Offering compelling photos, engaging examples, and select studies by anthropologists in a variety of locations around the globe, this market-leading text presents cultural anthropology in vivid, accessible terms showing students how this discipline is relevant to understanding the complex world around them. Honed, streamlined, and extensively updated throughout, the 15th edition presents the fundamental concepts from a holistic perspective using three unifying themes: 1) the varied ways humans face the challenges of existence, 2) the connections between culture and biology in shaping human beliefs and behavior, and 3) the impact of globalization on peoples and cultures around the world. This edition also retains its integrated coverage of race, class, gender, and ethnicity, as well as its popular Globalscape feature, which gets students thinking about the consequences of globalization and (sometimes) their own behavior. A strong supplements program provides instructors and students with a wealth of resources designed to enhance the teaching and learning experience. Long known as a cutting edge teaching tool, Cultural Anthropology: The Human Challenge takes a pedagogical leap in this edition with the introduction of MindTap—a digital interactive learning platform, more information below.

1. The Essence of Anthropology.
2. Characteristics of Culture.
3. Ethnographic Research: Its History, Methods, and Theories.
4. Becoming Human: The Origin and Diversity of Our Species.
5. Language and Communication.
6. Social Identity, Personality, and Gender.
7. Patterns of Subsistence.
8. Economic Systems.
9. Sex, Marriage, and Family.
10. Kinship and Descent.
11. Grouping by Gender, Age, Common Interest, and Class.
12. Politics, Power, War, and Peace.
13. Spirituality, Religion, and Shamanism.
14. The Arts.
15. Processes of Change.
16. Global Challenges, Local Responses, and the Role of Anthropology.
Glossary.
Bibliography.
Credits.
Index.

Offering compelling photos, engaging examples, and select studies by anthropologists in a variety of locations around the globe, this market-leading text presents cultural anthropology in vivid, accessible terms showing students how this discipline is relevant to understanding the complex world around them. Honed, streamlined, and extensively updated throughout, the 15th edition presents the fundamental concepts from a holistic perspective using three unifying themes: 1) the varied ways humans face the challenges of existence, 2) the connections between culture and biology in shaping human beliefs and behavior, and 3) the impact of globalization on peoples and cultures around the world. This edition also retains its integrated coverage of race, class, gender, and ethnicity, as well as its popular Globalscape feature, which gets students thinking about the consequences of globalization and (sometimes) their own behavior. A strong supplements program provides instructors and students with a wealth of resources designed to enhance the teaching and learning experience. Long known as a cutting edge teaching tool, Cultural Anthropology: The Human Challenge takes a pedagogical leap in this edition with the introduction of MindTap—a digital interactive learning platform, more information below. Data and examples have been updated, less relevant material has been trimmed or cut, new examples and findings have been woven into the story, and the writing has been further chiseled to make it all the more clear and engaging. Greater space is devoted to compelling photographs and other key visuals that deepen the learning experience because of their high quality, specific content and informative captions. The book's generous use of figures, photos, and maps gives students a visual explanation of important information. Locator maps illustrate where in the world the chapter's content is taking place. Chapter 1 introduces students to the holistic discipline of anthropology with up-to-date descriptions of the anthropological fields, including discussions of linguistic relativity, sociolinguistics, and saving endangered languages, as well as material on historical archaeology and other archaeological sub-specializations. Globalscape features chart the global flow of people, goods, and services, as well as pollutants and pathogens. Showing how the world is interconnected through human activity, this feature contributes to the text's globalization theme with topics geared toward student interests, from international adoption to piracy in the coastal waters off Somalia. Each ends with a Global Twister question that prods students to think critically about globalization. Biocultural Connections illustrate how cultural and biological processes work together to shape human biology, beliefs, and behavior—and reflect the integrated biocultural approach central to the field of anthropology today. Topics include "Cacao: The Love Bean and the Money Tree," "Change Your Karma, Change Your Sex?" and "Toxic Breast Milk Threatens Arctic Culture." Each one ends with a critical thinking question. Every chapter features four Questions for Reflection designed to stimulate and deepen thought, trigger class discussion, and ink the material to the students' own lives. Original Studies present excerpts, integrated within the flow of the text, from case studies and other original works by women and men in the field. Found in many chapters, they illustrate important concepts in the discipline and show students how anthropologists study human beliefs and behavior, past and present. Exciting topics include the works of Frans de Waal ("Reconciliation and its Cultural Modification in Primates"), Serena Nanda ("Arranging Marriage in India"), Bill Maurer ("Sacred Law in Global Capitalism"), and Margo DeMello ("The Modern Tattoo Community"). Anthropology Applied boxes focus on the broad range of work that anthropologists from around the world undertake and the variety of social contexts in which they practice. These boxes also show students what types of career opportunities are available to them outside of academia—from work in ecotourism, to economic development, international healthcare, dispute resolution, indigenous language preservation, and cultural revitalization through traditional art.