Faculty and students praise the book’s proven ability to generate class discussion, increase faculty-student engagement, and enhance student learning.

Through clear writing, a balanced theoretical approach, and engaging examples, Miller stresses the importance of social inequality and human rights, the environment, culture change and applied aspects of anthropology. Rich examples of gender, ethnicity, race, class, and age thread through the topical coverage of economic systems, the life-cycle, health, kinship, social organization, politics, language, religion, and expressive culture. The last two chapters address how migration is changing world cultures and the importance of local cultural values and needs in shaping international development policies and programs.

 Material throughout the book highlights the relevance of anthropology to students and how they can apply in their careers. By entwining attention to key theories for understanding culture with an emphasis on relevance of anthropological knowledge and skills, this text is the perfect choice for all introductory cultural anthropology courses.