Anthropology For Dummies - Cameron M. Smith

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Résumé :
Covers the latest competing theories in the field Get a handle on the fundamentals of biological and cultural anthropology When did the first civilizations arise? How many human languages exist? The answers are found in anthropology -- and this friendly guide explains its concepts in clear detail. You'll see how anthropology developed as a science, what it tells us about our ancestors, and how it can help with some of the hot-button issues our world is facing today. Discover: * How anthropologists learn about the past * Humanity's earliest activities, from migration to civilization * Why our language differs from other animal communication * How to find a career in anthropology

Biographie:
Cameron M. Smith, PhD, teaches anthropology courses at Portland State University and has written articles for Scientific American MIND, Archaeology, and Skeptical Inquirer. Evan T. Davies, PhD, has conducted fieldwork in Africa.

Sommaire:
Introduction. Part I: What Is Anthropology? Chapter 1: Human Beings and Being Human: An Overview of Anthropology. Chapter 2: Looking Into Humanity's Mirror: Anthropology's History. Chapter 3: Actually, Four Mirrors: How Anthropology Is Studied. Part II: Physical Anthropology and Archaeology. Chapter 4: The Wildest Family Reunion: Meet the Primates. Chapter 5: My Career Is in Ruins: How Anthropologists Learn about the Past. Chapter 6: Bones of Contention: The Fossil Evidence for Early Human Evolution. Chapter 7: It's Good to Be Home: Homo sapiens sapiens, Our Biological Species. Chapter 8: Hunting, Fishing, Sailing, and Sledding: The Spread of Humanity Worldwide. Chapter 9: Old, Old McDonald: The Origins of Farming. Chapter 10: The Development of Civilization. Part III: Cultural Anthropology and Linguistics. Chapter 11: The Spice of Life: Human Culture. Chapter 12: From Kalahari to Minneapolis: How Cultural Anthropologists Work. Chapter 13: Can We Talk? Communication, Symbols, and Language. Chapter 14: Types of Types: Race and Ethnicity. Chapter 15: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? Identity, Family, Kinship, and Gender. Chapter 16: Not at the Dinner Table! Religion and Politics. Part IV: So What? Anthropology, the Modern World, and You. Chapter 17: Kiss or Kill? Diversity, Conflict, and Culture. Chapter 18: Looming Disasters? From Overpopulation to Space Debris. Chapter 19: Eve and the Iceman: The Cutting Edge of Physical Anthropology. Chapter 20: Stonehenge and You: Why Archaeology Matters. Part V: The Part of Tens. Chapter 21: Ten Things to Remember about Anthropology, Whatever Else You Forget. Chapter 22: Ten Great Careers for Anthropology Majors. Chapter 23: Ten Great Anthropologically Themed Movies and Books. Index.