Emperor's Giraffe: And Other Stories Of Cultures In Contact

Cultural contact and interaction are key concepts in anthropology. Wilson (anthropology, Univ. of Texas, Austin) provides a good introduction to these concepts, subdividing his book into five major sections, each comprising a series of short chapters illustrating the major topics. These include Columbus, the interaction of various Native American groups with European groups, the influence of introduced European diseases, Asian interactions with the European world, and the Caribbean region. The book closes with a series of chapters that orient the reader toward the wonder of cultural distinctions throughout the world. Impressive in the geographic and temporal breadth of its examples, this book is also noteworthy for emphasizing that cultural contextAoften cast in a negative light by researchersAhas also produced cultural richness worldwide.

Released March 25, 1999