Applied Anthropology - 3rd Edition by John Van Willigen (Paperback)

About the Book

Applied Anthropology: An Introduction (3rd edition) is a text focused on the use of the methods and theories of anthropology to solve the practical problems of human communities. It addresses a wide range of problem-solving practices in two large categories: development and research. The development-focused chapters include action research/participatory action research, cultural action, collaborative research, cultural brokerage, and social marketing. The research-focused chapters include social impact assessment, evaluation, and cultural resource management.

Each chapter includes a defining statement about the approach considered and discussion of key concepts, a discussion of the basic process, and one or more case studies. These materials are supplemented with chapters on many domains of application and roles which applied anthropologists activate. These are coupled with chapters on the history of the development of applied anthropology, ethics, anthropology in development, and policy. The book concludes with a chapter on work-related issues such as employment and funding opportunities.

Book Synopsis

Applied Anthropology: An Introduction (3rd edition) is a text focused on the use of the methods and theories of anthropology to solve the practical problems of human communities. It addresses a wide range of problem-solving practices in two large categories: development and research. The development-focused chapters include action research/participatory action research, cultural action, collaborative research, cultural brokerage, and social marketing. The research-focused chapters include social impact assessment, evaluation, and cultural resource management.

Each chapter includes a defining statement about the approach considered and discussion of key concepts, a discussion of the basic process, and one or more case studies. These materials are supplemented with chapters on many domains of application and roles which applied anthropologists activate. These are coupled with chapters on the history of the development of applied anthropology, ethics, anthropology in development, and policy. The book concludes with a chapter on work-related issues such as employment and funding opportunities.

Review Quotes

"John van Willigen's Applied Anthropology: An Introduction should be required reading for anyone interested in the field. This new edition is testimony to the author's devotion to maintaining a coherent and up to date view of a part of anthropology that is changing and expanding at a very rapid pace. Few among us have even attempted to provide such a comprehensive sense of applied work, and fewer still have been so attentive to practical concerns of those students and practitioners who are becoming our next generation of applied anthropologists."-Erve Chambers Department of Anthropolgy University of Maryland at College Park

About the Author

JOHN VAN WILLIGEN is Professor of Anthropology, University of Kentucky.