The SAGE Handbook of Cultural Anthropology is the first instalment of The SAGE Handbook of the Social Sciences series and encompasses major specialities as well as key interdisciplinary themes relevant to the field. Globally, societies are facing major upheaval and change, and the social sciences are fundamental to the analysis of these issues, as well as the development of strategies for addressing them. This handbook provides a rich overview of the discipline and has a future focus whilst using international theories and examples throughout. The SAGE Handbook of Cultural Anthropology is an essential resource for social scientists globally and contains a rich body of chapters on all major topics relevant to the field, whilst also presenting a possible road map for the future of the field. Part 1: Foundations; Part 2: Focal Areas; Part 3: Urgent Issues; and Part 4: Short Essays: Contemporary Critical Dynamics.

Political Anthropology

Political Anthropology

Political anthropology
Martijn Koster

Introduction

Since the birth of the discipline, anthropologists have studied politics and the political. At times this has been incidental to other interests, at other times it has been the central research focus. Elections, political institutions, the state, citizenship, and social movements are just a few of anthropologists’ interests. The main contribution of political anthropology, as a field, lies in its comprehensive study of everything related to power and inequality. This chapter discusses the subdiscipline's history, its variety of research themes, and its current challenges and new directions. To begin, it focuses on one of its distinguished strengths: its dual profile.

The Dual Profile of Political Anthropology

Broadly speaking, two types of studies can be distinguished within political anthropology. ...

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