Suggested Readings

Chapter 1: The Nature of Anthropology

Lett, J. (1987). The Human Enterprise: A critical introduction to anthropological theory.  Boulder, CO: Westview.

Part 1 examines the philosophical foundations of anthropological theory, paying special attention to the nature of scientific inquiry and the mechanisms of scientific progress.
Part 2 deals with the nature of social science as well as the particular features of anthropology.

Peacock, J. L. (1986). The Anthropological Lens: Harsh light, soft focus.  New York: Cambridge University Press.

This lively and innovative book manages to give the reader a good understanding of the diversity of activities undertaken by anthropologists, while identifying the unifying themes that hold the discipline together.

Sanjek, R. (Ed.). (1990). Fieldnotes: The making of anthropology.  Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

This book goes right to the heart of the ethnographic enterprise. What, how, and why do fieldworkers write down what they do and how do they deal with it all? How do others assess the credibility of the ethnographer?

Vogt, F. W. (1975). A History of Ethnology.  New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

This history of cultural anthropology attempts to describe and interpret the major intellectual strands, in their cultural and historical contexts, that influenced the development of the field. The author tries for a balanced view of this subject rather than one that would support a particular theoretical position.