The book provides a clear overview of social and cultural anthropology. In this radically revised and updated edition, Thomas Hylland Eriksen focuses on essential issues such as kinship, ethnicity, rituals, and political systems, providing numerous examples that demonstrate, on the one hand, the scientific scope of Anthropology and, on the other hand, the importance of comparative analysis.

Examining a range of societies, extending from the Pacific islands to the Arctic regions and from the small villages of Africa to modern nation-states, the book reveals the immense diversity of social life and human culture.

Finally, the author expands his study to the complex societies of our time, offering the modern reader a comprehensive work.