What does it mean to give a “gift”? In this timely collection, distinguished anthropologists—Maurice Godelier, George Marcus, Stephen Tyler—and philosophers—Mark C. Taylor, John D. Caputo, Jean-Joseph Goux and Adriaan Peperzak, explore an enigma that has disturbed contemporary philosophers from Marcel Mauss to Jacques Derrida.

The essays included in the volume:

Some Things You Give, Some Things You Sell, But Some Things You Must Keep for Yourselves: What Mauss Did Not Say about Sacred Objects by Maurice Godelie.

The Gift and Globalization: A Prolegomenon to the Anthropological Study of Contemporary Finance Capital and Its Mentalities by George Marcus

Capitalizing (on) Gifting by Mark C. Taylor

“Even Steven” or “No Strings Attached” by Stephen Tyler

Mothering, Co-muni-cation and the Gifts of Language by Genevieve Vaughan

The Time of Giving, the Time of Forgiving by John D. Caputo

Seneca against Derrida: Gift and Alterity by Jean-Joseph Goux Giving by Adriaan Peperzak