This introduction to cultural anthropology text uses a global approach to examine basic anthropological concepts within a regional context, providing an analysis of contemporary issues throughout. This text utilizes a political ecology perspective, which combines cultural ecology, with its emphasis on adaptation, and political economy, which focuses on the links between productive activity, trade, and distribution of power. This text presents anthropology as a discipline that is indispensable in understanding the dynamics of contemporary intercultural interactions and ethnic conflict.

The global approach directs attention both to Western and non-Western traditional and complex societies, where archeological, historical and contemporary data is used to show how cultures adapt and interact over time and within our contemporary global community. The book explores the effects of colonialism, trade and capitalism on the local indigenous cultures of each region, but also shows how contemporary indigenous and minority groups are taking action, in both constructive and destructive ways. While all the traditional anthropological topics are covered, this book also provides an overview of key events in the prehistory and history of Western civilization including a chapter on the rise of capitalism and a chapter on American culture. It also explores, in the relevant regional chapters, the contemporary transitions from economies based on central planning and state ownership of industries to more capitalistic economies, the struggles to institute democratic reforms and the efforts to establish national identities and boundaries in multi-ethnic regions formerly united by repressive political systems.