotional influences of Steward's remarkable career and provides insights into the theoretical development of anthropology during his lifetime. More

Cultural Anthropology, 11th Edition by Carol R. Ember, Melvin Ember (Prentice Hall) reflects recent anthropological research and controversial developments, while integrating features in each chapter to spark and maintain reader interest. A focus on applied anthropology discusses the history and types in the United States and shows how the work of applied anthropologists is playing more of a role in the planning of possible solutions to various global social problems—including AIDS, disasters, homelessness, crime, family violence, and war. This book offers an introduction to anthropology, cultural variation, and using applied anthropology and medical anthropology to address global social problems. For individuals interested in exploring the far-reaching aspects of anthropology. This text is well suited for undergraduate, introductory use and manages to give a useful survey of the state of the science of anthropology. More

Headline 3

insert content here

WT Main | About WT | Review Links | Contact | Review Sources | Search | Bookstore Briefs