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| View Larger Image | Cultural Anthropology | Paperbackby Conrad Phillip Kottak (Author)
| 13 New starting at: | $14.95 |
| | 68 Used starting at: | $0.58 |
| | 1 Collectible starting at: | $14.95 |
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| | Binding: | Paperback | | Publisher: | McGraw-Hill Companies | | Edition: | 10thth Edition | | Page Count: | 1 Pages | | Publication Date: | July 01, 2003 | | Sales Rank: | 510,768th |
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CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 5 reviews)
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Cultural Anthropology Book by Carlos J. Aviles (USA)  4 Stars
May 17, 2009
Awesome book and great content to use in a college level classroom, great for training missionaries that will work overseas.
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Perfect. by J. Acuna (Tacoma, WA)  5 Stars
February 23, 2009
Just the way it was described-was a little late on the shipping [1 day] but it didn't affect the product in any way. I'd buy another if I needed to!
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a good text or study of Cultural Anthroplogy by kstars (Los Angeles County, CA. USA) 4 Stars
August 24, 2008
I am sure you could get a more updated book, but I bought it at a low price to study for my won personal curiosity. It was very informative.
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A smooth transaction by A. Billa 5 Stars
September 18, 2005
The book came in time, the condition of the book was as stated on the website. All in all a smooth and timely transaction. Thanks !
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OK for intro-level anthropology courses, but not flawless by Vato-Curandero  3 Stars
April 21, 2005
When dealing with textbooks, you eventually realize that every textbook has its advantages and disadvantages. "Cultural Anthropology" by Kottak is no different. The book has some fundamental flaws that warrant discussion. First, I think the book would benefit if it included an early chapter that introduced students to various anthropological theories. Since many anthropology texts fail to do this, I can't hold too much against Kottak for this negligence. Most sociology textbooks incorporate a chapter introducing students to Functionalist, Conflict, and Symbolic Interaction theoretical frameworks, and I believe anthropology books should follow suit.
My second problem with the book is that Kottak, at times, provides questionable definitions for various terms and concepts. For example, in Chapter 6 he defines a "race" as "an ethnic group that is assumed to have a biological basis." This is a fundamentally flawed definition. The fact that definitions of race are socio-cultural categories notwithstanding, most Americans would consider African-Americans, the Dinka, and the Igbo to be three separate ethnic groups but all members of the same race. The same can be said of Italian-Americans, Russians, and the Amish. Kottak's definition implies that "race" and "ethnicity" are essentially the same phenomenoa, when in actuality they are two totally distinct concepts. His sloppy, simplistic definitions have a potential to confuse non-anthropology students.
My other critique with Kottak is that, at times, he offers ridiculous and overly-simplistic culturalist explanations. For example, Kottak points out that Germany has numerous high-quality female Olympic swimmers, while Brazil lacks high-caliber women swimmers. What accounts for this difference? According to Kottak, the answer is different standards of sex appeal and constructions of female beauty in the two societies. In Germany, women with hard and sculpted bodies are considered sexy, while Brazilians value the "natural beauty" of women, especially the "ghetto booty." What a joke! How would Kottak account for the fact that Brazil sends a quality women's volleyball team to the Olympics - a team stocked with 6'0" women with rock solid abs and muscular, toned frames?
On the plus side, students find Kottak easy to read, and for the most part, easy to comprehend. Each chapter has a set of discussion questions to facilitate in-class discussions of the material at hand. The instructor's edition comes with an outstanding test/quiz component for each chapter. Also, Kottak does offer many cross-cultural examples and case studies to support his ideas.
While far from perfect, "Cultural Anthropology" is a recommended textbook for intro-level anthropology courses - especially those that project a large enrollment of freshmen.
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| Anthropology: The Exploration of Human Diversity (NAI Text Alone)
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The new tenth edition of Kottak’s best selling text for general anthropology continues to offer a holistic introduction to anthropology that approaches the course from a four-field perspective and a book that is good for students and professors. The new, tenth edition is a major revision offering many new and exciting features that build on the strengths of this approach. The text has two new themes --“Bringing It All Together” and “Understanding Ourselves.” The “Bringing it All...
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