Introducing Cultural Anthropology: A Christian Perspective, 2nd ed.
Digital Logos Edition
Overview
What is the role of culture in human experience? This concise yet solid introduction to cultural anthropology helps readers explore and understand this crucial issue from a Christian perspective. Now revised and updated throughout, this new edition of a successful textbook covers standard cultural anthropology topics with special attention given to cultural relativism, evolution, and missions. It also includes a new chapter on medical anthropology. Plentiful figures, photos, and sidebars are sprinkled throughout the text.
- Helps readers explore and understand cultural anthropology from a Christian perspective
- Gives special attention to cultural relativism, evolution, and missions
- Addresses theory, modern and postmodern ideas, and globalization
- The Discipline of Anthropology
- Culture
- Language
- Social Structure and Inequality in Race, Ethnicity, and Class
- Sex, Gender, and Sexuality
- Economics
- Authority and Power
- Kinship and Marriage
- Religion and Ritual
- Medical Anthropology
- Theory in Cultural Anthropology
- Anthropology in Action
Top Highlights
“Archaeology is the study of material artifacts to understand a people’s culture or society.” (Page 6)
“Cultural anthropology is the description, interpretation, and analysis of similarities and differences in human cultures. It is a diverse discipline encompassing a wide variety of topics related to human beings. Cultural anthropologists often differentiate themselves by referring to areas of specialty such as economic anthropology, urban anthropology, or anthropology of religion, to name just a few.” (Page 4)
“A holistic understanding assumes that all parts of human life—from birthing practices to the economy to warfare to art—are interconnected.” (Page 13)
“Anthro comes from the Greek anthropos, meaning ‘human,’ and -ology from logos, or ‘study.’ The term anthropology is extraordinarily broad because the discipline as a whole encompasses several distinct but related modes of research. Anthropology has traditionally been divided into four subfields: archaeology, linguistics, physical or biological anthropology, and cultural or social anthropology (see fig. 1.1).” (Page 5)
“A second subfield of anthropology, linguistics, involves the study of language.” (Page 7)
In Introducing Cultural Anthropology, Brian Howell and Jenell Paris deftly cover traditional anthropological themes such as culture, kinship, power, language, religion, and ritual. But more importantly, Howell and Paris show that anthropology is not just for intrepid missionaries or those interested in distant lands; rather, because it engages human themes such as poverty and injustice, gender and sexuality, and race and inequality, anthropology is an essential tool for understanding and contributing to our communities, churches, and neighborhoods. Introducing Cultural Anthropology is the ideal text for the thoughtful Christian classroom.
—Aminta Arrington, assistant professor of intercultural studies, John Brown University
I used the first edition of this book while teaching internationally diverse students in both Southern California and China. Introducing Cultural Anthropology is academically rigorous and well researched, covering critical terms and concepts, yet written in an easy-to-understand format. The additional online test banks and supplemental materials are helpful not only for students—particularly those who speak English as a second language—but also for the professor preparing to teach the material. The textbook and supplemental materials provide the foundation necessary for course preparation that focuses on the needs of students across cultures. Indeed, Howell and Paris have given us a great gift, capable of enriching the lives of countless students of anthropology. This textbook has inspired many lively discussions—picture Indonesians, Koreans, and Australians sitting on a floor in China discussing the costs and benefits of Colonialism and exploring surprising answers and insights! I am very excited about the second edition and the new chapter exploring medical anthropology. I have been working in the field for decades on medical issues that impact our cultures and have not found another textbook that adequately addresses this important subject. Their forward-thinking treatment of this topic and others will undoubtedly be an immense help in preparing students of anthropology and Christ-followers to engage with our global society.
—Dana S. Chisholm, author, advocate, and publisher, Trail Media & Chisholm Family Foundation
I heartily congratulate Howell and Paris on this second edition of Introducing Cultural Anthropology: A Christian Perspective; I also thank Baker Academic for inviting and facilitating the same. I invested in the first edition by teaching from it critically for five years. I am pleased to see numerous improvements in the second edition that both students and instructors should appreciate—for example, discussion questions at the end of each chapter, a new chapter on medical anthropology, and helpful revisions throughout. I am excited to see in the second edition the fruit of two fine Christian anthropologists regularly teaching its subject matter; discussing it intentionally with students and a wide range of fellow anthropologists; and continuing related research, conference presentations, and publication. I am more than glad to highly recommend this second edition.
—Robert G. McKee, senior faculty, Dallas International University
- Title: Introducing Cultural Anthropology, 2nd Edition: A Christian Perspective
- Authors: Brian M. Howell and Jenell Paris
- Edition: 2nd
- Publisher: Baker
- Publication Date: 2019
- Pages: 304
- Resource Type: Introduction
- Topic: Anthropology
Brian M. Howell (PhD, Washington University) is professor of anthropology at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, where he has taught for over fifteen years and regularly teaches introductory anthropology courses. His research interests include the intersections of culture, globalization, and Christianity. He has written on ethnography of the Philippines, anthropology of religion, faith integration, and Christian missions.
Jenell Paris (PhD, American University) is professor of anthropology at Messiah College, where she regularly teaches introductory anthropology courses. She has written numerous books, including Teach from the Heart: Pedagogy as Spiritual Practice, The Good News about Conflict, and The End of Sexual Identity.