The Rise of Anthropological Theory: A History of Theories of Culture - Strand Books
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A landmark text tracing how anthropologists have explained culture — and why each era's dominant answer says as much about its moment as about humanity.
Cultural MaterialismStructural FunctionalismHistorical ParticularismEvolutionary Theory
Theory Briefing
- Marvin Harris's 1968 survey mapped every major school of cultural theory, from evolutionism to structuralism, in a single sweeping volume.
- Each theoretical shift — from Boasian historicism to cultural materialism — reflected the political and intellectual pressures of its era.
- The book remains a core academic text, showing how explanations of human culture are themselves cultural products.