' Subtle & self-reflexive an excellent overview of the debates & issues that have shaped this hugely influential social science'
- Guardian How does anthropology help us understand who we are? What can it tell us about culture from Melanesia to the City of London? Why does it matter? For well over one hundred years social & cultural anthropologists have traversed the world from urban Zimbabwe to suburban England Beijing to Barcelona uncovering surprising facts patterns predilections & sometimes the inexplicable in terms of how humans organize their lives & articulate their values By weaving together theories & examples from around the world Matthew Engelke brilliantly shows why anthropology matters not only because it allows us to understand other points of view but also because in the process it reveals something about ourselves too