A Companion to Cognitive Anthropology

BLACKWELL COMPANIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY A Companion to Cognitive Anthropology In elucidating tensions between individual and collective, between idiosyncratic and commonplace, between the social, cultural, and environmental, and between the evolutionary and situational, cognitive anthropology emerges as a significant component of studying human being, and this volume provides a useful anthology and snapshot. Journal of the Royal Astronomical Institute The fact that reading through these essays got me thinking about the amazing range of research areas that could now be considered part of cognitive anthropology is a testament both to the provocative value of this volume and the vitality of the sub-discipline of cognitive anthropology it is helping to re-imagine. Ethos The sheer vibrancy of modern cognitive anthropology is brilliantly reflected in this Companion. The development of the field since the early days of ethnoscience is as refreshing as it is remarkable. Brent Berlin, University of Georgia A Companion to Cognitive Anthropology is an outstanding collection of papers covering a range of topics that accurately reflect current trends and major emphases in anthropologically informed studies of cognition. Steven Tyler, Rice University A rich treasure-house of science-based anthropology. Margaret Boden, University of Sussex Read this good companion to find out what cultural anthropology contributes to the cognitive science agenda. Are there scientific methods for discovering what people know and how they think by virtue of ethnic ancestry and cultural inheritance? Read these essays and find out. Richard A. Shweder, University of Chicago This Companion traces the development of cognitive anthropology from its beginnings in the late 1950s to the present, and evaluates future directions of research in the field. In twenty-nine articles from leading anthropologists, there is an overview of cognitive and cultural structures, insights into how cognition works in everyday life and interacts with culture, and examples of contemporary research. A Companion to Cognitive Anthropology is essential for anyone interested in the questions of how culture shapes cognitive processes.