Introducing Anthropology. Laura Pountney

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Dedication

      Laura

      To the next generation:Zoë, Bela, Ettie, Maeve, Otto and Gus

      Tomislav

      To Brian Morris who inspired in me a love for anthropology and teaching

       ‘Don’t be satisfied with stories, how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth.’ Rumi

INTRODUCING ANTHROPOLOGY

       WHAT MAKES US HUMAN?

      2nd Edition

      Laura Pountney

      Tomislav Marić

      polity

      Copyright © Laura Pountney and Tomislav Marić 2021

      The right of Laura Pountney and Tomislav Marić to be identified as Author of this Work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

      First edition published in 2015 by Polity Press

      This edition first published in 2021 by Polity Press

      Polity Press

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      Cambridge CB2 1UR, UK

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      All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purpose of criticism and review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

      ISBN-13: 978-1-5095-4415-8

      A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

      The publisher has used its best endeavours to ensure that the URLs for external websites referred to in this book are correct and active at the time of going to press. However, the publisher has no responsibility for the websites and can make no guarantee that a site will remain live or that the content is or will remain appropriate.

      Every effort has been made to trace all copyright holders, but if any have been overlooked the publisher will be pleased to include any necessary credits in any subsequent reprint or edition.

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Preface

      It is not an understatement to suggest that there has never been a more important time for the skills and insights that anthropology provides. In the period of time that has elapsed since the first edition of this book, there have been huge shifts in people’s lives, both in the small details and at the global level. Anthropology itself has evolved, towards a more progressive, self-aware, postcolonial, engaged, forward-thinking reflexive discipline in which it is acutely aware of its (not unproblematic) past. This second edition reflects the evolution of the subject as it makes sense of increasingly salient issues, in particular, the multiple and complex effects of climate change, global flows, increasing interconnectedness as well as the emergent possibilities afforded by greater use of technology.

      The key message of this second edition, however, remains one of hope. As we face climate change, social turmoil on a local and global scale, along with changing political and economic systems around the world, we strongly feel that anthropology should be used to confront some of the most pressing and challenging global issues of our time.

      At a time when differences between individuals and societies have become ever more significant, this book reflects the experience of many anthropologists and shows that, by understanding ‘others’ and reflecting on one’s own cultural values, a more sensitive and compassionate view of the world can be achieved.

      Anthropology continues to be a subject that encourages a non-judgemental and respectful attitude towards others. Nowhere have the effects of this been felt more than in education, where students embark on their own anthropological journey with a particular view of the world that may have been informed by all kinds of different opinions, only to leave having become aware of the complexity and value of all human cultures. Students of anthropology not only see the world differently;