Reclaiming a Scientific Anthropology - (Cambridge Cultural Social Studies (Paperback)) by Lawrence A Kuznar (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A strong advocate for anthropology as a science, Lawrence Kuznar reviews the recent challenges to this ideology from creationists and 'scientific' racists on one side and postmodernists, marxists and feminists on the other. Moreover, Kuznar provides a brief review of anthropology as a science, summarizes major theoretical works in anthropology and other fields on the science/humanism debate, and offers several important case examples from cultural anthropology and archaeology showing science in action. An interesting, provocative book for anthropologists and ideal for advanced undergraduate and graduate classes in theory and method.

Review Quotes

"Postmodernists and moralists will not like this book, but they will have difficulty dismissing Kuznar's critique. This books brings together a historical survey with contemporary arguments about science, demonstrating that most of the current anti-science arguments have been answered at length by philosophers of science." --Roy D'Andrade, (University of California, San Diego)

"Kuznar makes a strident plea for putting some semblance of science back into anthropology....An obvious acquisition for college and university libraries where there are broad programs in humanities and the sciences." --Choice Reviews

"What makes this book so useful for students and teachers of undergraduate and graduate classes on anthropological research...is that it is a careful, reasoned attempt to put something back, after the certainties have been removed from under students' feet." --Critique Of Anthropology

"A timely, thoughtful and civil intervention in the disputes that dominate our fractious discipline." --Marvin Harris, University of Florida

A timely, thoughtful and civil intervention in the disputes that dominate our fractious discipline.

Kuznar makes a strident plea for putting some semblance of science back into anthropology....An obvious acquisition for college and university libraries where there are broad programs in humanities and the sciences.

Postmodernists and moralists will not like this book, but they will have difficulty dismissing Kuznar's critique. This books brings together a historical survey with contemporary arguments about science, demonstrating that most of the current anti-science arguments have been answered at length by philosophers of science.

What makes this book so useful for students and teachers of undergraduate and graduate classes on anthropological research...is that it is a careful, reasoned attempt to put something back, after the certainties have been removed from under students' feet.