Introduction to Anthropology

Reviewed by Sharon Methvin, Instructor, Mt. Hood Community College on 3/24/25

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

Text contains multiple modules, some traditional and some innovative, from which the instructor can choose. Text covers an array of cultures in the examples included and an array of intriguing and professional images.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Well referenced and supported from a variety of resources.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Up to date examples and images. The stand alone modules allow for updates that will be easier to navigate and implement.

Clarity rating: 5

Not just a jumble of paragraphs leading to reader fatigue. Instead this text uses indexing, provocative images, relevant and diverse examples, and color to help the reader navigate the material while, at the same time, keeping interest peaked.

Consistency rating: 5

Yes, each chapter has a consistent layout and the tone of the various chapters is consistent...no easy task with multiple writers.

Modularity rating: 5

Each chapter is a stand alone module.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

Yes, for the most part. The only area which is uneven across the chapters is the "resource" section at the end. I would love to see it more fully developed. Otherwise, all the sections in each chapter are laid out in a consistent and easy to follow style.

Interface rating: 5

Clear and Professional

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not see any errors

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Wide array of examples and key material on indigenous issues and the role of anthropology is presented

Love it! Provocative, Professional and thorough! Relevant for today's student of anthropology!

Reviewed by Molly Carney, Assistant Professor, Oregon State University on 12/15/24

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

Great introduction to cultural anthropology, with chapters on recent approaches that many introductory texts do not include. It is MASSIVE at over 600 pages! Almost too detailed. I felt that the book leans heavily towards cultural anthropology, despite claiming to take a four-field approach.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

I did not encounter any inaccuracies within the book's content.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

I am impressed with the later chapters on pretty recent topics within Anthropology. It seems that the web-version of the text was built to accommodate updates. However, I'd love to see more archaeology and biocultural connections in these later chapters, as it does feel like they are written from a very cultural anthropology point of view.

Clarity rating: 5

Chapters clearly introduce complex topics in easy-to-access language. I particularly appreciate the sections with vocabulary, discussion questions, vignettes, and even videos! I think these are fantastic options for helping students grasp new concepts.

Consistency rating: 5

Most chapters are very clearly written and there's an effort throughout to ensure consistency in voice, which you don't often find in other open-access texts with numerous authors. All follow a similar outline.

Modularity rating: 4

It's a little inconsistent - sometimes there are big blocks of text while other sections are short.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Chapters are generally arranged in what strikes me as a logical order. There is organizational consistency within each chapter as well.

Interface rating: 4

The ads and pop ups in the web-based version of the text are very distracting. I'll definitely recommend students use the PDF as it's easier to navigate and read.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not see any grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The authors explicitly are writing from an antiracist perspective and do draw on examples from across the globe. I can see how individual chapters draw from the author's own research. There are a couple instances where human remains are shown that I wondered if it's appropriate to include a content warning of some sort? Or perhaps I missed that.

A very thorough introduction to cultural anthropology. I would definitely draw from these chapters, particularly 9-19, when I need a reading for introducing a new topic to my upper division courses.

Reviewed by Ian Bolling, Faculty Lead: Social Sciences (Full-Professor fo Sociology), Tidewater Community College on 6/27/24

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

Numerous chapters to choose from. A true strength. It is more comprehensive than what I need, but that is a good thing, as I can pick and choose the chapters I decide to use for the course.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Professionally written and I appreciate the steps taken to consider antiracist perspectives in the discipline and writings.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Cultural Anthropology is not just about the past or the present it is all encompassing. The authors do a good job of exploring historical foundations in anthropology while also pulling in modern concepts and elements on chapters on gender, food, media, the arts, etc.

Clarity rating: 5

A down to Earth approach. Much needed for community college students.
The chapters and their layouts are clearly laid out. Reflective of today's generation and their respective attention span. Each concept or segment is laid out in 1-2 pages with visual images, key terms, and explanations.

Consistency rating: 5

The chapters and their layouts are clearly laid out. Reflective of today's generation and their respective attention span. Each concept or segment is laid out in 1-2 pages with visual images, key terms, and explanations.

Modularity rating: 5

The chapters and their layouts are clearly laid out. Reflective of today's generation and their respective attention span. Each concept or segment is laid out in 1-2 pages with visual images, key terms, and explanations.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

While the chapters are logical, I will not cover much of the content in the beginning of the book as it will bog down the student with details they likely will not find interesting and are not integral to the understanding of Anthropology. Still many professors will consider those "skipped" chapters to be integral

Interface rating: 5

No navigational issues. It is nice that the text can be downloaded, viewed online, or purchased as a hard copy.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not see any errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Cultural Anthropology is inherently culturally focuses, but it is nice that the authors are outwardly trying to make the discipline antiracist and focus on being more inclusive.

I plan on adopting this book in the next academic year based on my review!

Reviewed by Katherine Fox, Assistant Professor, Southern Oregon University on 11/2/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This is a comprehensive four-field introduction to anthropology that is clearly organized, with a complete index.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

I saw no issues in the content.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

It is definitely a more up-to-date textbook than many offered by traditional publishers, but many of the "modern" examples are still drawing from the early 2010s. The section on digital and new media feels underdeveloped for 2022. I do think that the format will allow updates with relative ease.

Clarity rating: 5

Clear language with ample definitions and explanations.

Consistency rating: 4

Generally speaking, it is consistent. However, many sections are treated as independent topics and do not always clearly link to and reference other material covered earlier in the book, so in some ways this is not applicable.

Modularity rating: 3

Blocks of text are often larger than is comfortable to read online. Sections of the book can be printed without major issues, though there is some disruption of graphics.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Clear structure. While each chapter covers a different topic that is often very separate from others, the sections within the chapters follows a clear and logical sequence.

Interface rating: 5

No problems with the online interface.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No grammatical errors; sentences are clear and well-written.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The book uses diverse examples to illustrate anthropological concepts. Though it feels as though its target audience is American, different regions of the world feel evenly represented (i.e., the book doesn't overwhelmingly focus on one area, such as Southeast Asia or Latin America).

This is a really great textbook option for four-field anthropology classes. I don't think that it replaces textbooks that are specifically for introductory cultural anthropology courses, at least without supplementation with other materials.