Fifty Years of Anthropology and Education 1950-2000

<p>George and Louise Spindler are widely regarded as significant founders of the field of educational anthropology. This book brings together their best most seminal work from the last 50 years--a time frame representing the developmental epoch of the field--and binds them together with a master commentary by George Spindler. Previously scattered over a wide range of publications the articles collected here allow for a unified view of the Spindlers' work and of the development of the field.<br><br> The book opens with an insightful Foreword by Henry T. Trueba a fascinating piece titled A Life With Anthropology and Education: Interviews With George and Louise Spindler by Ray McDermott and Frederick Erickson and George Spindler's Previews essay which gives the reader a grasp of the whole to which the parts of the book contribute. These pieces frame and contextualize the work that follows.<br><br> In Part I <i>Character Defining</i> many of the major themes of this volume are first encountered; this section sets the stage for what follows. Part II <i>Comparisons</i> focuses on comparison which the Spindlers view as essential to an anthropological approach. Part III <i>Ethnography in Action</i> is devoted to the explicit exposition of ethnographic methods (though actually every piece in the book is a demonstration of method). Part IV <i>American Culture</i> moves from a traditional representation of American Culture to a processual analysis of how the culture is transmitted in real situations and finally to an interpretation of right-wing actions that seem to constitute a reactive movement; the implications for education are pursued. Part V <i>Cultural Therapy</i> explains what cultural therapy is and how it may be applied to teachers and students. The volume concludes with Part VI <i>Orientation</i> Susan Parman's overview of the works of the Spindlers that spans their whole career.</p>