Culture Sketches: Case Studies in Anthropology

World Map: Location of Cultures Numbered by Chapter

Chapter 1. The Azande: Witchcraft and Oracles in Africa

Chapter 2. The Aztecs: Ancient Legacy, Modern Pride

Chapter 3. The Basseri: Pastoral Nomads on the il-Rah

Chapter 4. Haiti: A Nation in Turmoil

Chapter 5. The Hmong: Struggle and Perseverance

Chapter 6. The Ju/'hoansi: Reciprocity and Sharing

Chapter 7. The Kaluli: Story, Song, and Ceremony

Chapter 8. The Minangkabau: Matriliny and Merantau

Chapter 9. The Nuer: Cattle and Kinship in Sudan

Chapter 10. The Ojibwa: "The People" Endure

Chapter 11. The Roma: Romanipe and The Road Ahead

Chapter 12. The Samoans: Matai and Migration

Chapter 13. The Tiwi: Tradition in Australia

Chapter 14. The Trobriand Islanders: The Power of Exchange

Chapter 15. The Yanomamo: Challenges in the Rainforest

references

Index

Ideal for any cultural anthropology course, this brief collection of ethnographic case studies exposes students to 15 different cultures. The groups selected are peoples whose traditional cultures are uniquely their own. Each has distinctive patterns and practices; each has faced the challenge of an encroaching world, with differing results. Moreover, they often provide the prime illustrations of important concepts in introductory anthropology course including Azande witchcraft, Ju/’hoansi egalitarianism, Trobriand kula exchange, and Minangkabau matriliny. As such, this volume can stand alone as an introduction to central ethnographic concepts through these 15 societies, or serve as a valuable companion to anthropology texts. Many of the peoples presented are involved in the diaspora; some struggle to preserve old ways in new places. All sketches follow a logical, consistent organization that makes it easy for students to understand major themes such as history, subsistence, sociopolitical organization, belief systems, marriage, kinship, and contemporary issues.