Foundations of Anthropological Theory - From Classical Antiquity to Early Modern Europe

Foundations of Anthropological Theory presents a selection of key texts that reflect the broad range of anthropological thought on human behavior, from Herodotus and Ibn Battuta to Adam Smith and Adam Ferguson.§ Enables the reader to situate the modern discipline of anthropology within the larger context of intellectual history§ Features key texts from the ancient and medieval worlds through to the Enlightenment§ Considers the presumptive rights of Europeans to judge the inherent moral worth of non-Western civilizations§ Provides fascinating insights into the ways historians, philosophers, missionaries, and even writers of fiction have made valuable contributions to modern anthropological inquiryThe formal discipline of anthropology emerged out of centuries of European reflection on the nature of non-Europeans, but the roots of this field were laid down long before. Foundations of Anthropological Theory presents a selection of key texts that reflect the broad scope of writings on human behavior across cultures that are the basis for the modern study of Anthropology. Editor, Robert Launayreveals how the concerns of contemporary anthropology were first formulated by early thinkers,such as observations by Herodotus and Ibn Battuta to the works of Adam Smith and Adam Ferguson. The readings explore the origins and nature of different social and political systems,as well as the origins of inequality, and thepresumptive rights of Europeans to judge the inherent moral worth of non-Western civilizations. These illuminating selections provide fascinating insight into the ways historians, philosophers, missionaries, and even writers of fiction have made valuable contributions to modern anthropological inquiry. Accessible and thought-provoking, Foundations of Anthropological Theory will be of interest to students and scholars alike.