Combines anthropology's four subfields to explore what it means to be human
Introduction to Holistic Anthropology invites students to rediscover anthropology as Franz Boas once envisioned it - a unified discipline that integrates biological, historical, linguistic, and cultural perspectives to understand human diversity and commonality. In contrast to the fragmented state of the field today, where sub-disciplines often operate in isolation, this innovative textbook emphasizes a holistic approach that encourages readers to see the connections between different aspects of human life. John Forrest and Badger Forrest-Blincoe confront the challenge of making sense of anthropology's "post-everything" landscape by shifting the focus from what anthropology is not to what it can be: a rigorous, integrative inquiry into the many dimensions of human existence.
Drawing on decades of combined teaching and research experience across six continents, the authors explore anthropology's enduring questions about human nature, cultural variation, and the interplay of biology and learning. This book challenges students to consider how anthropologists build knowledge, where disagreements arise, and how the very foundations of the discipline can be contested and conceptualized.
Offering an accessible yet comprehensive framework that prompts learners to think across disciplinary boundaries, Introduction to Holistic Anthropology:
- Addresses the fragmentation of the discipline and offers strategies for reconnecting its branches
- Draws on fieldwork and teaching experience spanning six continents
- Frames key questions in clear and engaging language for those new to the subject
- Fosters analytical thinking and respectful debate
- Highlights anthropology's relevance to contemporary global issues and intercultural understanding
- Supports interdisciplinary thinking that connects anthropology to other fields of study
Introduction to Holistic Anthropology is designed for undergraduate students in introductory anthropology courses, particularly at the first- and second-year level. Suitable for degrees in anthropology, sociology, history, and global studies, it provides a solid foundation for understanding human cultures and diversity.
REUNITING ANTHROPOLOGY'S FOUR FIELDS TO EXPLORE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN
For more than a century, anthropology has been divided into separate specialties-biological, archaeological, linguistic, and cultural-each developing its own tools, methods, and theories. An Introduction to Holistic Anthropology revives Franz Boas's original vision of an integrated discipline, one that connects the dots between these fields to give students a fuller picture of human life, past and present. This innovative approach invites learners to see anthropology not as a collection of disconnected parts, but as a unified way of asking and answering questions about humanity.
Drawing on fieldwork and teaching experience across six continents, co-authors, and father and son, John Forrest and Badger Forrest-Blincoe explore anthropology's central inquiries: How are we all different, and how are we all the same? Does our biology determine behavior, or does culture shape who we become? Why do some customs flourish in certain societies and vanish in others? By examining these questions from multiple perspectives-and engaging in their own scholarly debates-the authors encourage readers to think critically, evaluate competing explanations, and recognize the complexity of human experience.
Providing a foundational framework for analyzing human diversity through an interconnected lens, An Introduction to Holistic Anthropology is essential reading for undergraduate students in introductory anthropology or general education courses. It is especially suited for degrees in anthropology, sociology, history, and global studies.
