The human enterprise : a critical introduction to anthropological theory /

In terms of size, concerns, and style this volume falls between Marvin Harris's now classic The Rise of Anthropological Theory (CH, Feb '69) and Merwyn Garbarino's Sociocultural Theory in Anthropology (1977). What distinguishes Lett's venture is an explicit concern for the philosophical underpinnings of theory. Consequently, the reader is clearly and succinctly introduced to the logical, epistemological, and ontological bases of theory building. Lett considers some of the major trends in the discipline including structuralism, symbolic analysis, and ethnomethodology. Most importantly, the strengths and weaknesses of cultural materialism are given detailed consideration since it claims to have a secure scientific basis; the author avers that this should be the case in the study of cultural systems. In a style reminiscent of a respectful term paper, the discussion is informative and generally insightful though marred by an overemphasis on the work of M. Harris. As a result, the tone reflects an insider's dialogue on the mutually determined issues often without recourse to other points of view. However, this does not detract from the serious contribution this book makes to comprehending contemporary anthropological theory from a rigorous perspective. For graduate students and faculty.-W. Arens, SUNY at Stony Brook