An Introduction to Cultural Ecology

Description

This contemporary introduction to the principles and research base of cultural ecology is the ideal textbook for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate courses that deal with the intersection of humans and the environment in traditional societies. After introducing the basic principles of cultural anthropology, environmental studies, and human biological adaptations to the environment, the book provides a thorough discussion of the history of, and theoretical basis behind, cultural ecology. The bulk of the book outlines the broad economic strategies used by traditional cultures: hunting/gathering, horticulture, pastoralism, and agriculture. Fully explicated with cases, illustrations, and charts on topics as diverse as salmon ceremonies among Northwest Indians, contemporary Maya agriculture, and the sacred groves in southern China, this book gives a global view of these strategies. An important emphasis in this text is on the nature of contemporary ecological issues, how peoples worldwide adapt to them, and what the Western world can learn from their experiences. A perfect text for courses in anthropology, environmental studies, and sociology.

Mark Q. Sutton is Professor of Anthropology at the California State University, Bakersfield. He is also Director of the Center for Archaeological Research, Director of the Museum of Anthropology, and the Editor of the Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology. E.N. Anderson is a Professor of Anthropology at the University of California, Riverside.

'Two anthropologists, both based in Californian universities, have produced a handy introductory textbook to cultural ecology, defining this discipline as the "study of the ways in which culture is used by people to adapt to the environment."'