Humans: An Introduction to Four-Field Anthropology - Paperback

by Alice Beck Kehoe (Author), Andrew J. Petto (Author)

Humans is a concise, jargon-free introduction to four-field anthropology. This book outlines and breaks down a complex discipline to identify some of the most important and relevant questions in anthropology. It provides students with an understanding of the unity of the human species, the adaptation of societies to their environments (physical and political), and an appreciation of the power of socialization into a culture.

The authors ensure that the book takes a balanced approach to all four fields, covering topics such as cultural relativism, humans as a biological species, primates, communicating, economics, and religion. Pedagogical features include a study guide and notes for instructors. This second edition is fully updated with brand new material on evolution, genetics, and archaeology to reflect the latest research and recent changes in the field.

This book is an ideal introduction for students embarking on an anthropology course for the first time.

Author Biography

Alice Beck Kehoe conducted participant observation ethnography among North American Northern Plains First Nations and in an Aymara village in the Andes, Bolivia, and also archaeology in the Northern Plains, Tiwanaku in the Andes, and in Europe. She has taught Anthropology at Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI.

Andrew J Petto, PhD, is a biological anthropologist with interests in comparative anatomy, population biology, evolution, and science education. He is Distinguished Lecturer Emeritus in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. His most recent book is Human Structure and Function (TopHat Monocle, 2022).