The field of cultural anthropology describes and interprets the thought and behaviour of contemporary and near-contemporary societies. Inherently pluralistic, it offers a framework in which the distinctive perpectives of each cultural world can be appreciated. Robert Winthrop's dictionary describes the major concepts that have shaped the discipline, both historically and theoretically. It sets modern anthropology in its proper context within the broader intellectual tradition. 80 entries review the key concepts - culture, race, nature, symbolism, adaptation, the primitive, etc. - that have established the fundamental problems and issues, guided research, and served as the focus for debate in key areas of the discipline. The entries, which range from 2000 to 6000 words in length, are both thorough in treatment and contemporary in relevance. Some entries are primarily of historical significance while others describe recent developments. Each entry contains an annotated bibliography and a guide to additional reading on the subject. While this is not primarily a technical lexicon, many terms have been glossed and explained.
Designed to be useful to students of anthropology, this dictionary will assist those in other disciplines to find their way through the anthropological labyrinth.