The Study of Culture is an introduction to cultural anthropology with special emphasis on the key concept of culture. Its historical approach has been deliberately chosen to help students understand not only the concept of culture as it is now used, but also how it developed out of a series of real problems that people were attempting to cope with - problems that are with us yet. Too often students tell teachers that they do not see how things fit together, why certain concepts are important, or why they should study anthropology or social science at all. This book provides students with that broader perspective, ranging from the early evolutionists to the begriming of fieldwork, functionalism, and structuralism and on the impact of post modern theory