Studying Societies and Cultures: Marvin Harris's Cultural Materialism and Its LegacyLawrence A. Kuznar, Stephen K. Sanderson "A thought-provoking, stimulating volume on the past, present and future of cultural materialism that is both laudatory of Harris' research strategy and critical of it." Paul Shankman, University of Colorado One of the most important anthropologists of all time, Marvin Harris was influential worldwide as the founder of cultural materialism. This book accessibly analyzes Harris's theories and their important legacies today. The chapters explore cultural materialism's epistemology and its relation to rational choice theory, Darwinian social science, and population pressures. The authors assess recent attempts to extend and reformulate cultural materialism and highlight cross-cultural, archaeological, and ethnographic applications of cultural materialism today. |
From inside the book
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Page 8
... for the extinction of systems that were bio - psychologically satisfying to the individuals concerned , but vulnerable to more predatory neighbors .... However , such group selection is merely a catastrophic consequence of selection ...
... for the extinction of systems that were bio - psychologically satisfying to the individuals concerned , but vulnerable to more predatory neighbors .... However , such group selection is merely a catastrophic consequence of selection ...
Page 98
... in groups they become a mathematical certainty . Rationality is such that individual behavior may appear to be incomprehen- sible until it is placed in the context of the social group . Understanding the links between cultural materialism ...
... in groups they become a mathematical certainty . Rationality is such that individual behavior may appear to be incomprehen- sible until it is placed in the context of the social group . Understanding the links between cultural materialism ...
Page 106
... of a period of relative isolation , during which it evolved unique characteristics . The societies in the sample may or may not be geographically contiguous ( Eggan , 1954 ) . Within the group of descendant societies , any cross ...
... of a period of relative isolation , during which it evolved unique characteristics . The societies in the sample may or may not be geographically contiguous ( Eggan , 1954 ) . Within the group of descendant societies , any cross ...
Contents
A Bibliometric Analysis | 20 |
The Theoretical Legacies of Cultural Materialism | 56 |
Cultural Materialism Rational Choice and the Problem | 78 |
Copyright | |
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American analysis anthropology approach argues argument authors behavior believe biological called capitalism causal causes century Chapter chiefdoms chiefs Citation cited communities complex critical cultural materialism cultural materialist Current Darwinian determinism developed distinction ecology economic effects Ember empirical environment evidence evolution evolutionary example existence explain fact factors Figure forces groups Harris's History human ideas important increase individuals infrastructural interest islands Journal knowledge languages linguistic major male Marvin Harris Marxism materialist means nature noted organization origins particular patterns period perspective political population present Press pressure principles problem production rational reference reproductive result Review Sanderson scientific seems selection significant similar social societies sociocultural status structure subjects success suggest theoretical theory understanding University variables warfare wealth writing York