Economies and Cultures: Foundations of Economic Anthropology

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 248 pages
• Published by: Westview Press; Second Edition edition January 1, 2007
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0813343658
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0813343655
• Book Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Weighs: 11.2 ounces

Product Description
More than any other anthropological subdiscipline, economic anthropology constantly questions and debates the practical motives of people as they go about their daily lives. Tracing the history of the dialog between anthropology and economics, Richard R. Wilk and Lisa C. Cliggett move economic anthropology beyond the narrow concerns of earlier debates and place the field directly at the center of current issues in the social sciences. They focus on the unique strengths of economic anthropology as a meeting place for symbolic and materialist approaches and for understanding human beings as both practical and cultural. In so doing, the authors argue for the wider relevance of economic anthropology to applied anthropology and identify other avenues for interaction with economics, sociology, and other social and behavioral sciences. The second edition of Economies and Societies contains an entirely new chapter on gifts and exchange that critically approaches the new literature in this area, as well as a thoroughly updated bibliography and guide for students for finding case studies in economic anthropology.

About The Author
Richard R. Wilk is professor of anthropology and gender studies at Indiana University. Lisa C. Cliggett is associate professor of anthropology at the University of Kentucky.

Reader Reviews
This review is from: Economies And Cultures: Foundations Of Economic Anthropology (Paperback) This book provides a nice discussion of the philosophical and historical underpinnings of economic anthropology. It shows how three perspectives have predominated in economic anthropology: whether people are selfish, moral or self-interested. The book traces the trajectories of each of these stances back in time, making interesting connections. The result is a work that makes one think hard about assumptions and limitations. Less attention is given to detailed discussion of formal economic models. The writing style is accessible, the voice active and the touches of humor (e.g. the drawing that depicts "academic strife") refreshing. This book might deserve a spot next to a favored ethnography or economics textbook on your shelf.