The Study of Culture

In this update of the 1987 and 1974 editions, Langness (anthropology, psychiatry, U. of California, Los Angeles) introduces the study of a ubiquitous concept in the social sciences that is a only a century old. With liberal quotes from cultural anthropologists, he traces the history of a "a human science of human beings." He reviews and critiques schools of thought on culture from evolutionists (who view civilized society as many steps removed from primitive man) to those arguing for cultural relativity and postmodernism. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)